How to climb with Ahri in ranked in a tank meta

adjoth··2 votes·1,790 views

Honestly most of the champions bore me, only a few I enjoy to play. However the games changed a lot with the new runes, but without a doubt the single hardest thing to deal with is undoubtedly tanks. The worst contenders being Taric, Chogath, Sejuani. Quite frankly without a strong front line it can be difficult if not impossible to deal with them. And if you've ever played solo queue you'd know that happens rarely for various reason. So I'm trying to figure out what my role/build should be in these cases? Normally I look for picks if possible, but a lot of the times they aren't so stupid to allow that and travel as group. To put up a few points.

  • Their front line is exceptionally tanking with hard cc
  • They may or may not always travel as a group (making picks difficult)
  • I try to ward up as much as possible (usually gets cleared out further complicating making picks)
  • It's solo cue so you know how well people work together :(
  • You may be (heavily) counters, behind, or just doing OK

13 Comments

Samflash31 votes

What is your typical build?

adjoth1 votes

{quoted}

What is your typical build?

Depends on the situation, but it looks like: item 3285 item 3165 item 3020 item 3135 for the core items

then if they're tanky i build: item 3116 and usually finish off with a item 3089

otherwise i build a mix of the following items depending on what i want/need: item 3146 item 3100 item 3041 sometimes but mostly item 3089 and something to help me survive item 3116 item 3027 or item 3001 if they can burst.

Ceol1 votes

I think your best option would be to try and snowball your bot lane so that they have a better time dealing with the tanks as the game progresses. Roaming and putting pressure on the map will really alleviate some of the pressure your bot lane could be facing (which can put them behind, severely reducing your chances to win as Ahri can't really wear down tanks).

If their team is very tanky, it's good to throw in a item 3151 after your item 3165, as not only is the item 3136 very good for your roams against squishies, but the % Health Magic Damage is good later on for gradually wearing away the frontline.

adjoth1 votes

{quoted}

I think your best option would be to try and snowball your bot lane so that they have a better time dealing with the tanks as the game progresses. Roaming and putting pressure on the map will really alleviate some of the pressure your bot lane could be facing (which can put them behind, severely reducing your chances to win as Ahri can't really wear down tanks).

If their team is very tanky, it's good to throw in a item 3151 after your item 3165, as not only is the item 3136 very good for your roams against squishies, but the % Health Magic Damage is good later on for gradually wearing away the frontline.

I've always like item 3151 the only issue i have with most "tank killer" build is the overall cost and build order. Especially against rough match ups like Zed or Leblanc. item 2419 can help with zed, but if forces you to build defensively. What do you recommend doing or prioritizing in these situations. Roaming is good and all but roam against a counter can just get you killed or worst bring them down with you.

Escheton1 votes

Ward and pressure so someone can effectively splitpush. These are strong teamfighting champions. Out-macro them.

adjoth1 votes

{quoted}

Ward and pressure so someone can effectively splitpush. These are strong teamfighting champions. Out-macro them.

Ward... shame they removed sightstone. Anyways the hardest issue I have with these type of situations is you cannot pick your battles. At some point, they will be able to dive your team under tower making it a 4v5 if you have someone trying to splitpush. You end up waiting for them to make a mistake, and even if they do make one, with a huge Health bar it can be difficult to try and punish them for it. Even most so why I do almost 0 damage with full build. Worst case you and your team cannot effectily split because you cannot hold them with only 4, or your splitpushing is behind and/or cannot fight in a 1v1 so even if they split they could die, or just end up wasting time with usually favors the tankier team.

Escheton1 votes

{quoted}

Ward... shame they removed sightstone. Anyways the hardest issue I have with these type of situations is you cannot pick your battles. At some point, they will be able to dive your team under tower making it a 4v5 if you have someone trying to splitpush. You end up waiting for them to make a mistake, and even if they do make one, with a huge Health bar it can be difficult to try and punish them for it. Even most so why I do almost 0 damage with full build. Worst case you and your team cannot effectily split because you cannot hold them with only 4, or your splitpushing is behind and/or cannot fight in a 1v1 so even if they split they could die, or just end up wasting time with usually favors the tankier team.

Noone except the support buys sightstone anyways, so thats a moot point. Tell your support to buy a Banner of Command, and put the minion in the lane noone is pushing.

Further, should you not be looking to flank and take out a squishy as Ahri? Tanks just help give them a sense of safety and predicable movement patterns.

adjoth1 votes

{quoted}

Noone except the support buys sightstone anyways, so thats a moot point. Tell your support to buy a Banner of Command, and put the minion in the lane noone is pushing.

Further, should you not be looking to flank and take out a squishy as Ahri? Tanks just help give them a sense of safety and predicable movement patterns.

