Hello and welcome to our guide on item builds – a crucial aspect of gameplay in many popular video games. Whether you’re a seasoned player or just starting out, optimizing your item build can make all the difference in achieving victory. In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about item builds, from the basics to advanced strategies. Let’s dive in!
What Are Item Builds?
Item builds refer to the specific set of items that a player chooses to purchase and equip during the course of a game. These items can provide various bonuses and enhancements to a player’s character, such as increased damage, health, or mana. Choosing the right items and building them in the correct order is essential to maximizing your character’s potential and achieving success in the game.
Why Are Item Builds Important?
Item builds can make or break a game. Choosing the wrong items or building them in the wrong order can lead to a weaker character and a disadvantaged position in the game. On the other hand, a well-built item set can give you a significant advantage over your opponents and increase your chances of winning.
In addition to providing bonuses to your character, items can also counteract your opponent’s strengths. For example, if your opponent is building items that increase their physical damage, you may want to build items that increase your armor or health to better withstand their attacks.
How Do Item Builds Work?
In most games, items are purchased using in-game currency that is earned by killing enemies, completing objectives, or other actions. Each item has a specific cost and provides a set of bonuses or enhancements to the player’s character.
The order in which items are built is also important. Some items provide more benefit earlier in the game, while others are more effective later on. Additionally, some items may be more situational and better suited for certain matchups or team compositions.
Understanding Item Types
Before we dive into specific item builds, it’s important to understand the different types of items that are available in most games.
Starting Items
Starting items are the items that a player begins the game with. These items are typically less expensive and provide basic bonuses such as health, mana, or damage.
Core Items
Core items are the items that a player builds early in the game and are essential to their character’s build. These items provide significant bonuses and help define the player’s playstyle.
Situational Items
Situational items are items that are built in response to specific matchups or situations. These items may be less effective in general gameplay but can provide a significant advantage in certain scenarios.
Late Game Items
Late game items are items that are built later in the game when the player has accumulated more in-game currency. These items typically provide more powerful bonuses and can help push a player towards victory in the late stages of the game.
Basic Item Builds
Now that we understand the different types of items, let’s dive into some basic item builds that can be effective for many characters and playstyles.
The Tank Build
Item | Cost | Bonuses |
---|---|---|
Sunfire Cape | 2900 | Armor, Health, Area of Effect Damage |
Thornmail | 2900 | Armor, Damage Reflection |
Spirit Visage | 2800 | Health, Health Regen, Magic Resistance |
Dead Man’s Plate | 2900 | Armor, Health, Movement Speed |
Randuin’s Omen | 2900 | Armor, Health, Attack Speed Reduction |
The tank build is all about survivability. With this build, you’ll be able to absorb a ton of damage while still dealing moderate damage to your opponents. The Sunfire Cape and Thornmail provide armor and area of effect damage, while the Spirit Visage and Dead Man’s Plate provide health and movement speed. The Randuin’s Omen helps reduce your opponent’s attack speed, making it easier for you to stay alive.
The Mage Build
Item | Cost | Bonuses |
---|---|---|
Luden’s Echo | 3200 | Ability Power, Mana, Movement Speed |
Rabadon’s Deathcap | 3800 | Ability Power |
Zhonya’s Hourglass | 2900 | Ability Power, Armor, Active Ability |
Void Staff | 2650 | Ability Power, Magic Penetration |
Morellonomicon | 3000 | Ability Power, Mana Regen, Grievous Wounds |
The mage build is all about dealing massive amounts of damage to your opponents. With this build, you’ll have a ton of ability power and the ability to penetrate your opponent’s magic resistance. The Luden’s Echo and Morellonomicon provide mana and mana regen, while the Rabadon’s Deathcap amplifies your ability power. The Zhonya’s Hourglass provides armor and an active ability that can save you in a pinch.
