The biggest problem with Soraka is that you often place your life in someone else's hands, and there's not a whole lot you can do about it, even if you pick the "right person" (you have no choice in laning). For instance there was a game where we had like a 5-0 Ryze. Fine, so I clung to him, and he grew cockier and cockier, and eventually made a terrible decision to "go for a straggler kill." Well he lived, because I blew everything I had to hold him up. Problem is, he's running back, and isn't stopping while being healed. Great, but I'm not moving, because I'm casting. So to no surprise I would die "in his stead," but the only thing everyone else sees is Soraka fed again. QQ. And it just gets you on tilt when someone keeps talking trash about it, because it's usually very minimally your fault - as Soraka you simply don't care as much about substituting your life in the stead of someone else.

Eve sucks, though.

\o/

Surrealz

United States449 Posts

June 22 2010 19:31 GMT

#1703

I've been playing annie as my main lately, but a friend of mine told me that she is not a first rate character. Is this true or can she be competitive at high levels?

Second, should I be starting with mana saph for rod of ages, or going with dorans ring for the AP/Regen and such?

Southlight

United States11768 Posts

June 22 2010 19:33 GMT

#1704

Uh, she's probably the best and most consistent nuking character in the game, as well as (when played right) one of the most dominating solo mid characters in the game. Your friend's stupid.

Ring vs Sapph is personal preference. Ring is great mostly for the HP, which I notice you didn't bring up. Sapphire you can get two health potions instead, though (only one with Ring).

Mogwai

United States13274 Posts

June 22 2010 19:37 GMT

#1705

late game olaf is so annoying... that ult is such a beating. though, tbh, it should usually work out like poppy's ult, where you get to freely chase one of them down and demolish them, then your ult expires and you get worked by the rest of the team.

Mogwai

United States13274 Posts

June 22 2010 19:39 GMT

#1706

On June 23 2010 04:31 Surrealz wrote:
I've been playing annie as my main lately, but a friend of mine told me that she is not a first rate character. Is this true or can she be competitive at high levels?

Second, should I be starting with mana saph for rod of ages, or going with dorans ring for the AP/Regen and such?

the primary downside of doran's items is that they don't build into shit. that aside, they're almost always better than other tier 1 items.

Surrealz

United States449 Posts

June 22 2010 19:43 GMT

#1707

Thanks for the advice guys, much appreciated.

In a more midgame atmosphere, should I be going for that early rod of ages? Or should I go for the deathtaker staff thing (the item that has the on use nuke)? I've also heard of people go for that archmage staff thing too. I'm really confused on what the current build(s) are for annie.

shawster

Canada2485 Posts

June 22 2010 19:44 GMT

#1708

ring >> sapphire in high level play it seems

basically you really want that 100 hp advantage at level 1, it's so integral to your success. you go to mid with vamp scept twitch vs doran shield twitch or ring vs sapphire annie and you'll see a big difference. however, sapphire crystal does build into catalyst easily so thats your call.

you want to go roa/banshees merc treads/sorc boots and ap item of your choice. i don't like mejai on annie, since her nukes already hit hard and she needs hp/mana.

Southlight

United States11768 Posts

June 22 2010 19:45 GMT

#1709

Annie is highly flexible because she's such a strong, stable character. Deathfire Grasp is nice but I don't see it on Annie a lot, mostly because she has a strong initiation spell (Tibbers) that renders DFG less-effective. It's still a great pick against heavy-HP teams though, as a DFG switch will outperform any AP stack you get against a high-priority high-HP target (ie. Olaf, Nasus).

I'm not a fan of Archangel on anyone other than Zilean and possibly Morgana.

I'm also not a fan of RoA myself, but most people swear by it (or at least Catalyst).

myopia

United States2928 Posts

June 22 2010 19:48 GMT

#1710

I've been following the Taric item build that Mogwai rec'd a while back, going:

Ruby Crystal
Boots
Aegis
Mercury Treads
Starks
->whatever tanking items (usually soul shroud)

and it's working pretty well. The only trouble is that even with all points in utility, plus low level mp5 runes, and running clarity, I can run out of mana at really inconvenient times. I'm thinking I should start buying Doran's Ring first until I can get more levels for runes + 21 utility reducing clarity cooldown. Is this a good idea?

