Tank Aatrox Build

Tank Aatrox Build.

Tank Aatrox build with runes and items. Tank Aatrox guide offers in-depth how-to play, skill order and tips. Play Tank Aatrox build in League of Legends Patch 25.15!

Author: Wrekah

TLDR

Starting items
Guardian's Horn should be final item in your build.
Ruby Crystal should be final item in your build.
Quick Skill Order
Aatrox ability Umbral Dash should be leveled first.
E
Aatrox ability The Darkin Blade should be leveled second.
Q
Aatrox ability Infernal Chains should be leveled third.
W
Final items
Mercury's Treads should be final item in your build.
Jak'Sho, The Protean should be final item in your build.
Unending Despair should be final item in your build.
Spirit Visage should be final item in your build.
Thornmail should be final item in your build.
Hollow Radiance should be final item in your build.
Quick Runes
Major rune Grasp of the Undying from Resolve tree.
Minor rune Precision.
Summoner spells
Pick Mark as your Summoner Spell.
Pick Flash as your Summoner Spell.

Tank Aatrox Runes

Resolve
Resolve major tree Grasp of the Undying rune.
Resolve major tree Aftershock rune.
Resolve major tree Guardian rune.
Resolve major tree Demolish rune.
Resolve major tree Font of Life rune.
Resolve major tree Shield Bash rune.
Resolve major tree Conditioning rune.
Resolve major tree Second Wind rune.
Resolve major tree Bone Plating rune.
Resolve major tree Overgrowth rune.
Resolve major tree Revitalize rune.
Resolve major tree Unflinching rune.
Precision
Precision minor tree Absorb Life rune.
Precision minor tree Triumph rune.
Precision minor tree Presence of Mind rune.
Precision minor tree Legend: Alacrity rune.
Precision minor tree Legend: Haste rune.
Precision minor tree Legend: Bloodline rune.
Precision minor tree Coup de Grace rune.
Precision minor tree Cut Down rune.
Precision minor tree Last Stand rune.
Passive
Passive tree Adaptive Force rune (+9 Adaptive Force).
Passive tree Attack Speed rune (+10% Attack Speed).
Passive tree Ability Haste rune (+8 Ability Haste).
Passive tree Adaptive Force rune (+9 Adaptive Force).
Passive tree Move Speed rune (+2 Movement Speed).
Passive tree Health Scaling rune (+10-180 Health (based on level)).
Passive tree Health rune (+65 Health).
Passive tree Tenacity And Slow Resist rune (+10 Tenacity and Slow Resist).
Passive tree Health Scaling rune (+10-180 Health (based on level)).

Looking for another tank build? Check these:

Imperial MandateAatroxHeartsteelAatrox

How to play

General

  1. You start with Guardian's Horn. Your #1 rush should be item that counters enemy team most (MR or Armor item). Get Jak'Sho as #2 item. Then adapt.
  2. Guardian's Horn is a surprisingly good item for its price. You can keep it for very long time (or even have it as 6th item).
  3. You need to adapt your items to the game. Enemy team heavy on AP? Buy MR. They heavy on AD? Buy Armor. You need some damage? Well buy that.
  4. Remember to consume your Grasp of the Undying procs!

Champion

  1. Tank Aatrox is a very different take on regular Aatrox Bruiser build. Instead of focusing on maxing Q, going AD and casting abilities, you are gonna be tanky and mainly auto-attacking, consuming Grasp of the Undying procs and making use of item procs.
  2. As Tank Aatrox, you go in, soak damage, disrupt fights and do a lot of auto attacking.
  3. You can optionally max Q first, if an enemy team has a lot of ranged/poke champs and you cannot go toe to toe.
  4. Your E resets your auto attack!

Tips and Tricks

The Darkin Blade (Q)

  1. Q + Flash combo: You can use Flash during any time of The Darkin Blade (Q) animations. You can even combine that with Umbral Dash (E). You can Flash and E in any direction, making very spectacular and flashy plays.
  2. To elevate your Aatrox's game, when you want to Q + Flash combo or Q + E combo, make sure to do it at the very last frame of the animation, so enemies won't have any time to react.
  3. Flash or E at the very end of Q animation, to elevate your combo. This way your enemies won't have a chance to react.

Umbral Dash (E)

  1. You can use Umbral Dash (E) for short dash, this way animation lasts shorter, and you can get crucial milliseconds to auto attack faster (can be deciding a factor in 1v1).
  2. You can reset your auto attack timer with Umbral Dash (E). It might be crucial in duels, or when pushing enemy turrets.

World Ender (R)

  1. Most people think of Aatrox’s World Ender (R) as just a tool to go all-in, but it actually has a lot of value even if you don’t fully commit. Just pressing R can scare enemies off — they’ll often back away, delay a fight, or play safe until it wears off. You can use that window to pressure them, take space, or secure an objective without even fighting.

Riot

  1. Use Umbral Dash while casting The Darkin Blade to increase your chances of hitting the enemy.
  2. Crowd Control abilities like Infernal Chains or your allies' immobilizing effects will help you set up The Darkin Blade.
  3. Cast World Ender when you are sure you can force a fight.

Skill Order

  • Aatrox [object Object] ability.
    Q
    The Darkin Blade
  • Aatrox [object Object] ability.
    W
    Infernal Chains
  • Aatrox [object Object] ability.
    E
    Umbral Dash
  • Aatrox [object Object] ability.
    R
    World Ender

Items

Starting items
Guardian's Horn item.
Ruby Crystal item.
Boots
Mercury's Treads item.
Ionian Boots of Lucidity item.
Plated Steelcaps item.
Good tank items
Jak'Sho, The Protean item.
Warmog's Armor item.
Good MR items
Force of Nature item.
Abyssal Mask item.
Spirit Visage item.
Kaenic Rookern item.
Hollow Radiance item.
Good Armor items
Iceborn Gauntlet item.
Sunfire Aegis item.
Randuin's Omen item.
Thornmail item.
Dead Man's Plate item.
Unending Despair item.
Situational items
Trailblazer item.
Knight's Vow item.
Situational DMG items
Additional considerations for these items is advised!
Sterak's Gage item.
Titanic Hydra item.
Blade of The Ruined King item.
Wit's End item.
Overlord's Bloodmail item.
For the last fight
Additional considerations for these items is advised!
Elixir of Iron item.
Elixir of Wrath item.
Example final build
Mercury's Treads item.
Jak'Sho, The Protean item.
Unending Despair item.
Spirit Visage item.
Thornmail item.
Hollow Radiance item.