Moving into mid game items with AP middle

In my last article we looked at the early game for AP midlane, specifically at the first advanced item to buy. Now, we will be looking at items as we move into mid game. The Mid-game is generally classified as the later stages of the laning phase and the beginning of the team fight stage.

It can usually be defined with roaming and increased ganking, not to mention the first towers generally falling. For middle lane, the mid game is generally their time of dominance, as they have the most opportunity to roam to either of the other lanes, and after they get their first couple of items is generally when they can reign supreme with the greatest balance between the other team building resistances and you having the damage to take them down. So let's talk about the items you should consider into the Mid Game.

Rod of Ages

Built from a Catalyst of the Protector (1350 g.) and a Blasting Wand (860 g.) with a combine cost of 850 g., this item scales over the next 10 minutes after you buy it, meaning its generally best bought first. As I discussed in the first part of this article, Catalyst is a very niche item, and really only shines on a few champions.

Champions that have longer ranges, such as lux, that don't benefit from the health shouldn't be looking into this item, as you're wasting gold on the stat, when you'll be doing more with your utility by building damage and mana regen, and then poking. So building Athenes or going two dorans rings.

Truth be told, Rod of Ages is a very strong item, but it has a certain role. Some champions are alright with it, who get in the middle of fights, like Morgana or Annie who have short ranges, but those champions deal burst damage, so they're not as worried about staying alive as they deal all of their damage immediately. Instead, this champions is better on those with short cooldowns, dealing sustained damage. Champions to consider this on: Karthus, Kassadin, Anivia, and Nidalee.

Athene's Unholy Grail

Built from a Fiendish Codex (1125 g.), a chalice of Harmony (890 g.) and an Amplifying Tome (435 g.), with a combine cost of 500 g., this is one of the most unique and when utilized well, best items in the game. The amount of mana regeneration, damage, magic resistance, and cooldowns it grants for the relatively small cost is really too good to pass up on several champions. This item is great on any champion that needs Mana Regeneration early and throughout the game, which turns out to be most Mid Lane champions.

Mana regeneration is important, but usually maximum mana isn't a problem by going nine points down the utility tree. But mana regeneration is a massive problem for many champions, and Athenes is now the answer. To be honest, the amount of utility this item provides for the cost is ridiculous, and is good on almost every champion that runs AP and mana currently. Do not underestimate or overlook it.

It should also be worth noting that MOST champions that go midlane who have mana will probably want to buy this item, Rod of Ages, or a couple of Doran's rings for early game mana and survivability. Champions to especially consider this on: Orianna, Anivia, Teemo, Cassiopiea, etc.

Abyssal Scepter

Built out of a Blasting Wand (860 g.) and a Negatron Cloak (740 g.) with a combine cost of 1050, this item comes off as pretty standard priced for a mid game. As in, pretty expensive. Please work on your last hitting. However, even if this item is expensive, it offers so much that it can't be ignored. First, it gives Magic Resistance. Generally, the other team will have at least one magic damage dealer, and that's usually your lane opponent. So you're minimizing their damage, which is something that is well worth the cost. Second, it gives you more damage.

Why not? However, it gives you damage through more than one source. Although it does give you Ability Power which is pretty damn important, it also cuts the Magic Resistance of all surrounding enemies by 20 (currently flat, but will likely change to percentage soon). Effectively, its enough of a debuff to cancel five null-magic mantles, which is 2000 gold worth. However, note that the range of the debuff has been decreased in range recently, so it only shines on closer range champions. It is also important to note that just because a champion is close range means they should consider this item because you're only getting six item slots.

Many champions who are close range will benefit more from dealing more damage, specifically burst champions, like Le Blanc and Annie, who both have small ranges on their spells, but they will end up doing more damage going Rabadon's or something else. This item isn't awful though, and some champions really need the survivability. Champions to consider this on: Vladmir, Morgana, Galio, and Soraka, etc.

Rabadon's Deathcap

Built from a Blasting Wand (860 g.) and a Needlessly Large Rod, (1600 g.) and with a combine cost of 1140 g., this is the most expensive AP item in the game. However, it is worth it. This item essentially screams damage, it grants a whopping 140 AP, and increases all of your AP by 30%. Yes, including the 140 that came with it. To be honest, I have never seen a full AP build that does not include this item.

The question just is when to buy it. As said previously, the item is all about damage, so you're sacrificing other stats for Rabadon's, whether health, Lifesteal, Armor or Magic Resist, or other cool unique passives. Usually, there are a few build paths into this item. The most ballsy one, and used to be incredibly common was two doran's rings into Rabadon's, but partly due to the health nerf on Doran's ring a few patches ago, and the insane amount of utility Athene's now provides, this build is less rare. Second, is RoA into Rabadon's which is generally what you want to get if you're building Rod of Ages, because the health and mana it provides you is enough.

Third, this item can be built after Athenes because of the same reasons as RoA minus the health. Or, you can build it after another major item, like Abyssal, DFG, or Ryalia's, but generally this item should be built second or third due to the insane amount of damage provided.

Also, this item should be rushed on champions that excel at poking, or are considered "glass cannon," as in you don't plan on surviving the fight, but you're going to take half their sorry team with you. Champions to consider this on: Literally all of them. just know when to buy it.