Mogwai

United States13274 Posts

June 22 2010 19:49 GMT

#1711

On June 23 2010 04:44 shawster wrote:
ring >> sapphire in high level play it seems

basically you really want that 100 hp advantage at level 1, it's so integral to your success. you go to mid with vamp scept twitch vs doran shield twitch or ring vs sapphire annie and you'll see a big difference. however, sapphire crystal does build into catalyst easily so thats your call.

you want to go roa/banshees merc treads/sorc boots and ap item of your choice. i don't like mejai on annie, since her nukes already hit hard and she needs hp/mana.

haha, no no no no, high level games never ever involve twitch at mid. he gets absolutely demolished by everyone decent mid. I remember the last time I saw a twitch mid and suffice to say that game did not go well for him :p.

Heavononearth is well regarded as the best annie in this thread, so I'd just wait for his comment on how to build.

On June 23 2010 04:48 trace wm wrote:
I've been following the Taric item build that Mogwai rec'd a while back, going:

Ruby Crystal
Boots
Aegis
Mercury Treads
Starks
->whatever tanking items (usually soul shroud)

and it's working pretty well. The only trouble is that even with all points in utility, plus low level mp5 runes, and running clarity, I can run out of mana at really inconvenient times. I'm thinking I should start buying Doran's Ring first until I can get more levels for runes + 21 utility reducing clarity cooldown. Is this a good idea?

As much as I hate to admit it, I think chalice might be OK on Taric... hate chalice though... still, could be an OK solution until you get your tier 3 Mp5pLs. The thing is that with your mana stealing passive, you really should be OK... I dunno.

Surrealz

United States449 Posts

June 22 2010 19:54 GMT

#1712

Ok, so I guess rod of ages is my only choice? or void staff? I've also heard of people who like zhonyas ring. In an optimal game, what staff do you want to get first?

Oh and noob question, do boots movement bonuses stack?

ghen

United States1356 Posts

June 22 2010 19:57 GMT

#1713

Oh man I Loooove killing Tibbers.

I think I might have a problem.

Is this an addiction or will this fascination pass?

Mogwai

United States13274 Posts

June 22 2010 19:58 GMT

#1714

On June 23 2010 04:54 Surrealz wrote:
Ok, so I guess rod of ages is my only choice? or void staff? I've also heard of people who like zhonyas ring. In an optimal game, what staff do you want to get first?

Oh and noob question, do boots movement bonuses stack?

boots bonuses don't stack.

again, I'd wait to hear what heavononearth has to say on the subject of building.

Orpheos

United States1663 Posts

June 22 2010 20:01 GMT

#1715

void staff doesnt seem like the optimal choice for your first high ap item since at that stage people wont be stacking mass MR yet. and remember void penetrates a percent of MR not a flat amount. so until they have alot of MR, it will be about as effective as the mpen from a sorc boots.

myopia

United States2928 Posts

June 22 2010 20:05 GMT

#1716

On June 23 2010 04:49 Mogwai wrote:

Show nested quote +

The passive works wonders, but if my lane is getting competently zoned and harassed, there's been a few times where I can't get in to actually hit anything. The ring is cheaper than a chalice and contributes tankability + AP though, so I'll try it first, going

Ring / Boots / Aegis / Treads / Starks / etc

I won't even bother with an HP pot.

Mogwai

United States13274 Posts

June 22 2010 20:06 GMT

#1717

On June 23 2010 04:57 ghen wrote:
Oh man I Loooove killing Tibbers.

I think I might have a problem.

Is this an addiction or will this fascination pass?

most of these suck, but #27 was pretty funny and seems relevant to killing tibbers :p

from this thread: http://www.leagueoflegends.com/board/showthread.php?t=139608

shawster

Canada2485 Posts

June 22 2010 20:09 GMT

#1718

On June 23 2010 04:49 Mogwai wrote:

Show nested quote +

it was just an example

i would just rush aegis on taric then go for some aura items, frozen heart sounds really good on taric and a catalyst item wouldn't be bad

myopia

United States2928 Posts

June 22 2010 20:17 GMT

#1719

yeah I go for auras on Taric like you said, my mana trouble comes in the gap between taking out my lanes first tower -> getting starks (and possibly before if the lane is brutal) because I have to start roaming for team battles and can't just sit around hitting stuff for manas. Once I have Starks then I can charge up to towers and bash away.

hm but if I did go for Frozen Heart after Starks, that means I could start with Sapphire instead of Ring...

I have options.

Ordained

United States779 Posts

June 22 2010 20:27 GMT

#1720

On June 23 2010 04:57 ghen wrote:
Oh man I Loooove killing Tibbers.

I think I might have a problem.

Is this an addiction or will this fascination pass?

I love it when someone trys to focus down tibbers, they arent attacking me then.