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"Some things must remain buried."

Strategy is highly subjective and may become outdated without any notice. Because of this, the League of Legends Wiki has decided to retire strategy pages and would recommend using other platforms (such as YouTube) to find guides. For more information visit this thread.

  • This page continues to exist for archive purposes.

Champion Spotlight[]

Recommended Items[]

Summoner's Rift
Starting Doran's Shield item Health Potion item Warding Totem item
Early Boots of Speed item Caulfield's Warhammer item Phage item
Essential Mercury's Treads item The Black Cleaver item Dead Man's Plate item
Offensive Sterak's Gage item Trinity Force item Iceborn Gauntlet item
Defensive Warmog's Armor item Randuin's Omen item Abyssal Mask item
Consumables Health Potion item Elixir of Iron item
Summoner's Rift (Jungler)
Starting Hunter's Talisman item Refillable Potion item Warding Totem item
Early Hunter's Potion item Stalker's Blade item Boots of Speed item
Essential Stalker's Blade (Warrior) item Mercury's Treads item Dead Man's Plate item
Offensive Sterak's Gage item Trinity Force item Iceborn Gauntlet item
Defensive Warmog's Armor item Randuin's Omen item Abyssal Mask item
Consumables Health Potion item Elixir of Iron item
Twisted Treeline
Starting Long Sword item Ruby Crystal item Health Potion item2
Early Boots of Speed item Caulfield's Warhammer item Giant's Belt item
Essential The Black Cleaver item Dead Man's Plate item Mercury's Treads item
Offensive Trinity Force item Titanic Hydra item Righteous Glory item
Defensive Locket of the Iron Solari item Banshee's Veil item Frozen Heart item
Consumables Health Potion item Elixir of Iron item


Twisted Treeline (Jungler)
Starting Hunter's Machete item Refillable Potion item Hunter's Talisman item
Early Stalker's Blade item Hunter's Potion item Boots of Speed item
Essential Stalker's Blade (Warrior) item Dead Man's Plate item Mercury's Treads item
Offensive Trinity Force item Titanic Hydra item Righteous Glory item
Defensive Locket of the Iron Solari item Banshee's Veil item Frozen Heart item
Consumables Health Potion item Elixir of Iron item
Howling Abyss
Starting Guardian's Horn item Boots of Speed item Health Potion item3
Essential Mercury's Treads item Iceborn Gauntlet item Dead Man's Plate item
Offensive Sterak's Gage item Trinity Force item Wit's End item
Defensive Locket of the Iron Solari item Warmog's Armor item Randuin's Omen item
Consumables Health Potion item Elixir of Iron item

Tips[]

Playing as Skarner Skarner
Playing against Skarner Skarner
  • Skarner can't harm you very much outside of short range, so keep your distance from him!
  • Crystalline Exoskeleton's Crystalline Exoskeleton's movement speed boost will persist only if the shield is unbroken, destroying his shield will cripple his mobility.
  • Skarner is stronger when around Crystal Spire Crystal Spire zones his team controls. Try to capture them ahead of time if a fight may break out around them.
  • Buy a Quicksilver Sash Quicksilver Sash to end the suppression from Impale Impale. Champions such as Alistar Alistar, Olaf Olaf, and Gangplank Gangplank also counter it.
Playing with Skarner Skarner
  • Capturing nearby Crystal Spires Crystal Spires before attempting neutral objectives or team fights around them improves Skarner's Skarner's performance in said fights dramatically.

Playstyle[]

Skarner Skarner is a speedy and durable bruiser with unparalleled utility at chasing and locking down targets to deal consistent hybrid damage. His kit best serves him in the jungle, offering fast clear times and effective ganks.

Ability Usage[]

Crystal Slash Crystal Slash [Q]
  • This ability deals bonus damage when used subsequently. When engaging in a fight, be sure to slash before your first auto attack to get the full effect of the Cooldown icon cooldown reduction.
  • When ganking, charge Crystal Slash Crystal Slash off an enemy minion while on your way to enemy targets to maximize your damage output.
Crystalline Exoskeleton Crystalline Exoskeleton [W]
  • Consider the shield absorption as a last resort defense mechanic, since the extra mobility allows Skarner Skarner to avoid damage entirely.
  • Activate Crystalline Exoskeleton Crystalline Exoskeleton when ganking to quickly close the gap towards your targets.
    • Be cautious not to cast it too early - if the effect runs out before you reach your target, Skarner won't have any more mobility to pursue.
Fracture Fracture [E]
  • This ability works best if you can follow up to proc Crystal Venom Crystal Venom.
Impale Impale [R]
  • Skarner Skarner can easily peel away dangerous targets from a carry using Impale Impale, then slowing them with Fracture Fracture after the link is broken.
    • Try to disable strong initiators like Amumu Amumu and Galio Galio to negate their disruptions in a teamfight
  • Impale Impale is not blocked by terrain, and this makes Skarner Skarner capable of dragging enemy champions directly through any terrain after it connects. For example, if an enemy champion is standing above the dragon pit and close enough to the ledge (such as if they are attempting a steal), Skarner Skarner can cast Impale Impale on the enemy champion above, then drag them into the pit with him. This tactic can also be done in certain areas of the jungle where the walls are thinnest to accommodate the skill's short range.
  • Charging in with Flash Flash, Ghost Ghost, Righteous Glory Righteous Glory, or Crystalline Exoskeleton Crystalline Exoskeleton into a Impale Impale is a quick way to grab key enemy targets and pull them into your team.
  • Impale Impale drags the opponent directly behind Skarner Skarner. You can turn around just before its duration ends to flip the enemy to the other side of his character model, further increasing the distance you displace them.
  • Impale Impale is uniquely powerful compared to other suppression spells such as Warwick's Warwick's Infinite Duress Infinite Duress and Malzahar's Malzahar's Nether Grasp Nether Grasp because it is not channeled, so it cannot be canceled by outside sources such as Stun icon stuns and Silence icon silences.

