AP Alistar Build

AP Alistar Build.

AP Alistar build with runes and items. AP Alistar guide offers in-depth how-to play, skill order and tips. Play AP Alistar build in League of Legends Patch 14.23!

Updated: 2024-11-26 ()

TLDR

Starting items
Hextech Alternator should be final item in your build.
Quick Skill Order
Alistar ability Pulverize should be leveled first.
Q
Alistar ability Headbutt should be leveled second.
W
Alistar ability Trample should be leveled third.
E
Final items
Sorcerer's Shoes should be final item in your build.
Stormsurge should be final item in your build.
Zhonya's Hourglass should be final item in your build.
Shadowflame should be final item in your build.
Rabadon's Deathcap should be final item in your build.
Lich Bane should be final item in your build.
Quick Runes
Major rune Dark Harvest from Domination tree.
Minor rune Precision.
Summoner spells
Pick Mark as your Summoner Spell.
Pick Flash as your Summoner Spell.

AP Alistar Runes

Domination
Domination major tree Electrocute rune.
Domination major tree Dark Harvest rune.
Domination major tree Hail of Blades rune.
Domination major tree Cheap Shot rune.
Domination major tree Taste of Blood rune.
Domination major tree Sudden Impact rune.
Domination major tree Zombie Ward rune.
Domination major tree Ghost Poro rune.
Domination major tree Eyeball Collection rune.
Domination major tree Treasure Hunter rune.
Domination major tree Relentless Hunter rune.
Domination major tree Ultimate Hunter rune.
Precision
Precision minor tree Absorb Life rune.
Precision minor tree Triumph rune.
Precision minor tree Presence of Mind rune.
Precision minor tree Legend: Alacrity rune.
Precision minor tree Legend: Haste rune.
Precision minor tree Legend: Bloodline rune.
Precision minor tree Coup de Grace rune.
Precision minor tree Cut Down rune.
Precision minor tree Last Stand rune.
Passive
Passive tree Adaptive Force rune (+9 Adaptive Force).
Passive tree Attack Speed rune (+10% Attack Speed).
Passive tree Ability Haste rune (+8 Ability Haste).
Passive tree Adaptive Force rune (+9 Adaptive Force).
Passive tree Move Speed rune (+2 Movement Speed).
Passive tree Health Scaling rune (+10-180 Health (based on level)).
Passive tree Health rune (+65 Health).
Passive tree Tenacity And Slow Resist rune (+10 Tenacity and Slow Resist).
Passive tree Health Scaling rune (+10-180 Health (based on level)).

How it works

General
  1. You play as burst oriented Mage.
  2. You build AP items.
  3. You rush Stormsurge.

How to play

General
  1. Playing AP Alistar build, your default rush is Stormsurge.
  2. Adapt to an enemy team. Are they full of tanks, and they rush tons of Magic Resist? You rush Void Staff as #2 or #3 item to counter MR stacking. Their team has champs with lots of healing? Rush Oblivion Orb as #2 item (upgrade to Morellonomicon as 4th or 5th item).
  3. Somebody is going after you each fight? Always getting ulted by enemy assassins? Rush Zhonya's Hourglass.
Alistar AP specific
  1. Horizon Focus is a great item and can be rushed #1/#2.
  2. If you go Lich Bane, you can weave it between your abilities. For example, after W + Q combo, you have one proc of Lich Bane. You can wait 2 seconds before using E, so you can have one more Lich Bane proc.
  3. Luden's Companion can be a good item if you can consistently go in or Headbutt (W).

Tips and Tricks

General
  1. Trick #1 (the simplest combo possible): W + Q together, so you gap close with W and knock up immediately with Q.
  2. Trick #2: Q first, then during animation use Flash right away to your target to insta stun them. This way you can insta CC unsuspecting enemies.
  3. Trick #3: W to the minion, Q (not in mid air, wait for W to end), then Flash right away to your target. You will insta stun them.
  4. Trick #4: You can CC for longer, if you first W enemy into wall (it stuns them), then Q them instead of jut doing W+Q.
  5. Trick #5: You can use W to escape. Just W to a minion or enemy champion that is far away.
  6. Trick #6: If you Flash at the very end of the animation of Headbutt (W), you will cancel the ability.
  7. Your Unbreakable Will (R) is most effective when you are high HP. Pop it at the beginning of the fight, do not wait to be low hp, unless you are expecting to remove some crucial CC.
Riot
  1. Using Pulverize can allow you to establish better positioning for Headbutt.
  2. Move Speed is very important on Alistar. Consider which boots to buy carefully.
  3. Using Flash can allow you catch your target off guard to knock them back into your allies with Pulverize and Headbutt.

Skill Order

  • Alistar [object Object] ability.
    Q
    Pulverize
  • Alistar [object Object] ability.
    W
    Headbutt
  • Alistar [object Object] ability.
    E
    Trample
  • Alistar [object Object] ability.
    R
    Unbreakable Will

Items

Starting items
Hextech Alternator item.
Rush this
Stormsurge item.
Boots
Sorcerer's Shoes item.
Ionian Boots of Lucidity item.
Good items
Rabadon's Deathcap item.
Stormsurge item.
Zhonya's Hourglass item.
Horizon Focus item.
Shadowflame item.
Blackfire Torch item.
Lich Bane item.
Situational items
Morellonomicon item.
Banshee's Veil item.
Against high MR
Additional considerations for these items is advised!
Void Staff item.
Cryptbloom item.
Counter high HP
Liandry's Torment item.
Counter healing
Oblivion Orb item.
Morellonomicon item.
For the last fight
Additional considerations for these items is advised!
Seeker's Armguard item.
Elixir of Iron item.
Elixir of Sorcery item.
Example final build
Sorcerer's Shoes item.
Stormsurge item.
Zhonya's Hourglass item.
Shadowflame item.
Rabadon's Deathcap item.
Lich Bane item.