Rod of Ages Swain Build

ARAM Build Guide for champion Swain and build Rod of Ages.

Rod of Ages Swain build with runes and items. Rod of Ages Swain guide offers in-depth how-to play, skill order and tips. Play Rod of Ages Swain build in League of Legends Patch 14.21!

Updated: 2024-10-09 ()

TLDR

Starting items
Sapphire Crystal should be final item in your build.
Ruby Crystal should be final item in your build.
Tear of the Goddess 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.
Rod of Ages should be final item in your build.
Seraph's Embrace should be final item in your build.
Malignance should be final item in your build.
Rabadon's Deathcap should be final item in your build.
Rylai's Crystal Scepter should be final item in your build.
Quick Runes
Major rune Conqueror from Precision tree.
Minor rune Domination.
Summoner spells
Pick Mark as your Summoner Spell.
Pick Flash as your Summoner Spell.

Rod of Ages Swain Runes

Precision
Precision major tree Press the Attack rune.
Precision major tree Lethal Tempo rune.
Precision major tree Fleet Footwork rune.
Precision major tree Conqueror rune.
Precision major tree Absorb Life rune.
Precision major tree Triumph rune.
Precision major tree Presence of Mind rune.
Precision major tree Legend: Alacrity rune.
Precision major tree Legend: Haste rune.
Precision major tree Legend: Bloodline rune.
Precision major tree Coup de Grace rune.
Precision major tree Cut Down rune.
Precision major tree Last Stand 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

General
  1. You rush Rod of Ages.
  2. You play as Mage with more emphasis on sustain and mana.
  3. You buy AP items and adapt to an enemy team.

How to play

General
  1. Playing Rod of Ages Swain, your default rush is of course - Rod of Ages. You want to stack its passive as early as possible.
  2. Rod of Ages gives sustain with its second Passive. It recovers both health and mana.
  3. You can play this build very safely. Sustain from Rod of Ages alone is very powerful in ARAM. If you want to sustain even harder, you can get Kaenic Rookern (anti poke), Spirit Visage (more sustain) or even get Second Wind rune from Resolve.
  4. In cases, when an enemy team is full of tanks and HP stackers and you need to counter them, go Liandry's Torment.
  5. Adapt to an enemy team. They full of tanks and they rush MR? You rush Void Staff as #2 or #3 item. Their team is Soraka, Mundo or champs with healing? Rush Oblivion Orb as #2 item (upgrade to Morellonomicon as 4th or 5th item). They stack HP? You buy Liandry's Torment.
  6. Somebody is going after you each fight? Their assassins are focusing you on sight? Always getting R by Fizz? Rush Zhonya's Hourglass.
  7. Good MR item that works well with Rod of Ages is Spirit Visage and Kaenic Rookern.

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
Sapphire Crystal item.
Ruby Crystal item.
Tear of the Goddess item.
Rush this
Rod of Ages item.
Boots
Sorcerer's Shoes item.
Mercury's Treads item.
Ionian Boots of Lucidity item.
Good items
Seraph's Embrace item.
Zhonya's Hourglass item.
Rylai's Crystal Scepter item.
Blackfire Torch item.
Malignance item.
Luden's Companion item.
Stormsurge item.
Rabadon's Deathcap item.
Shadowflame item.
OK items
Horizon Focus item.
Banshee's Veil item.
Against high MR
Additional considerations for these items is advised!
Void Staff item.
Cryptbloom item.
Sustain even harder
Kaenic Rookern item.
Spirit Visage item.
Warmog's Armor item.
Counter enemy
Additional considerations for these items is advised!
Liandry's Torment item.
Morellonomicon item.
Oblivion Orb item.
For the last fight
Additional considerations for these items is advised!
Elixir of Sorcery item.
Elixir of Iron item.
Seeker's Armguard item.
Example final build
Mercury's Treads item.
Rod of Ages item.
Seraph's Embrace item.
Malignance item.
Rabadon's Deathcap item.
Rylai's Crystal Scepter item.