Skarner bruiser guide - season 12
How to 1 vs 9 with The Crystal Vanguard
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January 1st, 1 ⸱ 19 min read
Intro
My name is Alejandro, going by the nickname Hazardis in League of Legends. I've been playing since season 7 and at the moment my peak is Diamond II (last season) and I am currently in Diamond III in the Latin America North server. I started as a main support but over time moved to the jungle, which is now my main role.
Skarner has always seemed like one of the funniest champions to play as in the jungle due to his "fast kidnapper" playstile and that's why I decided to OTP him. He is a champion worth picking up because he is always secured to remain relevant in your games even if you are at a disadvantage, while also being opressive if you are ahead. Every team comp likes a frontliner that is good at engaging, setting up picks in side lanes and soaking up damage in teamfights while also disrupting the enemy team.
Given his current subpar spot in the meta, he is difficult to pick up and thus his skill floor is higher than other similar champions such as Udyr and Hecarim, but he certainly has a higher skill ceiling than those two and other off-tank junglers thanks to his versatile playstile, build and rune paths, so you are warranted to not get bored of trying to get better with him over time.
Sadly I don't have many recordings of my own games but I'll drop a couple that I have saved, to help highlight the capabilities that my proposed build has.
This guide is a work in progress, I will be updating it over the next month and especially so if the jungle/bruiser meta keeps changing considerably.
Video Title
Runes
The best keystone I can recommend to you is Conqueror, as it boosts your dueling potential by a very considerable amount as well as provide a little but nifty amount of sustain in extended fights, with sorcery as your secondary tree taking Celerity for inscreased movespeed boosts from your W and spires, and Waterwalking for better skirmishing and objective solo-taking potential. Resolve as secondary can help your survival at the cost of mobility.
Predator is the more preferable choice when you are against compositions that won't go all in (think 5 squishies with predominantly ranged attacks). Phase Rush is my least favorite, but you can pick it up if you prefer the speed boost during fights as it's viable to a decent degree.
- Conqueror
- Predator
- Phase Rush
- Conqueror with durability+
Summoner Spells
The general idea is that you want to go for the red smite when you will be dueling a lot (against mostly melee comps and targets that won't permanently run away from you), and blue smite the rest of the time or when you want to be less independent in skirmishes and play more towards setting up your teammates. Flash is the best in most scenarios but ghost is very viable too if you don't mind not being able to go through walls to chase or escape.
- Standard Flash
- Standard Ghost
Standard for junglers, never skip it and please make sure to double check during champion select every time.
Remedies your mobility problems and helps you keep up with enemies that will burn flash to flee from you.
Standard for junglers, never skip it and please make sure to double check during champion select every time.
The lower cooldown compared to flash is useful to have it available more often and you can think of it as a Phase Rush proc with a longer and resettable duration, so it's great for sticking to targets that won't dash.
Skill Path
As bruiser, you will prioritize Q as it's your main source of DPS at all times of the game, then your W for the increased movespeed and shielding which also synergizes well with the AP item that you will build. As a tank, you swap the priority from Q to E as the stronger slow on a lower cooldown will boost your disruption capabilities a lot, which is what we want when playing tank.
Skarner
Skarner
Item Builds
Even after the 12.3 fighter item changes, Trinity Force and Divine Sunderer remain the best bruiser item for Skarner as everything that they provide is incredibly useful to you: AD, health, a Spellblade active, healing/passive AD increase and movespeed. Rylai got its cost reduced to 2600 which makes it a great item to pick up for your second purchase, but you can rush Black Cleaver instead if you prefer the ability haste and armor-shredding. For the current strongest build we will opt for Divine Sunderer into Black Cleaver, and then round out with either Demonic Embrace if you prefer the extra AoE damage, or Rylai's if you prefer the utility of the slow.
After these 3 items, you will look to round up your build with defensive items depending on the game in particular: build MR against AP (ignore Abyssal Mask), build armor vs AP and lethality (ignore Deadman's Plate), or pick up an Anathema's Chains if there is only one fed member on the enemy team providing most of their damage, or simply if you want the large amount of HP it provides for the low cost. A Sterak's Gage as 4th purchase might be contextually good if you have bought enough Max HP items previously and you're worried about being bursted in teamfights.
