The divide between professional play and solo queue is one that Riot Games has attempted to reduce over the years. They have made it so that you may be able to watch a professional match and be able to replicate as closely their actions within your own games and achieve similar successes. However, in the case of some champions, this may truly be possible. One champion that faces the separation between its power in the hands of pros and everyone else is Azir. Let us take a rundown of his kit and see what makes Shurima's Emperor a threat at the highest level.
Azir's Abilities
Passive: Shurima's Legacy
Whenever a turret outside the enemy team's base is destroyed, a marker is placed above its ruins which can be targeted by Azir.
DISC OF THE SUN: Azir can select a marker to construct the Sun Disc above the ruins after a 0.5-second cast time. The Sun Disc will activate after being assembled over 5 seconds.
The Sun Disc functions the same as a standard inner turret, gains bonus attack damage, and grants its kill credit to Azir. The Sun Disc's health decays over 60 seconds and loses 100 armor while Azir is not alive or is too far away.
Q: Conquering sands
Azir orders all Sand Soldiers to dash toward the target location, dealing magic damage to all enemies they pass through and Slow icon.png slowing them by 25% for 1 second.
Enemies hit by subsequent soldiers are instead slowed by an additional 25% per soldier.
Conquering Sands will cast at max range if cast beyond that.
W: Arise!
PASSIVE: Azir periodically stocks a Sand Soldier, up to a maximum of 2. Azir also gains bonus attack speed, doubled for 5 seconds if he summons a third concurrent soldier.
ACTIVE: Azir summons an untargetable Sand Soldier at the target location that lasts 10 seconds, expiring twice as fast while within range of an enemy turret, and expiring instantly if Azir is not in control range.
When Azir selects an enemy in a soldier's attack range, the Sand Soldier attacks in his stead, dealing magic damage in a line. Targets beyond the closest take extra damage based on Azir's Level. Subsequent Sand Soldiers beyond the first deal 25% damage.
Sand Soldiers cannot attack structures, wards, and traps.
E: Shifting sands
Azir shields himself for 1.5 seconds and dashes to the target Sand Soldiers, dealing magic damage to enemies within his path.
If Azir collides with an enemy champion, he stops and gains a charge of Arise!
R: Emperor's Divide
Azir calls forth a phalanx of soldiers from behind him charging a distance in front of him.
Enemies impacted by the charge are dealt magic damage and knocked away over 1 second to a line in front of Azir.
When the soldiers finish their charge, they stand as a wall for 5 seconds, acting as impassible terrain against enemies. Azir and his allies can move through the wall.
The most common skill path is to take W at level one, level two take Q, level three take E and level six take R. You ideally should max Q followed by W then finally E putting a point in R whenever possible
Azir's Build
Azir's mythic item of choice is usually between Luden's Echo and Liandry's Torment. They both provide Ability power, Mana, and ability haste ideal stats for a mage. Unlike other mages, though Azir does synergise well with attack speed so this is usually followed up by a nashor's tooth to maximise his DPS potential. From here he is more flexible from this point. He may pick up a Zhonya's Hourglass or Banshee's Veil for some extra protection against attack damage or ability power respectively. He may pick up a Void staff against enemies with magic resistance or a Death cap for a raw ability power increase.
His boots are usually either plated sorcerer's shoes or berserker greaves depending on whether he wants magic penetration or some extra attack speed.
Azir's Runes
Azir players tend to run one of these two rune pages. The first is for a more aggressive all-in early game style while comet is for poking from a distance.
The stat runes are attack speed, adaptive force, and then either resistance rune.
Final Thoughts
Azir is definitely not for everyone. His skill floor and ceiling are some of the highest within the game. However, those who can claim to be masters are some of the most gifted players the game has ever seen. If you seek a challenge and want to prove that you are head and shoulders above your peers why not give Azir a shot.
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