How To Dunk: A guide to Darius

http://fc05.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2013/261/0/4/dunkin_darius_by_yatsuakumahichigo-d6mv7s6.png

Hello people.

I am SS Warlock, a Gold ELO Darius main, and i wanted to make a Darius guide for some of the people who are interested in the art of dunking, but don't know where to start.

The basics:

Probably the most important thing about Darius: You are playing a Bruiser/Fighter, not an assassin. Just because you have some kills uder your belt it doesn't mean that you don't need to build defensive items and you can just rush into a 1v3.

Probably the second most important thing about Darius: You are an immobile fellow, so (in most cases) Chasing someone or escaping from someone is useless. With Darius, it's...

http://sd.keepcalm-o-matic.co.uk/i/kill-or-be-killed-7.png

The abilities:

Darius has an interesting and fun kit with plenty of physical, a little magic, and a decent amount of true damage in it. He's easy to kite, easy to chase, but if he outsmarts you, (or he simply gets in range) you better start praying.

Let's see:

Passive: ** Hemorrhage:**

Darius' basic attacks and damaging abilities cause enemies to bleed for 12 / 15 / 18 / 21 / 24 / 27 / 30 / 33 / 36 (+ 30% bonus AD) magic damage over 5 seconds. This stacks up to 5 times. Darius gains 5% movement speed for each bleeding enemy champion.

A really useful tool in lane and in smaller trades, and also you just simply need the stacks to execute people. Without these stacks, Darius would be as useful as a Transparent port-a-potty.

Q: Decimate:

Deals 70/105/140/175/210 (+70% Bonus Attack Damage) physical damage to all nearby enemies in a circle. Champions in the outer half of the ability are struck by the blade, taking 50% additional damage.

The bread and butter of Darius. It's harass, it's a trading tool, it's waveclear, it does insane amounts of damage for being a 40 mana skill on a relatively low cooldown, it applies stacks, and it makes him really, really strong in smaller fights.

W: Crippling Strike:

The next basic attack deals 120/140/160/180/200% damage and slows the target's Movement and Attack Speed by 20/25/30/35/40% for 2 seconds.

Crippling Strike's base cooldown is reduced by 1 second for each stack of Hemorrhage on the target.

Another useful tool at trades, also it's really important if you're behind and you're farming under turret since it resets your auto attack, and ofc you deal more damage with it.

E: Apprehend:

Passive: Darius's physical damage ignores 5/10/15/20/25% of his target's Armor.

Active: Pulls in all enemies in front of Darius.

Aw man, i love this ability. It's just so... good!

https://33.media.tumblr.com/6761f95698375e1fff0152cdad9edff0/tumblr_nojco9GN4g1s5k4gmo1_500.gif

One thing that you might want to watch out for: The hitbox of the ability is slightly larger than the animation, so you can catch your opponents with quite literally nothing, because your axe will not be touching them. Altough you need to play a lot of games with Darius to master Apprehend, but when you do, you will be able to pull anyone you ever wished you could.

And finally...

http://stream1.gifsoup.com/view2/3918147/top-cat-drum-roll-2-o.gif

R: Noxian Guillotine

Leaps to target enemy champion and strikes a lethal blow, dealing 160/250/340 (+75% Bonus Attack Damage) true damage. For each stack of Hemorrhage on the target, Noxian Guillotine deals an additional 20% damage.

If Noxian Guillotine kills the target, Darius restores 25/50/100 mana and may recast Noxian Guillotine within 20 seconds.

At rank 3, Noxian Guillotine unlocks, causing its cooldown to reset entirely on kill.

The ult of ults, the best of the best, the ability that cannot be rivaled: THE DUNK!

But the power that lurks within the dunk cannot be used by any mere mortal who gets to play darius.

http://user21791.vs.easily.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/we.png

^Mere mortals^

1. You have to know the damage numbers to correctly execute people

2. Your ult is precious, don't use it everytime until 16

3. Just because you have an execute you don't have to take ALL the kills. You had enough you greedy bastard.

Laning:

The general objective is getting a lot of farm, and when the matchup is in your favor, or you have the chance, killing your opponent is good too.

You don't need to be a hero, and you don't need to cheese. Just stay in your place, watch out for ganks, and get the gold and xp.

Level 1. Upgrade q first, harass when you can. It's nearly impossible to run out of mana if your management is decent.

Level 2. Upgrade w, but you don't need to use it. You should still harass with your q, and you should still have a 100% cs at this point.

Level 3. Upgrade e, try to get a bit cheeky and try to pull your opponent in when you feel that you can force him out of lane. If you can't then try to harass with q.

Level 4. Upgrade q, if you didn't kill your lane opponent yet, you can go back to farming and wait for level 6. (although you shouldn't go back to being passive in every matchup.)

Level 5. Upgrade q, Continue farming.

Level 6. Upgrade r, try to kill your opponent. If it doesn't work, (which should be quite rare) go back to farming.

Level 6+. Upgrade whatever you want, try to kill your opponent or anyone you see and you can/want to kill. If it doesn't work, go back to farming and taking objectives.

Teamfights:

Try to get close to carries, get 3-4 stacks on them (depends on how fed are you) and dunk them. If that doesn't work, and you die in the process, you didn't take my first advice seriously, and you didn't build defensive items.

