League of Legends S12: Pyke Support Build Guide

From runes to items, gameplay tips amd more, we've put together a guide to help you master playing Pyke in the botlane in League of Legends.

Be mindful that there are several ways to build and play a champion, and you'll need to be adaptable as the game and the enemy team progress.

That said, this guide is a good starting point to helping you get to grips with the champion and making an impact in your games.

Runes

Core Items

Duskblade of Draktharr

3100 Gold

Umbral Glaive

2400 Gold

Build

Duskblade of Draktharr is essential on an assassin-type champion such as Pyke, causing havoc on the backlines with its passive invisibility in teamfights.

Umbral Glaive is great on Pyke as a roaming support, as it provides vision clear. 

Other great items include Edge of Night, Axiom Arc, and Guardian Angel.

Starting Item & Boots

Health Potion

50 Gold

Steel Shoulderguards

400 Gold

Mobility Boots

1000 Gold

Skill Order

While your choices may differ according to how the game progresses, the typical Pyke skill priority is:

R > Q > E > W

Summoner Spells

These are the summoner spells most typically taken by Pyke in this role. Naturally, this may change depending on match-ups.

Gameplay

Unlike the majority of supports, Pyke is a straight-up assassin. His excellent mobility allows for great roams to the midlane and beyond, so you'll need to pair with an ADC who is comfortable farming lane 1v2. 

• Level 1 - Take Q - Bone Skewer, for the grab potential.
• Level 2 - Take E - Phantom Undertow, for the initiation and stun.
• First Back - Start building towards your Umbral Glaive, with a Serrated Dirk. 

Tips & Tricks

• Enemy champions will be thrown a distance equivalent to how long you hold the Q button of Bone Skewer. Even if the enemy is right in front of you, you'll fling them far behind you if the Q is held longer.
• Don't hesitate to back off and allow your passive to heal you up of damage recently taken. 
• Use Ghostwater Dive to circle your enemies, for the ideal coup de grace.
• Bushes also work well in this respect, often giving you a hidden starting point.
• The ghost created by Phantom Undertow always returns to you. Use Flash to change the trajectory and potentially stun an enemy.
• When a champion dies inside the X of Death From Below, allies who assist will be granted the kill experience and gold. You'll also get a free reset. 
• An indicator on enemy life bars will tell you whether Death From Below will kill them or not.