Can anyone drop some advice on Alistar Top?

Weathered·1/18/2016, 10:44:41 PM·2 votes·542 views

So, there isn't a lot of info to be had on this, so the boards is a good a place as any to ask. Simply put, how do you Alistar Top?

AD or AP? Tank? Runes/Masteries? Teleport or Ignite? If AP, rush / or ? If AD, ? What is the best way to harass? What are some really good/bad matchups?

And finally, is he worth playing (not for tryharding but for fun)?

2 Comments

Crowgun1/18/2016, 11:13:39 PM1 votes

Most of the answers to your questions depend on the macthup. Sometimes in cases where you're versus someone tanky(Malph, Mundo) going full AP isnt worth since you'll never burst them in lane. Versus a squishier target go for it.

If you do go AP rush Ludens into either lichbane or deathcap. LB for better sustained dmg and DC for dat burst.

To harass vs melee wait for them to go for a juicy minion, pulverize then headbutt away. They take dmg and can't return it. Really annoying if you're someone like Malph or Renekton.

Runes are so situational so I won't comment but masteries are a little easier. If you're going tanky take Strength of Ages for all that extra HP, AP burst go Thunderlords.

Hope this all helps!

Blue Collar Bear1/19/2016, 1:41:04 AM1 votes

While I've been having issues with finding a good spot for Alistar in the top lane during s6, I played him throughout s4/s5 top to great success.

As AD Alistar, you want one of three things:

split push until the cows come home

This option is mostly for when your ADC and APC do not outscale their's. Do your best to create a numbers advantage for your team when objectives and team fights are happening. If they send only one top lane, dive them. This option also works best when your team has good waveclear.

dive the enemy back line

So, the enemy team has a Tryndamere and he pooped on you for the first 20m of the game. You still built damage and your team is not ahead. Go for the carries! Ultimately, this is the option you take when you can't split but your carries still do not outscale.

peel for your back line

You have a Kog'Maw, another front liner, and the enemy team has Graves. Keep your ADC safe. Their front line will melt before yours will. This gets harder to do the more divers the enemy team has, but it should be manageable. If the enemy team simply has too many threats to deal with, your ADC will never survive. Revert to plan 2, and watch as the enemies stop diving your ADC to deal with you.

Builds:

Take 18/12/0 masteries speccing into Fervor of Battle. Hybrid pen reds / Armor Seals / AS Glyphs / AS Quints, and level your W first. Deny creeps, use your passive to CS anytime you trade, and keep harassing. Dive them at six.

Take 12/18/0 speccing into Thunderlord's. Assuming that you cannot duel their top laner and you took the same runes, this is what you should build. It gives you all the tools you need to get to their back line and deal an insane amount of burst.

3) Alistar item 3158 item 3025 item 3068 item 3800 item 3512 item 3065

Take 0/12/18 speccing into Grasp of the Undying. Full defensive runes. Be annoying in lane as before, but there's no reason for you to kill your laner. You just group up and finish the game with your ADC. This is only an option, if the enemy team doesn't have an assassin and your team simply out scales and can siege.

Summoner spells are completely dealer's choice. Some people are able to use Ignite effectively, but I can't play top lane without Teleport anymore. I rely too heavily on it. As for match ups, it just depends on how you play it. A large majority of all match ups are skill match ups. If I had to give actual lane match ups that are just absolutely piss poor and have never gone my way in 2k+ games, here they are: Fizz, Swain, Xerath, Brand, Cassiopeia, Cho'Gath, Lulu

Outside of these, it's all about how you play. Now, don't get me wrong. There are some match ups that you will not kill your lane opponent, but you don't have to die to them (Fiora and Darius and Garen all come to mind). Just know how to play. You'll do fine. As I finish writing this, I just got done playing Devourer Alistar jungle in Plat II. Follow your dreams.