Never lost with this Garen build, tested a lot...

CapRocks·Sep 1, 2015·2 votes·2,027 views

Start Dorans Shield and Health Potion. ALWAYS make your first build Sunfire Cape, next (in no particular order...) Boots of Swiftness, The Black Cleaver, Spirit Visage, Warmogs Armor, Infinity Edge. This gives you the Garen carry, to carry ANY team. I have carried so many feeders/sucky players with this Garen build and have NEVER lost with it. I have successfully beaten Teemo, Jayce, and many other anti's (vs. Teemo you just flash then use abilities to get to him early game...). If you are wondering about how to win vs. a specific champion please let me know, I have probably done it. Basically though you just hit your q then e, if hard engaging use w. I usually run Flash and Teleport, but depending on my team composition I run Teleport and Ghost.

16 Comments

CrunchyfiedSep 2, 20156 votes

Merc treads, no warmogs and no IE

ErijianSep 2, 20152 votes

Like the build ideas, but some suggestions. You don't need to trade all of them out in one game; they're just strong items on Garen which don't make you lose much strength while being cheaper or overall stronger items throughout the entire game:

item 3111 instead of item 3009 item 3035 instead of item 3031 item 3053 instead of item 3083
item 3742 instead of item 3068 item 3156 instead of item 3065 item 3071 is worth getting every game.

We all play differently, but I encourage trying them out sometime. I normally mix and match the items up above aside from Sunfire and Swifties. Another really good item is, but I'm having trouble fitting into builds for him, is item 3142 .

Ra1dSep 2, 20151 votes

I stopped getting ghostplade around the time they changed cleaver but ill look into new builds with it and see if theres any good ones that might work.

CapRocksSep 3, 20151 votes

The items you are suggesting work quite well with Garen, I did forget to put item 3111 and item 3742 on there (because I normally don't build them, although depending on the matchup it's great!). item 3068 always seems to be necessary, and the main reason I ALWAYS carry so hard. But the other items are generally interchangeable with the items you posted... good input :)

Jase135Sep 2, 20151 votes

Too bad Garen is probably the most boring champion in the game.

warpenguin555Sep 2, 20152 votes

{quoted}

Too bad Garen is probably the most boring champion in the game.

idk about that. Maokai

CapRocksSep 2, 20151 votes

Haha Maokai vs Garen is the dullest lane ever...

warpenguin555Sep 2, 20151 votes

{quoted}

Haha vs is the dullest lane ever...

very true lol

Jase135Sep 2, 20151 votes

{quoted}

idk about that.

True.

NiyumiSep 2, 20151 votes

How would you beat a Fiora? She could parry your Q, dash out of your E, and parry your ult (or just eat it since she won't take much damage from you). On top of that, she chews through all your armor and HP. :3

CapRocksSep 2, 2015

Hmmm, that would be difficult. Try to survive in lane and attack her after she dashes to you. When she dashes to you you will already be at a good distance for melee... parrying your q will be a difficult situation, but unless she is very good, you will have a short window to q her after she bursts. Also, occasionally I have lost to my laner (not very much...) early game. In those situations just tp in for a drag fight, or somewhere they could use your help. item 3068 is definitely my most important build in top lane. Get that and you have hp, aoe damage, and armor. You can poke very effectively believe it or not, and stand between your opponent and your own minions in many situations. Garen seems to be a very broken champion if you can get the hang of him, so just try a few things and once you "get Garen" you can somehow lane vs. anyone. :)

Vik4prezSep 2, 20151 votes

I recently lost a game hard to an enemy Pantheon. I started long sword+3pots and he had flask+pots but I wasn't sure if his passive would block my Q or not so I always went for AA first to pop it then Q. He literally just destroyed me at all points of the game, even after I TPd bot lane and got 3 kills, then shifted mid and got a fourth. I had a 1 kill lead on him, AND he was my villain, yet anytime a 1v1 would take place he would DESTROY me. I rushed item 3748 and item 3009 and was working on my item 3143 when the game ended.

I cant think of anything I could have done to not get shit on. Even when I was just trying to farm under turret he just sat back chucking spears at me infinitely until I was low enough for an all in.

CapRocksSep 2, 20151 votes

Your item 3068 is very effective against AD champions who burst on you, stun you, or are melee. Pantheon is all of these, and item 3111 or item 3047 is a great tool for chasing pantheon after he uses his stun on you. Pantheon has amazing poke, and he can deal effective damage, but after he uses his stun and mini spears, you can chase him down... hiding in a bush is also a great tactic in top lane. Try to go at him from the bush when he goes in for cs, make sure though (especially at early game!) that you won't take much minion damage. You can rush in with your q/e combo, and although your q will be blocked by his passive, it should still silence him, and your e will deal massive damage while sunfire cape is also doing stuff... You should be able to beat Pantheon with this, especially if he goes with some HP as your ultimate will do extra damage when his HP is drained... By the way I always try to look at my opponent's health and figure out when my ult will get the kill so that I don't waste it.

Vik4prezSep 2, 20151 votes

Would it be better in this scenario to max my E first instead of Q? I always max Q first because its great for harass but if youre saying that itll just get blocked by a Pantheons passive it seems like it would be better to max E first.

I usually like to try to get at least 1 damage item when I play Garen so I can still be somewhat relevant damage wise in team fights. I always feel like if I go full tank my damage can sort of be ignored by the other team but I haven't really played new Garen very much so that might just be an out dated attitude.

CapRocksSep 3, 20151 votes

You don't have to worry about Garen's damage, especially with item 3068 you are good to go on damage. I agree with maxing your Q vs. Pantheon.

HayRossSep 3, 20151 votes

My build is similar, but it gets the same result: Rush item 3071 , then get item 3009 (with alacrity, make sure to get alacrity on them as early as possible), item 3068 , item 3742 , then 2 item 3031 . Pop a item 2138 or item 2140 when your at full build, your choice, and dice through anybody who thinks they can take you on.