A Guide To Mythic Items and When to Build Each One
Ever wonder if you're building the right Mythic? Or why one it is even considered "correct"?
It's safe to say if there was any one thing that was implemented in Season 11 that has changed the game of League of Legends as we know it, it's Mythic Items. Mythic Items are a new category of unique items that offer varying options for Champions to synergize with their strengths or make up for their weaknesses. With this added complexity to the game, it's important for players to master the decision-making behind the build options depending on the situations they find themselves in.
With that in mind, this guide will provide you with the basic item information, the playstyle that they each synergize with, and the way to determine which of these 22 Mythic Items is best for you in your current game. With each role in the game, there are conveniently 3 main Mythic Items that the player should choose from. So, to cover all of the Mythic Items available, let's categorize them based on the role of the Champions that should be building these items. Let's start with Support. Specifically, Tank Supports.
Tank Supports
Tank Supports are Champions that have terrific base stats for bulkiness, while also offering crowd-controlling abilities and generally, some form of engage. An ideal Mythic Item will enhance the bulkiness of these Champions, their ability to engage, or their ability to assist their carries with enduring damage, or enhancing their carries' damage output. To help understand the role of Tank Supports, consider Champions like Rell, Alistar, and Nautilus. All of these Champions have a method of engage (some better than others), area-of-effect crowd-control, and innate bulk. The following three items can enhance the strengths of these Champions, but only one can be built each game.
Locket adds Health, Armor, Magic Resist, and Ability Haste stats to the builder. The Active Ability grants nearby allies a shield that decays over time. Additionally, the Mythic Passive grants all other Legendary items additional armor and magic resist. Ultimately, this item is exceptional at enhancing the bulkiness of these Champions, while also providing an active that can grant clutch shields in teamfights. Example Champions include: Rell, Alistar, and Nautilus.
Shurelya's provides Ability Power, Health, Ability Haste, and Mana Regen. Its Active Ability grants the user and nearby allies movement speed for a short duration. Nearby allies also gain magic damage on the next 3 attacks or abilities hit against Champions. Additionally, the Mythic Passive grants other Legendary Items additionally movement speed. This item is perfect for that extra bit of engage or disengage potential to start off a fight. It's even great to use during a fight to allow nearby allies to use the extra movement speed to reposition. Overall, this item should be taken on Champions that need ability power, ability haste, mana regen, and the added movement speed to get within range of their engaging abilities. Example Champions include: Rakan, Blitzcrank, and Galio.
Mandate provides its user with Ability Power, Health, Ability Haste, and Mana Regen. The Ability from Imperial Mandate marks and damages enemy Champions for a short duration if the user slowed or immobilized them with an ability. The mark that is applied can be detonated by an ally Champion to deal additional magic damage, and rewarding the user and the ally with bonus movement speed for two seconds. The Mythic Passive on this item grants Legendary Items 15 Ability Power. Ideally, this item will be built on Champions that have crowd-control abilities to apply the mark, and scale well with Ability Power, Ability Haste, and the Mana Regen that comes with the item. Example Champions include: Maokai.
Some Champions aren't as clear cut when it comes to the best Mythic Item to build. In terms of Tank Supports, the general rule is: The Tank Supports with the highest tank stats, and a form of long range engage, should build Locket of the Iron Solari. Tank Supports with a lack of long range engage, but good short range engage, or that scale well with movement speed, should build Shurelya's Battlesong. Finally, for Tank Supports that scale with Ability Power, primarily poke, or could be considered "Tanky Caster Supports", should build Imperial Mandate. If a Champion fits into any two or more of these categories, the Mythic Item that should be chosen is the one that will complement the playstyle needed for the team in that game. For example, Blitzcrank can build Locket of the Iron Solari or Shurelya's Battlesong. The best way to decide is to determine whether Blitzcrank is needed as the primary tank on the team or the primary source of engage. If Blitzcrank is needed as the primary tank, build Locket; otherwise, build Shurelya's.
