[2.6a] Varus Guide - Varus in the Mid Lane
Varus in the Mid Lane
Pros
- Strong early game powerspikes
- Can Build AD and AP
- Lane Bully
- Good Team Fight utility with Ult
- Strong Long Range Poke
- Good AOE damage
Cons
- Immobile, needs to not be threatened in teamfights for best effect
- No disengage ability if Ultimate on CD( Ultimate useless if enemy have quicksilver)
- Extremely Squishy, Weak to burst combos
- Self CC on abillity casts
- Does not scale as hard as hypercarries (Jinx, Tristana etc.)
- Skill Shot dependent champion
Varus Build
Best Build Guide for Varus
 
                             
                             
                             
                             
                             
                             
                             
                             
                             
                             
                             
                             
                             
                            Item Build Description
Additional information on the items
AD Varus - Good for Deleting Squishies
AP Varus - Good if enemy has a lot of tanks as 
                     Blighted Quiver
             does damage based on enemies max health%
Blighted Quiver
             does damage based on enemies max health%
Starting Items - 
                     Long Sword
             for AD,
Long Sword
             for AD, 
                     Amplifying Tome
             for AP
Amplifying Tome
             for AP
For AD build, Rush 
                     Manamune
             as quick as you can, you want to be able to reach
Manamune
             as quick as you can, you want to be able to reach 
                     Muramana
             as quick as possible so you can powerspike faster than your lane opponent, after finishing
Muramana
             as quick as possible so you can powerspike faster than your lane opponent, after finishing 
                     Manamune
            , you can either build
Manamune
            , you can either build 
                     Ionian Boots of Lucidity
             or go for
Ionian Boots of Lucidity
             or go for 
                     Youmuu's Ghostblade
            , but if you didn't build
Youmuu's Ghostblade
            , but if you didn't build 
                     Ionian Boots of Lucidity
             before
Ionian Boots of Lucidity
             before 
                     Youmuu's Ghostblade
            , make sure to build boots as your 3rd item after building
Youmuu's Ghostblade
            , make sure to build boots as your 3rd item after building 
                     Youmuu's Ghostblade
            . You can switch the order between
Youmuu's Ghostblade
            . You can switch the order between 
                     Mortal Reminder
             and
Mortal Reminder
             and 
                     Edge of Night
             depending if the enemy has a lot of healing or not.
Edge of Night
             depending if the enemy has a lot of healing or not.
For AP build(Only recommended against Tanks), Go for 
                     Rod of Ages
             as 1st item if you want to scale, or
Rod of Ages
             as 1st item if you want to scale, or 
                     Nashor's Tooth
             for extra damage. If you built
Nashor's Tooth
             for extra damage. If you built 
                     Rod of Ages
             as your 1st item, build
Rod of Ages
             as your 1st item, build 
                     Nashor's Tooth
             as your second and vice versa, Afterwards, Build
Nashor's Tooth
             as your second and vice versa, Afterwards, Build 
                     Rabadon's Deathcap
             and
Rabadon's Deathcap
             and 
                     Liandry's Torment
             before building
Liandry's Torment
             before building 
                     Infinity Orb
            .
Infinity Orb
            .
                       
Varus Runes
Best Runes for Varus
 
                             
                             
                             
                            
                     Summon Aery
             - Good for Poking and dealing extra damage to your enemies.
Summon Aery
             - Good for Poking and dealing extra damage to your enemies.
                     Brutal
             - despite being nerfed, it is still one of the best runes in the game.
Brutal
             - despite being nerfed, it is still one of the best runes in the game.
                     Adaptive Carapace
             - can be switched with bone plating if enemy has a lot of burst,
Adaptive Carapace
             - can be switched with bone plating if enemy has a lot of burst, 
                     Hunter Titan
             has been nerfed so it is now less powerful but still useful if your enemy laner/team has a lot of CC.
Hunter Titan
             has been nerfed so it is now less powerful but still useful if your enemy laner/team has a lot of CC.
                     Sweet Tooth
             - for better sustain in lane, can be switched out for
Sweet Tooth
             - for better sustain in lane, can be switched out for 
                     Hunter Genius
             if feeling confident
Hunter Genius
             if feeling confident
 
                             
                             
                             
                            
                     Conqueror
             - better if team comp is built around team fighting
Conqueror
             - better if team comp is built around team fighting
                     Brutal
             - best domination rune for
Brutal
             - best domination rune for 
                     Varus
            .
Varus
            .
                     Bone Plating
             - helps against being bursted
Bone Plating
             - helps against being bursted
                     Hunter Genius
             - the ability haste helps you get your abilities off CD quicker.
Hunter Genius
             - the ability haste helps you get your abilities off CD quicker.
Skill Order
How to distribute skill points
 
                             
                             
                             
                             
                            Summoner Spells
When to take which summoners
Combos
Learn how to maximize the champions potential
 
                                 
                                 
                                 
                                 
                                Standard Trading Combo, Make sure to have have 
                     Blighted Quiver
             activated and have max blight stacks for maximum damage with
Blighted Quiver
             activated and have max blight stacks for maximum damage with 
                     Piercing Arrow
            .
Piercing Arrow
            .
 