Runes[]

  • The Domination Domination tree has tools that can support Skarner as an engage bruiser.
    • Skarner Skarner is one of the few champions that can utilize the Predator Predator keystone effectively, giving a large boost of movement speed and extra basic attack damage that bolsters his intial engage.
    • Consider taking Cheap Shot Cheap Shot for bonus true damage with his CC spells.
  • As a fighter with Cooldown icon cooldowns to manage, the Sorcery Sorcery tree has plenty of options.
    • The burst of movement speed from Phase Rush Phase Rush allows Skarner to run very fast in a sustained fight, especially when following up with Impale Impale.
    • Celerity Celerity and Waterwalking Waterwalking gives huge free movement speed for his roaming, along with bonus offensive power that benefits off his abundant movement speed.

Items[]

  • The purchase of Sheen Sheen is a powerful item thanks to the ability to repeatedly proc Spellblade with Crystal Slash Crystal Slash.
  • Crystal Slash's Crystal Slash's cooldown is reduced with auto attacks. Thus, this skill synergizes strongly with attack speed items such as Blade of the Ruined King Blade of the Ruined King or Wit's End Wit's End. The faster Skarner Skarner can attack, the faster this ability will become available again and the more DPS he can push out.
  • Building attack speed indirectly reduces Crystal Slash's Crystal Slash's cooldown.
  • A Sheen Sheen-based item synergizes perfectly with Skarner Skarner. Due to the low cooldown of his Crystal Slash Crystal Slash, Skarner Skarner can continuously proc Spellblade, coupled with the fact that Skarner Skarner has some of the highest base attack damage in the game.
    • A Trinity Force Trinity Force is an exceptionally strong item for Skarner Skarner. Sheen Sheen adds some damage to his abilities and he makes exceptional use of the Spellblade passive. Zeal Zeal gives Skarner Skarner some attack speed and movement speed, which is valuable to him for reducing his Crystal Slash Crystal Slash cooldown and allowing him to keep up with an enemy champion.Phage Phage grants even more sticking power through its passive and Skarner Skarner greatly enjoys the attack damage and health it grants.
    • Iceborn Gauntlet Iceborn Gauntlet, alternatively, provides Skarner Skarner with a tankier option. Compared to the Trinity Force Trinity Force, it provides less overall damage and movement speed but instead offers armor, Spellblade with an AoE slow, cooldown reduction, and more mana. It is also a cheaper option, which could be helpful if you are not ahead.
  • As a hybrid champion, Skarner Skarner has strong attack damage and ability power scalings on his abilities. Depending on what you build, you could deal heavy physical damage or a nearly 50/50 mix of physical and magic damage.
  • Items such as The Black Cleaver The Black Cleaver, Sterak's Gage Sterak's Gage, and Titanic Hydra Titanic Hydra are all great choices for attack damage on Skarner.
    • The Black Cleaver The Black Cleaver is present in nearly any Skarner Skarner build, due to the multitude of valuable stats it provides. Additionally, he is able to make great use of both passives on this item through repetitive usage of Crystal Slash Crystal Slash.
    • Sterak's Gage Sterak's Gage is especially strong when combined with an item such as Trinity Force Trinity Force or Iceborn Gauntlet Iceborn Gauntlet, as it directly increases the damage of the Spellblade passive. The passive grants a surprising amount of attack damage and survivability should you be bursted down.
  • Strong ability power items on Skarner generally include some type of defensive stats as well as AP, as you would otherwise be lacking tankiness to fight. A few powerful AP items on him would be Rylai's Crystal Scepter Rylai's Crystal Scepter, Liandry's Torment Liandry's Torment, and Zhonya's Hourglass Zhonya's Hourglass.
    • Rylai's Crystal Scepter Rylai's Crystal Scepter is powerful thanks to granting a large chunk of health and ability power. However, the real strength in this item lies in its passive. Although Rylai's Crystal Scepter Rylai's Crystal Scepter's slow usually only effects his Crystal Slash Crystal Slash, this effect alone makes it potent as it essentially grants Skarner Skarner a permanent slow as long as he continues to cast Crystal Slash Crystal Slash.
    • Liandry's Torment Liandry's Torment is strong thanks to the magic penetration and the damage-over-time passive it has. This passive also benefits from the large roster of crowd control that Skarner Skarner has. In combination with Rylai's Crystal Scepter Rylai's Crystal Scepter, an ability power focused build on Skarner Skarner can deal hefty damage over time and keep an enemy in place to put it to effect.
