by Bagina

[4.1b] Varus Guide - AP Varus, One Shot Tanks

922
3
Perfectionist
Make sure to experiment with this. Do not follow my build 1 for 1 if you don’t like it. Any AP item works at least decently because he scales so hard with it.
Patch 4.1b
August 01, 2023 22:13
Mid

AP Varus, One Shot Tanks

AP Varus has recently been buffed inadvertently with the introduction of the new items and runes. This guide will be about what to build, when to build weird items, and what runes to take.

Pros

  • R->W->Q can genuinely one shot tanks
  • Has a strong early with the right runes and items
  • Insane late game
  • Can melt towers late game and early

Cons

  • Very strange to get into, as you need to be very patient most of the time
  • Awkward mid game where you dont have much poke or one shot ability
  • Loses hard against hyper mobile champs unless you are really good at predicting dashes

Varus Build

Best Build Guide for Varus

Main build
Manamune
Boots of Speed
Luden's Echo
Horizon Focus
Rabadon's Deathcap
Void Staff
Attack speed/ Ap
Nashor's Tooth
Boots of Speed
Rabadon's Deathcap
Riftmaker
Luden's Echo
Void Staff
Situational
Lich Bane
Awakened Soulstealer
Infinity Orb
Crystalline Reflector
Banshee's Veil
Frozen Heart

Item Build Description

Additional information on the items

VarusVarus tends to be an ad poke, or attack speed on hit champ. The goal of this build is to go for one shots made possible by Blighted QuiverBlighted Quiver . We go ManamuneManamune first because it lets us have an early game where you aren’t just under your tower the whole time. Most of the time, you will start with Sapphire CrystalSapphire Crystal because early you have next to no mana and even with this you may struggle to not run out without the use of your honey fruit. After completing ManamuneManamune , get your boots asap. Go Mana Boots (this site doesn’t have them yet so sorry if you were confused about reg boots). Get whatever enchant you need (typically hourglass or repulsor), and then get [ludens echo], which is overall pretty self-explanatory. Next you’ll get Horizon FocusHorizon Focus . With this item, your [varus:ult] will do an additional 25% ap and give vision. You are also able to activate it with Piercing ArrowPiercing Arrow or Hail Of ArrowsHail Of Arrows . [rabadons deathcap] and Void StaffVoid Staff are just for the extra stats.


The attack speed build is kind of a hybrid between normal attack speed varus and ap. You will still be able to do a lot of burst, but probably not one shot. Most of your damage will come from auto attacks with Blighted QuiverBlighted Quiver active, as well as Kraken SlayerKraken Slayer . The rest of the build is pretty self explanatory (build either attack speed boots or mana boots, your choice).

The situational ones are ones I almost never build, however under certain situations they may be able to carry you to victory. I would also recommend trying out Lich BaneLich Bane in the attack speed build if you think it sounds interesting.

Varus Runes

Best Runes for Varus

Keystone
Electrocute
Electrocute
Domination
Brutal
Brutal
Resolve
Bone Plating
Bone Plating
Inspiration
Pathfinder
Pathfinder

Runes on this arent updated yet, but go either first strike or kraken slayer and whatever works for the enemy team comp.

Skill Order

How to distribute skill points

Living Vengeance
Living Vengeance - Passive
Piercing Arrow
Piercing Arrow
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Blighted Quiver
Blighted Quiver
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Hail Of Arrows
Hail Of Arrows
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Chain Of Corruption
Chain Of Corruption
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

Summoner Spells

When to take which summoners

Flash
Obv
Barrier
I almost always take this, you are able to win 1v1s you would have no right winning just by using this.
Exhaust
Also works, kinda better if you have a winning matchup
Ignite
I never take this but if you like it go ahead.

Combos

Learn how to maximize the champions potential

Chain Of Corruption
Ult
Blighted Quiver
2nd
Auto Attack
AA
Piercing Arrow
1st

Make sure you don’t forget to press W. it really increases your damage. The auto is also pretty important most of the time just for the faster W stacks. Otherwise, this is pretty much the only combo you’ll ever use. Make sure to get good at hitting your R and make sure to be patient for those W stacks.

