Garen Build Guide

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Blazeray's Off-tank Garen

written by blazeray

Garen Build

Introduction

Garen, is a god. Use him right and you may carry your team all alone.

My name Is Blazeray (In-game).

And this is my 2nd guide.

Read the text carefully, for the exact result of pwnage im trying to hand over to you.
Runes

Why Armor pen? And why use simple armor and magic resist?

According to my strategy, it is a necessary need.

Due to the fact, that all kind of ranged characters, is your soul enemy. Also described as:
Anti-Garens
Particularly early-game!

At high level gameplay (summoner level 20-30), it is required to seek more offense or defense, with both Masteries & Runes.
Especially at Ranked play.

Greater Quintessence of Desolation

Greater Mark of Desolation

With this higher concentration at flat armor pen in your runeset. You will be able to counter the decent amount of extra defense your opponents will have at the higher level gameplay.

And with your attack speed boost from:

Greater Mark of Alacrity

Combined with the 4% attack speed from your masteries, you will no more experience a slow hitting Garen. With this Includes a better and more frequent as well as effective last-hit help on minions.

With the flat armor Runes:

Greater Seal of Resilience

U will be able to hold off some ranged physical damage at early-game, as well as countering melee physical damage a lot. Due to your spells incredible damage output.

With your Magic resist:

Greater Glyph of Warding

You will even be able to survive a gank from mid, in duo lane, at some circumstances.As well as countering a 1v1 early-game against a mage.And you will be having that decent extra survivability in teamfight in the later game, after being focused to escape with 20 HP.
Which u will be experiencing alot!

So Cool!
Masteries

My masteries is primary focused on Defense.And Secondary in Offense

Also Described as 9/21/0

Because as playing Garen. You will need as much survivability as possible to become the new Late-game pwning Nasus. Which these masteries will give you. Including a boost in your Health regeneration to your Passive:

Perseverance

In offense it is really a great help to have your Mastery Point in:

Weapon Expertise

Including the boost in your exhaust and attack speed, and some more flat damage to hit harder early game.
Skill Sequence

Primary (1st) Choice = Demacian Justice
Secondary (2nd) Choice = Judgment
Tertiary (3rd) Choice = Decisive Strike
Quaternary (4th) Choice = Courage
This because your harassment early-game is important, for the ability to get an early kill. Especially when you've bougth sword of the occult. To kick off the killing spree of yours.
You Choose your spell Courage at level 4, so that it will be able to stack armor from the early levels.
Summoner Spells

This is the only summoner spells, that is ever going to be perfect for this champion.

Exhaust: Exhaust - Is for your 1v1 encounters. To pick up some Occult stacks easier.

Flash: Flash - Flash is BADLY needed in teamfights! If you are going to tank for your team. You will have Flash as your spell. Or else you can jump in, without possibility to make distance. Because you need to notice that your are going to be the target. Or rather explained as your main objective to be. So that your Carries can focus the enemy teams carries and take them out before they do too much damage.

Other Possible options:
Cleanse - Great to counter your problems with CC Ghost - Some thinks better of Ghost than Flash, during to the Cooldown.
Surge - If you wanna counter Garens lack of Attack Speed, use it.
Teleport - Teleport is always a nice choice.
Ignite - Is a great 1v1 weapon, and early-game weapon
Promote - A great pusher spell, really good helping you at solo top.
Pros/Cons

Pros
+ Unbelievable Early-game damage+ Incredible Execution spell
+ No mana
+ Great AoED - Area of Effect Damage
+ Invincible and incomparable Tanking Attributes
+ Great initiator
+ Great duelist (1v1)
+ Long Silence
+ Swift movement
+ Great Escape mechanism
+ Anti-tower Unit
+ Great late-game farmer
+ He is a GOD
Cons
- Lack of CC- Vulnerable to CC
- Easily taken down by Ranged units
- Without runes he almost got no attack speed
- Without attack speed he is very cooldown dependent
Items

Doran's Shield - Doran's Shield is a great item for Garen at early game.. Compared with any other stating item. This is PERFECT. As well as mid-late game, it is still worth keeping in your inventory. But ofc. you sell it whenever you need more room for another item.

Boots of Swiftness - Speed is your weapon. this is a must buy! Unless The enemy team is packed with 3 mages or above, then i recommend you to use [item=Mercury Treads]

Sword of the Occult - If you wanna complete your godlike power. then this is a must buy, even if things goes wrong at early-game, you will always prevail late-game. Unless your team is unskilled. Use this, and become a god!