Enchanter and Caster Supports
Enchanter Supports are Champions that are not tanky, but instead offer utility-focused abilities that help the team in a wide variety of ways. This could be in the form of applying a buff to allies (such as movement speed, shields, additional damage, etc), forms of engage and crowd-control, healing, or damage and slows. An ideal Mythic Item for these Champions provide them with additional damage, more buffs to apply to allies, or more healing to increase the sustainability of the team. Moonstone does just that!
Moonstone Renewer provides the user with Ability Power, Health, Ability Haste, and Mana Regen. Its Ability restores health to the most wounded nearby ally when affecting Champions with Attacks or Abilities in combat. Furthermore, the longer the user is in combat, the greater the effects of this healing becomes. Additionally, the Mythic Passive grants Legendary Items Ability Haste. This item should be built on Champions that have buffing and healing abilities. Champions that fit this category include: Yuumi, Seraphine, Sona, Soraka, and Karma.
Caster Supports can also build two items have been addressed already. These items are Imperial Mandate, and Shurelya's Battlesong. Imperial Mandate should be built on Caster Supports like Morgana, Veigar, and Nami. Shuerlya's Battlesong should be built on Caster Supports like Bard. In terms of deciding between these items for champions that can adequately build two or more, it's again important to understand what is needed from the support given the team composition. If healing is needed, build Moonstone Renewer. If movement speed and engage is needed, build Shurelya's Battlesong.
Finally, if heavy poke is needed, build Imperial Mandate. For example, a champion like Morgana can actually build Imperial Mandate or Shurelya's Battlesong depending on the role she must fulfill. If Morgana is needed as the primary source of engage, Shurelya's Battlesong allows her to run into the enemy team with her ultimate to start off the fight. Otherwise, Imperial Mandate is the better option as it provides enough follow up damage that hitting the Dark Binding leads to certain death.
Marksmen
Marksmen are Champions that are extremely easy to kill, but make up for that by being able to dish out tons of damage. These Champions are considered extremely valuable for their ability to "carry" the game and snowball the game to victory. Therefore it is extremely important to build the correct Mythic Item for them. The ideal Mythic Item for these Champions will help them deal more damage, help them survive more in fights, or some mix of both. The following items targeted at Marksmen do just that.
Kraken Slayer gives its wielder Attack Damage, Attack Speed, and Critical Strike Chance. The Ability on this item makes every third Attack deal additional damage in the form of true damage. Additionally, the Mythic Passive on this item grants Legendary Items Attack Speed. This item should be built on marksmen that need help shredding tanks on the enemy team, or at least want to shred them faster. Champions that ideally build Kraken Slayer include Vayne, Jinx, Twitch, and Tristana.
Galeforce is a Mythic Item for Marksmen that provides them with Attack Damage, Attack Speed, and Critical Strike Chance. The Active Ability on this item causes the user to dash in a direction, dealing damage to the lowest health enemy near the destination. Additionally, the Mythic Passive grants the Legendary Items movement speed. The perks of this item are two-fold. First, it give Marksmen with low mobility an escape/repositioning tool. Second, it gives Marksmen more damage that can increase their ability to burst and finish off targets. Ideally, Champions that build this item will scale well with movement speed, have low mobility and/or high burst damage. Champions that fit this playstyle well include Jhin, Xayah, and Caitlyn.
Shieldbow is a Mythic Item that provides the user with Attack Damage, Attack Speed, Critical Strike Chance, and Life Steal. The ability on Immortal Shieldbow provides the user with a temporary shield when taken below 30% Health. Additionally, the Mythic Passive of this item grants Legendary Items 5 Attack Damage and 50 Health. It's easy to see that this item is optimized for Champions that need help surviving burst damage, and could use extra Life Steal. Champions that build this item consistently include Draven, Kalista, and Samira.