Early Jungling
At the very start of the game, you should move with your team to secure the river spire closest to where you will start your route. For example: if you are going to start with a bot lane leash, head to the bot side river pinging your teammates for help. Capturing it grants you gold, a larger zone of control and a way to track the enemy jungler. Alternatively, you can go to the opposite side's spire, capture it and then go back to your planned starting side. This will mean that the spire will be already captured at the time of a likely skirmish for the scuttle.
A full clear of your jungle (6 camps) is the most generally advisable strategy for your initial clear. Be wary of possible enemy invades or counterjungling, and also plan your route optimally. The best way is to do Buff -> Krugs -> Raptors, or Buff -> Gromp -> Wolves, then move on to the other side of the map.
Analyze the state of your lanes during your first 3-4 camp clears. If none looks easy to gank, move on to the other side of the map to keep farming. Skarner has weak pre-6 ganks so it is wise to focus on farming as much as possible before the first scuttle crabs spawn, but at level 3 you are still capable of impacting a lane if needed.
Post 6 you can become more proactive with your ganks as your ultimate is great for locking down a target. Also, be on the lookout for your winning lanes about to crash waves into the enemy tower and setting you up for a dive, which are somewhat simple to pull off as Skarner.
Jungling in the Mid game
If the Drake is alive or the next one is coming up, move to the bot side to capture the spire and gain vision control around it. Use your sweeper lens and control wards to scout for enemy vision, and try to prepare a surprise ambush from a bush if possible. If the Rift Herald is alive, play around top side on your next rotation.
If you are at a disavantage and your team lost all of the Tier 1 towers, go into your own jungle more carefully from there on. You can keep track of the state of your spires to identify when the enemy has snuck into your jungle, so you can avoid ambushes and react to counterjungling.
Check the enemy team's itemization regularly as at this stage of the game, it is likely that one of them built a Quicksilver Sash to counter you and knowing whom not to Impale will save you from a misuse of your ultimate.
Jungling in the Late Game
If your team has lost two or all tier 2 towers, be cautious of staying behind and helping control the vision line for your team to avoid picks from the enemy. Inversely, if your team has taken down the enemy's tier 2 towers you have several opportunities to look for picks in the side lanes or in the jungle that will help secure nearby objectives or structures, or even the game at this point.
Outside of that, Skarner is good for sieging towers as long as he has his ultimate available to punish any enemies overextending. If your ult is not available and your team is grouping up near an enemy turret, it is a good idea to either enter the jungle to farm or prepare an ambush, or go to a side lane to push the wave and help apply pressure.
Matchups and Synergies
In this dropdown list I will look to offer you advices on how to play certain matchups that you are bound to encounter with varying popularities, but may interact with Skarner's kit and capabilities in a way you are not used to with any other champion.
Your R can interrupt Fiddlesticks during the canalization of his ultimate and his W, his two main forms of damage
If he successfully casts his ultimate though, try to drag him away from your team with your Impale in teamfights.
You can iterrupt Katarina's channeling of her ultimate ability with the stun from your E or the suppression of your R.
Save those abilities for when you see her trying to land a full ultimate during teamfights, to frustrate her combo and make her an easy target for your team.
You can interrupt Galio's channeling of his W and his R at the start with your crowd control.
If you see Galio using his ultimate on one of his allies, try to interrupt his flight so you will stop him from moving away, and also cancelling his knock-up on arrival effect.
Be mindful of Pyke's E, as it is his main tool of escape from your engages.
If he hasn't burned its cooldown, only Impale him if your team will be able to burst him down within less than 2 seconds or else Pyke will get away with ease.
The enemy Alistar can cleanse your suppression with his R, so don't waste it on him at any moments of the game.
It is a bad idea to drag an Alistar into your team anyway, due to his natural tankiness and close-range CC.
