Rammus, a mysterious creature protected by spiked armor whose identity is still a great enigma. He manages to pass through the Shuriman desert, being a threat for other champions. Here we will present Rammus, his abilities, and most importantly, how an ADC will defend itself against Rammus.
What Can Rammus Do?
Rammus usually plays as a Jungler who relies on mana. His build may consist of: Hunter’s Talisman, Refillable Potion, Stalker’s Blade, Dead Man’s Plate, Frozen Heart, Banshee’s Veil, Abyssal Mask, etc. Of course, there are various builds for Rammus that you will be able to explore and choose what suits you best if you decide to play with Rammus. His passive is called Spiked Shell, and his ability is that basic attacks can deal bonus magic damage when scaled with his Armor.
- Powerball (Q) – When he uses his ability of Powerball, he curls up in a prickly ball and starts attacking the enemy champions, thus slowing them down and dealing damage.
- Defensive Ball Curl (W) – His W is a pretty much defensive spell, Rammus curls up in a ball again while his Magic Resistance and Armor increase at the same time. He is slower in this position but returns damage to enemy champions who try to attack him while he is under this spell.
- Frenzying Taunt (E) – Frenzying Taunt increases his Attack Speed for a short time, which can extend if he activates some of his other spells.
- Soaring Slam (R) – Rammus has an ult called Soaring Slam. He basically jumps in the air and crashes into the enemy champion. This slows down enemy champions and deals magic damage. Pretty much great ult, that’s for sure.
Also read: How to Gank Hemerdinger?
How To Play Against Rammus?
If you want to play successfully against Rammus, you have to choose the right champion. According to winrate, the best choices are Kindred, Jarvan IV, Nunu & Willump, Talon, Warwick, etc. Of course, in addition to these champions, there are various champions who are successful in the fight against Rammus. As an ADC, you should watch for Rammus when his Defensive Ball Curl is off because he has lower stats than other standard tanks.
He can be pretty vulnerable to caster damage while he is not in Defensive Ball Curl; also, he can often stack high armor, which is the main incentive for enemy champions to attack him in that state easily. Another weakness Rammus possesses is that his Powerball cannot get through the minion wave. That is, if Rammus activates his Powerball, you have a better chance of escape. If you mix with the minions, it will stop him, and thus his attempt to reach you will not be successful.
Champions as Tryndamere or Vayne can do more harm than good when attacking Rammus while his Defensive Ball Curl ability is active. Rammus returns damage to his attackers when this ability is active, so be careful when attacking him. Against Rammus, it is good to build armor penetration, items like Lord Dominic’s Regards and Black Cleaver.
These items will reduce his armor effectiveness, allowing you to deal more damage to him. For example, Darius is a good choice against Rammus because he can deal true or magic damage.
Rammus can focus on ganks at the beginning of the game, so it is necessary to place wards all over the jungle to be able to warn the team champions of his arrival in time. After all, a strong ADC like Darius can immediately scare Rammus to the first gank so he doesn’t come back so often and suddenly attack the champions. So basically, focus on wards; if your whole team sets up wards all around jungle, river, and monsters, you can avoid his ganks.
ADC champions can invest in items such as Quicksilver Sash that allow them to avoid his Frenzying Taunt. This item can be helpful when it comes to team fights because Rammus can’t target you.
Also, as ADC, don’t split push too much; try to stay around your teammates because Rammus can be a tricky champion who will take advantage of your solo breakthrough and try to attack you. And probably successfully.
Don’t forget that Rammus is a tank champion. The longer the game gets, the tankier he will be. When he reaches level 6, he will become even stronger, and he will deal more damage when he ganks. That’s why you, as an ADC and your support teammate, need to be synchronized and play tactically to keep him from ganking your lane and attacking you.
Another very successful ADC against Rammus is Tristana, her Rocket Jump (W) allows her to escape when Rammus gank her lane, and her ult, Buster Shot, can knock down Rammus if he goes hunting for her. Vayne is also a great pick because, with her Condemn, she can knock Rammus down while dealing damage at the same time.
In this way, she can avoid the taunt and at the same time stun Rammus and eventually kill him or let her teammates kill him. Another tip, as ADC, your task is to build a Mercurial Scimitar or Quicksilver Sash because they are very, very important against him.
Also read: Best Support Champions That Counter Corki
Final Thoughts
As you can see, Rammus can be a mysterious but dangerous opponent. He often surprises rival champions with his enigmatic appearance. His primary role is Jungle; he wanders through the jungle and the river and waits for the right moment to gank his opponents. His most significant advantage is ganking; with his Powerball, he can cause severe damage to his targets and slow them down at the same time. Of course, you also want to avoid his taunt because while using his E spell, his Attack Speed increases, and he can reach the enemy champion more easily.
As an ADC, you have to rely on your support and, in no case, split push the lane. Remember, Rammus is excellent at ganking his opponents; if you separate from the rest of the team, you become an ideal target for him and his tricks. Also, don’t forget the wards. Wards against Rammus are of great importance because if your whole team sets up wards inside the jungle, next to jungle monsters, and down the river, you and your team allies have a better chance of preparing for his gank. After all, wards will allow you to follow his movements. We return to the importance of your support teammate.
Rammus is a tanky champion; as the game progresses, he deals more damage. If your support is also a tanky champion, you, as a tuned duo, have a better chance of defeating this prickly creature. We mentioned two ADC champions who have a great chance of beating Rammus – Tristana, and Vayne. Tristana is a mobile champion, and she can easily avoid his taunt, jump on him and finish him off without approaching him and risking being hit by some of his spells.
Also, Vayne can knock him down, deal damage and stun him before he can taunt her. Try to harass him in the early game because he is not yet so strong without his first armor and magic resistance item. Remember these tips, and the next time you find yourself against Rammus, apply them and increase your chances of winning. Good luck!
