The Ultimate Aphelios guide!





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Quick Aphelios AD ADC Build

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Summoner Spells

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Starting Items

Best Overall Build

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Hello!

Hello! My name is Focus and I'm a Qiyana and Aphelios 2 trick. I am obsessed with hard champions I researched Aphelios for a bit over 2 months now. That's why I started to create guides like this because I can compile all the knowledge I got from 2 months of research so you dont have to waste your timenes (Loadout)

Why play Aphelios?

Aphelios is infamous for his super strong midgame, his incredibly versatile kit and his fun but challenging gameplay. Aphelios is the worst adc lvl 1, but has, arguably the best lvl 2 out of any adc.

Runes

Aphelios has 3 main rune trees. Each has a different playstyle, weaknesses and advantages. There is no best rune so trying all of them and choosing your preference is really advised!

• Fleet footwork
• Press the attack
• Lethal tempo
• Diffrent secondary

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Fleet footwork



Press the attack



Lethal tempo



Secondary options

The domination tree is the best option right now but sorcery secondary is strong if you want to have better scaling.



pressence of mind can be viable if you struggle to manage your mana!

Summoner Spells

Flash



Heal



Exhaust



Samira

Tristana

Cleanse



Ghost



Skill Path

Aphelios is a really special champion. he can't level up any abilities, they are automatically leveled up, instead he chooses to get bonus ad lethality or attack speed.

Aphelios has one good skill path. You are looking to max your q first then your e then your w. This skill path gives attack damage and lethality first and allows for way stronger attacks. Leveling W before maxing other abilities is not viable

Item Builds

Aphelios is one of the most versatile adc's allowing him to get a quite flexible build

Starter items

Items

Example of item builds

Abilities

Passive

INNATE: Aphelios has access to an arsenal of 5 Moonstone Weapons, created by his sister Alune. He equips two weapons at any one time, one as his main weapon and one as his off-hand. Each weapon has a unique basic attack and passive effect.



Aphelios begins the game with Calibrum Calibrum as his main weapon and Severum Severum in his off-hand, with Gravitum Gravitum, Infernum Infernum, and Crescendum Crescendum queued in reserve. The queue order can be rearranged based on weapon usage.



INNATE - MOONLIGHT: Weapons spawn with 50 Moonlight for ammunition, which is consumed on basic attacks on-attack or to cast his abilities abilities. Abilities that cause Aphelios to attack do not cost additional Moonlight on top of their ability cost. Once his main weapon is exhausted of Moonlight, it is moved to the end of the queue and Aphelios assembles his next available weapon over 1 second to equip it from his reserve, with its Q ability being placed on a 1.5-second Cooldown before that time. Aphelios cannot cast W - Phase during the assembly.



INNATE - WEAPON MASTER: Aphelios cannot improve his abilities with skill points. He starts the game with W and gains access to abilities at level 2 and R at level 6, with the latter improving automatically at levels 11 and 16. Instead, Aphelios may spend his skill points to gain bonus attack damage, bonus attack speed or lethality.



BONUS ATTACK DAMAGE:

5 / 10 / 15 / 20 / 25 / 30

BONUS ATTACK SPEED:

7.5 / 15 / 22.5 / 30 / 37.5 / 45%

LETHALITY:

5.5 / 11 / 16.5 / 22 / 27.5 / 33

Q

Weapons of the Faithful

The active effect of Aphelios' Q varies based on his current main weapon.



The individual actives do not share a cooldown.

Weapons

Calibrum, the Sniper Rifle

COST: 1 MOONLIGHT PER ATTACK

Aphelios gains 100 bonus attack range while Calibrum is his main weapon. Enemies damaged by Calibrum through an ability are marked for 4.5 seconds, revealing them for the duration. Aphelios' next basic attack against a marked target uses the current off-hand weapon and has 1800 range, increased missile speed, and a brief cast time that lasts shorter based on Aphelios' proximity to the target.



The empowered attack will consume the marks from all targets, dealing 15 (+ 20% bonus AD) bonus physical damage to the main target for each mark consumed. If Calibrum is the current off-hand weapon, the main weapon is used for the attack instead.



Moonshot

COST: 10 MOONLIGHT + 60 MANA

COOLDOWN: 10 − 8 (BASED ON LEVEL)

CAST TIME: 0.4

TARGET RANGE: 1450

WIDTH: 120

SPEED: 1850

ACTIVE: Aphelios fires a bolt of energy in the target direction that deals 60 − 160 (based on level) (+ 42% − 60% (based on level) bonus AD) (+ 100% AP) physical damage to the first enemy hit.

Severum, the Scythe Pistol

COST: 1 MOONLIGHT PER ATTACK

Basic attacks with Severum are non-projectile and have an uncancellable windup. Severum's attacks heal Aphelios for 2.5% − 9% (based on level) of the post-mitigation damage dealt, increased to 8.33% − 30% (based on level) for attacks from abilities.