Look to disengage if the enemy Trundle has stolen your defenses with his ultimate ability.
In an even fight, this will tip the balance into the enemy team's favor as Trundle will be tankier than you. The effect wears off after 8 seconds, so play the skirmishes patiently against him.
Avoid dragging the enemy Neeko into your team while her ultimate is available.
You would be making Neeko's job easier this way, so it's better if you focus on other enemy champions when engaging.
Try tagging the enemy Wukong with your E before he leaves his clone behind while ganking.
This way you will slow his escape down, as well as being able to easily differentiate between the real Wukong and the clone afterwards.
Try to juke Fiora's W before impaling her, as she can deflect the entire effect and stun you instead.
When approaching her, try to hold your ultimate for a couple of seconds before using it on Fiora.
Warwick is stronger than you in the early game but you will outscale him, so avoid solo skirmishes in the jungle until then.
It is better to play it safe and focus on farming or counterganking him if Warwick is being proactive on the map, but don't give him an easy lead by dying early on.
If you are behind after the early game, do not fight Master Yi alone.
He is a strong duelist at heart and can melt through your resistances, but he is also a very squishy champion himself so CCing him to enable your team is the key to nullifying him.
Gragas can misposition you with his R when you're looking to engage, be wary of it.
Ideally, you will want to try and catch a high priority target in the late game only after Gragas has burned his ultimate or when he is not around, or else he can use your initiative against yourself to take you out of the fight.
Try to force Olaf to use his ultimate with a stun from your E, then kite back and Impale him after the effect wears off.
Olaf is your hardest matchup, and the outcome will be decided on whether you can play it smart or not. Avoid fighting him 1v1 and stick with your team in skirmishes during the early game.
If Jarvan IV is ahead, ignore him and prioritize his backline instead.
You struggle in this matchup due to your lack of mobility to match his, so if he feels unkillable the right thing to do is focus on the rest of his team and try to disrupt in teamfights as much as you can.
Save your Flash-R combo for Lilia, as she will normally be impossible to reach for you.
Her passive and her sleep make it simple for her to kite you, so prioritize your fastest combos for her if she is a threat.
Volibear will be immune to your CC (including your Impale) during the flight of his R, so save it for when he has landed.
Also keep in mind that the stun from your E will reset his Q cooldown if he's still running.
Look to prevent Rek'Sai from landing her full burst combo on a teammate for free.
In this matchup, you are better off peeling your teammates if she's ahead. Lock her down with your E or your R before she can use the full rotation of her abilities on an allied squishy.
Consume Dr. Mundo's passive CC shield with the stun from your E before impaling him.
You can tell if Dr. Mundo has his passive available either by clicking on him and checking the info bar, or by the glow around the champion model's shoulders.
You can stop Nunu & Willump's ultimate charge with the stun of your E or your own R, try to do so.
This way you can prevent them from using their main form of AoE damage, and cut down on their CC.
Try to burst the Kindred down with your team during your suppression before they can save themselves with Lamb's Respite.
Otherwise, drag them out of the immunity zone if their HP is low enough to prevent them from healing back.
You can Impale Hecarim during his R, as he will be returned to your position after the dash ends.
Although unstoppable during the charge, Hecarim will be affected by any CC that hit him in the process so you can peel for your team excellently if you catch him with your R.
You can semi-reveal Shaco during his stealth if you land your Q next to him.
Try to predict where he will be after using his Q, and with your own Q you can track him until his invisibility runs out for you to attack again.
If you Impale Camille during her first cast of her E, she will be pulled back to you after burning its cooldown.
Time it correctly so she is left with no mobility options after your suppression is over.
If you Impale Talon during his wall hops, you will interrupt it and leave him with no escape options.
Try to time your ultimate correctly when chasing him, so he doesn't get away from you and your team.
Consider building a Quicksilver Sash due to the enemy Malzahar.
Malzahar can stop your all-in during teamfights, as well as your side lane picks and ganks with his own suppression.
If you Impale Kayn and his ultimate is available, don't bring him too close to your teammates.
Or he will ult into them after the suppression ends, helping him survive and access your backline with ease.