Rylia's Crystal Scepter

Built from a Giant's Belt (1110 g.), a Blasting Wand (860 g.), and an Amplifying Tome (435 g.), with a combined cost of 700 g., this is one of the few champions that grants the owner both Health and Ability Power. In addition, the item gives a unique passive that slows enemies hit by 35% with every spell ( 15% for damage over time).

However, as good as it seems, the item is really only good on cahmpions that deal high damage through many spells, would benefit from the health, and can utilize the slow through spamming. It really isn't an item that many champions need, but can prove very useful.

Many champions that have spells (Cassiopiea) or passives (Brand) that deal damage over time enjoy this item, as it enables them to excel at kiting, which is tactically retreating from your enemy while still dealing damage. Champions to consider this on: Brand, Cassiopiea, Vladmir, Rumble.

 

Zhonya's Hourglass

 

Built from a Chain Vest (700 g.) and a Needlessly Large Rod (1600 g.) with a combine cost of 1500 g., Zhonya's is the only item to offer both AP and Armor, and has an incerdible passive, whcih turns the owner invincible and uncontrollable for two seconds.

This puts a lot of pressure on the enemy team, as if they try to burst you, you can click a button and the damage is suddenly negated, which is incredibly frustrating. To be honest, this item should usually be saved for late game, but it can be decent on a couple of champions who benefit from the active ability.

Generally though, the item will be best saved for late game due to the damage that should be built during this time. Champions to consider this on: Morgana, Vladimir.

DeathFire Grasp

The Riot gods have seen it fit to bless us with new items. So, DFG is now built from a Needlessly Large Rod (1600 g.), an Amplifying Tome (435 g.) with a combine cost of 965 g. It will provide 100 AP, 15% cooldown Reaction, and will have a unique active that takes out 15% of a champions maximum health, and will amplify magic damage that champion takes for the next four seconds. This item means several things.

First, it can no longer be rushed, we eon't be seeing many first item DFG Katarinas or Veigars. However, it now gives us back the CDR which many champions consider vital, and actually provides a good initiation, letting champions burst even harder. Most likely, we will see this be a second or third item, after Athene's, RoA, or Rabadon's.

Second, this rework also means, for all intents and purposes, Kage's Lucky Pick is once again worthless, except on Junglers and support who need the gold and can turn it into Kage's Last Breath, which is not an AP mid item. However, this new Deathfire Grasp looks like it will be strong on burst champions that miss it so dearly.

 

Lich Bane

Built from a Sheen (1260 g.), a Blasting Wand (860 g.), and a null magic mantle (400 g.) with a combine cost of 950 g., Lich Bane is a unique item that gives good amounts of damage and a passive that synergizes well with a few champions, letting your next autoattack receive magic damage equal to the amount of AP you have after every spell.

With such a passive, the item is only good on champions that wil be autoattacking often and have the short cooldowns to benefit such an item. However, it should be noted that when bought early, the damage that you would obtain from the passive is actually less then if you bought a sheen (which doubles attack damage after a spell, as opposed to taking it from your maximum AP), because most champions have around 90 attack damage by level 15, so with Sheen, that means the next autoattack will deal 125 (50 + 75% of 100) additional damage.

If the Sheen is upgraded into a Lich Bane, however, with only the Lich Bane and 2 Doran's Rings, the passive will actually only deal 110 additional damage, less then the Sheen. So the item is best bought later rather than earlier, generally after a Deathcap or Athene's.  Champions to consider this on: Twisted Fate, Nidalee, Akali, Mordekaiser.

 

Liandry's Torment

Well, once again Riot has chosen to gift new items upon us. This item is built from a Haunting Guise (1485 g.) and an Amplifying Tome (435 g.), with a combine cost of 980 g. I know in the last article, I talked about the main drawback of Haunting Guise is the lack of items to build it into, so thats out the window.

However, let us instead rejoice at this new item. There are a few things that should be noted about this item: it gives health and Ability power, meaning it will excel on champions that don't use Mana, like Katarina, Mordekaiser, etc. Second, Liandry's actually currently offers less magic penetration than Haunting guise, giving a flat 15 instead of 20. However, Liandry's comes with a brand new passive, reminescent of Blackfire torch on Twisted Treeline.

Spell damage will now trigger a a burn on enemy champions that deals 5% of their maximum health as magic damage over three seconds, and the damage is doubled on slowed  champions. This passive will be what makes this item, and will prove incredibly effective with Rylai's Crystal Scepter due to the passives working together, and will work well on champions that naturally have a lot of slows, like Orianna or Cassiopiea.

I can see this item being pretty good on some champions that can cast a lot for contuinued effect of the passive. However, many champions that started getting a lot of Haunting Guises early due to teh DFG nerfs won't benefit from this item as much as they might others, like Katarina or Gragas, who have longer cooldowns and depend more on burst damage. These champions might opt to just keep the Haunting Guise as is, or forgo it all together. 

Conclusion:

As Early game approaches mid-game, there are several build paths to take.  With the knowledge from this article and my past one, I hope you learn how to correctly itemize your mid lane champions well, and let this newest patch be good to us. Good luck on the Fields of Justice, Summoners.