Updated patch 26.18 · 1.5M high-elo games
Skarner
Vanguard · physical (AD) damage
54.8%Win rate
0.8%Pick rate
2KGames
STier · Jungle
Skarner is a Vanguard that deals physical (AD) damage and brings suppression, stun, slow. Some of their lockdown (suppression) ignores tenacity, so you dodge it; you can't cleanse or Merc' through it. Below is Skarner's highest-win-rate build from high-elo games; open the counter-build tool to tune it against your specific enemy team.
ABILITIES
PassiveThreads of Vibration
Skarner's Attacks, Shattered Earth, Upheaval, and Impale, apply Quaking. At max stacks of Quaking, enemies take max Health magic damage over its duration.
QShattered Earth / Upheaval
Skarner rips a boulder from the earth that empowers his attacks and can be thrown as a powerful projectile.
WSeismic Bastion
Skarner gains a shield and creates an earthquake whose shockwave damages and slows foes.
EIxtal's Impact
Skarner charges forward and passes through terrain. If he collides with a champion or large monster, he'll slam them into the next wall he hits to damage and stun them.
RImpale
Skarner's tails lash forward to suppress enemy champions. Once suppressed, the victims will be dragged along by Skarner as he moves around.
COMBAT PROFILE
PLAYING ASSkarner
- Basic attacks apply Quaking. Stick to your target and re-apply it for maximum damage.
- Capturing Crystal Spires before attempting neutral objectives or team fights around them improves Skarner's performance in said fights dramatically.
- Impale is extremely powerful when you use it to position an enemy so your allies can attack them.
PLAYING AGAINSTSkarner
- Ixtal's Impact can be stopped by any stun, root, or knock-up. Save a key cooldown if he's coming for a gank!
- Impale can be dodged. Use Flash or another ability to get out of reach.
- Skarner's sustained damage can eventually take you down. Be careful not to ignore him.
CROWD CONTROL
Suppressionignores tenacityFROMR ImpaleStuntenacity helpsFROME Ixtal's ImpactSlowignores tenacityFROMQ Shattered Earth / UpheavalW Seismic Bastion
R ImpaleStuntenacity helpsFROME Ixtal's ImpactSlowignores tenacityFROMQ Shattered Earth / UpheavalW Seismic BastionHover a crowd-control type to see which ability it comes from.
HIGHEST WIN-RATE BUILD
SKILL PRIORITY
Shattered Earth / Upheaval (Q)Skarner rips a boulder from the earth that empowers his attacks and can be thrown as a powerful projectile.Q→Seismic Bastion (W)Skarner gains a shield and creates an earthquake whose shockwave damages and slows foes.W54.8% WR1,553 matches
SKILL PATH leveling order
Shattered Earth / Upheaval (Q)Skarner rips a boulder from the earth that empowers his attacks and can be thrown as a powerful projectile.QShattered Earth / Upheaval1
4
5
7
9
Seismic Bastion (W)Skarner gains a shield and creates an earthquake whose shockwave damages and slows foes.WSeismic Bastion2
8
10
12
13
Ixtal's Impact (E)Skarner charges forward and passes through terrain. If he collides with a champion or large monster, he'll slam them into the next wall he hits to damage and stun them.EIxtal's Impact3
14
15
17
18
Impale (R)Skarner's tails lash forward to suppress enemy champions. Once suppressed, the victims will be dragged along by Skarner as he moves around.RImpale6
11
16
Grasp of the Undying keystone
Resolve
Grasp of the Undying
Aftershock
Guardian
Demolish
Font of Life
Shield Bash
Conditioning
Second Wind
Bone Plating
Overgrowth
Revitalize
Unflinching
Inspiration
Glacial Augment
Unsealed Spellbook
First Strike
Hextech Flashtraption
Magical Footwear
Cash Back
Triple Tonic
Time Warp Tonic
Biscuit Delivery
Cosmic Insight
Approach Velocity
Jack Of All Trades
SUMMONER SPELLS
BUILD PATH · win rate by item
STARTING
Scorchclaw PupJungle Companions
Summon a Scorchclaw that assists you against monsters.