First Tanks are a source of safety so I think that statement is inaccurate. Moving on do you think item 3060 is even worth getting? Maybe a back line support like Sona Janna and the like could get it but it doesn't really give you stats worth talking about. Defensively the stats are quite low so if feels like a more if your team is ahead item than if your a behind. The only solid thing I like about it is the cool down reduction. Even the active feels weak bc any AD champion can make quick work of it. Meaning you'd need to try and push another lane while it does it's thing, but if your behind your likely just gonna be getting ace'd. So again, more of a if your ahead item. And while it does help some for survivability, it take up a valuable item slot for very little reward. It also doesn't help you shield/heal you ally so just building it can lessen your presences.

PeachyPosterior1 votes

Make sure you have excellent farm. Focus on not dying. Thats about it really.

Ahri can't really carry right now so you're best to not feed the enemy, get as much farm and kills as possible, but also help peel for your allies. Your build looks decent but make sure you go Hourglass when necessary.

Also Vision. Mid is open to ganks. I like to get a control ward for the thicker wall from my side to river and always place regular wards over the thinner wall to river. Saved my butt from the jungler so many times.

After that it's just about learning when to go in and when to stay back, and that's mostly by knowing your enemy laner.

adjoth1 votes

{quoted}

Make sure you have excellent farm. Focus on not dying. Thats about it really.

Ahri can't really carry right now so you're best to not feed the enemy, get as much farm and kills as possible, but also help peel for your allies. Your build looks decent but make sure you go Hourglass when necessary.

Also Vision. Mid is open to ganks. I like to get a control ward for the thicker wall from my side to river and always place regular wards over the thinner wall to river. Saved my butt from the jungler so many times.

After that it's just about learning when to go in and when to stay back, and that's mostly by knowing your enemy laner.

Yeah, usually even with vision I like to say about in the middle of lane unless I'm crushing (which gets harder and hard as you climb) because of all the cc a jungler can bring, not to mention they can usually dive you if they chain cc. On another note, the number one hardest question I have is do you

  • Kill the enemy carry
  • Peel for your team both can be beneficial if you have a strong carry or if their carry is strong. Also what your thoughts on positioning? Usually I like to try and get flanks, but if your team gets ran over, or has issue engaging without you this can be difficult. Which is further raised if they have things like item 3140 or shielding champions/items because of her low damage. As riot have said, she not an assassin anymore.
PeachyPosterior1 votes

{quoted}

Yeah, usually even with vision I like to say about in the middle of lane unless I'm crushing (which gets harder and hard as you climb) because of all the cc a jungler can bring, not to mention they can usually dive you if they chain cc. On another note, the number one hardest question I have is do you

  • Kill the enemy carry
  • Peel for your team both can be beneficial if you have a strong carry or if their carry is strong. Also what your thoughts on positioning? Usually I like to try and get flanks, but if your team gets ran over, or has issue engaging without you this can be difficult. Which is further raised if they have things like item 3140 or shielding champions/items because of her low damage. As riot have said, she not an assassin anymore.

I'm trying to get better at not going past the middle of my lane. When your wave is pushed up and you're past level 6 it's perfect time for you to roam. Go help your bot lane. Even better if your jg is on that side and you ping for assistance/type it in chat.

Usually I try to help poke the enemy and get a charm in when possible. If it peels, great, but I'm still going to go in for the kill. Missclicks happen. Other enemies appear from bushes or behind. I'm not going to let the enemy get away because whoever I was peeling for got preoccupied with something else. Plus if I can get my late game items my poke/peel/kill potential goes up greatly.

If you're in a 2v1 situation with plenty of vision and you're ahead in kills compared to your ADC, yeah it would be good to let them have the kill and gold. But if they're that far behind they should probably be working on farming instead.

Edit: Your charm is not only good for peeling, but if you're kiting the enemies up mid after having just gotten their inhibitor, use your charm on the one that's catching up the fastest, maybe throw a Q in there and keep kiting them. Sometimes saving a charm for an escape is the better strategy.

SB Arneeman1 votes

Low damage is Ahris main problem. Other than building max magic pen + cdr there isn't really much to do since Ahri is weak against tanks in the first place.

Try to flank to kill one of their backliners, the tanks can't do that much by themselves once you are grouped.

Overall Ahri is not a strong champion right now, I would not recommend playing her if you want to climb.

adjoth1 votes

[{quoted}](name=SB Arneeman,realm=EUW,application-id=3ErqAdtq,discussion-id=sBeTH6Ov,comment-id=0004,timestamp=2018-02-02T15:50:51.626+0000)

Low damage is Ahris main problem. Other than building max magic pen + cdr there isn't really much to do since Ahri is weak against tanks in the first place. Overall Ahri is not a strong champion right now, I would not recommend playing her if you want to climb.

Honestly I agree, climbing is near impossible with her, he damge is unreliable and simply terrible in a game where even the ADC can one shot. item 3111 are enough to counter her damge. They only thing she has going for her was her Charm, but that got nerfed so now its like a item less Annie trying to burst a full tank Galio. Well not quite that bad but you get the idea. The only issue is I enjoy playing her, others are boring af (in my humble opinion). Rank has always been a slave to the meta, which is bullshit because I still want to have fun, but Its not like I want to stay wood 7 forever you feel me?

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