Some champions can fit into multiple of these categories and could easily build any of these items. To choose the item that’s correct for the game, players should understand their role on their team. If the Marksmen is the primary source of damage and is against tanky enemies, Kraken is ideal. If the Marksmen needs more burst damage and mobility to avoid key skillshots that enemies need to hit to engage, Galeforce is perfect. Finally, if the Marksmen is not the primary source of damage and is against a team with a lot of burst or dive potential, Immortal Shieldbow is your best bet. For example, if Caitlyn is on a team that already has insane amounts of damage and burst, it is probably better to play the safe route and build Immortal Shieldbow to become more difficult to kill and provide more sustained damage.
AD Assassins
AD Assassins are Champions that have extreme kill pressure with a high amount of mobility to access the key targets on the enemy team's backline. These champions are extremely deadly but their gameplay involves very risky situations that can lead to a feast-or-famine type of game. Ideally, the best Mythic Item for these Champions will either provide them with a way to escape after jumping in, a way to jump in so they can use other abilities for damage, or a way to be able to take more damage to survive their risky playstyle. Which leads us to the three options for AD Assassins.
Duskblade of Draktharr is a Mythic Item that gives Attack Damage, Lethality, and Ability Haste. The item ability provides the user with additional damage on the next Attack that slows significantly for a short duration. This ability also give the Champion invisibility for 1.5 seconds, and refreshes the ability cooldown when the champion damaged by the user dies within 3 seconds. This is an exceptional item on Champions that have little-to-no crowd control, and Champions that need help escaping or repositioning after going all-in on their target. Champions that fit this category include Kha'Zix, Rengar, and Shaco.
Eclipse is a Mythic Item that provides the user with Attack Damage, Lethality, and Omnivamp. The item ability deals additional damage and grants temporary movement speed and a shield when the user hits and enemy Champion with 2 separate Attacks or Abilities within 1.5 seconds. The Mythic Passive for Eclipse grants Legendary Items 4% Armor Penetration. Ideally, AD Assassins looking to deal bursts of damage and use the movement speed to stick to the target until they're dead or to get out after the damage is dealt will build this item. Champions that fit this category include Zed and Jayce.
Prowler's Claw is a Mythic Item that give the user Attack Damage, Lethality, and Ability Haste. This item has an Active Ability that allows the user to dash through a target enemy dealing physical damage, and grants increased damage output for a short duration. The Mythic Passive on this item grants Legendary Items Lethality. The ideal Champions to build this item would be AD Assassins with gap-close that will be able to dish out high bursts of damage once they are within range. Champions that fit this category include Talon and Qiyana.
Although these Mythic Items are pretty clear cut in terms of the Champions that use them best, there are always situations where picking a different Mythic Item exist. In general, the best Mythic Item for an AD Assassin with little crowd-control or escaping ability, Duskblade gives them the best option. When an AD Assassin needs help surviving an all-in, and sticking to the target, Eclipse is the best option. Finally, for AD Assassins that have short gap-close or gap-close needed for damage, Prowler's Claw is ideal. If an AD Assassin is aware that they have little chance surviving after pursuing an all-in on an enemy carry, Duskblade, or Eclipse give them the best chance to reposition. If the AD Assassin needs to be creative to reach the backline or find a good angle to pursue, Prowler's Claw is excellent.
For example, Talon works really well with Duskblade of Draktharr because he doesn't have an easy way to get out after pursuing an all-in on an enemy, however, with Prowler's Claw, his predictable method of gap-closing becomes much less predictable when he can use the Active Ability to dash to one Champion and then his Q to dash to his target.
AP Assassins
AP Assassins are Champions that, similarly to AD Assassins, have extreme kill pressure with a lot of mobility, but have Ability Power damage and scaling instead of Attack Damage. These champions are great for bursting down backline carries while also having abilities that offer more utility and mixed damage when compared to a typical Marksman on their team. Ideally, the best Mythic Item for these Champions would provide them with more burst damage or more gap-close. These items are perfect for AP Assassins!
