AP Garen Build

AP Garen build with runes and items. AP Garen guide offers in-depth how-to play, skill order and tips. Play AP Garen build in League of Legends Patch 14.14!

Updated: 2024-05-22 ()
ARAM Build Guide for champion Garen and build AP.
Unconventional and very fun AP Garen build that is focused around this very specific item and rune.
Garen ARAM modifiers
DMG done NORMAL
DMG taken -5%

TLDR

Starting items
Hextech Alternator should be final item in your build.
Quick Skill Order
Garen ability Decisive Strike should be leveled first.
Q
Garen ability Courage should be leveled second.
W
Garen ability Judgment should be leveled third.
E
Final items
Ionian Boots of Lucidity should be final item in your build.
Hextech Rocketbelt should be final item in your build.
Liandry's Torment should be final item in your build.
Kaenic Rookern should be final item in your build.
Thornmail should be final item in your build.
Warmog's Armor should be final item in your build.
Quick Runes
Major rune First Strike from Inspiration tree.
Minor rune Domination.
Summoner spells
Pick Ignite as your Summoner Spell.
Pick Flash as your Summoner Spell.

AP Garen Runes

Inspiration
Inspiration major tree Glacial Augment rune.
Inspiration major tree Unsealed Spellbook rune.
Inspiration major tree First Strike rune.
Inspiration major tree Hextech Flashtraption rune.
Inspiration major tree Magical Footwear rune.
Inspiration major tree Cash Back rune.
Inspiration major tree Triple Tonic rune.
Inspiration major tree Time Warp Tonic rune.
Inspiration major tree Biscuit Delivery rune.
Inspiration major tree Cosmic Insight rune.
Inspiration major tree Approach Velocity rune.
Inspiration major tree Jack Of All Trades rune.
Domination
Domination minor tree Cheap Shot rune.
Domination minor tree Taste of Blood rune.
Domination minor tree Sudden Impact rune.
Domination minor tree Zombie Ward rune.
Domination minor tree Ghost Poro rune.
Domination minor tree Eyeball Collection rune.
Domination minor tree Treasure Hunter rune.
Domination minor tree Relentless Hunter rune.
Domination minor tree Ultimate Hunter 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)).

How it works

  1. You rush Hextech Rocketbelt #1, Liandry's Torment #2.
  2. You get Cosmic Insight rune to use Hextech Rocketbelt more often.
  3. You poke with Hextech Rocketbelt and First Strike to earn gold and burn enemies.
  4. After core items, you adapt. You can play as a tank or as a damage dealer.

How to play

  1. Use Hextech Rocketbelt active to poke your enemies all the time, earning gold with First Strike.
  2. Adapt to the enemy team. Build tanky or more damage. You can play as a utility tank, poke, or even you can go some AD items to still have plenty of damage. Depends on the team and how you want to play.
  3. For utility tank, remember that Liandry's Torment works good with Serpent's Fang (to counter shields) and Oblivion Orb (to counter healing).
  4. Cosmic Insight reduces cooldown of all active items, so Zhonya's Hourglass really works well with this build.
  5. Wait for the First Strike and proc it with your combo, to deal damage and earn gold.
  6. Be careful to not get poked, because you waste First Strike procs.
  7. Your main combo is First Strike + Hextech Rocketbelt + auto attack + Q + E.
  8. Your alternate combo just for poke is First Strike + Hextech Rocketbelt.

Tips and Tricks

General
  1. You can use E before taking portal (frost-gate). You will be spinning during travel, damaging everyone on your path. If you are playing Full Crit Garen or Lethality Garen, you will mow them over.
Riot
  1. Garen's regeneration greatly increases if he can avoid receiving damage for several seconds.
  2. Judgment deals maximum damage when only hitting a single target. For effective trading, try to position such that only the enemy champion is hit.
  3. Garen is only constrained by cooldowns, making items such as Black Cleaver very effective for him.

Skill Order

  • Garen [object Object] ability.
    Q
    Decisive Strike
  • Garen [object Object] ability.
    W
    Courage
  • Garen [object Object] ability.
    E
    Judgment
  • Garen [object Object] ability.
    R
    Demacian Justice

Items

Starting items
Hextech Alternator item.
Rush #1
Hextech Rocketbelt item.
Rush #2
Liandry's Torment item.
Boots
Ionian Boots of Lucidity item.
Plated Steelcaps item.
Mercury's Treads item.
Good tank items
Jak'Sho, The Protean item.
Warmog's Armor item.
Good MR items
Spirit Visage item.
Abyssal Mask item.
Kaenic Rookern item.
Force of Nature item.
Hollow Radiance item.
Good Armor items
Thornmail item.
Dead Man's Plate item.
Unending Despair item.
Randuin's Omen item.
Sunfire Aegis item.
Iceborn Gauntlet item.
Situational items
Trailblazer item.
Knight's Vow item.
Optional AD items
Additional considerations for these items is advised!
Axiom Arc item.
Serylda's Grudge item.
The Collector item.
Ravenous Hydra item.
Chempunk Chainsword item.
Situational items
Additional considerations for these items is advised!
Oblivion Orb item.
Serpent's Fang item.
Zhonya's Hourglass item.
Try if you super fed
Horizon Focus item.
Cosmic Drive item.
Lich Bane item.
For the last fight
Additional considerations for these items is advised!
Elixir of Iron item.
Seeker's Armguard item.
Elixir of Wrath item.
Example final build
Ionian Boots of Lucidity item.
Hextech Rocketbelt item.
Liandry's Torment item.
Kaenic Rookern item.
Thornmail item.
Warmog's Armor item.