The itemization for LeBlanc requires flexibility and adaptability. It's essential to carefully evaluate the game situation and the needs of your team to build a set of items that maximizes LeBlanc's effectiveness and support on the battlefield.
This is a standard burst build for LeBlanc: Sorcerer's Shoes provide maximum burst damage when the enemy team is squishy, chaining the passives given by other items to deal even more damage. Celestial Opposition has a passive that reduces incoming champion damage and slows nearby enemies upon losing the Blessed effect. It is very useful for LeBlanc, as it allows her to move closer when bursting damage, while being protected by the damage reduction from Celestial Opposition. Luden's Companion is one of LeBlanc's core items; it ensures she always has mana reserves to continue impacting the map with her presence and provides good damage output. LeBlanc's second power spike is when she builds Shadowflame, which allows her to crit enemies below a certain threshold of HP. It doesn't end here because, when you build Stormsurge, after dealing a large burst of damage with a combo that exceeds a certain % threshold, it adds additional damage that is also critted, allowing you to one-shot the enemy. If, in addition to this, you also add an item that provides magic penetration (thus adding more damage from bursts) and also heals allies in an AOE, then with Cryptbloom we reach the pinnacle of one of the best standard builds to rely on in most matches.
Celestial Opposition
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Zaz'Zak's Realmspike
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Choosing Celestial Opposition as a support item is recommended when you need to increase your resistance to enemy damage, particularly against opponents with high potential for melee or ranged damage. Its passive "Become Blessed" provides excellent utility in team fights by slowing surrounding enemies upon losing the Blessed effect. This item is especially useful for LeBlanc when you want to execute a full combo in a duel without taking too much damage, as it reduces a percentage of incoming damage for 1-2 seconds. This window of reduced damage is often sufficient to one-shot an enemy and safely escape. |
Zaz'Zak's Realmspike is a potent item for LeBlanc when you are experiencing a hard snowball and want to maximize your burst damage to secure as many kills as possible. The item's passive allows LeBlanc to amplify her damage output significantly and contribute to multi-target damage during skirmishes, making it particularly effective for quickly eliminating priority targets and dominating team fights. The item is especially valuable in situations where you're ahead and want to maintain aggressive pressure on the enemy team. By leveraging the explosive damage, LeBlanc can continue to pick off enemies efficiently and extend her lead.
However, for the late game, it is often recommended to sell Zaz'Zak's Realmspike in favor of Celestial Opposition. Switching to Celestial Opposition provides increased survivability with its damage reduction and crowd control utility, which can be crucial during late-game team fights. The missions associated with Zaz'Zak's Realmspike remain completed and won't reset when you make the switch, allowing you to adapt your build as the game progresses without losing progress. |
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Lost ChapterThe Lost Chapter is a crucial item for LeBlanc support, especially on the first recall. This item provides 40 Ability Power, 300 Mana, and 10 Ability Haste, making it an excellent choice for LeBlanc who relies on spamming abilities to deal damage and create pressure. Its passive effect, which restores 20% of your maximum mana upon leveling up, is particularly useful in the early game to maintain mana sustain, allowing you to stay active in lane and continue applying pressure without worrying about running out of mana. Building Lost Chapter early enhances LeBlanc's ability to poke and trade with enemies effectively, setting her up for successful ganks and skirmishes, and is the foundation for transitioning into her core items like Luden's Companion.
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Amplifying TomeThe Amplifying Tome is a basic item that provides 20 Ability Power, making it a cost-effective option for LeBlanc support when looking to increase her damage output early in the game. On the first recall, purchasing an Amplifying Tome is a good choice if you don't have enough gold for more expensive components like the Lost Chapter. It offers an immediate power spike in damage, which can be critical for trading in lane and maintaining pressure on opponents. Additionally, the Amplifying Tome is a versatile item that builds into many of LeBlanc's core items, such as Luden's Companion, Cryptbloom, and other AP-heavy options, making it a flexible and efficient investment to further her item progression.
