Garen

Openingsall within the 475 starting gold

• Doran's Shield440gHealth100Health Regen10 / 5sShieldwall: Blocks 8 damage from champion Basic Attacks.Basic item — no components.Yellow Trinket0gActive: s Places an Invisible Stealth Ward that grants vision for 60 seconds.Basic item — no components.

  Doran's Shield start — Default into most Season 3 top lanes, especially ranged harass or auto-attack poke, because the health regen and basic attack block let Perseverance reset more safely.

• Doran's Blade475gAttack Damage10Health80Passive: Basic Attacks restore 5 Health On-Hit.Basic item — no components.Yellow Trinket0gActive: s Places an Invisible Stealth Ward that grants vision for 60 seconds.Basic item — no components.

  Doran's Blade start — Use into melee lanes you can bully early; the flat AD improves Q and E damage and gives stronger all-in threat with Ignite.

• Cloth Armor300gArmor15Basic item — no components.5Health Potion35gClick to Consume: Restores 150 Health over 15 seconds. Limited to 5 at one time.Basic item — no components.Yellow Trinket0gActive: s Places an Invisible Stealth Ward that grants vision for 60 seconds.Basic item — no components.

  Cloth Armor sustain start — Take this into heavy physical harass or lanes that can force repeated trades before your first recall.

Corein buy order

• 1The Brutalizer1,337g (537g to combine)Attack Damage25Onslaught: 10% Cooldown ReductionCrushing Blow: 10 LethalityRecipe

  The BrutalizerThe Brutalizer1,337g (537g to combine)Attack Damage25Onslaught: 10% Cooldown ReductionCrushing Blow: 10 LethalityRecipe1,337gThe Brutalizer gives early AD, cooldown reduction and armor penetration, which are exactly the stats Garen wants for Q and E trades.

• 2Sunfire Cape2,650g (930g to combine)Health450Armor45Searing Heat: Deals 40 magic damage per second to nearby enemies.Recipe

  Sunfire CapeSunfire Cape2,650g (930g to combine)Health450Armor45Searing Heat: Deals 40 magic damage per second to nearby enemies.Recipe2,650gSunfire Cape adds the armor and health needed to brawl top while its aura stacks naturally with Garen standing inside fights during Judgment.

• 3The Black Cleaver3,000g (1,188g to combine)Attack Damage50Health200Cooldown Reduction10%Wicked Edge: 10 LethalityCleaving Strike: Dealing physical damage to an enemy champion reduces their Armor by 5% for 4 seconds (stacks up to 5 times, up to 25%).Recipe

  The Black CleaverThe Black Cleaver3,000g (1,188g to combine)Attack Damage50Health200Cooldown Reduction10%Wicked Edge: 10 LethalityCleaving Strike: Dealing physical damage to an enemy champion reduces their Armor by 5% for 4 seconds (stacks up to 5 times, up to 25%).Recipe3,000gThe Black Cleaver turns Garen's repeated physical damage into armor shred for himself and his team while adding health and CDR.

Situationalonly when the game asks for it

• Ninja Tabi1,000g (375g to combine)Armor25Ninja Footwork: Blocks 10% of the damage from Basic Attacks.Enhanced Movement: 45 Move SpeedRecipe

  Ninja TabiNinja Tabi1,000g (375g to combine)Armor25Ninja Footwork: Blocks 10% of the damage from Basic Attacks.Enhanced Movement: 45 Move SpeedRecipe1,000gBuy Ninja Tabi instead of Mercury's Treads against physical top plus auto-attack-heavy enemy carries.

• Youmuu's Ghostblade2,700g (563g to combine)Attack Damage30Critical Strike Chance15%Cooldown Reduction10%Spirit Edge: 20 LethalityActive: 45s Grants 20% Move Speed and 40% Attack Speed (lasts 6 seconds for melee champions, 4 seconds for ranged champions).Recipe

  Youmuu's GhostbladeYoumuu's Ghostblade2,700g (563g to combine)Attack Damage30Critical Strike Chance15%Cooldown Reduction10%Spirit Edge: 20 LethalityActive: 45s Grants 20% Move Speed and 40% Attack Speed (lasts 6 seconds for melee champions, 4 seconds for ranged champions).Recipe2,700gFinish Youmuu's Ghostblade from Brutalizer when ahead and playing to snowball side-lane picks instead of becoming a pure frontliner.

