Early game items for AP mid-lane

In this article, we are going to look at the different possibilites for AP middles when it comes to the first advanced item you buy, which is one or more basic items combined to another item. Clearly, there are other strategies for mid lanes, like bruiser mid lane to shut down certain melee champions, or runnning AD assassins as counterpicks, but we're going to focus on standard AP carries.

Note: With your first buy at the start of the game, you should always buy boots, 3 health pots for lane survivability.

 

Kage's Lucky Pick

Kage's Lucky Pick, built from an amplifying tome (435 g.) and with a recipe cost of 330 g, is the cheapest item on the list for 765. It grants 25 AP, which is alright, and 5 gold generation per 10 seconds. This seems like a good item, and it can be great to solidify an early lead with the extra AP and gold. However, as good as it is, it builds into absolutely nothing worth the gold on Summoner's Rift.

With the Deathfire Graps nerfs on the post-season 2 patch, and with Morello's Evil Tome being underwhelming compared to other Ap items in terms of cost and stats granted, this leaves Kage's lucky pick to be a less than optimal buy, as it doesn't have a reliable build path. However, it can still be good to solidify a lane lead. (Note: Do not buy Gold per 10 items while losing lane, as it just puts you farther behind in terms of your lane opponent, and may make them capable of diving you as a result.)

 

Haunting Guise

Like Kage's Lucky Pick, Haunting Guise offers inadequate items to be built into. As in, none at all. However, although it has no late game potential because of this, the early game advantage it provides for the early and middle game can be gigantic. Built from a Ruby Crystal (475 g.) and an Amplifying Tome (435 g.), and with a combine cost of 575 g., Haunting Guise is a relatively cheap item, easily able to be bought on the first or second back by a midlane if they are farming well.

The item offers health and ability power for both survivability and damage, two crucial stats for the laning phase. Most importantly though, the item offers 20 flat magic penetration, which is enough to cut through most natural magic resistance, and effectively nullifies a null-magic mantle. This item is proving decesively effective on champions who dominate the early game, but need early burst with the nerf of DFG. Champions such as Katarina, Evelynn, and Leblanc benefit the most. 

 

Catalyst the Protector

Built from a Ruby Crystal (475 g.) and a sapphire crystal (400 g.), and with a combine cost of 450 g., Catalyst provides no damage, but great sustainability. The item grants you both health and mana and a passive that gives you both when you level up. This item is best built on mages that need to get slightly more tanky then other mages, and use lots of mana.

It is also worthy to note that catalyst will almost always be built into a rod of ages, which requires 10 minutes to reach its full potential, so the item is not great for champions that shine for their early game. Instead, champions considered best in the late game, and that need lots of health should look into this item early on, as Rod of Ages is best bought as early as possible. So basically, build this on Karthus, Kassadin, and sometimes Anivia. 

 

Tear of the Godess

Built from a Sapphire crystal (400 g.) and a Mekki Pendant (390 g.) and with a combine cost of 205 g., this is a relatively cheap item that serves one purpose: mana. This item has a unique passive where it increases your maximum mana by four for every spell cast, and fills a very specific niche.

To be honest, this seems like a great item for many casters, but offers no damage or survivability, which is usually a must for laning phase. However, this item shines with middle lane champions that only poke and will rarely be in the middle of the fight. However, with AP Kog'Maw being severely underwhelming at the moment, and AP Nidalee building better with a catalyst, this item is really only great on Ryze, and sometimes Anivia. 

Hextech Revolver

Built from two Amplifying Tomes (435 g.) and with a combine cost of 330 g., Hextexch Revolver is a great item with a very unique passive. Currently, this item and its upgrades are the only ones to grant spellvamp on Summoner's rift, which is a pretty big deal. Although its natural build path was nerfed with the increased cost of Will of the Ancients, Hextech Revolver is still a good early game item on some champions, specifically those who use health to cast spells (Mordekaiser and Vladmir) and those with energy to constantly cast spells (Kennen and Akali).

All of these champions currently benefit just as much by going Haunting Guise first for its early health and damage, but Hextech Revolver is a sutiable counterpart, especially if you want to focus on farming minion waves and not getting kills. Although it fills a certain niche with jsut a few champions, it is still a decent item. 

Chalice of Harmony

Built from a Mekki Pendant (390 g.) and a Null-Magic Mantle (400 g.) and with a combine cost of only 100 g., Chalice of Harmony is an incredibly cheap item with much potential. Although it offers no ability power for damage, it has a passive that is incredible for laning, restoring mana for all missing mana, great for staying in lane and farming providing the enemy isn't harassing. Chalice also builds into Athene's Unholy Grail, an item that is incredibly strong right now for champions with mana. However, Chalice is lacking on champions that don't need the mana early game, or are better off with the early damage to either roam, or get kills in lane. Chalice is great on champions like Galio, Orianna, and Anivia (noticing a pattern with her?).

2 Doran's Rings

Although this is not technically an advanced item, two Doran's Rings in the early laning phase can be all it takes to crush a lane enemy. These items are the jack of all trades, providing Mana regen, Health, and Ability Power. However, they don't offer anything to build into, but are absolutely incredible for early and middle game dominance, and work great with a rush to Rabadon's Deathcap, as on many champions it provides all the health and Mana Regen necessary. This works great for mid lane champions like Twisted Fate, Morgana, and Veigar. 

Conclusion
Clearly, in the Early game for AP Champions in the mid lane, there is much diversity in builds. I recommend you all try different items on various champions. While I wouldn't recommend building Tear of the Godess on Mordekaiser (Even if he is #1), haunting guise on Anivia may actually be  the next Flavor of the Month. Use this knowledge to wreck havoc on Summoner's Rift, and good luck!