The Brutalizer - After sword of the occult, it will still be hard to kill an enemy champion. With this item right after, you've got a lot of damage with even more armor pen. Which will result in relievied obtaining of kills for your Occult.

Warmog's Armor - For survivability, this is needed. But why not Frozen Mallet you might ask?- The first reason is because Warmog's Armor will stack more damage with Atma's Impaler, than Frozen Mallet due to the amount of health you will obtain, compared to each other.- The second reason is because Warmog's Armor has health regen too. Which is more defensive than Frozen Mallet

But if you like the combination between Atma's Impaler, and Frozen Mallet inclusive the Passive of Frozen Mallet- Then it would not be changing a lot. Personally i just Prefer Warmog's Armor.

[item=Force of Nature] - I hate mages. and without this, a single mage on the enemy team will be able to get you down lategame with any CC included.BUT, if you are facing NO Ability Power. Which is rare. I would prefer a Randuin's Omen, due to the greater amount of effective health than Thornmail.And if the enemy team has got a lot of CC, then i prefer a Banshee's Veil Instead. But due to the Incridible Health Regen [item=Force of Nature] provides you with, i almost always prefer [item=Force of Nature] instead. Unless it is almost impossible to move around when in a teamfight.

Atma's Impaler - The best Damage providing item on the market for Garen.Crit + Damage + Armor. Nothing else could replace an empty itemspot better than this.

Youmuu's Ghostblade - With a god on your team, your game should've ended long before you get to finish this item. But if you reach that point. Then do it. Unless.If the enemy is stcaking armor, you should sell this item for a Last Whisper, to let your damage get through their increased armor. A Garen without damage, is useless.Another option, if the enemy team has got a lot of hardhitting burst damage. I Would prefer Guardian Angel.

Build:
Doran's Shield
Boots of Swiftness
Sword of the Occult
Warmog's Armor
[item=Force of Nature]
Atma's Impaler
Youmuu's Ghostblade
Early-Game

Harassment:Harassment is your primary objective! It is important to use your passive ability Perseverance to your advantage. Seek offensive to harass your enemy, and go hide in bushes whenever you need some time to recover, from a failed harrassment.

MinionsLast-hitting minions can become hard when laning with a far more offensive strong character (Master Yi - Tryndamere etc.)But when in the last-hitting phase, i also use [icon=Decisive Strike size=32] to last-hit some minions, Primary the tank minions, when they arrive. Or then i use it for a speed boost, when charging into the enemies to harass.

Zone-Control

Zone-Control can become an important fact, BUT ONLY if you are facing two melee opponents.If you are not familiar with Zone-Control, watch this great video tutorial.
Mid-Game

PushingWhen entering the mid-game phase. It is important to maintain a pressure in mid-lane, unless you have been pinned down through-out early-game by a very skilled ranged character, and while pushing, focus on farming as much as possible!

Tower-HarassmentThis is not recommended at mid-lane at the mid-game - late-game phase.But troughout the early-game and mid-game, it is worth activating your [icon=Decisive Strike size=32] to charge in quickly with a hit on the enemy turret, on run out of towerrange right after. Use it rapidly when your team have decided to attack'n'destroy the turret. Itis a Anti-turret, as well as an anti-mage spell.
Late-Game

AssaultsAlways look around the map for posibilies to assualt and ignitiate a 1v1 battle, with a lone wolf trying to push. like Master Yi or [Sivir. Because of your spell Demacian Justice. You will be able to execute almost any champion in a 1v1. A perfect way to recieve Stacks for your occult.

GanksWhen you encounter a lone wolf, on the enemies side of the map, it will be necessary to either use a another Champion to aid you, in your gank. Or use a decoy strategy. Letting your teammates draw attention at bot lane, will create a gap for you to attack the lone wolf. Ofc. this is should be coordinated before executed. But before trying any of these advanced type of strategies i recommend an arranged team, who is able to communicate over Skype or raidcall.

BaronBaron is an important factor, in fact if you do not have a support, who is able to place wards all around it. You MUST keep a watch over it, if none of your teammates aren't. You might be fastest champion on your team, which means that you got a higher possibility to get there in time. Baron is a fact, which can turn the table and change a fight looking to become a Victory into a bloody Defeat. And if your team has decided to assault the Baron, buy a [item=Oracle's Elixir size=32] to destroy all enemy wards placed nearby it. Watch it. All time.
Summary

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