The companion grows as you hunt monsters, empowering your Smite. When fully grown, it completes your Jungle Quest and periodically imbues your next Attack or Ability to burn enemies and Slow them. Killing large monsters readies this immediately.Cost: 450Best opening
BOOTS
Plated Steelcaps25 Armor
45 Move Speed
Plating
Reduces incoming damage from Attacks by 10%.Cost: 1200 · 600 to buildMost common
CORE
Heartsteel900 Health
100% Base Health Regen
Colossal Consumption (0s) per target
If an enemy champion is nearby for a few seconds, your next Attack against them deals 70 plus 6% of your max Health as bonus physical damage and grants 10% of the damage as max Health.
Goliath
For each 1000 max Health, gain 3% increased size, up to 30%.Cost: 3000 · 400 to build→
Unending Despair400 Health
50 Armor
15 Ability Haste
Anguish
Every 4 seconds while in combat with champions, deal magic damage to nearby enemy champions and heal for 250% of the damage dealt.Cost: 2800 · 800 to buildBuild every game
4TH ITEM
Spirit Visage400 Health
50 Magic Resist
10 Ability Haste
100% Base Health Regen
Boundless Vitality
Heals and Shields on you are increased by 25%.Cost: 2700 · 650 to build67.1% WR374 games
Randuin's Omen350 Health
75 Armor
Resilience
Receive 30% less damage from Critical Strikes.
Humility
Slow nearby enemies by 70% for 2 seconds.Cost: 2700 · 800 to build66.1% WR59 gamesWhat players go
5TH ITEM
Spirit Visage400 Health
50 Magic Resist
10 Ability Haste
100% Base Health Regen
Boundless Vitality
Heals and Shields on you are increased by 25%.Cost: 2700 · 650 to build63% WR92 games
Knight's Vow200 Health
40 Armor
10 Ability Haste
100% Base Health Regen
Sacrifice
While near your Worthy ally, take 14% of the damage they receive and heal for 12% of the damage they deal to champions.Pledge (0s)
Designate an ally as Worthy.Cost: 2300 · 400 to build76% WR25 gamesRanduin's Omen350 Health
75 Armor
Resilience
Receive 30% less damage from Critical Strikes.
Humility
Slow nearby enemies by 70% for 2 seconds.Cost: 2700 · 800 to build60.9% WR23 gamesWhat players go
Based on 2335 games · 54.8% win rate · challenger+grandmaster+master+emerald-diamond+platinum-emerald · patch 16.18.1.
SKILL PRIORITY
Shattered Earth / Upheaval (Q)Skarner rips a boulder from the earth that empowers his attacks and can be thrown as a powerful projectile.Q44.3% WR77 matches
SKILL PATH leveling order
Shattered Earth / Upheaval (Q)Skarner rips a boulder from the earth that empowers his attacks and can be thrown as a powerful projectile.QShattered Earth / Upheaval1
4
5
7
9
Seismic Bastion (W)Skarner gains a shield and creates an earthquake whose shockwave damages and slows foes.WSeismic Bastion3
8
10
12
13
Ixtal's Impact (E)Skarner charges forward and passes through terrain. If he collides with a champion or large monster, he'll slam them into the next wall he hits to damage and stun them.EIxtal's Impact2
14
15
Impale (R)Skarner's tails lash forward to suppress enemy champions. Once suppressed, the victims will be dragged along by Skarner as he moves around.RImpale6
11
16
Hail of Blades keystone
Domination
Electrocute
Dark Harvest
Hail of Blades
Cheap Shot
Taste of Blood
Sudden Impact
Sixth Sense
Grisly Mementos
Deep Ward
Treasure Hunter
Relentless Hunter
Ultimate HunterInspirationGlacial AugmentUnsealed SpellbookFirst StrikeHextech FlashtraptionMagical FootwearCash BackTriple TonicTime Warp TonicBiscuit DeliveryCosmic InsightApproach VelocityJack Of All TradesSUMMONER SPELLS
BUILD PATH · win rate by item
STARTING
World AtlasCost: 400
Health PotionConsume
Restores 120 Health over 15 seconds.Cost: 50Best opening
BOOTS
Plated Steelcaps25 Armor
45 Move Speed
Plating
Reduces incoming damage from Attacks by 10%.Cost: 1200 · 600 to buildMost common
CORE
Celestial Opposition200 Health
75% Base Health Regen
75% Base Mana Regen
9 Gold Per 10 Seconds
Blessing of the Mountain
Reduce incoming champion damage for 2 seconds after taking damage from a champion. When the effect ends, slow nearby enemies by 50% for 1.5 seconds.
