Heartsteel Swain Build

ARAM Build Guide for champion Swain and build Heartsteel.

Heartsteel Swain build with runes and items. Heartsteel Swain guide offers in-depth how-to play, skill order and tips. Play Heartsteel Swain build in League of Legends Patch 14.20!

Updated: 2024-05-16 ()

TLDR

Starting items
Giant's Belt should be final item in your build.
Ruby Crystal should be final item in your build.
Quick Skill Order
Swain ability Death's Hand should be leveled first.
Q
Swain ability Vision of Empire should be leveled second.
W
Swain ability Nevermove should be leveled third.
E
Final items
Mercury's Treads should be final item in your build.
Heartsteel should be final item in your build.
Thornmail should be final item in your build.
Titanic Hydra should be final item in your build.
Overlord's Bloodmail should be final item in your build.
Kaenic Rookern 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.

Heartsteel Swain 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)).

How to play

Heartsteel Build specific
  1. You rush Heartsteel.
  2. After Heartsteel, you can rush Titanic Hydra (more fun, damage and some survi) AND/OR Sundered Sky or just go full tank - depending on if you are behind and if your team needs more damage.
  3. Sundered Sky is very good damage item for this build. It scales off your HP (so Grasp, Heartsteel, Overgrowth). It gives damage and pretty good sustain in fights. Remember to switch targets to maximize the effect!
  4. This is auto attack oriented Swain build, so do it! Especially if running with Titanic Hydra and Sundered Sky as well.
  5. Guardian's Horn is a surprisingly good item for its price. You can keep it for a very long time (or even have it as 6th item).
  6. Triumph is better (heal + gold), but if you want to have easier time with your mana, go Presence of the Mind.
  7. 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.
  8. Remember to consume your Heartsteel procs!
  9. Remember to consume your Grasp of the Undying procs!

Tips and Tricks

General
  1. You can use Vision of Empire (W) to stop enemies taking portal (frost-gate). Time it well, and they will need to walk, and you will get the turret!
  2. Vision of Empire (W) trick works even better with all DoTs effects (Liandry's Anguish and Demonic Embrace).
  3. Enemies in your base? Use Demonic Ascension (R) before taking portal (frost-gate), this way you damage everyone on your way.
  4. Did you just catch someone with your Nevermove (E)? Do not use second E right away, but use it at the very last moment for maximum CC.
  5. After you catch someone with yout Nevermove (E), you can set up Vision of Empire (W) for a certain hit.
Riot
  1. If you're having trouble rooting an enemy with Nevermove, try throwing it at opponents when they are near their minions so the explosion surprises them.
  2. While laning, try to use Death's Hand's piercing damage to damage opponents from a safe distance.
  3. Vision of Empire is quite difficult to land on its own, look for skirmishes around the map where enemies may be distracted or crowd controlled so you can land it more easily.
  4. Demonic Ascension may make Swain very hard to kill but he's pretty easy to get away from. Try building items that can slow opponents to keep them in range if their mobility is overwhelming.

Skill Order

  • Swain [object Object] ability.
    Q
    Death's Hand
  • Swain [object Object] ability.
    W
    Vision of Empire
  • Swain [object Object] ability.
    E
    Nevermove
  • Swain [object Object] ability.
    R
    Demonic Ascension

Items

Starting items
Giant's Belt item.
Ruby Crystal item.
Starting items vs poke
Guardian's Horn item.
Ruby Crystal item.
Boots
Mercury's Treads item.
Ionian Boots of Lucidity item.
Plated Steelcaps item.
Rush this
Heartsteel item.
Dmg items
Additional considerations for these items is advised!
Sundered Sky item.
Zhonya's Hourglass item.
Wit's End item.
Overlord's Bloodmail item.
Titanic Hydra item.
Good tank items
Jak'Sho, The Protean item.
Warmog's Armor item.
Good MR items
Force of Nature item.
Kaenic Rookern item.
Spirit Visage item.
Good Armor items
Iceborn Gauntlet item.
Randuin's Omen item.
Dead Man's Plate item.
Frozen Heart item.
Thornmail item.
Situational items
Trailblazer item.
Zeke's Convergence item.
Knight's Vow item.
For the last fight
Additional considerations for these items is advised!
Elixir of Iron item.
Elixir of Sorcery item.
Example final build
Mercury's Treads item.
Heartsteel item.
Thornmail item.
Titanic Hydra item.
Overlord's Bloodmail item.
Kaenic Rookern item.