Hextech Rocketbelt is a Mythic Item that provides the wielder with Ability Power, Health, and Ability Haste. The Active Ability on this item causes the user to dash in a direction, dealing magic damage in an arc, and provides the user with increased movement speed towards enemy Champions for a short duration. Additionally, the Mythic Passive on this item grants Legendary Items built with 5 Magic Penetration. The ideal Champions to build this item are Champions that want added mobility to get on and/or stay on the target of their assassination. Champions that fit into this category include Ekko and Vladimir.
Night Harvester is a Mythic Item that provides the user with Ability Power, Health, and Ability Haste. The ability of this item grants the user extra movement speed for a short duration and additional magic damage after dealing damage to an enemy Champion. The Mythic Passive of this item grans other Legendary Items Ability Haste. The best Champions to build this item will be AP Assassins that have high mobility and longer cooldowns that can benefit from having the extra movement speed and ability haste offered by this item. Champions that fit this category include Akali, Elise, and Diana.
To decide which item is best in certain situations where multiple seem effective, it is important to understand what is more important to get the job done: more damage or quicker rotations of abilities. If the enemy has one damage threat, then more damage is probably ideal to ensure that carry's death, whereas quicker rotations of abilities may be more helpful in multi-killing the enemies carries. For example, Akali can take Hextech Rocketbelt if she only needs to kill one carry. This way, she can Rocketbelt into range of her ultimate, to then ultimate onto the target when they are not expecting them to be in range. Otherwise, Night Harvester provides Akali with more utility in fights and movement speed to properly use her passive from her Q.
Mages
Mages are a crucial part of the game because they provide immense amounts of late-game, area-of-effect damage while also providing large amounts of utility to the team. As a result, it's important to make sure that they are equipped to maximize on their strengths of providing utility and dealing as much damage as possible. These three items provide mages with more damage, or more utility as needed!
Luden's Tempest is a Mythic Item that provides the holder with Ability Power, Magic Penetration, Mana, and Ability Haste. This Ability of this item deals additional magic damage and provides the user with movement speed when damaging an enemy Champion with Abilities. Furthermore, dealing damage with abilities while this ability is on cooldown, reduces it by 0.5 seconds, up to 3 seconds total. The Mythic Passive on this item grants other Legendary Items 5 Magic Penetration. Therefore, the ideal Champions to build this item will have low cooldowns, and excel with additional Ability Power and Magic Penetration. Champions that fit this category include Annie, Ziggs, and Syndra.
Liandry's Anguish is a Mythic Item that provides the user with Ability Power, Mana, and Ability Haste. The item's ability deals up to 12% bonus magic damage based on the target's bonus health when dealing damage with abilities. Furthermore, this ability also applies a burn for percent max Health magic damage per second for 4 seconds. The Mythic Passive on this item grants other Legendary Items with Ability Haste. The best users of Liandry's have large area-of-effect abilities that provide utility and damage during a teamfight. Champions that fit this category include Malzahar, Orianna, and Brand.
Everfrost is a Mythic Item that provides the user with Ability Power, Health, Mana, and Ability Haste. The item's Active Ability deals magic damage in a cone, slowing enemies for a short duration, or rooting enemies in the center of the cone. The Mythic Passive on this item grants other Legendary Items 15 Ability Power. Obviously, the Champions that proficiently use Everfrost are Champions that can provide a lot of utility for the team or need crowd-control to keep enemies stuck to deal large amounts of damage. Champions that fit this category include Kassadin, Aurelion Sol, and Anivia.
Mages are probably the most likely to need to pick different Mythic Items from game-to-game as their role can easily change depending on the team composition. If more damage is needed for backline Champions, Luden's is ideal. If more damage is needed for front-line Champions, then Liandry's is the best option. Finally, if more crowd-control or utility is needed on the team, Everfrost is the right idea. For example, Anivia can easily build any of these three Mythics. Luden's works well on her in lane for extra harass and kill threat and can be paired with Electrocute. Laindry's is fantastic against heavy tank teams where the anti-tank effects of Laindry's are exceptional. Everfrost is great into a dive composition so that Anivia can kite for herself or her backline allies in fights.
