This post discusses my particular ideas on playing Aatrox jungle, for my complete ideas on playing jungle in general, additionally skim this post: Jungle: what is and how to.
Why [Sated] Devourer?
My secrets relate to two characteristics of Aatrox: his healing ability (from W-BloodThirst/ BloodPrice, very importantly, double when below half health) and his AS (from his passive-BloodWell and his R-Massacre). Stalker's Balde - [Sated] Devourer adds some recipes to his strength: AS, triggering the heal by phantom hits, and bonus magic damage on hits.
Why [Sated] Devourer?
My secrets relate to two characteristics of Aatrox: his healing ability (from W-BloodThirst/ BloodPrice, very importantly, double when below half health) and his AS (from his passive-BloodWell and his R-Massacre). Stalker's Balde - [Sated] Devourer adds some recipes to his strength: AS, triggering the heal by phantom hits, and bonus magic damage on hits.
I have often seen people play Aatrox as a full damage fighter (and often build full AD). Here I wanna remind that his secondary role is tank and he deals a large amount of magic damage since his E-BladesOfTorment and R-Massacre give magic damage. And in my view it should be best for jungle Aatrox to be a semi-tank with hybrid-AD-AP damage. The core items of this playstyle, from left to right listed in the order they are bought, are in the green circle:
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| The Spirit Visage improves Aatrox's healing capability by increasing 20% all healing received; In case the other team doesn't have much magic damage or their AD is so strong, of course we must build Armor before Spirit Visage. We can also build BoRK for more damage, as an additional offensive item or instead of Guinsoo's Rage Blade. |
In case our team is quite ahead, we can build RageBlade as the second item after Stalker's Blade - Devourer and go fighter Aatrox, even a full damage fighter Aatrox. If our team is behind, however, it should be best for us to build defensive items and go tank right after Stalker's Blade - Devourer and just build RageBlade later or even go heavy tank with Stalker's Blade - Devourer to be the only offensive item. We can also build Ninja Tabi instead of Mercury's Treads for better defense against AD (physical damage).
Just like all the other jungle champions with [Sated] Devourer build (Udyr, Master Yi, Shyvana, etc.) there is a very important thing we must notice: the Rift Scuttlers give 2 stacks, while Dragon and Rift Herald and Baron give 5 stacks. So, once we get Devourer we must keep our eyes on Dragon and Rift Herald and take them down when never we can: not just to get sated as soon as possible but also to prevent the other jungler from getting sated, if so. If you see the other jungle is ganking top, for example, go solo Dragon for 5 stacks for free (even 7 stacks by taking the Rift Scuttler) :P
My top secrets
1. Always try to keep the passive-BloodWell (up and) full: this gives him 55% AS
2. In fightings, don't use his R-Massacre until around half health: this gives him 40/50/60% AS (for 12 seconds)
Consequentially, if you use the ult at the right time with a full BloodWell:
1. The healing from his W-BloodThirster will get double every 3rd hit, and quadra with Sated Devourer every 4th hit. SpiritVisage increases the amount by 20%, which means 480% in total (almost 500%: penta) every 4th hit.
2. Meanwhile his AS will increase to around 150% (with Devourer's AS increase contribution, and like 200% with both Devourer and RageBlade).
The combination of these factors (5 times in amount and 2 times in speed, which results in like 10 times greater than usual every 4th hit) makes this healing become by far the most amazing healing you can think of: in both healing amount and healing speed. And since he is a semi-tank, it will be almost impossible to kill him. Let alone the passive-BloodWell's heath restoration after stasis (around 1200 at level 18) and the R-Massacre's magic damage dealt (200/300/400 + 100%AP). Let's witness that in this one:
Anti-psychology playstyle
When looking at an Aatrox with (lower than) half heath remaining, psychologically, people often "feel" that they can take him down in just a few next attacks; with the secrets above, however, that would be the most critical disaster of their "psychological feelings" :P. Also, we must remember that the R-Massacre increases his range by 175 (for 12 seconds), and fills the BloodWell by 20% for each champion hit (if it's not full yet, of course): try to ult so that the BloodWell will get full to get the highest AS he can wield as well as maximum heath restoration after stasis.
This playstyle can be described as "only play at lower than half health". I wanna call this "the playstyle of psychology-countering" or "anti-psychological playstyle", since people often "play at full health", no one would wanna play at lower than half health. Personally, I even sometimes saved the ult R-Massacre to use only after stasis.
For Aatrox top, we can also build BoRK instead of Stalker's Blade - [Sated] Devourer. In my view for the anti-psychological playstyle, this item is very powerful in his hand, especially if we go heavy damage Aatrox; but personally I often play him as a semi-tank jungler with Devourer and RageBlade to be the 2 offensive items.