• Randuin's Omen3,125g (1,000g to combine)Health500Armor70Cold Steel: When hit by Basic Attacks, reduces the attacker's Attack Speed by 15% and Move Speed by 10% for 1 seconds.Active: 60s Slows nearby enemy units by 35% for seconds.Recipe

  Randuin's OmenRanduin's Omen3,125g (1,000g to combine)Health500Armor70Cold Steel: When hit by Basic Attacks, reduces the attacker's Attack Speed by 15% and Move Speed by 10% for 1 seconds.Active: 60s Slows nearby enemy units by 35% for seconds.Recipe3,125gBuy Randuin's Omen against fed marksmen, Tryndamere-style crit threats, or double physical carry teams.

• Maw of Malmortius3,200g (975g to combine)Attack Damage60Magic Resist40Feeding Frenzy: Grants 1 Attack Damage for every 2% of missing Health, up to a maximum of 35 Attack Damage.Lifeline: Upon taking magic damage that would reduce Health below 30%, grants a Shield that absorbs 400 magic damage for 5 seconds (90 second cooldown).Recipe

  Maw of MalmortiusMaw of Malmortius3,200g (975g to combine)Attack Damage60Magic Resist40Feeding Frenzy: Grants 1 Attack Damage for every 2% of missing Health, up to a maximum of 35 Attack Damage.Lifeline: Upon taking magic damage that would reduce Health below 30%, grants a Shield that absorbs 400 magic damage for 5 seconds (90 second cooldown).Recipe3,200gBuy Maw of Malmortius when the main danger is AP burst and you still need damage to threaten backline champions.

• Thornmail2,200g (1,180g to combine)Armor100Enchanted Spikes: Upon being hit by a Basic Attack, returns 30% of the incoming damage (before being reduced by defenses) to the attacker as magic damage.Recipe

  ThornmailThornmail2,200g (1,180g to combine)Armor100Enchanted Spikes: Upon being hit by a Basic Attack, returns 30% of the incoming damage (before being reduced by defenses) to the attacker as magic damage.Recipe2,200gBuy Thornmail only into teams whose main win condition is basic-attacking into you, especially lifesteal-heavy AD carries.

Openingsall within the 475 starting gold

• Doran's Blade475gAttack Damage10Health80Passive: Basic Attacks restore 5 Health On-Hit.Basic item — no components.Yellow Trinket0gActive: s Places an Invisible Stealth Ward that grants vision for 60 seconds.Basic item — no components.

  Doran's Blade start — Default kill-lane start when you expect to trade early and can survive without extra potions.

• Long Sword400gAttack Damage10Basic item — no components.2Health Potion35gClick to Consume: Restores 150 Health over 15 seconds. Limited to 5 at one time.Basic item — no components.Yellow Trinket0gActive: s Places an Invisible Stealth Ward that grants vision for 60 seconds.Basic item — no components.

  Long Sword sustain start — Use when you want faster damage components but need potion buffer for poke or repeated short trades.

Corein buy order

• 1Youmuu's Ghostblade2,700g (563g to combine)Attack Damage30Critical Strike Chance15%Cooldown Reduction10%Spirit Edge: 20 LethalityActive: 45s Grants 20% Move Speed and 40% Attack Speed (lasts 6 seconds for melee champions, 4 seconds for ranged champions).Recipe

  Youmuu's GhostbladeYoumuu's Ghostblade2,700g (563g to combine)Attack Damage30Critical Strike Chance15%Cooldown Reduction10%Spirit Edge: 20 LethalityActive: 45s Grants 20% Move Speed and 40% Attack Speed (lasts 6 seconds for melee champions, 4 seconds for ranged champions).Recipe2,700gYoumuu's Ghostblade gives AD, crit chance, lethality, cooldown reduction, and an active that helps Garen actually reach targets.

