Ooooookay.
So, after some more testing and spending the morning doing some math on item builds, I've updated the guide. I don't know that support Lux is what I'd call competitive now, and support Zyra still probably does all the same stuff better. But it's certainly a lot better in this patch than it was last patch. Let me know what you guys think. OP is updated, but I'll also put it here.
I updated the support matchups section as well.
+ Show Spoiler +As a disclaimer, I don't think Support Lux is very good. I've been part of many a Lux support discussion, and the conclusion is always the same, that everything Support Lux does Support Zyra does better. This section of the guide is not meant to suggest that Lux is some secret OP support, but more guidelines on how to play her as support if you find yourself in that situation. If you hate or don't own Zyra, Support Lux is similar. If you first picked a solo lane Lux and have to do some rearranging because some jerk has to play mid Riven, stay positive. We can do this. + Show Spoiler + + Show Spoiler [Standard] +9/7/14 is standard page, very early game focused to ensure a strong laning phase. 16/0/14 is the most offense oriented you want to go as Support Lux. This is your strongest late game mastery page and can be used against more passive enemy duos like a Soraka or Janna lane. 5/11/14 is a defensive page for surviving enemy lanes wanting to all in such as Blitzcrank, Leona or double bruiser lanes. ![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/s39BRl2.png) - Ignite or Exhaust is more preference based. Ignite is more aggressive and early game focused, Exhaust more defensive and late game focused.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/wQtnQWx.png) - Taking 4 potions will give you more aggressive harassment against the enemy lane, but will make you more vulnerable to ganks. If you're not sure which option is best, I think 2 potions and a ward is a safer, more standard option.
As Support your skill maxing order is R>W>Q>E, since you get the most mileage per skill point from your shield. It's important to note that with this skill order your E will do almost no damage after early laning, and will be used mostly for vision, the slow field, and farming gold from Tribute procs. You have two options for what skills to get your first 3 levels. ![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/F54RYVG.png) - Q>E>W is your ideal, as it allows you to use E harass at level 2 to start farming gold with your Spellthief's Edge.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/dwNSAzm.png) - Q>W>E is a more defensive opener, giving you good staying power if you get pushed into a passive position at level 1.
While solo lane Lux builds more or less the same items in every game, as Support it's your job to make up for whatever the team doesn't buy. You have a lot of different item options and item paths here. ![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/mXCDCEP.png) Cost: 1590 Gold- These items are all based around giving you a strong laning phase. You need to continue buying potions and wards until you complete Sightstone and begin roaming.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/Dprkcjt.png) Cost: 3090 Gold- This is your core item build. Swap your yellow trinket to a red one after buying Sightstone.
- At this point you have to decide whether or not to continue building AP, or transition into utility items for the late game.
Late Game AP Itemization Route+ Show Spoiler +![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/kuYXEC3.png) Cost: 7195 Gold- This route can be good if you're snowballing in lane, or if your team already has a lot of defense and hard engage, but lacks damage. It can also be good in poke/siege heavy comps that don't need Talismans disengage.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/c9imltP.png) Cost: 13590 Gold- Since you aren't farming, you want to build Void Staff before Deathcap with this setup.
- With this build you can eventually sell Frost Queens Claim for another big AP item like Zhonya's Hourglass (defensive) or Deathfire Grasp (offensive).
- Note that while the gold requirements of this build are higher than the Utility based build below, you will also have more gold generation with Frost Queens Claim than you will with Talisman, making the total costs very similar.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/anMbl4B.png) Cost: 7114 Gold- If your team has a lot of damage already and needs help with defense or engage/disengage, you can sell your Frostfang for a Talisman of Ascension (requires 1474 gold) and switch to a more utility oriented setup.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/KDj8crr.png) Cost: 12464 Gold- Alternatively, your Twin Shadows can be exchanged here for a Liandry's Torment or Zhonyas Hourglass if you want a single big offensive item.
On rare occasions you have some other options as support Lux. ![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/kdbP7wc.png) - Banner of Command can be alright in some games to help your team split push, or to help counterpush against a split pushing team. It also gives a good damage boost to a mid Zyra or Heimerdinger.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/XhGs6WJ.png) - If you need more resistances vs. a mostly AD or AP team you can change your boots.
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OKAY.
