AD Champs
What are AD Champions?
AD (Attack Damage) Champions in League of Legends are champions who primarily deal physical damage through their basic attacks and abilities. These champions typically scale with Attack Damage (AD), which increases their ability to deal damage using basic attacks and abilities that rely on AD scaling. AD champions are essential to the game's balance, often serving as damage dealers in various roles, particularly in bot lane (marksmen) and top lane (fighters or bruisers).
Here’s an in-depth explanation of AD champions in League of Legends, including their characteristics, roles, and how they are played:
1. Characteristics of AD Champions
Primary Damage Source: AD champions rely on Attack Damage to deal most of their damage, meaning their power comes from building items that increase their AD. Items like Infinity Edge, The Bloodthirster, and Black Cleaver are commonly built on AD champions to maximize their damage output.
Basic Attacks: For most AD champions, basic attacks (auto-attacks) are a primary source of damage. Many AD champions, especially marksmen, deal considerable damage with their attacks and often build items that enhance their attack speed or critical strike chance.
Abilities Scaling with AD: Some AD champions have abilities that deal damage based on their AD stat. This means that their abilities become stronger as they build more AD items. For instance, a champion like Riven has abilities that scale with her AD, making her more powerful as her damage output increases.
Physical Damage: AD champions deal physical damage, which is reduced by an enemy’s armor stat. This is a critical distinction because it influences itemization and playstyle. To counter armor, AD champions may build armor penetration or lethality (a form of armor penetration for squishy targets).
2. Roles of AD Champions
AD champions can be played in a variety of roles on the map, depending on their kit, playstyle, and strengths. Here are the primary roles where AD champions are commonly found:
a. Marksman (ADC)
Position: Typically played in the bot lane (bottom lane).
Playstyle: Marksmen are ranged AD champions who focus on dealing sustained damage through their basic attacks. They often scale into late-game carries that can deal massive amounts of damage, especially when they build items that increase their attack speed and critical strike chance.
Example Champions:
Jhin, Kai'Sa, Caitlyn.
b. Fighter (Bruiser)
Position: Often played in the top lane or as a jungler.
Playstyle: Fighters or bruisers are AD champions who excel at sustained damage and tankiness. They typically build items that grant both damage and survivability. Fighters are usually in the front lines, engaging in team fights and soaking up damage while dealing consistent AD-based damage.
Example Champions:Renekton, Gnar, Sett.
c. Assassin
Position: Played primarily in the mid lane or jungle.
Playstyle: AD assassins focus on high burst damage and quick elimination of squishy targets (such as mages and marksmen). They rely on mobility and the ability to quickly engage or disengage from fights. While they typically have low durability, their damage can quickly overwhelm enemies.
Example Champions:
Zed, Kha'Zix.
d. Tank/Off-Tank
Position: Usually played in the top lane or jungle.
Playstyle: Tank AD champions are usually not focused purely on damage but rather on survivability and crowd control while dealing sustained AD damage. They help engage or peel for teammates while still contributing to damage output.
Example Champions:
Trundle, Sejuani.
3. AD Scaling and Itemization
AD champions heavily rely on items that increase their Attack Damage, Attack Speed, or Critical Strike Chance. These items help AD champions maximize their damage output throughout the game.
Core Items for AD Champions:
Infinity Edge: Provides a massive boost to AD and critical strike damage, which is essential for late-game damage.
The Bloodthirster: Grants lifesteal and extra AD, allowing for self-sustain and high damage output in team fights.
Essence Reaver: Provides AD, critical strike chance, and mana regeneration, commonly built on marksmen.
Black Cleaver: An item that grants AD, health, and armor penetration, useful for bruisers and fighters who want to shred through tanks.
Attack Speed and Critical Strike:
Runaan's Hurricane: An item for AD champions who rely on auto-attacks, allowing them to hit multiple targets at once.
Rapid Firecannon: Increases attack range and critical strike damage, often used by marksmen for poke and consistent damage in fights.
Stormrazor: A critical strike item that grants additional movement speed and burst damage.
Armor Penetration/Lethality:
Lord Dominik's Regards: Provides a significant amount of armor penetration to deal more damage against armored enemies.
Duskblade of Draktharr: A lethality item that grants bonus AD and extra burst damage, useful for AD assassins who need to burst down squishy targets.
Defensive Items:
Guardian Angel: A defensive AD item that grants bonus AD and a passive that revives the champion after death, often used by ADCs to ensure survival in late-game team fights.
Death's Dance: Grants lifesteal and AD, as well as reducing incoming damage, allowing AD champions to survive in combat.
AD champions are an essential part of League of Legends, providing consistent physical damage through basic attacks and abilities. Whether you're playing as a marksman dealing sustained damage from a distance, a fighter engaging in the front line, or an assassin focusing on burst damage, AD champions play diverse and important roles across the game. Understanding how to build items and utilize your champion’s abilities based on the game state and your role is key to mastering AD champions.