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Sapphire CrystalThe Sapphire Crystal is a basic item that provides 250 Mana, making it a useful purchase for LeBlanc support when you need additional mana to sustain your presence in the lane. Picking up a Sapphire Crystal on the first recall is beneficial if you find yourself running low on mana frequently and want to continue poking and trading with enemies without having to back frequently. This item is especially valuable in the early game for LeBlanc, as her abilities require a significant amount of mana, and having extra mana allows her to use her abilities more liberally.
Additionally, the Sapphire Crystal is a key component for building into the Lost Chapter, which is a core item for LeBlanc. It helps to transition into more powerful items that grant mana sustain and ability power, such as Luden's Companion. Thus, investing in a Sapphire Crystal early can facilitate a smooth progression into your core items, ensuring that you maintain pressure on the enemy team throughout the early and mid-game.
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Dark SealThe Dark Seal is a high-risk, high-reward item that is often purchased by LeBlanc support for its potential to snowball games. It provides 15 Ability Power and 50 Health, and it has a unique passive that grants additional Ability Power for each stack of Glory, with a maximum of 10 stacks. You gain stacks for champion takedowns (kills or assists), making it an item that rewards aggressive play and successful skirmishes. Here's a closer look at the risks and benefits of this item:
Benefits:
- Cost-Effective Power Spike: At a low cost of 350 gold, the Dark Seal provides an efficient boost in Ability Power and health, making it an attractive early-game item for amplifying LeBlanc’s damage output.
- Snowball Potential: The unique passive allows LeBlanc to increase her Ability Power significantly by gaining stacks. Each kill grants 2 stacks, and each assist grants 1 stack, with a maximum of 10 stacks providing up to 55 Ability Power when fully stacked.
- Synergy with Mejai's Soulstealer: The Dark Seal builds into Mejai's Soulstealer, an item that can further increase your Ability Power based on stacks. This synergy can lead to explosive damage potential if you manage to maintain and increase your stacks without dying.
Risks:
- Stack Loss on Death: One of the main risks of building a Dark Seal is losing 5 stacks upon death. This can significantly reduce your Ability Power if you have built up many stacks, making it a risky item to rely on if you are frequently caught out or targeted by the enemy team.
- Reliance on Aggression: The effectiveness of the Dark Seal heavily depends on your ability to secure kills and assists. If you are unable to participate in takedowns, the item provides relatively low value compared to other Ability Power items.
- Potential to Snowball Backwards: While the item can help you snowball when ahead, it can also set you back if you are unable to maintain stacks. This makes it crucial to balance aggressive plays with safe positioning, especially in team fights.
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BootsYou will buy Boots if you have excess gold which will later allow you to buy more important boots. They are very useful for roaming and returning to lane sooner. Later I will better describe which ones to opt for based on the situations.
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Control WardPurchasing a Control Ward on the first recall with LeBlanc in the bot lane can be crucial for maintaining vision control and preventing enemy ganks or roams. If you find yourself pushed back to base earlier than expected, it may indicate that your lane is struggling or that the enemy jungler has been applying pressure. Buying a Control Ward allows you to regain vision in key areas of the map, such as the river or the enemy jungle entrances, helping to prevent further setbacks and allowing you to safely resume laning. Additionally, placing a Control Ward in the river bush or the enemy tri-bush can provide valuable information about the enemy's movements, potentially averting future ganks and enabling your team to make informed decisions.
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When playing LeBlanc support, the choice of boots can significantly impact her performance and effectiveness in different scenarios. Here’s a breakdown of when to build each type of boots:
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Sorcerer's Shoes
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Mercury's Treads
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Ionian Boots of Lucidity
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Luden's Companion
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Lich Bane
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Building Luden's Companion as the first item on LeBlanc support can be a highly effective choice when you want to maximize her burst damage and poke potential in the early game. Luden's Companion synergizes well with LeBlanc's playstyle by providing significant Ability Power and Ability Haste, which allow her to execute her combos more frequently and deliver substantial magic damage to her opponents. The item grants 95 Ability Power, enhancing the damage output of her abilities and making her a significant threat to squishy targets. Additionally, the 25 Ability Haste lets LeBlanc use her skills more often, enabling her to apply constant pressure on the enemy laners. The item also provides 600 bonus Mana, which helps her sustain her aggressive playstyle without running out of mana during prolonged engagements.