I have heavily updated the itemization sections for both mid and support, as well as the rune sections. I've added a second Morellonomicon build path for mid going against AD teams, which I luckily was able to test this morning, I think it flows fairly well.
OP is updated, but here's the changes:
+ Show Spoiler +Tactical decision, Summoner. This is the way Lux is typically played, as a solo lane, safe farming, endlessly harassing, one shotting death laser machine. Solo lane Lux is typically played in the mid lane, since she is somewhat blue buff dependant, lacks the escape tools necessary for top lane, and mid lane allows her a lot of objective control with her long range ultimate. I have played Lux top lane before in emergency situations, but it is simply not as good as playing her mid. + Show Spoiler +![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/wWuvglN.png) 24/0/6 is the standard page, which maximizes offense while taking necessary regen in Utility. If you want more movespeed for dodging skillshots in lane you can drop points in Archmage or Blade/Spell weaving for Fleet of Foot. 21/9/0 gives you nearly the same offensive power, but some added defense against laners who have a lot of kill potential early game. Used against champions like Fizz, Syndra, Annie, Wukong etc. In offense take Spell and Blade Weaving for early game harassment, or 2 points in Archmage for late game damage. Math behind Rank 1 Defensive Masteries (long):+ Show Spoiler +I feel like a lot of people overvalue Unyielding and Block on ranged champions, so I'd like to clear this up in regards to Lux. To start with, Lux begins the game with 12 armor, 25 with armor runes. At level 1 a standard enemy mid lane AD champion has lets say 70 AD. With 1 rank in Block, Lux will take 55.2 damage from their autoattacks instead of 56.
Recovery heals 1 HP per 5 seconds, so in order for Block to beat Recovery, you have to take at least 1.25 autoattacks every 5 seconds. This is not common in mid lane, so Recovery is likely better than Block here. Block has negative multiplicative synergy with armor and enemy AD, so as the game goes on, Recovery becomes more and more useful.
One rank in Enchanted Armor will increase Lux's rank 1 armor by 0.325, which will reduce a 70 AD attack from 56 to 55.8. This is worse than Block by 0.6 damage. However, Enchanted Armor also reduces minion damage, by 0.05 for caster minions and 0.03 for melee minions at the start of the game. Enchanted Armor also reduces damage from champion abilities. So ultimately we can say that the damage difference per auto is more like 0.5. Like with Recovery, Block gets less valuable the longer the game goes on, while Enchanted Armor gets more valuable, so this 0.5 difference is only at the start of the game, and then begins to decrease.
Note also that on your very first back, Lux will buy either 2 cloth armors or a null magic mantle depending on the lane. This gives Lux either 0.75 armor or 0.5 MR per point in Enchanted Armor, and reduces this gap even further.
So, to sum things up, Recovery is better than Block, and in the very early game the difference in damage between Block and Enchanted Armor is only about 0.5, depending on enemy AD. After your first back, Enchanted Armor becomes better and continues to scale better throughout the game. Lux is already a very safe champion and hard to kill early in the game, so I see no reason to take Block on her past the one point requirement to reach rank 9 Defense. ![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/cyARfAm.png) ![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/YieUlBx.png) - You want Flash and either Barrier or Teleport. Barrier is my standard option. I like to take Teleport vs. Twisted Fate, as well as champions like Cho'Gath and Morgana, lanes where Lux typically cannot get kills 1v1 and must get ahead by outroaming her counterpart.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/3z6aF6I.png) ![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/OA4KUAK.png) - As for items, you want to start with lots of potions, but against AD Assassins like Talon opening with a Cloth Armor helps you stay alive in the early lane.
Why no Ignite?+ Show Spoiler +I think Barrier has more synergy with her kit. It can give Lux the time needed in an emergency to complete her spell rotation (which will outdamage Ignite), and allows for a lot of baiting opportunities with Q and W. Ignite on the other hand often has too short a range for Lux to pair it with her long range spell rotation.
That said, I do sometimes take Ignite if I feel like my team needs one vs. a high value Ignite target like Mundo. Basically, because Lux's passive has no AP ratio and is a large part of her early game damage, she does damage in lane from having lots of regen, not from having AP. After 600 ranked Lux games and watching other Lux players I am completely convinced Flask is better than Dorans Ring. But if you don't believe me, here's some math on the subject:
Typically as Lux you go back to base around the 5 minute mark. This is around when you run out of mana and also around when you get enough money for your chalice, if you're doing well. So you're in lane CSing for about 3 minutes, and fight about 6 minion waves. Typically sometime between the second and third cannon minion is when you base.
