The Predator keystone is most definitely a niche pick when it comes to a champion’s setup. While every champion has access to the keystone rune of Predator (found in the domination rune tree), only a select few can make efficient/suitable use of it and the effect it has. The keystone turns any boots in your inventory from a nonactive item to an active item (with no change to the item's stats) which, when activated, gives a speed boost after a 1.5 second channel (but giving an indicator to nearby enemy champions that such an item has been used). So, in this piece, I hope to give you a rundown of some of the best users of the Predator Keystone.

Annie (Support)

Now Annie has spent a long time on the bench when it comes to the top level competitive scene with her not being meta since early Season 5 and her only being a fringe pick since then. But why do we take Predator on support Annie? The answer is simple. Support Annie has one job: initiate fights using her passive + ulti combo and Predator gives her the movement speed needed to get that off in a way that is hard to counterplay. Simple reason, simple execution.

Skarner (Jungle)

From a pick that hasn’t seen competitive play in the last six months to a pick that has been a staple of the recent metas, Skarner. The Crystal Vanguard is one of the highest CC junglers in all of LoL, but he doesn't have a gap closer. So, equipping an item that can move Skarner at a move speed that can effectively act as a gap closer is excellent and most definitely a viable option.

Rammus (Jungle)

Rammus is all about that movement speed as a jungler. He's all about moving in so fast that it doesn’t matter if the lane he's ganking has their wards up, as by the time they notice him, he's slammed into his target. Now he does have a movement speed steroid built into his kit via his Q, Powerball, but what’s better than bonus movement speed? Even more bonus movement speed! They couldn’t stop him with wards but what’s even better is ganking before the wards get placed. It is this concept that makes Predator viable on Rammus.

Twitch (Bot/Jungle)

Twitch, whether he is the bot lane carry from a pure marksman position or an assassin coming from the river as a ganking assassin, is a definite threat if he gets the opportunity to close the gap on a potential target. However, due to his stealth being camouflage, Twitch can find it hard to get into the correct position for his reveal and burst within his stealth window, but this problem is alleviated by taking Predator as the bonus speed gives him the flexibility to quickly get in position. Now Twitch is still a fringe pick but taking Predator may be a viable option on him due to it solving his positioning issues.

Hecarim (Jungle)

Now, normally the Predator is all about the movement speed, but in this case it's all about damage! How? Well, it's all due to his passive, Warpath. This passive gives Hecarim bonus attack damage based on 15-30% of his movement speed. Now Hecarim, like Rammus, does have a movement speed steroid built into his kit via his E, Devastating Charge, which boost Hecarim’s movement speed by 25-75% over 3 seconds. However, the reason for taking Predator on Hecarim is not the same as it is for Rammus. In this case, we aren’t taking it for the movement speed but to make their ganks more potent via the bonus AD. More AD means more damage and more damage means fewer hits to get the kill, which makes the gank easier to pull off. This is why taking Predator on jungle Hecarim is a viable choice.

Vladimir (Multiple Roles)

Now this is the most unique pick on this list and the simple reason is that this is the most niche use of Predator on this list, nor is it something you would always take on this champion, Electrocute, Summon Aery, and Arcane Comet are all viable options of a keystone when it comes to playing Vladimir. Yet we still see Predator as the Keystone of choice for some pros (such as Griffin’s bot lane carry Viper in the LCK). But why? Vladimir is at his most potent when he can flank in a teamfight and to put it simply, taking Predator makes it a lot easier to do exactly this with the bonus movement speed this choice of keystone provides. So, to answer my question of why? To maximize potential AOE damage output. It's simple yet devastating if done right.

Conclusion

To conclude the Predator keystone and its users have all have specific uses for it (whether it to be engaging, damaging, gap closing and/or flanking a teamfight) but not all champions have a use for Predator, hence its niche status as a keystone choice. So, if your planning on using this keystone in your gameplay, make sure it has a use that is viable as otherwise there is other choices that are quite frankly just better. And with that, I leave you with the thoughts of GL, HF, and GG

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