Blighted Quiver
2nd
Auto Attack
AA
Auto Attack
AA
Auto Attack
AA
Piercing Arrow
1st

What you’ll do before you get your R, or if it’s on cooldown. Does the same thing as the other combo in a sense, it just has less damage and is harder to do.

Varus Matchups & Counters

Detailed information on how to play matchups and counters

Kassadin
Easy
Kassadin
Twisted Fate
Easy
Twisted Fate
Fizz
Easy
Fizz
Veigar
Easy
Veigar
Malphite
Easy
Malphite
Annie
Medium
Annie
Aurelion Sol
Medium
Aurelion Sol
Ziggs
Hard
Ziggs
Akali
Hard
Akali
Brand
Hard
Brand
Galio
Hard
Galio
Yasuo
Hard
Yasuo
Lux
Hard
Lux
Orianna
Hard
Orianna
Zed
Skill
Zed
Ahri
Skill
Ahri
Katarina
Skill
Katarina
Irelia
Skill
Irelia
Akshan
Skill
Akshan
Corki
Skill
Corki
Zoe
Skill
Zoe

Easy as they come really. You will stomp him so hard he won’t be able to scale into the monster he wants to become lategame. Just make sure to spam Q once he hits lvl 5.

Varus

Early Game

VarusVarus is typically oppressive early if played right, and that holds true for this build too. Start Sapphire CrystalSapphire Crystal or DaggerDagger depending on what build you decided to go with. If your jungler started red side, go ward blue side and vice versa. This is really important for most mid laners to do and you could be losing games because you aren’t doing this (seriously, it’s that important). After that, go to lane and sit under tower until your minions start attacking your opponents. Your pushing power is good early but there’s really no need to use it. Just focus on last hitting and using Piercing ArrowPiercing Arrow to poke your lane opponent if you see the opportunity. You’re also free to trade because you will probably need to grab the honey fruits at some point even if you don’t get hit. Do this until you have enough gold to get a Tear of the GoddessTear of the Goddess or Nashors talon. Now burst the wave as quick as possible and recall. Go back and basically just do the same. At this point though, your opponent may mess up and you may be able to get a kill. If you do, don’t greed. Recall ASAP. They’re jungler is probably on his way, and if he isn’t someone else is. At this point kinda just do whatever aside from roaming too far. You aren’t mobile and you need to remember that. At the same time though, you’re range is plenty to help quickly if need be.

Varus

Mid Game

I define mid game as the moment people start roaming far. At this point you probably have an item, boots, and have started on your second or maybe even third item. This point of the game is your weakest but it isn’t too bad. Just go for one shots with your Chain Of CorruptionChain Of Corruption into Blighted QuiverBlighted Quiver and Piercing ArrowPiercing Arrow . The most important person to get rid of is the support IMO. The team will still have damage without their adc or mid lane. The other one can fill in. The support usually is tailor picked for what the team needs. If they lack cc they’ll get someone like RakanRakan or ThreshThresh . If they lack healing or shielding it’ll be SeraphineSeraphine or SorakaSoraka and if they lack damage it’ll be someone like LuxLux . Point is the support is the glue holding the other four pieces together, and when you remove that glue everything falls apart. Really though just pick off whoever you can, and poke as much as you can.

Varus

Late game

This is where you shine. Horizon FocusHorizon Focus , [ludens echo], and [rabadons deathcap] or Void StaffVoid Staff will make your [varus:ult] do half of someone’s hp, and your Blighted QuiverBlighted Quiver + Piercing ArrowPiercing Arrow will do the rest. Try to get first strike off and you’ll be set. Be careful of Bruisers and you should be good. Also stare at the map. A lot. Ward everywhere. Vision is super important for you late game. 

Varus

Overall

Man this champ is stupidly easy. You will climb if you can hit skill shots. All of his skill shots pierce in some way so you can def 1v5 no problem. Nothing else to say really.

Comments
Look at the nice things other people said!
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Mana
1 year ago
might help a bit (since the page is outdated) https://docs.google.com/document/d/1O7P2xlbhsTuyxFS9z2ag_Ne2t3IrXzxvNXM8k6omJDk/edit?usp=sharing sadly ap varus got hard gutted (nerf to his quiver )
Bagina
1 year ago
Sorry if this is shit lol. It’s my first guide