The most recent major update to League’s gameplay was the overhaul of how items and itemization in general worked. This brought significant changes to existing items and introduced more than a few new ones, all unique in their own regard. Of course, as is the case with everything in the game, some are better than others – whether it be better scaling, usefulness, or other aspects.
In this list, I will provide what I believe are the 5 Best AP Items by looking into their details and how well they perform in various circumstances.
So, let’s start.
Also read: Safest Jungle Picks
5. Zohnya’s Hourglass
Stats: 65 AP, 45 Armor, 10 Ability Haste
Active: Stasis – You become invulnerable and untargetable for 2.5 seconds, but also frozen, and you cannot take any actions.
Perhaps the best anti-AD item for mages, Zohnya’s is the item that you will see in almost every single League game you play, no matter your division and skill. It can be utilized to save your life, especially when matched against one-shotting Assassins like Zed.
It has the detriment of freezing you in place and shares the problem of being camped on with items like Guardian Angel.
But, in any case, Zohnya’s is perfect not just because it is a good item but due to its useful build path. An early purchase of Seeker’s armguard will provide you with sufficient armor (15 + 15 when you kill 30 minions) and a bit of AP, allowing you to lane with ease against high AD Champions.
You can also nab the item by opting for a stopwatch rune, which will decrease the price by 650 gold and give you a valuable item to have on your person until you complete the full item.
At just 2600 gold (or 1950 if you take a stopwatch), Zohnya’s is a fantastic item overall that shouldn’t be overlooked.
4. Liandry’s Anguish
Stats: 80 AP, 600 Mana 20 Ability Haste
Passives: Agony – Deal up to 12% bonus Magic Damage to Champions based on their max HP.
Torment – Dealing damage with abilities causes enemies to burn for 15 + 1.5% AP + 1% Max HP per second for 4 seconds.
Mythic passive: Grants 5 Ability haste to all Legendary items.
Liandry’s is an item you will often see bought first against high HP champions. Its passives are a great weapon against tankier foes, and when purchased for the right Champion, Liandry’s can help you burst even the mightiest targets.
I like to run Liandry’s on Kassadin; the 12% bonus Magic Damage makes a huge difference when you use a stacked Ult on enemies in combo with your already strong W and E. It is an all-rounded item without much situational exclusiveness.
If the enemy team consists of primarily squishy targets, you can opt for something different, but I wouldn’t let this incredible AP item pass that quickly.
Lost Chapter is part of Liandry’s build path, which can give you a boost to sustain, restoring 20% of max mana upon leveling up, helping you to stay in lane longer.
At 3200 gold Liandry’s is a superb Mythic item that serves all purposes of AP Champions on the Rift.
3. Rabadon’s Deathcap
Stats: 120 AP
Passive: Magical Opus – Increases total AP by 35%
Okay, you just knew that Rabadon’s is going to be on this list. An old item, archaic even, Rabadon’s is the finishing touch to every AP mage’s build. It can almost double your damage in the late game, making it a perfect choice to buy after stacking modifiers with other items. Sometimes, it may pay off to purchase an item with better passives, but the cases are so few and far between that, I won’t argue for them.
Rabadon’s is genuinely the item of the late game; with a bland (and expensive) build path of two Large Rods, there is no viability for picking it up early on. Of course, an exception is none other than Veigar, who stacks large amounts of AP with his passive. A 35% boost to his high damage kit makes him incredibly lethal in the mid-game.
Rabadon’s is an expensive item, coming in at 3600 gold. It would be best to stay clear from it until you buy at least three items (excluding boots) as it offers nothing other than flat AP, which can be countered by optimizing magic resist defenses. Look at it like sugar on top for finalizing your build.
Also read: Best AP Top Laners
2. Luden’s Tempest
Stats: 80 AP, 6 Magic Penetration, 600 Mana, 20 Ability Haste
Passive: Echo – Damaging an enemy with abilities deals extra 100 + 10% AP damage to the target and three nearby enemies and grants 15% movement speed for 3 seconds. Doing damage reduces its 10s cooldown by 0.5s (up to 3s per spell cast).
Mythic passive: Grants Legendary items 5 Magic Penetration.
Luden’s Tempest, like most items on this list, has been around for a while and its current form is perhaps the coolest yet.
Sporting 6 magic penetration and granting 5 to all Legendary items, it helps shred through Magic Resist like it was paper. The enemy team is immediately forced to build defense, which can hinder their attacking capabilities.
The extra damage on spells is always a welcome thing, and Luden’s lacks none of it. It can give you that last bit of damage needed to complete your one-shot burst and usually acts as a power spike for many bursting AP Champions.
The movement speed boost allows you to close gaps more efficiently, ensuring no one escapes your wrath.
At 3200 gold, it comes off on the expensive side, but when all the benefits it gives are put into perspective, it is worth every coin you have.
Also read: Best Old League of Legends Items
1. Archangel’s Staff / Seraph’s Embrace
Stats: 65 AP, 500 Mana
Passives: Awe – Gain bonus AP equal to 3% of Max Mana (5% with Seraph’s Embrace)
Mana Charge – Gain 3 mana when using an ability on enemies, 6 for Champions. At 360 Mana, the item transforms into Seraph’s Embrace.
Seraph’s Embrace Passive: Empyrean – Increase max mana by 5% + 2.5% per 100 AP.
The best of the best, the mana machine is just unmatched in its strength.
Probably my favorite item in the game, this Manamune counterpart for AP Champions is a perfect choice for high mana cost mages. If quickly stacked up, it provides you with such a large mana pool that you will most likely find yourself at max mana without ever visiting the jungle.
The build path is sweet, as Tear can help you sustain your mana pool for just a tad longer before upgrading to the real deal.
This item shines in its proper Angelic form when upgraded to Seraph’s Embrace. The AP it passively grants based on max mana is massive, equaling that of Rabadon’s. However, the two paired together will easily shoot you over the 1000 AP mark, combined, of course, with other high AP items.
Archangel’s is by far the most versatile and valuable AP item in the game and is viable on every Champion you can think of, especially those who run out of mana quickly and need a refill, such as Kassadin, Veigar, etc.
At just 3000 gold, it is a very cheap item, considering its long-term benefits, and with a good build path, it just remains on top for now.
That was our list of 5 Best AP Items in League of Legends. Let us know what your favorite items in the game are, and – if you are an avid AP player – please, don’t forget the boots.