A Dorans Ring in that time period, if you get all 38 CS (very difficult), will regen you 260 mana, while a flask and a mana potion will regen you 308 mana. This is about enough mana to cast an extra 1/2 of an E in lane. This half an E at level 6 will do about 123 damage. Now, a Dorans Ring adds about 9 damage to each of your spells, meaning you have to land 14 spells in that 3 minute period for the added AP on Dorans Ring to outdamage the extra sustain from the flask. Depending on what spells you use at what levels, this costs around 1000 mana.
Furthermore, a flasks HP regen gives you 336 more HP than a dorans ring does. This is equivalent to two shields in lane, increasing the mana requirement from 1000 to 1120. You want to save enough mana to cast your ult at level 6, so let's assume in order to get Dorans Ring to beat Flask, you need to use 1220 mana in lane in a 3 minute period.
Your 260 regenned mana and your base mana pool gives you 810 mana. Your innate regen with utility masteries gives you 324, and your Feast mastery gives you another 38. This totals 1172.
So, ultimately, even if you get every CS and miss absolutely no spells, Dorans Ring doesn't outdamage Flask in lane. Realistically you don't hit every skill (realistically if you landed 14 spells in lane you would kill them either way) and you don't get every CS, and Flask is just straight up better. ![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/jTEjCsF.png) Your level order as solo lane Lux will always be R>E>Q>W, but your first 3 levels what order you get your skills in is dependant on the individual game.![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/cFhoQJz.png) - Going E>Q>W is your ideal, as this gives you the most offensive pressure early in the game.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/vpX0W5G.png) - Q>E>W is fine if your team is doing a level 1 invade, or if your team is invaded.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/JmkW7fm.png) - In some high pressure matchups I will open Q>W>E. This is good when laning against champions such as Fizz, Wukong, Xin Zhao, Fiora and Riven, who are likely going to try to kill you at level 2.
Why no second point in E at 3?+ Show Spoiler +First of all, you won't be using E to farm at level 3, so you're only putting a point in it at this stage for harassment on enemy champions. The second level in E increases the mana cost from 60 to 75. If we count Lux's passive into the damage calculation, the damage at level 3 will go from 114 to 159, counting typical level 3 AP. This increases the damage per mana spent from 1.9 to 2.1. On the other hand, W at level 1 shields for 88.5 twice at a 60 mana cost. Rank 1 E and Rank 1 W together have a mana efficiency of 1.7 if you only use one shield, and 2.425 if you use both.
Basically, getting W instead of E at 3 makes you safer to ganks, lets you win trades harder AND is more mana efficient if you are using your shield to trade aggressively. There's no reason to ever get rank 2 E at level 3. ![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/Bb9LMDu.png) The midseason 4.5 patch has opened up a couple different possible build paths for our light mage. The standard build path is very versatile, and is basically the same as Lux has been building since season 2.
The alternate build path is specifically designed for playing against teams that have little to no AP damage. I would not use this build path unless at least both the enemy mid and jungle are AD champions, because it gives you no MR at all. However, against full AD compositions this build path flows into the late game very similarly to the standard build, while getting you to buy early armor instead of a chalice.
Note that the Alternate build path requires that you use the "Vs. AD" rune page with Mana Regen glyphs outlined in the Rune section.Standard (Athenes) Build Path+ Show Spoiler +![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/hWnoV5g.png) Cost: 1655 Gold- If you're fighting vs. an AD mid laner with AP top/jungle you'll also need two Cloth Armors. In this case you can delay upgrading your boots to make up the cost difference.
- Although not specifically listed, don't forget to buy wards!
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/4Os12dN.png) Cost: 4150 Gold- After mana regen, CDR is your most desired statistic. Athenes gives both, so you're going to finish Athenes ASAP. The Needlessly Large Rod gives you a jump in AP and can branch off several ways depending on the game.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/Cdj2y8a.png) Cost: 12062 Gold- Normally you want Deathcap before Void Staff, but sometimes it's better to get Void Staff first. See the notes below for details.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/ca9wdHD.png) Cost: 16917 Gold- This is your final build in an ideal situation. It's a versatile build with some resistances, 30% CDR and a ton of AP. See the Other Itemization section for possible changes.