Active (4 charges)
Places an Invisible Stealth Ward that grants vision.Cost: 400→
Titanic Hydra40 Attack Damage
600 Health
Cleave
Attacks deal physical damage on-hit and to enemies behind the target.
Titanic Crescent
Empower your next Cleave to deal bonus physical damage On-Hit and deal bonus physical damage to enemies behind the target.Cost: 3300 · 50 to buildBuild every game
2ND ITEM
Locket of the Iron Solari200 Health
30 Armor
30 Magic Resist
10 Ability Haste
Devotion
Grant nearby allies a 290 - 360 Shield that decays over 2.5 seconds.Cost: 2200 · 700 to build39.1% WR23 gamesWhat players go
3RD ITEM
Locket of the Iron Solari200 Health
30 Armor
30 Magic Resist
10 Ability Haste
Devotion
Grant nearby allies a 290 - 360 Shield that decays over 2.5 seconds.Cost: 2200 · 700 to build64.3% WR28 gamesWhat players go
Based on 271 games · 44.3% win rate · challenger+grandmaster+master+emerald-diamond+platinum-emerald · patch 16.18.1.
SKILL PRIORITY
Shattered Earth / Upheaval (Q)Skarner rips a boulder from the earth that empowers his attacks and can be thrown as a powerful projectile.Q→Seismic Bastion (W)Skarner gains a shield and creates an earthquake whose shockwave damages and slows foes.W51% WR113 matches
SKILL PATH leveling order
Shattered Earth / Upheaval (Q)Skarner rips a boulder from the earth that empowers his attacks and can be thrown as a powerful projectile.QShattered Earth / Upheaval1
4
5
7
9
Seismic Bastion (W)Skarner gains a shield and creates an earthquake whose shockwave damages and slows foes.WSeismic Bastion2
8
10
12
13
Ixtal's Impact (E)Skarner charges forward and passes through terrain. If he collides with a champion or large monster, he'll slam them into the next wall he hits to damage and stun them.EIxtal's Impact3
14
15
17
18
Impale (R)Skarner's tails lash forward to suppress enemy champions. Once suppressed, the victims will be dragged along by Skarner as he moves around.RImpale6
11
16
Grasp of the Undying keystone
ResolveGrasp of the UndyingAftershockGuardianDemolishFont of LifeShield BashConditioningSecond WindBone PlatingOvergrowthRevitalizeUnflinching
Sorcery
Summon Aery
Arcane Comet
Stormraider's Surge
Deathfire Touch
Axiom Arcanist
Manaflow Band
Nimbus Cloak
Transcendence
Celerity
Absolute Focus
Scorch
Waterwalking
Gathering StormSUMMONER SPELLS
BUILD PATH · win rate by item
STARTING
Doran's Shield110 Health
Enduring Focus
Restore 4 Health every 5 seconds.
After taking damage from a champion, restore Health over 8 seconds.
Helping Hand
Attacks deal 5 bonus physical damage to minions.Cost: 450Health PotionConsume
Restores 120 Health over 15 seconds.Cost: 50Best opening
BOOTS
Plated Steelcaps25 Armor
45 Move Speed
Plating
Reduces incoming damage from Attacks by 10%.Cost: 1200 · 600 to buildMost common
CORE
Titanic Hydra40 Attack Damage
600 Health
Cleave
Attacks deal physical damage on-hit and to enemies behind the target.
Titanic Crescent
Empower your next Cleave to deal bonus physical damage On-Hit and deal bonus physical damage to enemies behind the target.Cost: 3300 · 50 to build→
Winter's Approach550 Health
500 Mana
15 Ability Haste
Awe
Gain Health.
Manaflow (8s, max 4 charges)
Landing Attacks and Abilities grant 3 max Mana (doubled vs. champions).
Transforms into Fimbulwinter at 360 max Mana.Cost: 2400 · 300 to buildBuild every game
4TH ITEM
Unending Despair400 Health
50 Armor
15 Ability Haste
Anguish
Every 4 seconds while in combat with champions, deal magic damage to nearby enemy champions and heal for 250% of the damage dealt.Cost: 2800 · 800 to build50% WR20 gamesWhat players go
Based on 239 games · 51% win rate · challenger+grandmaster+master+emerald-diamond+platinum-emerald · patch 16.18.1.
