Why do people build Ryze AP?

Ryzing2Diamond·Oct 22, 2015·3 votes·1,421 views

As a Ryze Main it makes no sense to me. Can anyone explain what makes non-squishy AP Ryze better than outright Mana tank Ryze?

It just seems like when I play it, I die in seconds and while I get better damage on my abilities it's really hard to get into range to do my combo several times and live without perfect timing on my Seraphs and Zhonyas...

Whereas I can often carry the game with the old ROA, Mercs, Frozen Heart, Spirit Visage, Seraphs, build.

Help is appreciated.

6 Comments

DerZermetzelteOct 22, 20154 votes

K. Easy: Remember these wise words: "Death is the best CC"

TLDR: Play tanky top, play full AP mid. Your job mid is to kill people.

Surviving is something to achieve with care, not with standing around and facetanking enemies. Although AP Ryze doesn't have to tank for more than a few seconds, if he manages to hit his combo.

With the Champ update, the mana ratios got nerfed, while the AP ratios stayed the same or got better. So damage from AP Ryze is now better than the Mana-version.

Chuck CharlesOct 22, 20152 votes

{quoted}

K. Easy: Remember these wise words: "Death is the best CC"

TLDR: Play tanky top, play full AP mid. Your job mid is to kill people.

Surviving is something to achieve with care, not with standing around and facetanking enemies. Although AP Ryze doesn't have to tank for more than a few seconds, if he manages to hit his combo.

With the Champ update, the mana ratios got nerfed, while the AP ratios stayed the same or got better. So damage from AP Ryze is now better than the Mana-version.

this guy has got it pretty much in a nutshell. you build for your role and what your team needs. if you are the mid, you are a primary carry and should build accordingly and PLAY accordingly. If you built full ap you should play carefully and wait for opportunities to go in the same way a talon, zed, or yasuo would. (only even more careful because those champions have mobility and you dont)

if you are in a role like top where your team needs you to at least soak up SOME damage (not necessarily a true tank) you can build tankier! Roa, FH, banshees(i think ryze already gets CDR from his ult...so like the fh is ALREADY overkill), etc. is fine.

you can play ryze as crazy sustained damage while being tanky or you can play him as INSANE burst (and i mean insane). With a death cap, void, roa, seraphs, ludens, and boots he will simply delete someone because he not only has a shit ton of ap, but gets free damage from the mana.

Ryze is versatile as all hell.

Meep ManOct 22, 20152 votes

To get more damage of course

MagmaFiresOct 22, 20151 votes

My 5 cents on Ryze:

You are not squishy if built correctly. You cannot be squishy if you are a short range mage that deals the most damage when allowed to do his combo several times in the team fights. Your shield passive helps, but building resists helps too.

In other words you are a Magic Damage Carry, the longer you survive the higher the odds of winning the team fight.

Built Order Usually: Tear, Catalyst, Boots Tier 1, ROA, Pen Boots, Frozen Heart, Void Staff or Abyssal (Depending if you need additional MR and they are short ranged too)

Late game you will have be able to cast your Ultimate several times in the same team fight, if left alone. If they focus you maybe they will waste enough on you that your teammates can carry, but try to deal as much damage as possible before dying.

Position > Stats - Don't be afraid of focusing the enemy tank if that means you cant be killed by the rest of their team. But if their carries are within your reach, then burst then down fast.

Conclusion: Survivability is better than Full Damage as it will make you live long enough to deal more damage overall. You are not just burst damage, you have sustained damage.

Ryze

VhalthoriaOct 22, 20151 votes

Don't forget he shreds magic resistance like mad.

Sire HippingtonOct 22, 20151 votes

it depends on what your teamcomp needs/allows
His ap-scaleings sincce reworke are insane, if you are fast with your combo, you can delete most people befor they can strike back, so tankiness isn't a huge issue.
the spellvamp from ult(and evt runes/masteries/items) means more damage->more health.

Though for soloQ, i agree that a more tanky built works better, while in highlevel 5v5, when your team can setup the fights for you, ap ryze just cuts through entire teams duering his passive.