TL;DR
- Akshan prioritizes raw AD over attack speed, making Kraken Slayer his optimal mythic choice
- Press the Attack synergizes perfectly with his passive for maximum burst damage
- Mana management is critical – Presence of Mind and Essence Reaver are essential
- Build flexibility allows adaptation to enemy team composition and game state
- Proper E usage and positioning determine success more than itemization alone

Akshan represents a revolutionary addition to League’s mid-lane roster, blending marksman mechanics with assassin-like mobility. His distinctive kit demands a specialized approach to itemization that diverges significantly from conventional ADC builds.
Since his debut, the Rogue Sentinel has demonstrated underwhelming performance metrics compared to recently released champions. This performance gap stems from his complex mechanics involving resurrection capabilities and grappling hook mobility, requiring substantial player adaptation time. Riot Games continues to fine-tune his balance parameters, making optimal build selection crucial for overcoming his current statistical limitations.
This comprehensive guide examines the most effective itemization paths and rune configurations to maximize Akshan’s potential during this developmental phase.
How to build Akshan in LoL
As an ability-focused marksman, Akshan thrives on substantial attack damage investments rather than traditional attack speed stacking. His spell rotations deliver significantly higher damage output when amplified by raw AD statistics versus rapid basic attacks.
Standard opening strategy involves Doran’s Blade paired with a Health Potion, providing essential lane sustainability during early level skirmishes.
Initial recall typically focuses on Mythic component acquisition. Kraken Slayer emerges as the premier selection for pure damage optimization, though Galeforce offers valuable repositioning tools against highly mobile opponents. Kraken’s Mythic passive delivers necessary attack speed supplementation while maintaining damage focus.
Boot completion follows Mythic acquisition, with Berserker’s Greaves serving as the exclusive attack speed item in standard configurations.
Core items:
- Berserker’s Greaves
- Kraken Slayer / Galeforce
Third item selection presents strategic branching points. Infinity Edge dominates solo queue scenarios, delivering critical strike amplification and massive ability burst potential. Bloodthirster offers sustain-focused alternatives for survivability, while Essence Reaver addresses critical mana constraints.
Fourth item construction depends heavily on previous selections. Combining Bloodthirster with Infinity Edge creates devastating damage combinations. Lord Dominik’s Regards becomes essential against tank-heavy compositions, while The Collector accelerates snowball potential with earlier power spikes.
Mid to late-game items:
- Infinity Edge
- Essence Reaver
- Bloodthirster
- The Collector
Final build optimization includes situational Guardian Angel integration against targeted engage compositions, potentially deciding late-game teamfight outcomes.
Final items:
- Guardian Angel
- Lord Dominik’s Regards

Runes for Akshan
Rune optimization provides substantial combat advantages that synergize with Akshan’s distinctive mechanics. Precision tree dominance reflects his burst-oriented playstyle and ability-focused damage patterns.
Press the Attack stands as the definitive keystone selection, perfectly complementing his Dirty Fighting passive mechanics. The double-attack proc ensures rapid PTA activation, maximizing bonus damage application.
Mana sustainability challenges make Presence of Mind the superior choice over Triumph or Overheal alternatives.
Third rune selection permits personal preference expression. Legend: Alacrity enhances attack speed for smoother combos, while Legend: Bloodline provides valuable lifesteal for extended engagements. Legend: Tenacity offers minimal value given Akshan’s vulnerability to hard crowd control effects.
Coup de Grace completes the primary configuration, enabling efficient execution of low-health targets and triggering Heroic Swing cooldown resets more consistently.
Secondary tree selection typically favors Inspiration for economic advantages and lane sustainability. Magical Footwear delivers free boot acceleration, while Biscuit Delivery ensures laning phase endurance. Perfect Timing provides Stopwatch utility for advanced E combinations.
Mastering Akshan requires understanding common pitfalls that undermine his effectiveness. Overextending with Heroic Swing remains the most frequent error, often resulting in preventable deaths. Proper E usage requires constant enemy cooldown tracking and escape route planning before engagement.
Laning phase success hinges on proper ability sequencing. Leading with Q for poke before committing with E ensures maximum damage output while maintaining safety. Many players underestimate the importance of positioning for his ultimate execution.
Teamfight positioning demands careful flank management. Akshan excels at cleaning up fights rather than initiating them. Timing your entrance after key enemy cooldowns are expended dramatically increases survival probability and damage contribution.
Advanced mechanics include using Avengerang to scout brush before committing hooks, and canceling E early to avoid predictable trajectories.
For players seeking broader strategic knowledge, our Complete Guide offers comprehensive gameplay foundations. Weapon selection significantly impacts performance, making our Weapons Unlock guide essential reading. Understanding champion roles through our Class Guide completes the strategic picture.
Akshan’s build and rune preferences will continue evolving as professional players incorporate him into competitive play across global regions.
Action Checklist
- Start Doran’s Blade + Health Potion, focus on last-hitting and Q poke
- First recall: Build toward Kraken Slayer (default) or Galeforce (vs mobile teams)
- Complete Berserker’s Greaves after Mythic item
- Third item: Prioritize Infinity Edge for damage, Essence Reaver for mana, or Bloodthirster for sustain
- Adapt fourth item based on enemy composition
- Practice E cancelation and wall grappling in practice tool
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