AD Bruisers
AD Bruisers offer a lot of variability in playstyle that is great for molding to team composition needs. All the AD Bruisers need to do is identify what their team needs of them, and play with that playstyle in mind. They can act as engage, primary damage sources, follow-up engage, dive, or sustained fighters that are incredibly difficult to kill. With such a diverse playstyle, Mythic items for this class should also be just as diverse, and they are!
Divine Sunderer provides the user with Attack Damage, Health, and Ability Haste. The ability of this item gives the user's next Attack an additional 10% of the target's max Health as physical damage after using an ability. When the target is an enemy Champion, the user heals for half of the enhanced damage dealt. The Mythic Passive of this item grants other Legendary Items 5% Armor Penetration and 5% Magic Penetration. As you can imagine, this item is perfect on Champions that look to deal large sums of damage and apply on-hit effects after using an ability to gap-close. Ideal champions that fit this category include Wukong, Illaoi, and Yorick.
Goredrinker is a Mythic Item that provides Attack Damage, Health, Ability Haste, and Health Regen. This item's Active Ability deals physical damage to nearby enemies, restoring Health for each enemy Champion hit based on the user's Attack Damage stat and a percentage of their missing Health. The ability also provides additional Attack Damage the lower Health the User is. The Mythic Passive on this item grants other Legendary Items 5 Ability Haste. This item is essential on AD Bruisers that will be in the middle of the enemy team dishing out, and healing through boatloads of damage. Champions that fit that category include Riven, Olaf, and Aatrox.
Stridebreaker is a Mythic Item that provides the user with Attack Damage, Attack Speed, Health, and Ability Haste. The item's Active Ability causes the user to lunge in a targeted direction dealing physical damage to enemies nearby, and slowing them for a short duration. Additionally, this item's ability grants movement speed when dealing physical damage, allowing the user to stick to targets easily. The Mythic Passive on this item grants other Legendary Items with 3% movement speed. This item works really well on diving Champions that will try to stick to the backline targets with the slow and movement speed boost that the user gets from this item. Champions that fit this description include Urgot, Darius, and Gnar.
Trinity Force is a Mythic Item that provides the user with… Tons of Damage. In terms of stats, the user will gain Attack Damage, Attack Speed, Health, and Ability Haste. The item's passive grants movement speed for a short duration after Attacking that also increases the users Attack Damage if the Attack hits an enemy Champion. This ability also enhances the next Attack after any Ability with an additional 200% base Attack Damage as physical damage and applies On-Hit damage. The Mythic Passive on this item grants other Legendary Items 10 Attack Speed. This item is crucial for the hypercarry AD Brusiers that 1v9 in Solo Queue. These Champions are Camille, Jax, and Vi.
Although there are many Mythic Items to choose from in this category, there are a lot of roles that these champions fill in team compositions. As a result, it's imperative to make the right choice for the Mythic Item in every situation. As an AD Bruiser, if you plan on split-pushing, Trinity Force is optimal. If you plan on diving and killing the backline in fights, Stridebreaker is ideal. If you plan on soaking up as much damage as possible and being a nuisance to deal with, Goredrinker is the best. Finally, if you plan on dealing as much area-of-effect mixed damage in fights, Divine Sunderer is the best option. For example, Wukong can build Divine Sunderer to deal as much mixed damage as possible, or he can build Goredrinker to stay alive as long as possible. Alternatively, Wukong can even build Trinity Force to deal tons of damage and split-push with ease.
AP Bruisers
Although there are not many AP Bruisers, they still exist, and deserve a Mythic Item of their very own. Although there is really only one go-to Mythic Item, it is still worth mentioning the reasoning behind why it is the best for them. AP Bruisers fulfill the same jobs as AD Brusiers, but have magic damage, and generally more utility. Champions that fit this description are Mordekaiser and Kayle.