Baron/Dragon dance:

Try to bait the enemies into a certain range, and when they don't expect it, turn back, and pull them. They will probably die if your team is near. Other than that, do the same thing that you should do in teamfights.

Build:

Always build the following, the order is irrelevant.

or , , , , ,

Allow me to explain.

Finally trinity force has been dethroned, and the time of the black cleaver has come! This item makes you incredibly sticky, gives you lots of health and a decent amount of ad, and a ton of armor penetration. It's just really, really damn good.

Heil Hydra. Need i say more? Yes? Okay, i'll say more. This item gives you tons of ad, a bit of hp regen, a bit of lifesteal, and a crazy passive + active. Your aoe damage almost doubles.

You can get easily in range with this item with only the press of a button. No more running away! Also the HP it gives you is quite useful, and the mana isn't bad if you like to spam your abilities.

Even when the enemy top and mid lane is ad, this item is really useful mostly because of the tank meta. Because of the sustained damage, it takes more time to kill you, and that means that you have a much bigger window when you can use your increased ad.

Just another reason to get people as close as possible. Also it gives you a nice amount of armor, which is always good.

Matchups:

To be honest, i have never played against an Aatrox as Darius, so i don't know about this one. But if you ask me, my money is on the Darius.

Be careful, build maw of malmortius first, ask for assistance. If you grab him, never try to fight with him, just land a W and a Q and get outta there. Repeat this until you can dunk him.

Dunks everywhere!

Go ham until level 6, then you can calm down and focus on farming. You might be able to kill him, but sometimes it's not worth.

Buy cloth and 5 pots, and you're gonna be okay. Just don't overextend, and don't have long fights with her. Harass until she's low and then kill her.

Buy flask and DO NOT have long trades with him. He will destroy you if you are not careful. After six, when his E is not up and your ult is, you should kill him though.

Buy flask and then malmortius and just focus on farm. He will never pose a huge threat, but you will not necessarily be able to kill him.

Buy flask, sit on your bum and farm farm farm. You will not be able to kill him alone, unless he's really bad. If you want to take him out, ask your jungler. Be careful after 6 too, because of that damn heal.

Buy shield or if you want to be very safe, cloth + 5 pots, and just farm. When he starts running towards you, just q him, and when he silences you, just apply aoutoattacks. And then, when he tries to run away, just use your W. If he doesn't have flash and you're 6 or above, you have a kill.

Buy shield or cloth + 5 pots. When you are on the same hp, only engage him in mini form.

Buy flask. Since no one brings flash for heca top, you should be able to outtrade him. When he doesn't have E you can engage him.

Buy flask. Piece of cake.

Buy dorans shield. Apply w as often as you can. Jax without attack speed is not very useful.

Buy cloth armor + 5 pots. Farm as much as you can. After six you can fight him. (Well, if you pull him. Chasing is pointless.)

Buy dorans blade. Be really agressive. Kill.

Buy shield. Don't be agressive, don't chase, focus on farming. You can't do much against her.

Buy flask. Play passive. You might not expect malphite to outtrade you, but he is able to.

Buy blade, but focus on farm. When he engages you you can just stick on him and kill him.

You're screwed. There is no way you will beat this guy.

Do not push the lane, but try to harass him. After six it depens if you can fight him.

Skill matchup. It's irrelevant what you buy.

Buy shield, avoid fighting him.

Armor + 5 pots. You should be able to take damage until he runs out of mana. You might need some assistance though.

Huh? Who are you?

Buy shield and you are up to an easy lane.

Armor + 5 pots, and be careful. Avoid trades, ask your jungler for help, etc.

Armor + 5 pots, ez pz lemon sqeez.

Buy shield. You can go agressive level 1-2 and after 6. Inbetween level 2 and 6 he can outtrade you if you dont watch out.

I didn't play against the reworked Ryze yet (i wonder why...)

Buy shield and be careful. Shen deals a surprising amount of damage sometimes. He can outsustain you so you should be agressive.

If she doesn't take smite, you should be okay. If she does, you may want to ask for some assistance early on. Not sure though with the cinderhulk nerfs.

I haven't seen this champion in 1,5 years.

Be veeery careful. He is stronger than you, and he will destroy you if he hits you with anything in his kit.

Ah this little adorable fluffball... You are doomed. You should just sit under your turret and take that little farm that you can.

Haven't seen this guy lately, but from what i know, you should do the exact same thing that you would do against an olaf.

Go ham before 6, avoid getting critted, and you should buy a dorans first. (it doesnt matter if its blade or shield)

Ham. So much ham. You cannot stay in lane for long against Vlad, so you best ask for some help or you just be as agressive as you can.

Sheesh. It's hard to decide what to do, since you can outtrade the guy at early levels, but if he throws you back, and there is an enemy jungler coming to assist, you are probably dead. It depends on your warding and the enemy (And your) jungler i guess. But voli top isn't that popular anyways.

Cloth armor + 5 pots and try to bait him to use as much mana as he can. You should be able to fight him at any times if you keep up in farm.

Buy flask, kill the ghouls, don't overextend, don't make long trades.