
Illaoi Master Guide: Complete Champion Strategy and Build Path
Illaoi is a formidable toplaner known for her exceptional dueling power and split-pushing capabilities. She excels in situations where enemies engage directly, potentially winning 1v3 or even 1v4 scenarios under the right conditions.
Illaoi
Core Strengths:
- Powerful lane bully
- Strong split pusher
- Excellent at punishing enemy engages
- Dominant mid-game with small leads
Core Weaknesses:
- Limited range
- Struggles in team fights
- Highly position-dependent
- Vulnerable to kiting
Skill Order Priority The optimal skill order depends on matchup:
- E max: Better for melee matchups where E is consistently landable
- Q max: Preferred against ranged champions or highly mobile opponents (e.g., Gwen)
Item Build Path Starting Items:
- Doran's Blade
- Health Potion
Core Items:
- Divine Sunderer/Trinity Force
- Death's Dance
- Black Cleaver
Situational Items:
- Sterak's Gage
- Spirit Visage
- Maw of Malmortius
- Guardian Angel
Build Strategy: Focus on items that provide both AD and survivability. Early damage items maximize healing potential through abilities, while later tank items help with teamfight survival.
Playstyle Guide
-
Early Game:
- Focus on wave control
- Use tentacles for zone control
- Harass with E when safe
-
Mid Game:
- Split push aggressively
- Set up tentacle zones
- Look for picks with E-R combo
-
Late Game:
- Continue split pushing
- Join team for objective control
- Zone enemies from objectives with tentacle setups
The key to mastering Illaoi is understanding positioning and tentacle management. Success comes from forcing enemies to fight in your pre-prepared zones while avoiding extended fights where you lack tentacle support.
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