Tank Swain Build

Tank Swain Build.

Tank Swain build with runes and items. Tank Swain guide offers in-depth how-to play, skill order and tips. Play Tank Swain build in League of Legends Patch 14.22!

Updated: 2024-05-19 ()

TLDR

Starting items
Guardian's Horn should be final item in your build.
Ruby Crystal should be final item in your build.
Quick Skill Order
Swain ability Death's Hand should be leveled first.
Q
Swain ability Vision of Empire should be leveled second.
W
Swain ability Nevermove should be leveled third.
E
Final items
Mercury's Treads should be final item in your build.
Jak'Sho, The Protean should be final item in your build.
Spirit Visage should be final item in your build.
Warmog's Armor should be final item in your build.
Thornmail should be final item in your build.
Unending Despair should be final item in your build.
Quick Runes
Major rune Grasp of the Undying from Resolve tree.
Minor rune Precision.
Summoner spells
Pick Mark as your Summoner Spell.
Pick Flash as your Summoner Spell.

Tank Swain Runes

Resolve
Resolve major tree Grasp of the Undying rune.
Resolve major tree Aftershock rune.
Resolve major tree Guardian rune.
Resolve major tree Demolish rune.
Resolve major tree Font of Life rune.
Resolve major tree Shield Bash rune.
Resolve major tree Conditioning rune.
Resolve major tree Second Wind rune.
Resolve major tree Bone Plating rune.
Resolve major tree Overgrowth rune.
Resolve major tree Revitalize rune.
Resolve major tree Unflinching 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 to play

General
  1. You start with Guardian's Horn. Your #1 rush should be item that counters enemy team most (MR or Armor item). Get Jak'Sho as #2 item. Then adapt.
  2. You will be more tanky later on, so play more carefully in the early game.
  3. Triumph is better overall (heal + gold), but if you want to have easier time with your mana, go Presence of the Mind.
  4. Guardian's Horn is a surprisingly good item for its price. You can keep it for very long time (or even have it as 6th item).
  5. You need to adapt your items to the game. Enemy team heavy on AP? Buy MR. They heavy on AD? Buy Armor. You need some damage? Well buy that.
  6. Remember to consume your Grasp of the Undying procs!

Tips and Tricks

General
  1. You can use Vision of Empire (W) to stop enemies taking portal (frost-gate). Time it well, and they will need to walk, and you will get the turret!
  2. Vision of Empire (W) trick works even better with all DoTs effects (Liandry's Anguish and Demonic Embrace).
  3. Enemies in your base? Use Demonic Ascension (R) before taking portal (frost-gate), this way you damage everyone on your way.
  4. Did you just catch someone with your Nevermove (E)? Do not use second E right away, but use it at the very last moment for maximum CC.
  5. After you catch someone with yout Nevermove (E), you can set up Vision of Empire (W) for a certain hit.
Riot
  1. If you're having trouble rooting an enemy with Nevermove, try throwing it at opponents when they are near their minions so the explosion surprises them.
  2. While laning, try to use Death's Hand's piercing damage to damage opponents from a safe distance.
  3. Vision of Empire is quite difficult to land on its own, look for skirmishes around the map where enemies may be distracted or crowd controlled so you can land it more easily.
  4. Demonic Ascension may make Swain very hard to kill but he's pretty easy to get away from. Try building items that can slow opponents to keep them in range if their mobility is overwhelming.

Skill Order

  • Swain [object Object] ability.
    Q
    Death's Hand
  • Swain [object Object] ability.
    W
    Vision of Empire
  • Swain [object Object] ability.
    E
    Nevermove
  • Swain [object Object] ability.
    R
    Demonic Ascension

Items

Starting items
Guardian's Horn item.
Ruby Crystal item.
Boots
Mercury's Treads item.
Plated Steelcaps item.
Ionian Boots of Lucidity item.
Good tank items
Jak'Sho, The Protean item.
Warmog's Armor item.
Rylai's Crystal Scepter item.
Good MR items
Kaenic Rookern item.
Force of Nature item.
Spirit Visage item.
Good Armor items
Randuin's Omen item.
Dead Man's Plate item.
Iceborn Gauntlet item.
Thornmail item.
Frozen Heart item.
Situational items
Knight's Vow item.
Zeke's Convergence item.
Trailblazer item.
Situational DMG items
Additional considerations for these items is advised!
Wit's End item.
Overlord's Bloodmail item.
Zhonya's Hourglass item.
Titanic Hydra item.
For the last fight
Additional considerations for these items is advised!
Elixir of Iron item.
Elixir of Sorcery item.
Example final build
Mercury's Treads item.
Jak'Sho, The Protean item.
Spirit Visage item.
Warmog's Armor item.
Thornmail item.
Unending Despair item.