
Darius Champion Guide: Complete Season 15 Top Lane Mastery
A dominating force in the toplane, Darius excels at lane control and team fights. His ability to both deal and absorb damage makes him an excellent choice for players up to Platinum looking to climb ranks.
Ability Priority & Leveling
- Max Q first (waveclear, heal, main damage source)
- Max E second (cooldown reduction, armor penetration)
- R at levels 6, 11, and 16 (true damage execute with reset)
Level 1-3 Strategy:
- Start Q for safe lane or wave control
- Choose W for aggressive level 1 trades (AA-W-AA combo)
- Take E at level 3 for engage/disengage potential
Core Build Path:
- Starting Items:
- Doran's Blade + Health Potion
- Doran's Shield + Health Potion (vs ranged matchups)
- Core Items:
- Trinity Force/Divine Sunderer
- Dead Man's Plate
- Force of Nature
- Situational Items:
- Sterak's Gage (when ahead)
- Thornmail (vs heavy AD)
- Spirit Visage (amplifies healing)
Key Fighting Tips:
- Land outer edge Q hits for maximum damage and healing
- Use E pull to set up Q hits
- Stack passive with auto attacks and abilities
- Execute with R when enemy has 5 hemorrhage stacks
- Chain R resets in team fights
Strengths:
- Strong lane presence
- Excellent dueling potential
- Team fight impact with R resets
- Good scaling into mid-game
Weaknesses:
- Limited mobility
- Susceptible to kiting
- Vulnerable to early ganks
- Requires proper positioning
Darius thrives in extended fights where he can stack his passive and execute multiple targets with his ultimate. Focus on wave management and trading patterns to dominate your lane and transition into a mid-game powerhouse.
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