• 2Infinity Edge3,800g (645g to combine)Attack Damage70Critical Strike Chance25%Infinite Precision: Critical strikes deal 250% damage instead of 200%.Recipe

  Infinity EdgeInfinity Edge3,800g (645g to combine)Attack Damage70Critical Strike Chance25%Infinite Precision: Critical strikes deal 250% damage instead of 200%.Recipe3,800gInfinity Edge is the main payoff for the crit build, turning every critical Decisive Strike or basic attack into a real threat.

• 3Phantom Dancer2,800g (495g to combine)Attack Speed50%Critical Strike Chance30%Move Speed5%Ghostly Waltz: Champion can move through units.Recipe

  Phantom DancerPhantom Dancer2,800g (495g to combine)Attack Speed50%Critical Strike Chance30%Move Speed5%Ghostly Waltz: Champion can move through units.Recipe2,800gPhantom Dancer adds a large crit spike, attack speed, movement speed, and unit-walking for sticking during Judgment and follow-up attacks.

Situationalonly when the game asks for it

• Executioner's Calling1,900g (700g to combine)Attack Damage25Critical Strike Chance20%Rending Strike: Basic Attacks inflict Grievous Wounds on enemy champions for 1.5 seconds On-Hit. (Grievous Wounds reduces incoming healing and regeneration effects by 50%.)Recipe

  Executioner's CallingExecutioner's Calling1,900g (700g to combine)Attack Damage25Critical Strike Chance20%Rending Strike: Basic Attacks inflict Grievous Wounds on enemy champions for 1.5 seconds On-Hit. (Grievous Wounds reduces incoming healing and regeneration effects by 50%.)Recipe1,900gBuy Executioner's Calling when healing champions are surviving your burst and you still want AD plus crit instead of defense.

• Sword of the Divine2,150g (850g to combine)Forsaken: This item does not grant any Attack Speed while on cooldown. Champion kills reduce the current cooldown by 50%.Active: 60s Grants 100% Attack Speed and 100% Critical Strike Chance for 3 seconds or 3 critical strikes.Recipe

  Sword of the DivineSword of the Divine2,150g (850g to combine)Forsaken: This item does not grant any Attack Speed while on cooldown. Champion kills reduce the current cooldown by 50%.Active: 60s Grants 100% Attack Speed and 100% Critical Strike Chance for 3 seconds or 3 critical strikes.Recipe2,150gBuy Sword of the Divine when the game is about one short assassination window and you need forced critical strikes.

• Ravenous Hydra3,300g (600g to combine)Attack Damage75Life Steal12%Health Regen15 / 5sInsatiable Hunger: Life Steal applies to damage dealt by this item.Cleave: Basic Attacks deal 20% to 60% of total Attack Damage as bonus physical damage to enemies near the target On-Hit (enemies closest to the target take the most damage).Active: 10s Deals 60% to 100% of total Attack Damage as physical damage to nearby enemy units (closest enemies take the most damage).Recipe

  Ravenous HydraRavenous Hydra3,300g (600g to combine)Attack Damage75Life Steal12%Health Regen15 / 5sInsatiable Hunger: Life Steal applies to damage dealt by this item.Cleave: Basic Attacks deal 20% to 60% of total Attack Damage as bonus physical damage to enemies near the target On-Hit (enemies closest to the target take the most damage).Active: 10s Deals 60% to 100% of total Attack Damage as physical damage to nearby enemy units (closest enemies take the most damage).Recipe3,300gBuy Ravenous Hydra when side-lane waveclear and raw AD matter more than another crit item.

• Statikk Shiv2,500g (525g to combine)Attack Speed40%Critical Strike Chance20%Move Speed6%Statikk Shank: Grants Static Charges upon moving or Attacking. At 100 Charges, Attacking expends all Charges to deal 100 bonus magic damage to up to 4 targets On-Hit (this damage can critically strike).Recipe

  Statikk ShivStatikk Shiv2,500g (525g to combine)Attack Speed40%Critical Strike Chance20%Move Speed6%Statikk Shank: Grants Static Charges upon moving or Attacking. At 100 Charges, Attacking expends all Charges to deal 100 bonus magic damage to up to 4 targets On-Hit (this damage can critically strike).Recipe2,500gBuy Statikk Shiv when you need cheaper waveclear and extra movement speed before finishing a heavier damage slot.