Other Itemization+ Show Spoiler +As Lux your Deathfire Grasp is really your only optional item slot. While it gives you the most teamfight damage in an ideal situation, it is sometimes switched out for one of the following.![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/W2VU04N.png) - Morellonomicon can be used if the heal debuff is required against someone like Tryndamere or Mundo.
- Lich Bane is strong in 1v1 fights, and can be used if you need to split push or defend against a split push.
- Twin Shadows can be used if your team needs more defensive CC and/or vision control.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/7u33sj2.png) - Banshee's Veil can be useful if you need a big MR item, or need the spellshield to prevent hard engages.
- Guardian Angel is fairly poor on Lux and almost never a good idea, but against very fed Assassins can be the only useful defensive option.
- Randuins Omen can be useful if you need a big Armor item.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/DToLYnZ.png) - Games vs. Malzahar or Skarner a QSS will be necessary at some point in the game. Occasionally bought vs. Warwick as well.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/7mwSPuG.png) - Swapping trinkets can be useful against stealth champions.
These two items have interesting synergy with Lux's kit. Void Staff will outdamage Deathcap on champions, but Deathcap will outdamage Void Staff on minions. Critically, getting Deathcap second will allow Lux to one shot caster minions with her E, which makes farming much easier and allows you to roam much more in the mid game.
However, if you are either A - extremely ahead, or B - extremely behind, you can and should get Void Staff first. In the first case you'll be overlevelled and one shotting caster minions anyway, and in the second case you'll be underlevelled and won't be able to one shot caster minions even with a Deathcap, so prioritizing champion damage is more important.
Personally, I try to set the marker for this at about 25 minutes, when playing from behind. If I know that by the 25 minute mark I can't have Deathcap or be close to finishing it, I'll go for Void first instead. ![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/2SetsA3.png) Cost: 1920 Gold- Two dorans rings and your mana regen glyphs here will provide about as much regen as a Chalice, but here you're also getting combat stats suited to fighting an AD lane opponent.
- Although not specifically listed, don't forget to buy wards!
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/Jd4ZBwu.png) Cost: 5005 Gold- When buying Morellonomicon, build Forbidden Idol before Fiendish Codex.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/fuvqFPu.png) Cost: 13652 Gold- The late game here is basically the same as it is with Athenes, but you've sacrificed your Athenes MR for a better early/mid game against an AD team.
- In this build always finish your items in this order: Zhonya > Void Staff > Deathcap.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/ezpm7tn.png) Cost: 17202 Gold- This is your final build in an ideal situation. See the Other Itemization section for possible changes.
Other Itemization+ Show Spoiler +As Lux your Deathfire Grasp is really your only optional item slot. While it gives you the most teamfight damage in an ideal situation, it is sometimes switched out for one of the following.![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/jyk8Yzh.png) - Lich Bane is strong in 1v1 fights, and can be used if you need to split push or defend against a split push.
- Twin Shadows can be used if your team needs more defensive CC and/or vision control.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/gc7YXRC.png) - All AD teams are usually very autoattack reliant, so Ninja Tabi is a reasonable early defensive option.
- Banshee's Veil can be useful if you need the spellshield to prevent hard engages.
- Guardian Angel is fairly poor on Lux and almost never a good idea, but against very fed Assassins can be the only useful defensive option.
- Randuins Omen can be useful if you need a big Armor item.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/8PR1elb.png) - If the game goes late enough you can sell your Morellonomicon for an Athenes, to pick up MR after the enemy support starts building damage items. This costs 1060 gold.
- Swapping trinkets can be useful against stealth champions.
I know some Lux players, even some pro Lux players, really like getting Tear + Morellonomicon, for a late game build of Seraphs, Morello, Deathcap, Void Staff and Zhonya. I've tried it and I just don't like it as much as the Athenes build. It has a theoretically stronger end game but I feel like you never actually get there. It's also more blue buff reliant than an Athenes build.
