In the ever-evolving world of League of Legends, few champions pack as much punch as Varus. This enigmatic marksman isn’t just another pretty face in the roster; he’s a lethal blend of arrows and attitude. With his unique abilities and a penchant for sniping enemies from afar, Varus has carved out a niche that leaves both foes and allies alike shaking in their boots—or at least questioning their life choices.
Overview of Varus League of Legends
Varus stands out as a formidable marksman champion in League of Legends. His skill set revolves around dealing high burst damage while maintaining a strong presence in team fights. Unique abilities define his gameplay mechanics and effectiveness in various scenarios.
The passive ability, Living Vengeance, enhances attack speed each time Varus secures a kill or assists in a takedown. This encourages aggressive playstyle, rewarding players for active participation in skirmishes.
Piercing Arrow serves as his primary damage dealing skill. Players charge the arrow for increased damage and range, making it a versatile tool for both poking enemies and executing targets.
Blighted Quiver synergizes with his auto-attacks by applying a damage-over-time effect on enemies. This ability underscores his effectiveness against tanky opponents, inflicting additional burst potential and securing kills.
Chain of Corruption functions as his ultimate ability, allowing him to root enemies while dealing damage. This skill enables him to control team fights, creating opportunities for allies to follow up with their own abilities.
Varus thrives in various roles including bot-lane carries or mid-lane mages. Versatility defines his strategic use, depending on team composition and enemy champions. His presence on the battlefield invokes fear, as opponents must account for his high-impact abilities.
Overall, Varus remains a valuable asset within League of Legends, demonstrating lethal potential while influencing team dynamics and engagement strategies.
Varus’ Abilities
Varus possesses a diverse set of abilities that enhance his effectiveness in various roles. Each skill contributes to his reputation as a formidable marksman in League of Legends.
Passive: Living Vengeance
Living Vengeance serves as Varus’s passive ability. After scoring a kill or assist, it grants a stack that increases his attack speed. This effect stacks up to three times, allowing for enhanced damage output during skirmishes. Active participation in team fights promotes swift removal of enemies. Varus thrives on this mechanic, rewarding him for engaging effectively with opponents.
Q: Piercing Arrow
Piercing Arrow represents Varus’s primary damage-dealing skill. He channels this shot for increased damage and range. Upon release, it penetrates enemies and structures alike, dealing damage based on the distance charged. The ability also applies stacking Blight to opponents, increasing synergy with his other skills. This skill encourages strategic positioning and careful timing during engagements.
W: Blighted Quiver
Blighted Quiver significantly enhances Varus’s auto-attacks. After using an ability, his next basic attack deals additional damage over time. This damage scales with his ability power and attack damage, making it quite versatile. The ability also marks targets with Blight, which interacts with his ultimate and skills effectively. Varus becomes more lethal against tanky champions when maximizing this passive effect.
E: Hail of Arrows
Hail of Arrows impacts both enemies and allies within its area of effect. This ability rains down arrows, slowing enemies within the targeted zone. It inflicts damage and also applies the Blight effect, maximizing his potential. Team fights become easier to control with this utility. Additionally, vision provided by the AoE reveals nearby enemies, granting Varus and his allies tactical advantages.
R: Chain of Corruption
Chain of Corruption serves as Varus’s ultimate ability. He shoots an arrow that roots the first enemy champion hit and deals damage. If the chain connects, it also spreads to nearby enemies, rooting them as well. This ability allows Varus to initiate fights or turn the tide in skirmishes. Proper usage creates opportunities for allies to capitalize on immobilized enemies, highlighting Varus’s role as a key team player.
Gameplay Tips for Varus
Mastering Varus includes understanding his strengths during the laning phase and in team fights. Effective play with him significantly enhances the chances of victory.
Laning Phase Strategies
Positioning remains key for Varus. Trade effectively with his auto-attacks enhanced by Blighted Quiver. Charge Piercing Arrow to poke opponents from a distance. Utilize Hail of Arrows to control the wave and zone out enemies. Prioritize vision control to avoid ganks, as Varus can be vulnerable without mobility. Focus on farming, securing CS, and collecting kills or assists to stack Living Vengeance quickly. Outmaneuvering opponents increases the chances of landing skill shots for maximum damage.
Team-Fighting with Varus
Team fights revolve around Varus’s ability to control space and output damage. Initiate fights with Chain of Corruption, ensuring multiple enemies get rooted. Follow up with Hail of Arrows to slow foes and maintain distance. Focus on hitting key targets, especially squishies, to capitalize on his burst damage. Position behind frontline teammates to remain safe while dishing out damage. Channel Piercing Arrow to deal significant damage to multiple foes, especially when they cluster together. Maintaining awareness of cooldowns enhances efficiency in fights, maximizing his contribution to the team.
Build and Itemization
Varus’s build and itemization significantly enhance his effectiveness in League of Legends. Players should focus on optimizing runes and selecting the right items to maximize damage and utility.
Recommended Runes
Electrocute stands as a primary keystone rune, providing extra burst damage after hitting an enemy with abilities. Triumph offers healing upon securing kills, crucial for staying alive during skirmishes. Legend: Bloodline adds lifesteal, enhancing sustain throughout the game. Lastly, Coup de Grace increases damage to low-health enemies, ensuring Varus can finish off opponents efficiently.
Core and Situational Items
Essence Reaver forms a core item, delivering critical damage and mana sustain. Infinity Edge follows, amplifying critical strike damage when players exceed 60% critical chance. After that, the addition of Lord Dominik’s Regards increases damage against tanky champions, making Varus more effective in team fights. For situational items, Guardian Angel provides a second chance after a takedown, while Mercurial Scimitar allows for cleansing and additional survivability against crowd control. Tailoring itemization based on the enemy’s composition enhances Varus’s impact throughout the match.
Varus remains a formidable champion in League of Legends due to his unique abilities and playstyle. His capacity to deal high burst damage while controlling team fights makes him an essential asset for any team. Players who master his skill set can significantly influence the outcome of matches.
With effective positioning and strategic itemization, Varus can thrive in various roles, whether as a bot-lane carry or a mid-lane mage. Understanding his abilities and how they synergize allows players to maximize their impact, ensuring that Varus continues to be a key player in the evolving landscape of League of Legends. Embracing his strengths and adapting to different scenarios will lead to success on the Rift.