2012-05-28, 08:28 AM
When playing Swain in mid i usually go:
Boots > Potions > Chalice of Harmony > Fiendish Codex > Athene's Unholy Grail > Sorcerers Shoes > Hextech Revolver or Deathfire's grasp
Boots and Potions for easy skillshot avoidance and to keep me in lane for a little longer
Chalice of Harmony early so i can use my ultimate a lot as soon as i get it, by that time my health and mana potions have usually been used so my ultimate keeps me alive and avoids ganks, as well as adding some DPS if i'm trying to burst a champ down.
Fiendish codex to get some cooldown reduction, mana regen and ability power, which are all useful early on.
Athene's Unholy grail for much the same reasons, plus it frees up some item slots
Sorcerers shoes for obvious reasons
Hextech Revolver if i'm doing well. For extra ability power and spell vamp (when combined with my ultimate, spell vamp keeps me alive for quite a while, and allows me to outheal ganks, especially if i'm being chased by champions that can't close gaps)
Deathfire's grasp if i'm doing poorly and need to catch up or be more of a help in team fights. the DoT damage of torment gets higher the more damage you do while the DoT is active, so using Deathfire's active effect after torment as well as using Decrepify and Ravenous Flock is pretty much a guaranteed kill on a single champion.
If i'm going the Hextech route, i might upgrade it to Will of the Ancients and add in a Spirit Visage for even more healing.
Boots > Potions > Chalice of Harmony > Fiendish Codex > Athene's Unholy Grail > Sorcerers Shoes > Hextech Revolver or Deathfire's grasp
Boots and Potions for easy skillshot avoidance and to keep me in lane for a little longer
Chalice of Harmony early so i can use my ultimate a lot as soon as i get it, by that time my health and mana potions have usually been used so my ultimate keeps me alive and avoids ganks, as well as adding some DPS if i'm trying to burst a champ down.
Fiendish codex to get some cooldown reduction, mana regen and ability power, which are all useful early on.
Athene's Unholy grail for much the same reasons, plus it frees up some item slots
Sorcerers shoes for obvious reasons
Hextech Revolver if i'm doing well. For extra ability power and spell vamp (when combined with my ultimate, spell vamp keeps me alive for quite a while, and allows me to outheal ganks, especially if i'm being chased by champions that can't close gaps)
Deathfire's grasp if i'm doing poorly and need to catch up or be more of a help in team fights. the DoT damage of torment gets higher the more damage you do while the DoT is active, so using Deathfire's active effect after torment as well as using Decrepify and Ravenous Flock is pretty much a guaranteed kill on a single champion.
If i'm going the Hextech route, i might upgrade it to Will of the Ancients and add in a Spirit Visage for even more healing.