One of the key advantages of building Luden's Companion is its unique passive, which deals bonus magic damage to the target hit by LeBlanc's abilities and additional enemies within range. This passive increases her burst potential and makes her pokes more impactful, allowing her to chip away at the enemy's health bars effectively. The passive's ability to hit multiple targets is particularly useful in skirmishes and team fights, as it spreads the damage and increases her impact. This feature can be especially oppressive against squishy enemy champions with "low" mobility or poor defensive capabilities, such as Jhin, Jinx, Sona, or Nami. By building Luden's Companion, LeBlanc can punish these champions and force them out of lane or create kill opportunities for her ADC.
In lane, Luden's Companion enhances LeBlanc's ability to harass and zone enemies from minions, making it difficult for them to farm safely. This pressure can lead to significant advantages in lane control and allow LeBlanc to set up plays with her ADC. When paired with aggressive ADCs like Draven, Lucian, or Caitlyn, LeBlanc's increased damage output from Luden's Companion can lead to early kills and tower pressure, snowballing the lane in her team's favor. The synergy between LeBlanc's burst and her ADC's damage makes it challenging for the enemy bot lane to withstand their aggression, leading to potential dominance in the laning phase.
Luden's Companion also enhances LeBlanc's roaming potential, enabling her to transition quickly between lanes and apply pressure across the map. The item’s cooldown reduction and mana boost support her aggressive roaming playstyle, allowing her to impact other lanes by ganking or assisting her teammates. The increased burst damage can be instrumental in securing kills when roaming to mid or top lane, providing her team with early map pressure and advantageous situations. This can be particularly beneficial in games where your team needs an early advantage or when the team composition benefits from a support who can contribute significant damage in skirmishes.
While building Luden's Companion requires confidence in your ability to play aggressively and effectively utilize LeBlanc's abilities, it can be a rewarding choice when executed properly. LeBlanc must capitalize on her mobility and cooldown resets to maximize the item’s passive damage, weaving in and out of fights to apply her damage while avoiding being caught out. Good positioning and map awareness are crucial to ensure that she can safely engage and disengage, making the most of Luden's Companion's benefits.
In conclusion, Luden's Companion is a powerful first item for LeBlanc support in games where you want to maximize her damage output and poke potential. It is most effective against squishy, low-mobility opponents and when paired with aggressive ADCs who can take advantage of the increased pressure LeBlanc provides. By building Luden's Companion, LeBlanc can amplify her burst potential, apply lane pressure, and impact other lanes through effective roaming, ultimately contributing significantly to her team’s success in the early and mid-game. |
Building Lich Bane as the first item on LeBlanc support can be a powerful strategic choice when you need to maximize burst damage and mobility in the early game. This item complements LeBlanc's playstyle by enhancing her ability to weave in auto attacks between abilities, allowing her to deliver substantial burst damage in quick succession. Here’s a detailed explanation of why and when this item can be effective:
The main benefit of building Lich Bane on LeBlanc support is the enhanced damage output it provides through its unique passive. This passive gives a significant boost to her burst potential, adding extra magic damage to her basic attacks after using an ability. With 100 Ability Power and 15 Ability Haste, Lich Bane increases her ability to combo frequently and deal higher damage, which is especially useful for executing squishy targets quickly. The 8% movement speed bonus also helps LeBlanc in repositioning and making plays across the map, further enhancing her role as a mobile and elusive support.
In lane, Lich Bane allows LeBlanc to apply consistent pressure on opponents by integrating empowered auto-attacks into her usual ability rotations. This increased threat level can zone enemies from minions, making it difficult for them to farm safely. LeBlanc can utilize the bonus damage from Lich Bane to harass enemy champions effectively, especially when paired with aggressive poke-heavy or all-in ADCs. For example, when paired with champions like Draven or Lucian, LeBlanc can help secure kills in lane, thanks to the extra burst potential Lich Bane provides.
The ideal matchups for building Lich Bane first on LeBlanc support are those against teams with squishy champions who lack mobility or defensive options. Champions like Jhin, Jinx, or Xerath are particularly vulnerable to LeBlanc’s burst damage and benefit from the additional pressure Lich Bane can provide. The extra burst from the item allows LeBlanc to punish these champions effectively, either forcing them out of lane or setting up kill opportunities for her ADC. Additionally, in matchups where the enemy team has a lack of reliable crowd control, LeBlanc can freely engage and disengage, making the mobility and damage from Lich Bane even more potent.
