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Is RoA an all-purpose or niche item?

PutThe3dgeD0wn·12/1/2014, 12:47:59 AM·1 votes·1,404 views

I've been going through a lot of build ideas for AP mages/assassins and one item I keep wondering about is Rod of Ages.

It seems like one of those items that's very rarely built, or only on certain champs. If you're playing an AP assassin and you want more durability (say you have scaling health seals and have built/will build other items with HP or a Zhonya's), there's nothing exactly wrong with building it, is there? This is assuming you can get away without a Rabadon's or are fed enough to buy it later, or if you don't necessarily need a Void Staff. It seems like an ideal build path if you needed more of a chance in teamfights versus just going in to insta-gib the carry; i.e., the enemy team is playing smart and not leaving their carry open. And another thing is it has good synergy in your build if you took an Archangel's Staff.

Or... is the only real way to play AP carries or Assassins is to just rush your Rabadon's, MPen items, and get a Zhonya's for defense and anything else is gimping you?

9 Comments

Rustling Bush12/1/2014, 12:48:48 AM2 votes

Ap assassin - no Ap burst mage - no Ap bruisers - mostly all the time (especially on lissandra top, annie, kasacringe, cho'gath...)

Siachi12/1/2014, 12:51:23 AM1 votes

I think it's a bit of a niche item: I believe it's for an AP Champs who either need the health (You'll be in the middle of the fight) or extra mana (Ryze, Kassadin, Aniva, etc.)

As far as I know.

IceKingChernobog12/1/2014, 7:34:47 AM1 votes

I tend to build it on veigar

timesphere12/1/2014, 8:51:54 AM1 votes

I build it on Maokai every game, if not as a first item then as a second item after Spirit Visage. I would build it on Cho'gath every game too, probably. Also, Anivia.

ScalyManChard12/1/2014, 9:18:43 AM1 votes

It's awesome on AP "Bruisers" (Chogath Maokai Ryze ) Alright on Mages if they benefit from mana (Solid pick on Malzahar Azir Lissandra Karthus , but you can kinda fit them in category A) Bad on Assassins - health and mana are mostly wasted.

Basically if you want that mana or would benefit from being able to take an extra hit, ROA is good. It's bad on poke and burst combo champions who would benefit more from AP, Magic Pen and Mana Regen.

If you just want a little tankiness on your otherwise normal Mage, item 3116, item 3191 , item 3001 , or item 3151 are usually better choices because they have good passives and you don't waste $$ on mana.

Hasztalan212/1/2014, 9:50:10 PM1 votes

It is not a niche item. On classic mages it is still pretty core who has long ramp-up tims (mainy the likes like Azir,Anivia and Karthus) but fo assassins its horrible. Assassins needs items which gives a very early impact to start making them snowball, while RoA exactly gives delayed power what they absolutely don't want. It costs 2800g but only gives 60 AP when you first buy it , so you can easily see on an AP assassin who wnats shitton ap with utility this doesn't worth it.

-Lichbane for 3k already gives +ms which helps roaming and a very nice scaling onhit passive which makes ur AA hit like a truck

-Dfg gives CDR allowing more actions to be taken (better roaming yet again) and a very useful passive for killing targets and shitton ap

-haunting guise is an 1400g item which in terms of dps outperforms the 60ap from roa (the 20pen early on means a LOT)

and the list goes on, but i think you get the idea. Roa gives no utility apart from the regen on lvlup which further enforces sitting on lane and farming, and has no active/passive combat utilities what assasssins need.

LeaguePastry1/13/2015, 5:01:12 AM1 votes

Siv HD builds 5 RoA's so it's obviously good.

Cindikle1/13/2015, 5:13:06 AM1 votes

Not so much a niche item as a champion based one.

As people have said, it's mostly good on AP bruisers. A few exceptions on some AP's. Either ones that build to scale into lategame power houses or they happen to also build Tear and it synergies.