It seems like it would be an all around useful item, hell I even build it on Ori sometimes, but I've never been certain as to what its actual niche is. Basically I'm asking what kind of champion would use everything you get from Rod of Ages to it's maximum efficiency and why it isn't a worthwhile buy on someone like Ahri or Syndra, but it is so on someone like Anivia.
Shadòw2 votesFighters and ADCs
AhmCha1 votesBut of course, that was the missing component in my revolutionary AP Draven build. Thank you friend, you have shown me the light.
Dirty memer.
Jon11741 votesSinged
ChaddyFantome1 votesAges synergizes well with some champs more than others but it is MEANT to be an allround item. It isn't grossly overpowered or anything either, it is just solid.
The dynamic of the item isn't "who should build it" but "can i get away with building it quick enough so that it can scale sooner".
Rock MD1 votesRoA is for champions who can either start stacking it early, scale with mana, want a stronger late-game build, or need the tankiness to enter fights.
So the best synergies go to Ryze, Anivia, and Karthus.
Mordepool1 votesMorgana
Nahui1 votesWell, think of it this way. Rod of Ages is just a plain, all around scaling item with no real special effects. Unlike utility through rylai's, abyssal, zhonyas, or the raw damage damage of rabadons, void staff, or ludens, Rod of Ages is a general purpose item. You can build it and see great success on about any AP champion. Name any mana AP champ, and Rod of Ages is a good buy. From TF, to Ori, to Syndra, to Taliyah, to Ekko. Anyone with AP can build it and be happy.
Why doesn't everyone? You build this item when there's really nothing better to buy and when you want to scale into mid game hard. It's not a great item for the gold you pay for it at first, and since this game is about snowballing right now, or rather has been for a while, it's not too optimal. But, build it on champions that usually take more than one spell rotation to kill someone (See Syndra for one rotation mages).
Anivia farms waves with spells constantly, so she needs the mana it offers. Syndra can cheaply clear waves with her Q, and Ahri with her Q. Ahri is also very mobile, so she doesn't need the health as much and Syndra deletes anyone so the health isn't so valuable on her either. But Anivia is slow and doesn't simply delete, plus the added tankiness synergizes with her egg.
Oglaf1 votes
<3 
Talisid1 votesChampions that spend a lot of mana in teamfights like 
and 
are what it is designed for, since the healing effect scales with mana spent.
Korillo1 votes 
