League of Legends continues to expand its champion roster, introducing new characters with unique playstyles and narratives. One such champion is Akshan, the Rogue Sentinel, who brings a fresh dynamic to the game with his agility, stealth, and high-damage potential. Akshan is a marksman assassin hybrid, adept at weaving through battles and turning the tide with his swift movements and resurrection mechanic. This article delves into Akshan’s abilities, playstyle, strengths, and how to master him on the Rift.
Introduction to Akshan
Akshan is a versatile champion with the ability to deal significant damage from a distance while maintaining a high level of mobility and survivability. His playstyle encourages aggressive maneuvers, utilizing stealth and quick bursts of damage to take down key targets before retreating to safety. Akshan’s unique kit allows him to play effectively in the mid lane, bot lane, or even as a top laner in certain matchups, making him a flexible pick that can adapt to the needs of his team.
Passive: Dirty Fighting
Akshan’s passive, Dirty Fighting, provides him with a double-hit mechanic and a shield for extra durability. Every third auto-attack or damaging ability against the same target triggers a burst of bonus physical damage. If the target is a champion, Akshan also gains a shield for a short duration. Additionally, his basic attacks and abilities apply stacks of “Dirty Fighting,” and after three stacks, Akshan’s next attack fires two shots in rapid succession.
Gameplay Tips:
- Maximize Damage: Take advantage of Akshan’s passive by continuously attacking the same target to trigger the bonus damage and shield. This is particularly effective in extended trades or when bursting down a single target.
- Kiting and Trading: Akshan excels at kiting thanks to his passive. Use his double-shot mechanic to poke enemies while maintaining distance, and quickly back away after activating the bonus damage.
Q: Avengerang
Avengerang is Akshan’s Q ability, throwing a boomerang in a straight line that deals physical damage to all enemies hit and extends its range each time it hits an enemy. Upon reaching maximum range or when it collides with terrain, it returns to Akshan, dealing damage again to any enemies hit on its way back.
Gameplay Tips:
- Harass in Lane: Use Avengerang to poke and harass enemies in the lane. Position yourself so that it travels through multiple minions or champions, maximizing its damage potential.
- Catch Opponents Off-Guard: The extended range after hitting enemies can surprise opponents who think they are safe. Use it to secure kills or apply pressure from unexpected distances.
W: Going Rogue
Akshan’s W, Going Rogue, is a unique ability that gives him invisibility and a bonus move speed when moving towards enemy champions. Passively, when enemy champions kill Akshan’s allies, they become “Scoundrels.” If Akshan takes down a Scoundrel, all allies killed by that champion are resurrected at their base after a short delay, and Akshan gains bonus gold.
Gameplay Tips:
- Strategic Revives: Use Going Rogue to bring your teammates back to life. Focus on taking down Scoundrels in team fights to turn the tide of battle. This can be particularly game-changing during crucial moments like Baron or Dragon fights.
- Invisibility for Positioning: Akshan’s camouflage allows him to sneak into positions to ambush enemies or escape dangerous situations. Use terrain to your advantage and surprise enemies with unexpected angles of attack.
E: Heroic Swing
Heroic Swing is Akshan’s mobility ability, allowing him to attach a grappling hook to terrain and swing around it while firing at the nearest enemy. He can activate this ability again to jump off the rope in the direction of his cursor, dealing bonus damage to the first enemy hit.
Gameplay Tips:
- High Mobility: Heroic Swing gives Akshan incredible mobility and allows him to reposition quickly in fights or escape dangerous situations. Use it to dodge skill shots, chase down fleeing enemies, or make flashy plays.
- Combining Abilities: Akshan can cast other abilities and auto-attacks while swinging, making it a great tool for both offense and defense. Use it to surprise enemies with a sudden burst of damage while maintaining a safe distance.
R: Comeuppance
Akshan’s ultimate ability, Comeuppance, locks onto a target champion and channels for a few seconds, storing bullets. Once the channel is complete or reactivated, Akshan unleashes all stored bullets at the target, dealing physical damage to the first enemy hit. The number of bullets fired depends on how long Akshan channels, and each bullet that hits deals significant damage based on the target’s missing health.
Gameplay Tips:
- Finish Off Enemies: Comeuppance is best used to finish off low-health enemies. The ability deals more damage based on missing health, making it a powerful execute. Wait for the right moment to secure kills, especially on fleeing or low-health targets.
- Positioning is Crucial: Due to the channeling time, positioning is key when using Comeuppance. Make sure you are in a safe spot before activating it to avoid being interrupted or killed mid-channel.
Synergies and Counterplay
Synergies:
- Engage and Crowd Control Champions: Akshan pairs well with champions who can initiate fights and apply crowd control. This allows him to safely deal damage from the backline or flank and pick off key targets.
- Burst Damage Allies: Champions with high burst damage can quickly follow up on Akshan’s engages or picks. This synergy ensures that targets are swiftly eliminated, reducing the chance of retaliation.
Counterplay:
- Vision Control: Akshan’s invisibility can be countered with good vision control. Place wards and control wards in key areas to detect his movements and prevent ambushes.
- High Mobility and Burst Damage: Akshan struggles against champions who can quickly close the gap and burst him down. Assassins or bruisers who can stick to him can prevent him from utilizing his mobility and kiting potential.
Build and Runes
Core Items:
- Kraken Slayer: Provides attack damage, attack speed, and critical strike chance, enhancing Akshan’s burst damage. The passive effect also helps deal with tankier opponents.
- Galeforce: Offers additional mobility and burst damage, allowing Akshan to reposition quickly in fights or escape danger. The active dash synergizes well with his kit.
- Infinity Edge: Amplifies Akshan’s critical strike damage, making his basic attacks and abilities hit even harder, especially after building two other critical strike items.
Runes:
- Precision Tree: Press the Attack is a solid keystone for Akshan, amplifying his damage output after landing consecutive attacks. Follow up with Triumph for sustain, Legend: Alacrity for attack speed, and Coup de Grace for executing low-health enemies.
- Domination Tree: Taste of Blood and Ravenous Hunter provide additional sustain, enhancing Akshan’s ability to trade and sustain himself in longer fights.
Playing as Akshan: Tips and Tricks
- Master the Swing: Heroic Swing is a defining part of Akshan’s kit. Practice using it to escape dangerous situations, reposition in fights, and make aggressive plays. The better you are at utilizing Heroic Swing, the more versatile you become as a player.
- Reviving Allies: One of Akshan’s unique strengths is his ability to resurrect teammates. Use this to your advantage by hunting down Scoundrels and reviving allies during critical moments. This can turn the tide of battle and swing the game in your favor.
- High-Risk, High-Reward: Akshan’s playstyle encourages taking calculated risks. Be aggressive when the opportunity arises, but also know when to pull back and avoid overcommitting. Finding the balance between aggression and caution is key to mastering Akshan.
- Map Awareness: As a roaming champion, Akshan thrives when he can move around the map and impact other lanes. Keep an eye on the minimap and look for opportunities to gank, assist your teammates, and secure objectives.
Conclusion
Akshan is a dynamic and versatile champion who brings a mix of damage, mobility, and unique mechanics to League of Legends. His ability to swing into fights, execute enemies with precision, and resurrect allies makes him a game-changer in the right hands. To master Akshan, players must focus on their positioning, map awareness, and ability usage. With practice and experience, Akshan can become a formidable force on the Rift, capable of turning the tide of any battle and leading his team to victory. So gear up, embrace the rogue life, and let Akshan’s adventurous spirit guide you to glory!
