I tried out Olaf tonight. It was a tough game where we lagged behind the enemy the whole game, (3v3) except I finally managed to finish off Master Yi and from there we went right into their base and popped the HQ.
Olaf is kinda… weird. And fun. But hard. The attack speed buff as you lose health is funny - combined with the W-power’s health regen and you can just pop into the jungle for a top-up as soon as you’re low on health. Very cool. Then you just end up needing mana a lot.
I itemized badly because we were so behind (10 v 26 kills!) that I never ended up getting the stuff I wanted, but I did get Starks, Bez. Greaves, Frozen Mallet and the bits (but not the cash) for Guardian Angel.
One of the bad guys was using GA and he kicked serious arse with it. Very annoying. Denies the other team cash and bam - you pop back ready to fight!
I find Olaf to be quite a low damage dealer for half the game, but that just might have been my rubbish building. Then again, waiting for BT is tricky because you’re weak-ass until mid levels. Hmm.
I found Master Yi pretty damn tough as an opponent. He was usually a level above me, but even so, he seemed able to alpha me down beyond where I could hammer back enough health, despite Olaf’s speed bugg, to finish him off. It came pretty close a couple of times, but no cigar. People also ran away a lot. Even with my frosty hammer and my boots it was hard to stop that.
Hmm, any tips? Definitely harder than Tristana, with whom I can usually kick quite a lot of ass.
Therlun
1742
I think voice communication can also hinder team performance in some areas.
Everyone is always chatting and discussing the situation and waiting for directions being given.
If you play with random strangers people pay much more attention to what is actually happening in front of them instead of talking.
maxle
1743
“Why don’t you attack when I initiate?”
I’ve been playing with KogMaw a bit but I have no idea how to build him. I’m trying to go either hybrid or AD, but there are too many items that seem like they work - Madred’s, Nashor’s, all the other hybrid items, Stark’s fervor, Manamune, etc. I’ve been trying to get Madred’s first, but it’s so expensive for a first item.
Kirian
1745
I feel that hybrid is only useful on two champions, Kayle and Akali. It works for other champs but it tends to bring the weaknesses of both approaches without the full strength of either unless the champ is built around hybrid stats through their passive. You could argue that Jax is too but he’s getting a remake that will probably make AP or hybrid Jax pointless.
His main damage output is in BAB, which scales badly with AP but amazingly with AS. His other moves scale with AP but if you’re running carry Kog’Maw, AS and AD is your best bet. The former first, because they’ll start to build MR so you’ll need the AD for when they do. Madred’s is core for that Kog’Maw build, and I guess Stark’s and FM are the other great pick-ups as he’s incredibly squishy and needs the lifesteal, health, and kiting capability. Last Whisper stacks well with his Q, too.
I still think TF would have had the same impact if CLG had got the Baron buff. SK proved they could repel CLG 4v5 when they weren’t buffed. I do think Kass is the main part of SK’s downfall, which is a pity as I hear he plays a ridiculous Kassadin and CLG just shut him down. The rest is mis-picks and mis-plays which are mistakes you cannot make against a team as good as CLG. I mean, they were arguably #1 seed before the WCG.
“I’m going in now” runs at full health tower with five heroes hugging it, as singed
If going AD you want Madresd’s first unless they end up changing how Kog works down the road. Remember you don’t have to buy it all at once and can get it piece by piece. I usually get Madred’s Razor or the bow first. Madred’s Razor helps a lot with farming. After you get Madred’s Bloodrazor and boots, I usually go Frozen Mallet.
The past few days I’ve been playing around with AP Kog and that seems viable though not quite the face melter. In that case you kind of switch roles from being anti-tank to anti-caster, where you try to take out the squishies hiding behind the tanks with the ult.
Is Annie at all competitive? I have never seen anyone play Annie well and when I am playing Trist she is usually a free snack.
Edit: thanks for tips from last page Kirian and Joe, only just spotted them. Yeah, I am working towards understanding the items enough to know how to build on the fly, but it is quite a challenge! Mostly I am in love with +damage items early on. Perhaps that is just me - but without them both Trist and Olaf feel like they are hitting people/creeps with wet bus tickets.
Joe_M
1750
Annie is very viable but you really have to get the snowball rolling as soon as you hit 6 (Tibbers should be a nearly automatic kill on someone). From there I typically farm as I can and gank whenever I see someone overextended or low on health.
It’s also important to not telegraph your Tibbers. I typically take flash/ghost so I can zoom out of nowhere and drop it on as many people as possible. Some people like ignite but I’d rather have both the escape/initiate spells.
Annie is actually my go-to champion if I’m on a bad streak of poor teams. I can almost always dominate the other teams squishies early and force a quick 30 minute game.
Hmmm interesting. I guess as Trsit when I see Tibbers come out I know I can rocket jump to Annie and knock her out inside of 3 seconds.
Oh, is it possible to make a bot game where it’s just you and bots? I’ve tried and the game said I needed another player :/
idrisz
1752
you won’t be rocket jump anywhere, since you be stun by tibber and dead in 1 seconds.
Annie should almost always get first kill if Annie is mid laning.
flash -> tibber -> q -> w ignite almost guarantee kill at lvl 6.
Anyone know if there are recording of the other nights games?
Joe_M
1754
I need to play better Annies then!
The main thing with Annie is always having your stun up before you engage in a fight. Other than that she’s pretty straightforward.
Free champs this week
Alistar
Ashe
Cho’Gath
Evelynn
Karthus
Morgana
Nasus
Ryze
Ezreal
Sona
Man, I just had an awful game with an Eve on my team yesterday, I’m to the point where I just want to queue dodge when she’s picked and now she’s free this week! Argh!
I’ve never actually played Eve, but I feel like eventually I should just to see how bad she is. Or I could skip that and wait for her rebalance.
I’m not a fan of queue dodging but unless I know the players, if I’m solo queue I generally dodge Eve or Trynd if they’re on my team.
maxle
1760
If you smurf as eve you can go, like, 30/0