LeBlanc’s roaming potential is also enhanced by Lich Bane, allowing her to transition quickly between lanes and pressure other areas of the map. The increased movement speed makes it easier to dodge skill shots and outmaneuver opponents, while the enhanced burst damage can help secure kills when roaming to mid or top lane. This can be especially impactful in games where your team needs early map pressure or where your team composition benefits from an aggressive support who can contribute significant damage in skirmishes.
However, building Lich Bane requires a confident playstyle where you can capitalize on opportunities to engage and disengage effectively. LeBlanc must utilize her mobility and cooldown resets to maximize the impact of Lich Bane’s passive, weaving in and out of fights to apply her damage optimally. It’s essential to have good awareness of your positioning and timing to ensure you can safely execute your combos without being caught out. |
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Shadowflame Shadowflame is an excellent second item for LeBlanc because it significantly enhances her burst potential and ability to finish off low-health targets. With 120 Ability Power and 10 Magic Penetration, Shadowflame increases the damage output of her abilities, allowing LeBlanc to deal even more significant damage to enemies, especially those with magic resist.
The item's unique passive makes magic damage and true damage critically strike enemies below 35% health, dealing 20% increased damage. This passive synergizes well with LeBlanc’s playstyle as an assassin, enabling her to execute low-health targets more efficiently and secure kills with her combos. This critical strike bonus is particularly useful for finishing off opponents who might otherwise escape, making Shadowflame a crucial item for maximizing LeBlanc's kill potential.
Overall, Shadowflame is a powerful power spike item for LeBlanc, allowing her to maintain her role as a high-burst assassin throughout the game. It is especially effective against squishy opponents and teams that stack magic resist, helping her pierce through defenses and remain a constant threat.
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Stormsurge Stormsurge is a potent item for LeBlanc support to consider building as a second or third item, depending on your build path. It offers 95 Ability Power, 10 Magic Penetration, and 8% Movement Speed, all of which enhance LeBlanc’s burst damage and mobility, making her an even more formidable threat on the Rift.
One of the key strengths of Stormsurge is its unique passive that synergizes well with Shadowflame. When LeBlanc deals 35% of a champion's maximum health within 3 seconds, she applies the Stormsurge effect, granting her a 35% movement speed boost for 2 seconds. This allows her to reposition quickly, chase down fleeing enemies, or escape dangerous situations. After 2 seconds, Stormsurge strikes the target with lightning, dealing magic damage based on her Ability Power. If the target dies before the lightning strikes or from the lightning itself, it detonates in a large area around them and grants LeBlanc 30 gold. This passive works exceptionally well with Shadowflame because the increased damage from Shadowflame's passive critical strikes on low-health targets also affects the Stormsurge detonation, further amplifying her execution potential. This means that the detonation itself benefits from the critical strike damage, making it more likely to finish off nearby low-health enemies and maximizing her burst capability in team fights.
The synergy between Stormsurge and Shadowflame enhances LeBlanc’s ability to finish off enemies with low health efficiently, making her an even more effective assassin. The additional Magic Penetration from both items ensures that her damage cuts through enemy resistances, allowing her to burst down squishy targets more effectively. The combination of increased movement speed and burst damage from these items enables LeBlanc to execute quick and devastating combos, catching enemies off guard and contributing significantly to team fights.
When considering your item build, Stormsurge is an excellent choice after Shadowflame if you need additional burst damage and movement speed to capitalize on LeBlanc’s playstyle. Alternatively, if you build Lich Bane as your first item, you can follow it with Shadowflame and then Stormsurge to maximize her damage output and execution potential. This build path ensures that LeBlanc remains a constant threat throughout the mid-game, allowing her to roam effectively and secure kills, ultimately leading to her team's success.
