Rush Blade of the Ruined King on Twitch?

DeloricVI·Apr 18, 2015·3 votes·3,911 views

So, I had another thread that was scatterbrained (just like me) asking about a few champions, namely Twitch and Xerath. I did get some great advice, but one of my bigger questions didn't get answered. That main question was about the item build for Twitch. I guess it has to do with me addressing the thread to Twitch and Xerath mains, so that would kinda be my fault.

I know that builds are sometimes builds can be "up to you" or your better judgement (e.g. you have Katarina mid and you're adc, you might want to consider a hexdrinker). However, it's generally well-established that most ADC's rush IE. Used to be Bloodthirster, but because of changes to the item people have switched to IE. However, some people in a recent match asked me while I was playing Twitch, why I built IE first instead of BotRK.

So, I looked up BotRK, and I don't really see anything inherently broken about Twitch and BotRK, other than maybe combining it with your stealth and/or ult... should I be rusing BotRK? I'm not an amazing Twitch player yet, so it's hard to say if I'm losing because of a bad build, or because... well, I'm bad, but I figured while I'm taking a short break from ranked, I'd get this cleared up, at least.

16 Comments

OrangesilkApr 18, 20152 votes

Twitch has a terrible laning phase, so laning lifesteal is very welcome.

Twitch scales VERY nicely with AS.

Twitch NEEDS a panic button to escape when he gets jumped.

DeloricVIApr 18, 20151 votes

Oh, I see. I haven't seen many of the hallmarks of a "bad laning phase" in Twitch's kit so far, but you're right about the escape. His just had the crap nerfed out of it.

In my experience, my laning phase usually goes pretty well. If I have an agressive support, we can usually pick up a number of kills. Maybe because it's bronze and Twitch isn't a very common adc where I am at this point... If he were common, I'm sure everyone would have been stomping me pretty hard.

qetzelApr 18, 20152 votes

Twitch's strength comes from mid game assassinations, and, if his positioning is perfect, late game teamfights.

The BotRK is used to improve his assassination. The active is useful for added burst. He also doesn't need as much AD due to his ultimate's steroid.

Twitch is actually quite hard to make work in soloqueue - take a look at some professional Twitch games (look up imp). The team sets him up with pink wards so he knows that he isn't seen before his stealth. He can become weak towards the late game (he makes it up super late though) if he doesn't get something from his mid game roams, so be careful and make sue they work.

Champion SkinApr 18, 20151 votes

Well the thing with Twitch is that he probably either destroy the enemy team late game or get destroyed... because well he is so vulnerable if he misplays it or well if he has his ult on cooldown he loses a lot of his late game potential

He can both pick the enemy team apart with assassinations and or his teamfighting with that powerful ult of his (if he isn't killed or dived or something as he doesn't have good escape option if someone is able to close the gap)

RisenDarkKnightApr 18, 20151 votes

Twitch is like vayne where he nees an item to start dueling people or he won't be able to fight until he has 6k gold. The power of bork as a one item wonder and it's active allows twich to roam with his q stealth and pick up kills. Just building an IE won't help you much in duels/teamfights unless you get really lucky with crits. If you get really fed early by all means go IE --> PD, but if not bork will give you the chance for picks and duels as well as sustain

CrettApr 18, 20151 votes

Botrk isn't very good on Twitch late game in my opinion, the hyperscaling of AD way outscales botrk's passive

EndlessSorcererApr 19, 20151 votes

It helps that his ultimate will apply on-hit effects to every target hit, which means he can apply its passive to multiple champions on the enemy team.

CrettApr 19, 20151 votes

{quoted}

It helps that his ultimate will apply on-hit effects to every target hit, which means he can apply its passive to multiple champions on the enemy team.

It's not much of a comparison, his E and ult scale very hard with AD, and they'll get hit by all those, too let's say you got 55 more AD because you got BT instead of botrk, your autos deal 137 more damage on crit, and your e deals 82 more damage at max stacks

8% current health damage ends up being really small when you're trying to kill an entire team before they can fight back lol

Buttigieg 2020Apr 19, 20151 votes

Twitch's job in team fights is to output high dps, not 1 shro everybody. So the attack speed and % hp dmg on botrk are very good on twitch.

CrettApr 19, 20151 votes

{quoted}

Twitch's job in team fights is to output high dps, not 1 shro everybody. So the attack speed and % hp dmg on botrk are very good on twitch.

it's not about 1 shotting, it's ABOUT high DPS. and full ad is far better dps unless you're fighting a sion with 200000 hp.

EndlessSorcererApr 19, 20151 votes

IIRC, Blade of the Ruined King and Youmuu's Ghostblade Twitch's first two items in many games.

His ultimate applies on-hit effects (Blade of the Ruined's King) to all enemies his, the actives synergize with his Q to make him very bursty, it gives him early lifesteal, and the actives can help him peel for himself (slow, MS buff) or escape. They are also very easy items to build early due to the low cost of the components and give him early lifesteal to sustain through lane.

That combination of items also gives Twitch a very strong midgame powerspike so that he can easily assassinate and pickoff enemies and contribute to teamfights.

KnucklefistApr 19, 20151 votes

Personally I think adc's that have different procs for their auto attacks benefit the most from that item, at least up front. With someone like cait I'd rather start with something that uses a BF to make her q and ult stronger. AS is always nice on carries but I think the ones that have more poke would prefer the IE, while adc's like vayne that proc on hit effects would prefer the attack speed and lifesteal. Twitch poison stacks or something I believe. (if im wrong its because I haven't played him in ages) So more attack speed should equal more stacks faster. I'm only bronze so what I say isn't the gospel. That's just what seems to make sense to me.

BuPhDwhulnApr 19, 20151 votes

Personally, I prefer Statikk into IE. People are talking about BotRK applies to all of his ult hits -- and they're correct -- but it's not very common that you'll be hitting more than one person that BotRK will deal noticeable damage against. Shiv, on the other hand, also builds up stacks for every target hit, so you'll be pumping out lightning every three / four auto's whether you're hitting champions, minions, what-have-you, and that will be felt.

DeloricVIApr 19, 20151 votes

ooh, I'll have to try that one... If you combine that with the attack speed from his Q, Youmuu's, and probably a phantom dancer... that's a lot of statikk.

Hinro HonatoApr 19, 20151 votes

botrk gives him AS lifesteal %damage and some ad and another slow. When you catch someone out you can remove them pretty easily and escaping him is not an easy task. and with the right position he can melt an entire team. You want to catch teams in the jungle and flank from behind while your team is engaging from the front. botrk simply gives so much to him that an IE just can't match for one item. 25% crit chance is not likely to do much until you get more items.

iluvalarApr 20, 20151 votes

Actualy, BOTRK as been to go to item for about all the adc. I think it was in S3 ?

The balance between BOTRK, BT and IE is very small. It favored IE lately but only if there is no tank with the potential of carrying. Otherwise BOTRK is still the best option IMHO. Since the meta since cinderhulk is tilting toward more tank champions, I wouldnt be surprised if the BOTRK make a come back.

At the very least, if the top and the jungler are both tank, you should go for a botrk. Hope it help you make a choice.