Riftmaker is a Mythic Item that provides Ability Power, Health, Ability Haste, and Omnivamp. The ability on this item deals 2% bonus damage for every second the user is damaging enemy champions, up to a maximum of 10%. At the maximum strength, the bonus damage deals true damage instead. The Mythic Passive on this item grants other Legendary Items 2% Omnivamp and 8% Ability Power. This item is great on Mordekaiser, and Kayle because they both deal consistent damage over time and scale insanely well with the omnivamp and ability power that is provided by this item's Mythic Passive. Although these Champions could buy other Mythic Items for Ability Powered Mages or Assassins, they just aren't nearly as worth it as Riftmaker.
Tanks
Tanks offer one main purpose to the team. They tank the damage for the backline carries. Sure, they usually are the forms of engage and crowd-control that start off the fight, but after that all they are really designed to do is soak up as much damage as possible and provide any utility they can for their team to succeed. Because of this role, Tanks should have Mythic Items that either enhance their tankiness, provide them with better ways of maneuvering teamfights and engaging on enemies, or utility to help hold positions in teamfights. The last three items on this list provide Tanks with the ability to do all of those things.
Sunfire Aegis provides the user with Health, Armor, Magic Resist, and Ability Haste. The Ability on Sunfire causes the user to begin dealing magic damage per second to nearby enemies after taking or dealing damage. This ability can be stacked with more nearby enemies, where at max stacks, Attacks burn nearby enemies for the stacked damage per second for a short duration. The Mythic Passive of this item provides Legendary Items with 5% Tenacity and Slow Resist. This item is perfect for champions that want to engage on teamfights and then just sit in the middle of the fight and take on as much damage as possible. Champions that excel at this include Nunu, Amumu, Zac, and Sejuani.
Turbo Chemtank gives the user Health, Armor, Magic Resist, and Ability Haste. The Active Ability grants 75% move speed towards enemies or enemy towers for a short duration. While active, once near an enemy Champion the item slows them for a short duration. Additionally, taking or dealing damage causes the user to begin dealing magic damage per second to nearby enemies for a short duration (like Sunfire Aegis). The Mythic Passive on this item grants other Legendary Items 5 Ability Haste. This item is deal for Champions that wish to use movement speed as the primary source of engaging on enemies. Champions that fit this mold include Rammus, Hecarim, Udyr, and Skarner.
Finally, the last Mythic Item, Frostfire Gauntlet, gives the user Health, Armor, Magic Resist, and Ability Haste. The ability on this item causes the user to begin dealing magic damage per second to nearby enemies after taking or dealing damage. It also creates an area-of-effect slow for a short duration after Attacking enemies. The Mythic Passive on this item grants other Legendary Items 100 Health and 6% increased size. The champions that use this item best will benefit dramatically from having an area-of-effect slow, increased tankiness, and size. Champions that fit this category include Cho'Gath and Trundle.
Tanks are generally easy to determine which Mythic Item is best because the Champion is usually specifically picked for their unique skillset, which would correspond to a certain item being the better option, however there is still room for different options. In general, the more the Champion is considered the primary tank of the team, Sunfire Aegis is best. If the Tank is the primary source of engage and has no gap-close or long-range skill shot engages, then Turbo Chemtank is the best. Finally, if the Tank is looking to peel in teamfights or provide follow-up crowd-control, Frostfire Gauntlet is best.
Conclusion
Overall, each class and category of champion has specific Mythic Items that target them for purchase. Although there is generally a "best option" for the Champion in a vacuum scenario, there is almost always a reason to consider other items because what really matters is not what item is best for the Champion in a vacuum scenario. What matters, is what is best for the Champion in "this" scenario. This mindset is how every player should approach their games in order to keep an open mind and maximize on the opportunities to find creative ways to generate plays, advantages, and eventually win games.
Do your best, and keep asking questions.
Good luck, Summoners!