                                 
                                 
                                 
                                 
                                 
                                 
                                 
                                All-In Combo, 
                     Chain Of Corruption
             builds max blight stacks after 3 seconds so 1 AA is enough to have 3 blight stacks, then use
Chain Of Corruption
             builds max blight stacks after 3 seconds so 1 AA is enough to have 3 blight stacks, then use 
                     Hail Of Arrows
             to proc the first 3 then use your
Hail Of Arrows
             to proc the first 3 then use your 
                     Blighted Quiver
             and AA 3 times and then use your
Blighted Quiver
             and AA 3 times and then use your 
                     Piercing Arrow
             to execute enemy.
Piercing Arrow
             to execute enemy.
 
                                 
                                Execute Combo ( effective if enemy is fleeing and below 20-30% max HP)
Varus Matchups & Counters
Detailed information on how to play matchups and counters
The Dark Child. her range is very weak so just keep poking her with your 
                     Piercing Arrow
             and try to zone her away from as much farm as possible. make sure to dodge her
Piercing Arrow
             and try to zone her away from as much farm as possible. make sure to dodge her 
                     Pyromania
             as that gives her a brief window to all in you. Her burst is stronger but your poke is better, don't be scared to all in her if her passive is not on max stacks.
Pyromania
             as that gives her a brief window to all in you. Her burst is stronger but your poke is better, don't be scared to all in her if her passive is not on max stacks.
 
                        Pre Level 5
In the Early Game, just look to farm as much as possible, ward the left side river as most Junglers clear the Red Brambleback Camp before heading to the Blue Camp(if the map is reversed do the same). Don't poke if the enemy isn't trying to engage, you want to conserve mana before you finish building 
                     Manamune
            , Poke the enemy with your
Manamune
            , Poke the enemy with your 
                     Piercing Arrow
             if he gets too close. I generally don't recommend looking for Roams unless you have full river and brush vision as you are extremely squishy and don't have any realistic get away tools except for [flash].
Piercing Arrow
             if he gets too close. I generally don't recommend looking for Roams unless you have full river and brush vision as you are extremely squishy and don't have any realistic get away tools except for [flash].
 
                        After Level 5
At this point in the game, you should have finished 
                     Manamune
             and
Manamune
             and 
                     Ionian Boots of Lucidity
             or [youmuus ghostblade], try to look picks and set up your team for successful ganks, don't be afraid to use your ultimate to initiate teamfights. In a teamfight, your [varus:1] has great range so try to snipe and zone away the enemy backline [ADC or Mages] first and let your team clean up.
Ionian Boots of Lucidity
             or [youmuus ghostblade], try to look picks and set up your team for successful ganks, don't be afraid to use your ultimate to initiate teamfights. In a teamfight, your [varus:1] has great range so try to snipe and zone away the enemy backline [ADC or Mages] first and let your team clean up.
 
                        Late Game- Level 10 to15
At this point of the game, you should have at least 3 items built and be decently fed. Make sure to stick with your team in the late game as you are very vulnerable by yourself, I would advise setting up your team for picks using your ultimate. I do not recommend split pushing as you have no real getaway abillity.
 
                                                     
                            
             
                 
                         
                         
                         
                         
                                 
                                 
                                 
                                 
                                 
                                 
                                 
                                 
                                 
                                 
                                 
                                 
                                 
                                 
                                 
                                 
                                 
                                 Light Binding
Light Binding
             Lucent Singularity
Lucent Singularity
             Final Spark
Final Spark
             Spirit Rush
Spirit Rush
             Charm
Charm
             Fox-fire
Fox-fire
             Orb Of Deception
Orb Of Deception
             Death Mark
Death Mark
             Crescent Strike
Crescent Strike
             Moonfall
Moonfall
             Lunar Rush
Lunar Rush
             Steel Tempest
Steel Tempest
             Wind Wall
Wind Wall
             Sweeping Blade
Sweeping Blade
             Electrocute
Electrocute
             Garen
Garen
             Death Lotus
Death Lotus
             Shunpo
Shunpo
             Hexplosive Minefield
Hexplosive Minefield
             Bouncing Bomb
Bouncing Bomb
             Satchel Charge
Satchel Charge
             Phenomenal Evil Power
Phenomenal Evil Power
             Event Horizon
Event Horizon
             Dark Matter
Dark Matter
             Baleful Strike
Baleful Strike
             Primordial Burst
Primordial Burst
             Akali
Akali
             Perfect Execution
Perfect Execution
             Shuriken Flip
Shuriken Flip
             Twilight Shroud
Twilight Shroud
             Five Point Strike
Five Point Strike
             Missile Barrage
Missile Barrage
             Infinity Edge
Infinity Edge
             Trinity Force
Trinity Force
             Playful / Trickster
Playful / Trickster
             Chum The Waters
Chum The Waters
             Command: Attack
Command: Attack
             Command: Dissonance
Command: Dissonance
             Command: Shockwave
Command: Shockwave
             Oblivion Orb
Oblivion Orb
             Ionian Fervor
Ionian Fervor
             Blaze
Blaze
             Conflagration
Conflagration
             Sear
Sear
             Pillar Of Flame
Pillar Of Flame
             Pyroclasm
Pyroclasm
             
                