You can suppress Lee Sin while he is traveling with the second activation of his Q.
You can use this to peel for a teammate that was tagged with his Q1, and nullify his all-in.
Save your Impale (R) for when the enemy Tryndamere has activated his ultimate, not while he is full health.
This will help burn time out of his 5 seconds of invulnerability, and peel for your team to survive his aggression.
Consider building a Quicksilver Sash yourself if you are planning on ganking the enemy Mordekaiser.
In the early game he is stronger than you, so taking you into his Realm of Death can turn around your ganks. You can later upgrade it to a Silvermere Dawn.
Time your CC chain correctly to prevent the enemy Ekko from using his R and surviving your burst.
The ideal combo is to tag him with your E, Impale him and stun him with an auto after the suppression ends.
Get a form of Grievous Wounds to counter the sustain of the enemy Sylas.
Sylas can heal up considerable amounts with his W, so it is imperative that you counter that or else you will risk him getting too tanky to be taken out.
The enemy Vayne has built Krakenslayer, don't underestimate the damage she can do to you.
The True Damage output from her mythic is going to ignore your defenses, so focus her on the teamfights and have her burst down as soon as possible.
The enemy ADC is protected by a Lulu, try to pick him off when you spot him farming or roaming alone.
Lulu can peel their allies excellently and shut you down with ease, so make wise use of your Predator, Flash and R to pull off your picks properly.
Build a form of anti-healing after your mythic item powerspike, as they have a Sona healing them.
Build a Bramble Vest if the enemy jungler and carries are auto-attack based, or an Executioner's Call if the enemy team comp is predominantly based on AP.
Build a form of anti-healing after your mythic item powerspike, as they have a Nami healing them.
Build a Bramble Vest if the enemy jungler and carries are auto-attack based, or an Executioner's Call if the enemy team comp is predominantly based on AP.
Build a form of anti-healing after your mythic item powerspike, as they have a Soraka healing them.
Build a Bramble Vest if the enemy jungler and carries are auto-attack based, or an Executioner's Call if the enemy team comp is predominantly based on AP.
Build a form of anti-healing after your mythic item powerspike, as they have a Yuumi healing them.
Build a Bramble Vest if the enemy jungler and carries are auto-attack based, or an Executioner's Call if the enemy team comp is predominantly based on AP.
Yone can cleanse himself from your stun (E) or suppression (R) with the second activation of his E.
So don't try to CC him during its duration. Wait for him to return and try to burst him down with your ally.
Yasuo can block the projectile of your E with his wind wall.
So try to juke it when ganking or using it only after he has burnt that cooldown.
Make good use of the increase in speed from Kled's ultimate to reach the enemy.
This boost of mobility will solve a lot of problems in Skarner's kit so don't waste the opportunity for an easy engage on the enemy team.
When you Impale a target, bring it close to Lissandra so she can follow up with her W and later with her own R.
This makes for a deadly chain CC combo.
When you Impale a target, bring it to the miasma (W) of your Cassiopeia if she threw it nearby.
The enemy won't be able to dash or blink out of it after the suppression, so you and your team can follow up with ease.
If your Yuumi gets on you, don't be afraid of skirmishes with the enemy jungler even if it's 2v2.
The sustain and increased mobility she provides you enhances your kill potential and stickiness.
Keep your impaled targets still so that Lux can land her Q during the effect.
In total, it can lead up to a chain CC of over 5 seconds if you also land your E stun while the target is snared by her ability.
Keep your impaled targets still so that Morgana can land her Q during the effect.
In total, it can lead up to a chain CC of over 5 seconds if you also land your E stun while the target is binded.
When ganking near your Thresh, look to pick up his lantern during your R for increased effectiveness.
Skarner can move to his location while the enemy is suppressed, which makes for a deadly synergy with Thresh.
When ganking Sion, Impale (R) the enemy and keep it within the zone of his Q during its load-up.
Skarner can easily help Sion land a fully charged knock-up and thus chaining enough CC for the enemy to have no way out of your gank.
