Summary
Itemization
Aatrox is a duelist combining control and zone damage. He compensates for his lack of mobility with impressive regeneration and damage if he correctly lands his skills on the enemy. Prioritize cooldown reduction, life steal, and AD.
How to Play Aatrox
Aatrox possesses a wide choice of crowd control abilities, so he is able to harass his opponent from the early levels in order to gain an advantage over him.
His Passive - Deathbringer Stance increases the range of his next base attack, which inflicts damage based on the target's maximum health and reduces healing and shields on it for a few seconds. The cooldown is reduced by 2 seconds when he casts a spell or hits a champion with the edge of his Q - The Darkin Blade.
- Level 1: Choose Q - The Darkin Blade to help you kill minions and harass your opponent at the same time.
- Level 2: His main weakness is his mobility, which offers him little escape in the early game. Be vigilant for possible ganks from the enemy jungler. E - Umbral Dash projects Aatrox forward over a short distance, up to 2 charges can be stored, and the skill is usable simultaneously with Q - The Darkin Blade — thus increasing its range.
- Level 3: W - Infernal Chains creates an area on the ground which slows and deals damage to the first enemy hit. If the enemy is still in the area after 1.5 seconds, he is drawn to the center and suffers additional damage. You can use it offensively to catch an enemy, or defensively to counter an enemy gank.
- Level 6: Abuse your R - World Ender as much as you can. The damage amplifier and extra speed allows you to put enormous pressure on your opponent and force him to use his Flash — allowing you to maximize this significant advantage.
If you push hard at levels 2 and 3, the ideal is to ask your jungler for help and punish an overly aggressive placement. Aatrox's controls will adapt perfectly to most allied ganks.
In team fights, remember that most of your skills have an area of effect. Feel free to activate your R before jumping into a team fight, to take advantage of the bonus movement speed and reach the back line of the enemy team.
Match-Ups
Tips & Tricks
- The cooldown of Deathbringer Stance is reduced by 2 seconds for each skill used, so do not hesitate to use your spells as often as possible.
- Aatrox hits up to three times with Q - The Darkin Blade — hitting enemies at the end of the first two shots and in the center of the third throws them into the air and inflicts much more damage.
- Flash can be used during the "casting time" of each Q - The Darkin Blade, allowing you to quickly surprise your opponents.
- The Bloodwell that stores health during R - World Ender fills up according to the damage inflicted. More damage means more life for his resurrection if he suffers a fatal blow.
- E - Umbral Dash allows you to jump over certain walls.
- On activation, R - World Ender fears minions closest to you.
- Take full advantage of the control provided by W - Infernal Chains to hit all your Q - The Darkin Blade charges on the target and inflict optimal damage.
Written by Julien "Imso" Hubert. Translated from French by Millenium.