The Marksman Build
Item | Cost | Bonuses |
---|---|---|
Infinity Edge | 3400 | Attack Damage, Critical Strike Chance, Critical Strike Damage |
Rapid Firecannon | 2600 | Attack Speed, Critical Strike Chance, Range |
Bloodthirster | 3500 | Attack Damage, Life Steal |
Guardian Angel | 2800 | Attack Damage, Armor, Passive Ability |
Phantom Dancer | 2700 | Attack Speed, Critical Strike Chance, Damage Reduction |
The marksman build is all about dealing massive amounts of damage from range. With this build, you’ll have a ton of attack damage and the ability to critically strike your opponents. The Infinity Edge and Rapid Firecannon provide critical strike chance and damage, while the Bloodthirster provides life steal. The Guardian Angel provides armor and a passive ability that can revive you if you’re killed in battle. The Phantom Dancer provides attack speed and damage reduction.
Advanced Item Builds
Now that we’ve covered some basic item builds, let’s dive into some more advanced strategies that can help you dominate your gameplay.
The Split Push Build
The split push build is all about pushing lanes and taking down structures. With this build, you’ll have the ability to quickly take down towers and inhibitors while your opponents are distracted.
Item | Cost | Bonuses |
---|---|---|
Trinity Force | 3733 | Attack Damage, Ability Power, Attack Speed, Health, Mana, Movement Speed |
Blade of the Ruined King | 3200 | Attack Damage, Attack Speed, Life Steal, On-Hit Damage |
Guinsoo’s Rageblade | 3100 | Attack Damage, Ability Power, Attack Speed, On-Hit Damage |
Titanic Hydra | 3500 | Attack Damage, Health, Area of Effect Damage |
Trinity Fusion | 2700 | Attack Damage, Ability Power, Health, Mana, Movement Speed |
The Trinity Force provides a ton of bonuses, including attack damage, ability power, and movement speed. Blade of the Ruined King and Guinsoo’s Rageblade provide additional attack speed and damage, while the Titanic Hydra provides area of effect damage and health. The Trinity Fusion provides additional health and movement speed.
The Burst Build
The burst build is all about quickly taking down your opponents with massive amounts of damage. With this build, you’ll be able to eliminate your opponents before they even know what hit them.
Item | Cost | Bonuses |
---|---|---|
Hextech Gunblade | 3400 | Attack Damage, Ability Power, Life Steal, Spell Vamp |
Lich Bane | 3200 | Ability Power, Mana, Movement Speed, Passive Ability |
Rabadon’s Deathcap | 3800 | Ability Power |
Void Staff | 2650 | Ability Power, Magic Penetration |
Zhonya’s Hourglass | 2900 | Ability Power, Armor, Active Ability |
The Hextech Gunblade provides a ton of bonuses, including attack damage, ability power, and life steal. The Lich Bane provides additional ability power and a passive ability that enhances your next attack after using an ability. Rabadon’s Deathcap amplifies your ability power, while the Void Staff provides magic penetration to counteract your opponent’s magic resistance. The Zhonya’s Hourglass provides armor and an active ability that can save you in a pinch.
FAQs
What are some common mistakes to avoid when building items?
One common mistake is building items in the wrong order. Make sure to prioritize core items that are essential to your character’s build. Another mistake is building the same item set every game, regardless of your opponent or team composition. Situational items can be incredibly effective in certain scenarios, so don’t be afraid to switch up your build.
How do I know when to switch up my item build during a game?
Pay attention to your opponent’s items and playstyle. If they’re building items that counteract your strengths, you may want to build items that counteract their strengths. Additionally, if you’re falling behind in the game, you may want to build more defensive items to better withstand your opponent’s attacks.
Can item builds vary depending on my character’s role?
Absolutely. Different roles have different strengths and weaknesses, so item builds should be tailored accordingly. For example, a tank character may want to build more defensive items, while a mage character may want to build more ability power.
Should I always build the same item set for my character?
Not necessarily. Item builds can vary depending on your opponent, team composition, and playstyle. Experiment with different builds and see what works best for you.
Are there any items that are universally effective for all characters?
Some items, such as the Infinity Edge and Rabadon’s Deathcap, provide bonuses that are effective for many characters. However, it’s important to remember that item builds should be tailored to your character’s strengths and weaknesses.
Conclusion
And there you have it – a comprehensive guide to item builds in video games. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced player, optimizing your item build can make