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Zhonya's Hourglass Zhonya's Hourglass is an essential item to consider as a second item for LeBlanc in specific situations, particularly when facing teams with heavy AD (attack damage) compositions or dangerous enemy assassins like Zed, Talon, or Kha'Zix. With 120 Ability Power and 50 Armor, Zhonya's Hourglass not only enhances LeBlanc's damage output but also provides valuable survivability against physical damage threats.
The core strength of Zhonya's Hourglass lies in its unique active ability, which allows LeBlanc to enter stasis for 2.5 seconds. During this time, she becomes untargetable and invulnerable, rendering her immune to all damage and crowd control effects. This stasis can be crucial in dodging lethal abilities, such as Zed's Death Mark or Kha'Zix's Void Assault burst, effectively nullifying their kill potential. By timing the activation of Zhonya's Hourglass correctly, LeBlanc can outplay enemy assassins and avoid being burst down in critical moments.
Building Zhonya's Hourglass as a second item is particularly advantageous when the enemy team comprises mostly AD champions or when they have fed AD threats. The 50 Armor helps mitigate incoming physical damage, making it harder for AD champions to eliminate LeBlanc quickly. This is especially useful in games where the enemy team relies heavily on AD-based champions to carry fights, as it allows LeBlanc to stay alive longer and contribute more to skirmishes and teamfights.
Moreover, Zhonya's Hourglass can be a game-changer in teamfights. By going into stasis, LeBlanc can disrupt the enemy team's focus, absorbing key abilities and buying time for her team to reposition or retaliate. This can be particularly effective if LeBlanc has already engaged and dealt significant damage, as it forces the enemy to either waste cooldowns on her stasis or redirect their attention elsewhere. Using Zhonya's Hourglass strategically in a teamfight can help turn the tide in your favor, providing your team with an opportunity to capitalize on the disruption and secure advantages.
In conclusion, while Zhonya's Hourglass is not always the go-to second item for LeBlanc, it is an excellent choice in games where you face heavy AD threats or dangerous enemy assassins. Its active ability provides a critical tool for outplaying opponents and surviving dangerous situations, while the additional Armor helps LeBlanc withstand physical damage. When built in the right circumstances, Zhonya's Hourglass can significantly enhance LeBlanc's survivability and impact in fights, allowing her to continue being a dominant presence on the battlefield.
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Cryptbloom Cryptbloom is an invaluable item for LeBlanc that offers a blend of damage, utility, and cooldown reduction, making it a versatile choice in her item build. With a total price of 2850 gold, it provides 70 Ability Power, 30 Magic Penetration, and 15 Ability Haste. These stats enhance LeBlanc's burst damage and ability to apply pressure on the enemy team, while the unique passive offers significant utility in teamfights.
The 70 Ability Power increases LeBlanc's damage output, while the 30 Magic Penetration ensures that her abilities can cut through enemy magic resistance more effectively, amplifying her damage against both squishy targets and those with some magic resist. This combination makes Cryptbloom a potent item for maximizing LeBlanc's damage during mid-game skirmishes and teamfights, representing a key power spike in her build.
The 15 Ability Haste is particularly valuable for reducing the cooldowns of LeBlanc's abilities, allowing her to engage and disengage more frequently and maintain a higher level of pressure throughout fights. This contributes to her ability to execute her high-impact combos more often, making her an even greater threat to the enemy team.
The unique passive of Cryptbloom creates a healing nova at the location of an enemy champion you recently damaged and subsequently took down. This nova heals allies for 50 (+50% of Ability Power) and has a 60-second cooldown. This passive adds significant team utility, providing an AoE healing effect that can be crucial in prolonged engagements. The healing can turn the tide in fights by sustaining your team and enabling them to stay in the fray longer, particularly when combined with LeBlanc's burst damage to secure quick takedowns.
Overall, Cryptbloom is a powerful item for LeBlanc because it combines damage enhancement with a valuable utility component. The item acts as a strong power spike by boosting her ability to deal magic damage and providing a healing benefit that supports her team. This makes it a highly effective choice when looking to maximize both individual impact and team contribution during the mid-game and early late-game phases.
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Void Staff Void Staff is a powerful item for LeBlanc that provides 95 Ability Power and 40 Magic Penetration. It is particularly useful for cutting through high amounts of magic resistance, making it an essential choice when facing enemies who build significant magic resist, such as tanks like Leona, Rell, or Sejuani.
