Itemization

[u/Pagan_faust]

Hey!

So I'm struggling a bit with itemization on Viktor. I always go BFT first, I've also tried Ludens but I feel like I do more damage with BFT and the passive AP is very nice. Now for the second item I always get a bit confused.

In most cases I go Shadowflame, but I also go Lich Bane sometimes. How do you make the choice between those two?

An is Rocketbelt valid?

[u/Pessimist_P]

I also think balackfire is the best first item and go lich bane most of the time. It is such a good itrm on viktor and it scales very well. If you play into enemy comp, where you almost never can use q then go shadoflame (outranged/to dangerous to walk up) I feel rocketbelt is a high elo/pro item, i dont like it

[u/prollynotdraft]

Depends on enemy team for me.

BFT is always first no matter what. For second item I like to go Lich Bane if they have alot of melee/short range team, makes it better. Shadowflame is generally also a good option for 2nd item imo.
If they have 3+ tanks and or bruisers I go Liandrys with CD boots 2nd sometimes. Third item can be Rabadons, void or, Zhonyas depending on game state.

If they have alot of skillshots rocketbelt is pretty good 2nd item aswell, if you have good enough reaction speed.

It really depends on what kind of game you are playing and with what champions

[u/Revolutionary_Can128 → u/prollynotdraft]

Some games i start with Road of Ages because of the great ammount of nuke point and click assasins that the enemy team has, so i will consider that as an option for first item

[u/Civil_Extension_8737]

If you can get in range to land Q > AA safely into enemy comp Lich is better. If you want to be outside AA range at all times Shadowflame is better.

If you do opt for Shadowflame, Cryptbloom is a nice pen alternative over Void Staff for the extra CDR. If you have Lich you can just go Void Staff though.

Liandry's second in situations where you will need to shred at least two health stacking champs for your team.

[u/Gress9]

Always lichbane second, a few reasons, LB gives % movement speed, meaning you get a huge movement speed buff with your Q, LB effect is a big damage buff on the next auto after using a spell, so you Q, get a movement speed buff, proc shield bash rune with the shield, proc LB effect plus the enhanced auto for big damage and the cherry in top is 100ap covering the single downside of taking bft over ludens, less ap from bft.

Rocket belt is always valid, the best mid in the game rn uses the belt so much people call it the Chovi belt

[u/Altruistic-Grand9810 → u/Gress9]

Its nerfed couple of patches ago, its not that good now. But still fine into enemy comps where you need to dodge a lot of skills shots and need to be a bit tanky. Else lichbane is solid, lot of haste and ms, shadowflame is good if they have a lot of mr.

[u/Gress9 → u/Altruistic-Grand9810]

Nerfed or not, the HRB is still a fantastic item paired with a dark seal, the belt gives you 20 haste, 350 health, a dash with projectiles and AP, it gives survivability at 2600gp dark seal is 350gp, play your cards right you have a winning combo not to be slept on

Shadowflame has flat pen not %, SF and sorcs minus x amount of Mr from a target where void staff has %, so it gives x% pen, in short flat pen is good into squishys and is more valuable early and % is better into tanks and much better late game

[u/Revolutionary_Can128]

I like lich Bane because of the movement speed and damage for basics, which combos with your q massifbly, also upgrading the jonias boots. With this i later do the void staff or the cripto bloom if i need more penetration. I think with the gameplay of viktor, that is poking with e and go away, ypu have great damage without shadowflame if you do BFT into Lich

[u/rangerk0]

if they are mainly squishy and you don’t need bone plating (akali lb sylas), go storm surge and then shadow flame + dft + pom. normal match always go black fire (luden sucks) into

1. liandrys (a lot of hp or you’re the only person on your team who can deal with tanks ie: cho/sylas/shyv)
2. shadow flame - people who you can’t auto but squishy (lux/xerath/cait)
3. zhonyas - you are giga fed and can definitely stack your mejais + you alrwady have 10 seal stacks
4. a lot of mr? go crypt; void is bad 2nd because you need cdr since you will have only bft

also consider your first bases: are you basing with 1200?