Cheat Sheet
Itemization
Starting Items
Corrupting Potion is the best choice to start the game. It's especially true with Olaf since it will allow you to abuse from your E - Reckless Wing by compensating the health you lose in the process, while regenerating mana to poke constantly with Q - Undertow.
Boots
We recommend you to opt for Mercury's Treads or Ninja Tabi depending on the type of damage your opponent uses and the number of crowd controls he has.
Core Items
- Black Cleaver offers you CD reduction, good aggressive and defensive stats, enough to demolish your opponent's armor; and the Phage's passive will make up for your lack of mobility.
- Sterak's Gage's passive will help you withstand the aggression of a team with a lot of crowd controls.
Situational Items
- Righteous Glory will be ideal to be more resistant, and above all, to run in the middle of the enemy team and engage in nice skirmishes/teamfights.
- if your team needs you to throw yourself into the melee, Guardian Angel will allow you to survive the initial burst while temporizing with your resurrection.
- Spirit Visage is a perfect item for Olaf if you need magical resistance, as the item's passive greatly increase the Viking's survivability.
- If you need more armour, Dead Man's Plate will give you the stats you need while adding a very nice passive to your set.
- Against AD-dominant compositions or against an AD match-up range (Quinn, Vayne, etc.), use the Thornmail.
How to play Olaf
Olaf has an excellent midgame thanks to his first items, but he will run out of steam at the end of the game, being unable to support a huge burst against a team that has acquired all his items.
- Level 1: Pick Q - Undertow and use it either to poke your opponent or to last hit minions without taking risks.
- Level 2: E - Reckless Swing will allow you to deal heavy damage. If' you're playing against a melee champion, try to poke him with it as much as possible.
- Level 3: Pick W - Vicious Strikes to sustain on the lane and compensate for the true damage taken from using E - Reckless Swing.
- Level 6: R - Ragnarok makes you insensible to crowd control effects, meaning you can run within the ranks of the enemies without fearing to be stopped by a stun, a snare or even a slow.
Match-Ups
Tips & Tricks
- If you're already under the disabling effect of an enemy, R - Ragnarok won't cure it. Try to cast your ultimate before engaging the fight.
- Remember to pick up your axe after casting Q - Undertow to reduce the cooldown. In the jungle, throw it at your feet, so you only have to take a tiny step to pick it up.
- W - Vicious Strikes gives you attack speed and lifesteal. If you don't have much life left, you can become a real war machine against an enemy that has no burst left to finish you off.
