The Gragas E spam build is a powerful strategy that allows the champion to control team fights and deal devastating damage with his signature ability. This guide will delve into the core items, runes, skill prioritization, gameplay strategy, and matchup analysis for this formidable build, empowering you to unleash the full potential of Gragas.
Item Build
The core items for a Gragas E spam build are:
- Everfrost: Provides a large amount of ability power, health, and a powerful active ability that can be used to set up E combos.
- Zhonya’s Hourglass: Grants a shield and a stasis effect, allowing Gragas to survive burst damage and extend the duration of his E knockup.
- Demonic Embrace: Provides ability power, health, and a burn effect that deals damage over time, amplifying Gragas’s E damage.
Situational items that can enhance the build’s effectiveness include:
- Cosmic Drive: Grants ability power, movement speed, and a passive that increases ability haste after using an ability, making Gragas’s E cooldown shorter.
- Void Staff: Increases magic penetration, amplifying Gragas’s E damage against enemies with high magic resistance.
- Banshee’s Veil: Provides magic resistance and a spell shield, protecting Gragas from enemy crowd control and burst damage.
A sample item build path could be:
- Everfrost
- Zhonya’s Hourglass
- Demonic Embrace
- Cosmic Drive/Void Staff/Banshee’s Veil (depending on the situation)
Rune Selection
The primary runes that synergize with a Gragas E spam build are:
- Phase Rush: Grants increased movement speed after using an ability, allowing Gragas to chase down enemies and escape after using E.
- Manaflow Band: Restores mana after using abilities, helping Gragas sustain his E spam.
- Transcendence: Grants ability haste, reducing the cooldown of Gragas’s E.
- Scorch: Deals bonus damage with abilities, amplifying Gragas’s E damage.
The secondary runes that synergize well with this build are:
- Magical Footwear: Grants free boots, allowing Gragas to save gold and invest in other items.
- Cosmic Insight: Reduces the cooldown of Gragas’s E and other summoner spells.
- Biscuit Delivery: Provides health and mana sustain, helping Gragas stay in lane and spam E.
A sample rune page setup could be:
- Phase Rush
- Manaflow Band
- Transcendence
- Scorch
- Magical Footwear
- Cosmic Insight
Skill Prioritization
The optimal skill leveling order for maximizing E spam damage is:
- E
- Q
- W
- R
Maxing E first reduces its cooldown and increases its damage, allowing Gragas to spam it more frequently and deal more damage. Q is leveled second for its utility in setting up E combos and providing crowd control. W is leveled third for its damage and slow effect, which can help Gragas chase down enemies or escape.
Gameplay Strategy
In the laning phase, Gragas with an E spam build should focus on farming and poking the enemy laner with E. Once he reaches level 6, he can start looking for opportunities to engage with E and follow up with Q and W for a burst of damage.
In team fights, Gragas should position himself in the backline and use E to knock up multiple enemies. He can follow up with Q and W to deal additional damage and slow enemies. Zhonya’s Hourglass can be used to extend the duration of his E knockup and protect himself from burst damage.
Gragas’s E can also be used to interrupt enemy abilities, clear jungle camps, and secure objectives. By maximizing the damage and utility of his E, Gragas can become a formidable force in team fights and throughout the game.
Matchup Analysis
The Gragas E spam build is strong against melee champions with low mobility, as he can easily knock them up with E and follow up with Q and W. He is also strong against champions that rely on skill shots, as he can interrupt their abilities with E.
However, the build is weak against champions with high mobility or crowd control, as they can easily dodge or interrupt Gragas’s E. He is also weak against champions with high burst damage, as he can be easily killed before he can get his E off.
Specific strategies for countering different opponents include:
- Against melee champions with low mobility, focus on farming and poking with E. Once you reach level 6, look for opportunities to engage with E and follow up with Q and W.
- Against champions that rely on skill shots, try to predict their abilities and interrupt them with E. You can also use E to clear minion waves and push the lane, making it difficult for the enemy to farm.
- Against champions with high mobility or crowd control, be more cautious when using E. Try to use it when the enemy is out of position or has used their mobility abilities.
- Against champions with high burst damage, try to build defensive items such as Zhonya’s Hourglass or Banshee’s Veil. You can also use E to interrupt their burst abilities or escape from danger.
Question & Answer Hub: Gragas E Spam Build
What is the core item for a Gragas E spam build?
Liandry’s Anguish is the core item for this build, providing bonus magic damage and ability haste.
What is the optimal skill leveling order for maximizing E damage?
Prioritize leveling E (Explosive Cask) first, followed by W (Drunken Rage) and Q (Barrel Roll).
How should I position myself in team fights as Gragas?
Position yourself in the backline and look for opportunities to land multiple E casts on enemy champions.