I do think it has some merit vs. an all AD team, but in comparison to the double Doran build I have listed it adds late game power by sacrificing early and mid game power. All AD compositions are strongest in the mid game and tend to fall off late, so I don't like it as much. I'm not going to include in depth instructions on Seraphs builds in this guide.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/o0TuQ6h.jpg) As a disclaimer, I don't think Support Lux is very good. I've been part of many a Lux support discussion, and the conclusion is always the same, that everything Support Lux does Support Zyra does better. This section of the guide is not meant to suggest that Lux is some secret OP support, but more guidelines on how to play her as support if you find yourself in that situation. If you hate or don't own Zyra, Support Lux is similar. If you first picked a solo lane Lux and have to do some rearranging because some jerk has to play mid Riven, stay positive. We can do this. + Show Spoiler + + Show Spoiler [Standard] +9/7/14 is standard page, very early game focused to ensure a strong laning phase. 16/0/14 is the most offense oriented you want to go as Support Lux. This is your strongest late game mastery page and can be used against more passive enemy duos like a Soraka or Janna lane. 5/11/14 is a defensive page for surviving enemy lanes wanting to all in such as Blitzcrank, Leona or double bruiser lanes. - Ignite or Exhaust is more preference based. Ignite is more aggressive and early game focused, Exhaust more defensive and late game focused.
- Taking 4 potions will give you more aggressive harassment against the enemy lane, but will make you more vulnerable to ganks. If you're not sure which option is best, I think 2 potions and a ward is a safer, more standard option.
As Support your skill maxing order is R>W>Q>E, since you get the most mileage per skill point from your shield. It's important to note that with this skill order your E will do almost no damage after early laning, and will be used mostly for vision, the slow field, and farming gold from Tribute procs.
You have two options for what skills to get your first 3 levels.- Q>E>W is your ideal, as it allows you to use E harass at level 2 to start farming gold with your Spellthief's Edge.
- Q>W>E is a more defensive opener, giving you good staying power if you get pushed into a passive position at level 1.
Your build path as Support is going to start off the same every game. However, after the laning phase you need to make a decision to branch out into either damage or utility itemization, to make up for whatever your team is lacking.Cost: 1515 Gold- These items are all based around giving you a strong laning phase. You need to continue buying potions and wards until you complete Sightstone and begin roaming.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/z7DAF7u.png) Cost: 3660 Gold- This is your core item build. Swap your yellow trinket to a red one after buying Sightstone.
- At this point you have to decide whether or not to continue building AP, or transition into utility items for the late game.
Late Game AP Itemization Route+ Show Spoiler +Cost: 7395 Gold- This route can be good if you're snowballing in lane, or if your team already has a lot of defense and hard engage, but lacks damage. It can also be good in poke/siege heavy comps that don't need Talismans disengage.
Cost: 13790 Gold- Since you aren't farming, you want to build Void Staff before Deathcap with this setup.
- With this build you can eventually sell Frost Queens Claim for another big AP item like Zhonya's Hourglass (defensive) or Deathfire Grasp (offensive).
- Note that while the gold requirements of this build are higher than the Utility based build below, you will also have more gold generation with Frost Queens Claim than you will with Talisman, making the total costs very similar.
Cost: 7314 Gold- If your team has a lot of damage already and needs help with defense or engage/disengage, you can sell your Frostfang for a Talisman of Ascension (costs 1104 gold) and switch to a more utility oriented setup.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/NxV8aCU.png) Cost: 12664 Gold- This build gives you a lot of utility focused item actives and survivability, but doesn't have near as much AP as a more aggressive build.
On rare occasions you have some other options as support Lux.![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/wN5xWML.png) - Banner of Command instead of Zhonya can be alright in some games to help your team split push, or to help counterpush against a split pushing team. It also gives a good damage boost to a mid Zyra or Heimerdinger.
- Twin Shadows can be useful instead of Zhonya if your team needs more defensive CC or vision control.
- If you need more resistances vs. a mostly AD or AP team you can change your boots. In general resistances are not as much of a concern as Support as they are as Mid, however. You will be a lower priority target, and are building tankier already.
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EPT![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/z2emtAJ.png)
+ Show Spoiler +![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/7gOT12F.png)
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+ Show Spoiler +![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/eICrjXe.png)
+ Show Spoiler +![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/q1Pdq.png)
9 Hybrid Penetration![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/b0Cl5.png)
9 Flat Armor![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/dyS4h.png)
9 Flat MR![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/bdrvl.png)
3 Flat AP
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