The two final important points of mine on playing Aatrox are (1) the fact of maximizing E-BladesOfTorment first: this will increase both his damage (benefit from both AD and AP indexes) and his CC duration since the slow affect increases from 1.75s to the maximum of 2.75 (this CC duration is very important, especially for ganking when we play jungle Aatrox); (2) Don't toggle his W-BloodPrice on unintentionally, this will cancel the healing property, but also, don't forget to use it when you chase enemies at full health for more effective kills.
More health he misses, more blood on the batterfields, and more strength he wields. Aatrox - The true Devil: immortal and never die. So, let his foes understand that they shouldn't wake him up, or that they should prepare themselves for their worst fate: he is unpreventably waking up and soon smell this world with a robotic-friendly voice read "H e l l o... World, hello... e v e r y b o d y...". Never trust him, never believe in his friendliness: not because he is bad, nor because he is wrong, he never lies - of course - just that the only thing he will give to and want from this world and people is BLOOD!
''Some fight for honor, some fight for glory. It matters only that you fight.'' [1]
-- Aatrox --
Just like all the other jungle champions with [Sated] Devourer build (Udyr, Master Yi, Shyvana, etc.) there is a very important thing we must notice: the Rift Scuttlers give 2 stacks, while Dragon and Rift Herald and Baron give 5 stacks. So, once we get Devourer we must keep our eyes on Dragon and Rift Herald and take them down when never we can: not just to get sated as soon as possible but also to prevent the other jungler from getting sated, if so. If you see the other jungle is ganking top, for example, go solo Dragon for 5 stacks for free (even 7 stacks by taking the Rift Scuttler) :P
My top secrets
1. Always try to keep the passive-BloodWell (up and) full: this gives him 55% AS
2. In fightings, don't use his R-Massacre until around half health: this gives him 40/50/60% AS (for 12 seconds)
Consequentially, if you use the ult at the right time with a full BloodWell:
1. The healing from his W-BloodThirster will get double every 3rd hit, and quadra with Sated Devourer every 4th hit. SpiritVisage increases the amount by 20%, which means 480% in total (almost 500%: penta) every 4th hit.
2. Meanwhile his AS will increase to around 150% (with Devourer's AS increase contribution, and like 200% with both Devourer and RageBlade).
The combination of these factors (5 times in amount and 2 times in speed, which results in like 10 times greater than usual every 4th hit) makes this healing become by far the most amazing healing you can think of: in both healing amount and healing speed. And since he is a semi-tank, it will be almost impossible to kill him. Let alone the passive-BloodWell's heath restoration after stasis (around 1200 at level 18) and the R-Massacre's magic damage dealt (200/300/400 + 100%AP). Let's witness that in this one:
Anti-psychology playstyle
When looking at an Aatrox with (lower than) half heath remaining, psychologically, people often "feel" that they can take him down in just a few next attacks; with the secrets above, however, that would be the most critical disaster of their "psychological feelings" :P. Also, we must remember that the R-Massacre increases his range by 175 (for 12 seconds), and fills the BloodWell by 20% for each champion hit (if it's not full yet, of course): try to ult so that the BloodWell will get full to get the highest AS he can wield as well as maximum heath restoration after stasis.
This playstyle can be described as "only play at lower than half health". I wanna call this "the playstyle of psychology-countering" or "anti-psychological playstyle", since people often "play at full health", no one would wanna play at lower than half health. Personally, I even sometimes saved the ult R-Massacre to use only after stasis.
 |
| The entries on the green circles can be alternatives, in my view. |
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| Personally at the present, I prefer the first Runes Page with 47 Armore at level 18 than the second one with 14% AS for more tanky properties |
The two final important points of mine on playing Aatrox are (1) the fact of maximizing E-BladesOfTorment first: this will increase both his damage (benefit from both AD and AP indexes) and his CC duration since the slow affect increases from 1.75s to the maximum of 2.75 (this CC duration is very important, especially for ganking when we play jungle Aatrox); (2) Don't toggle his W-BloodPrice on unintentionally, this will cancel the healing property, but also, don't forget to use it when you chase enemies at full health for more effective kills.
More health he misses, more blood on the batterfields, and more strength he wields. Aatrox - The true Devil: immortal and never die. So, let his foes understand that they shouldn't wake him up, or that they should prepare themselves for their worst fate: he is unpreventably waking up and soon smell this world with a robotic-friendly voice read "H e l l o... World, hello... e v e r y b o d y...". Never trust him, never believe in his friendliness: not because he is bad, nor because he is wrong, he never lies - of course - just that the only thing he will give to and want from this world and people is BLOOD!
''Some fight for honor, some fight for glory. It matters only that you fight.'' [1]
-- Aatrox --
This post was completed; there would be just minor adjustments if any on this post
Last update: January 04, 2016
Last update: January 04, 2016
The Silencekeeper
References
[1] The lore of Aatrox, League of Legends © Riot Games Inc.
http://gameinfo.na.leagueoflegends.com/en/game-info/champions/aatrox/
For morals of League, check the following post: Morals from League
http://gameinfo.na.leagueoflegends.com/en/game-info/champions/aatrox/
For morals of League, check the following post: Morals from League
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