However, due to its higher cost of 3000 gold compared to Cryptbloom, and its more specialized use, Void Staff is often built later in the game or as a secondary option. While the increased Magic Penetration is crucial for maximizing damage against heavily armored opponents, Void Staff lacks the utility that Cryptbloom offers. Cryptbloom provides not only 70 Ability Power and 30 Magic Penetration but also grants 15 Ability Haste and has a unique passive that heals allies on takedowns. This healing nova can significantly impact team fights by providing additional sustain to your team, which can be particularly valuable in extended engagements.
In summary, while Void Staff is indispensable for dealing with high magic resist, its higher cost and lack of utility make it a less frequent choice compared to Cryptbloom, which offers more versatility and support in addition to its damage components. Therefore, Void Staff is typically prioritized when dealing with opponents who heavily invest in magic resistance, but Cryptbloom is often built earlier for its utility and overall effectiveness in a broader range of situations.
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Rabadon's Deathcap Rabadon's Deathcap is a powerhouse item for LeBlanc when you want to maximize her damage output and enhance her burst potential. With 140 Ability Power, it significantly boosts her ability to deal magic damage.
The unique passive increases your Ability Power by 35%, which means all your Ability Power items contribute more to your total damage. This amplification effect makes Rabadon's Deathcap particularly effective as a late-game item or a third major item, providing a substantial boost to your damage and allowing you to execute enemies with even greater efficiency.
Building Rabadon's Deathcap is ideal when you are ahead and looking to maximize your damage output in team fights or when finishing off high-value targets. It synergizes well with other Ability Power items, turning your already high burst damage into a devastating force. It’s especially effective when the enemy team has not heavily invested in magic resistance. In situations where the enemy is building magic resist, consider getting items like Cryptbloom first to ensure you can penetrate their defenses.
Alternatively, if you have already built Cryptbloom and the game is progressing, switching to Rabadon's Deathcap can offer a significant increase in your overall damage output. This item will further amplify your burst potential, making you a more formidable threat in team fights and skirmishes.
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Banshee's Veil Banshee's Veil is a valuable situational item for LeBlanc when you need to counter heavy AP (ability power) compositions or deal with high amounts of crowd control. It provides 120 Ability Power and 50 Magic Resistance, boosting both your damage output and survivability against magic damage.
The unique passive of Banshee's Veil grants a spell shield that blocks the next incoming enemy ability, with a cooldown of 30 seconds. This shield can be crucial for protecting LeBlanc from key crowd control effects or critical abilities that could otherwise prevent her from executing her combos or engaging effectively. The cooldown of the shield is reset if you take damage from champions, making it essential to time your engagements and positioning to make the most of the shield.
Building Banshee's Veil is particularly useful in matches where the enemy team has strong AP champions or significant crowd control. It allows LeBlanc to engage more safely, mitigate incoming damage, and avoid being locked down by crucial enemy abilities. This can be especially important when facing champions who can easily burst her down or disrupt her positioning, such as Ahri, Lissandra, or Anivia.
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Mejai's Soulstealer Mejai's Soulstealer is a situational item for LeBlanc that can be highly effective when you're experiencing a strong snowball and are looking to capitalize on your momentum. Priced at 1600 gold, it provides 20 Ability Power and 100 Health, enhancing your survivability and damage output.
The unique passive of Mejai's Soulstealer allows you to gain 4 stacks for each champion kill and 2 stacks for assists, up to a maximum of 25 stacks. If you reach 10 stacks, you gain an additional 5 Ability Power per stack and 10% bonus movement speed. This makes the item particularly valuable for snowballing scenarios where you are consistently securing kills and assists. The increased damage and movement speed from stacking Mejai’s can significantly boost your effectiveness in skirmishes and teamfights.
However, if you die, you lose 10 stacks, which can set back your progress and reduce the item's benefits. Therefore, Mejai's Soulstealer is best used when you’re ahead and can leverage its snowball potential, maximizing your burst damage and mobility. It’s less reliable in games where the risk of dying is high or if you are not able to build up stacks quickly. In those cases, focusing on more consistent power items like Shadowflame or Cryptbloom might be more prudent.
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