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What Keystone is Optimal on Xerath?

masterdragon481·4/19/2016, 4:54:47 AM·2 votes·3,971 views

Like the title says, I've been a Xerath player for a pretty long time (not recently, but when I was forced to mid before dynamic queue, I tended to pick him most games).

Since the keystones were introduced, however, I have found a really hard time finding a keystone that feels good on him. The only 2 that are really even viable options are death fire touch and thunderlords decree.

DFT isn't optimal because, outside his e, he has no single target spells, drastically reducing the effectiveness of the keystone. In addition, his E is his only defense against people closing the gap, so throwing that out to try to optimally use a keystone doesn't really seem like a good idea.

Thunderlords is also incredibly unappealing. If xerath is using his range (his advantage and the reason to pick him) the most you can hit with is a W and a Q. That means that the only time Xerath is procing thunderlords is when someone is gap closing on him. Other than that, its pretty mediocre.

So I'll ask you guys, what do you think the better keystone to run on Xerath is? And is there a world where they introduce a keystone that actually works well with his kit?

15 Comments

ModWulf Helhammer4/19/2016, 4:56:13 AM1 votes

His stun can be used offensively. Landing it allows you to get a center W and a Q, which hits for a ton of damage. I personally use Thunderlord's

Quantum Lotus4/19/2016, 5:05:42 AM1 votes

Thunderlords definitely. Thunderlords is a keystone that is meant to help champions deal more burst damage and xerath is a burst poke mage. Thunderlords all the way.

LatetotheRace4/19/2016, 5:18:49 AM1 votes

Thunderlord's would be the obvious choice.... but Grasp of the undying would combo with his passive and give him some more sustain... I'm torn now.......

Fanny Forecast4/19/2016, 5:49:39 AM1 votes

With Xerath being a bursty poke mage I can see him grabbing Stormraiders Surge to be safer. His Q+W combo will likely hit the damage threshold most of the time and the added safety is something I feel Xerath would really like.

I don't play him personally, but from a theorycrafting perspective, it seems like it'd be pretty good.

Fasmodey4/19/2016, 1:06:24 PM1 votes

E-W-Q can delete a squishy champion faster than LB. So TD.

Stars Shaper4/19/2016, 1:14:26 PM1 votes

This has been bothering me as a Xerath main since the introduction of Keystones because I already knew that not one of them was going to be good for him so it's just a matter to chose the "less worse":

  • Deathfire Touch is to be taken when you know there are going to be many teamifghts and you can hit 3+ targets. TLD would be too unreliable since you can't be sure to hit 3 times your priority target before procing it on an unwanted one.

  • Thunderlord's Decree has value the moment you know you can focus on a single target which means you are going to focus on your laning phase and flanking/being flanked where DFT would do minimal damage.

Edit: I didn't mention Stormraider's Surge because I think that outside organized teamplay (where some "off builds" might come handful) a Xerath player must be able to use his kit tools for safeness and his range for finishing off runners. Since you are an Artillery Mage your job is to deal more damage possible from a safe place and not running around waiting for a full combo.

Sire Hippington4/19/2016, 2:39:51 PM1 votes

i prefer Thunderlords, normally you'd trie to get a E+W+Q combo of which can proc thunderlords from a huge range, and if you can land all 3 ult shots, the extra burst is quite nice. Though i do agree that it's not that great as it's rather unreliable on him. DFT just should finally get the duration for aoe increased to 3sec from 2, as that's the main reason it feels bad on most mages. That and the fact that it's all scaleing no bases so it kinda forces glass-cannon and is rather snowbally

69469238DEL14/19/2016, 2:41:40 PM1 votes

Statistically you want Thunderlord's Decree

lightdragoon884/19/2016, 2:48:49 PM1 votes

I would go with Thunderlord just for getting meditation and intelligence