  • As a low mobility melee champion, most Skarner Skarner builds include multiple defensive items so he can survive and close the gap between himself and the enemy team.
  • Randuin's Omen Randuin's Omen and Righteous Glory Righteous Glory are two great items for Skarner Skarner, as they both provide defensive stats and additional crowd control to add to his plethora of slows and immobilizes:
    • Randuin's Omen Randuin's Omen provides Health, Armor, and damage reduction from critical strikes. It also gives an attack speed reduction to an enemy that auto-attacks you and a powerful AoE slow. If an AD Carry is the biggest threat on the enemy team, Randuin's Omen Randuin's Omen will aid greatly in keeping you alive as it can greatly reduce the amount of damage received from their auto-attacks.
    • Righteous Glory Righteous Glory grants Health as well as Mana to resolve some mana problems. It can grant a massive movement speed increase for yourself and your team. If your team lacks initiation, it would be recommended to build this item as it allows you to easily pick off an enemy champion through usage of Impale Impale.
  • Warmog's Armor Warmog's Armor is another great item on Skarner Skarner, as it provides a huge amount of health which synergises extremely well with Crystalline Exoskeleton Crystalline Exoskeleton shield.
  • Dead Man's Plate Dead Man's Plate is an excellent item on Skarner Skarner. It grants heavy defensive stats at a fairly reasonable price, but the movement speed passive on this item is invaluable to Skarner Skarner no matter the situation though. This item allows Skarner Skarner to chase better, flee better, and arrive to fights right on time. If you are to purchase at the minimum one defensive item, Dead Man's Plate Dead Man's Plate should often be a go-to choice.
  • Frozen Heart Frozen Heart is another strong armor item on Skarner Skarner. He greatly values the cooldown reduction and armor on this item. Additionally, the mana is useful to allow Skarner to cast spells carefree of his mana.
  • Locket of the Iron Solari Locket of the Iron Solari and Banshee's Veil Banshee's Veil are both very potent magic resist items on Skarner Skarner. When facing heavy AoE magic damage or a Double-AP comp, Locket of the Iron Solari Locket of the Iron Solari can greatly mitigate the magic damage you and your team receive. When worried about single-target burst though, Banshee's Veil Banshee's Veil should be purchased.
  • Due to Skarner Skarner's lack of dashes or blinks, he greatly benefits from an early pair of Boots of Speed Boots of Speed.
  • Boots of Swiftness Boots of Swiftness are an excellent option when being kited by a champion who is simply faster than you. When facing several slows on the enemy team but low amount of hard crowd control, Boots of Swiftness Boots of Swiftness also allow you to crawl through and reach your target.
  • Mercury's Treads Mercury's Treads are a great purchase when faced with several instances of hard CC on the enemy team. When faced with an early magic damage threat, these are also suggested.
  • Ninja Tabi Ninja Tabi should be purchased early against teams who are purely physical damage, as often you will need as much armor as possible to survive. The damage reduction against auto-attacks also improves your jungle sustain and brings an AD Carry's damage down noticeable.
  • In the modern jungle, Skarner Skarner is very versatile, able to perform many different roles based upon his item selection and playstyle.
    • Warrior Warrior dramatically increases his Crystal Slash Crystal Slash damage. Skarner Skarner also benefits heavily from Warrior Warrior's cooldown reduction, allowing him to gank more often with Impale Impale. After purchasing Warrior Warrior, Skarner can easily transition into purchasing tank items for the mid-game. Note and keep in mind that Skarner Skarner is a strong physical damage dealer anyway, and that this item gives good benefits when ahead.
    • Bloodrazor Bloodrazor is a situational item on Skarner Skarner if he wants/has to fight other fighters or tanks. However, because Crystal Slash's Crystal Slash's damage is based entirely on his own attack damage it is generally more optimal to purchase cooldown reduction and attack damage when building offensively.
    • Cinderhulk Cinderhulk is another choice for Skarner Skarner. The Immolate passive speeds up your clear and the bonus HP scales your tankiness throughout a game. In an average game, Cinderhulk Cinderhulk is the enchantment you should most likely purchase.
    • Runic Echoes Runic Echoes can be good for Skarner Skarner. The stats together with Echo provide an earlier powerspike as well as strong mana sustain and a speedy jungle clear.

Counterpicks[]

  • Marksmen such as Kalista Kalista and Draven Draven can destroy Skarner while kiting away from his grasp.


References[]

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