Healing from Severum in excess of Aphelios' maximum health is converted into a shield for an amount of up to 10 − 140 (based on level) (+ 6% maximum health), lingering for up to 30 seconds.



Onslaught

COST: 10 MOONLIGHT + 60 MANA

COOLDOWN: 10 − 8 (BASED ON LEVEL)

CAST TIME: NONE

EFFECT RADIUS: 550

ACTIVE: Aphelios enters an onslaught for 1.75 seconds, gaining 20% (+ 10% per 100 AP) bonus movement speed and automatically performing up to 6 (+ 2 per 100% bonus attack speed) attacks over the duration against the nearest visible enemy, prioritizing enemy champions.



Attacks alternate between Severum and his current off-hand weapon, each dealing 10 − 40 (based on level) (+ 20% − 35% (based on level) bonus AD) physical damage, affected by critical strike modifiers, and applying On-hit damage at 25% effectiveness.



Aphelios cannot cast W nor r during Q, but he is still able to move. He cannot perform attacks while unable to declare basic attacks.

Gravitum, the Gravity Cannon

COST: 1 MOONLIGHT PER ATTACK

Basic attacks with Gravitum slow enemies by 30% for 3.5 seconds, decaying to 10% after 0.7 seconds.



Binding Eclipse

COST: 10 MOONLIGHT + 60 MANA

COOLDOWN: 12 − 10 (BASED ON LEVEL)

CAST TIME: 0.3

EFFECT RADIUS: GLOBAL

Gravitum GRAVITUM - ACTIVE: Aphelios expunges all enemies with Gravitum's slow debuff, dealing 50 − 110 (based on level) (+ 26% − 35% (based on level) bonus AD) (+ 70% AP) magic damage and rooting them for 1 second.



Binding Eclipse also empowers in-flight Gravitum projectiles to instantly affect their targets upon applying the slow successively.

Infernum, the Flamethrower

COST: 1 MOONLIGHT PER ATTACK

Basic attacks with Infernum shoot a fire bolt that upon arrival splits into a cone of 4 lesser bolts behind the target, dealing damage to enemies they pass through. The fire bolt deals 110% AD physical damage to the primary target. Secondary targets hit by any bolt are dealt 82.5 / 110% (based on level) AD physical damage, reduced to 25.3 / 33% (based on level) AD against minions.



Critical strikes also apply to damage dealt to secondary targets and instead spray 6 missiles in a 50% wider cone that deals critical damage.



Duskwave

COST: 10 MOONLIGHT + 60 MANA

COOLDOWN: 9 − 6 (BASED ON LEVEL)

CAST TIME: 0.4

TARGET RANGE: 650

ANGLE: 40°

ACTIVE: Aphelios unleashes a wave of energy in a cone in the target direction, dealing 25 − 65 (based on level) (+ 56% − 80% (based on level) bonus AD) (+ 70% AP) physical damage to all enemies hit and locking onto each of them. After 0.25 seconds, Aphelios then fires a volley of attacks at each locked-on target from his current off-hand weapon, dealing 100% AD physical damage and applying on-hit effects at 100% effectiveness. The damage is affected by critical strike modifiers. There is no range limit for locked-on targets.

Crescendum, the Chakram

COST: 1 MOONLIGHT PER ATTACK

SPEED: 600 (+ 75 PER 10% BONUS ATTACK SPEED)

Basic attacks with Crescendum hurl the blade at the target, which lingers for 0.25 seconds before homing back to Aphelios. He is unable to declare basic attacks until he retrieves Crescendum, but the attack timer is reset once caught.

Whenever Aphelios casts an ability that would require him to throw Crescendum, he instead fires a spectral Chakram at the target that similarly returns to him. Aphelios accumulates the Chakrams he catches, up to 20, which last for 5 seconds or until Crescendum is depleted of Moonlight. Attacks with Crescendum against champions will refresh the duration of Chakrams.



Basic attacks with Crescendum are empowered to deal 0% − 138.5% (based on number of Chakrams) AD bonus physical damage and have a 10.67% wind up percentage, decreased to 6.67% when critically striking. The bonus damage from Chakrams is affected by critical strike modifiers.



Sentry

COST: 10 MOONLIGHT + 60 MANA

COOLDOWN: 9 − 6 (BASED ON LEVEL)

CAST TIME: 0.25

TARGET RANGE: 475

EFFECT RADIUS: 500

ACTIVE: Aphelios deploys a lunar sentry at the target location that arms after 0.35 seconds, lasting for up to 20 seconds, during which it is inactive and untargetable. The sentry activates if an enemy is within range of it, reducing its duration to 4 seconds and becoming targetable. Sentries have 6 health and take 3 damage per ranged basic attack and 4 damage per hit by abilities. Turret attacks destroy sentries instantly.



The sentry grants sight of its surroundings and autonomously attacks the nearest visible enemy in range with a replica of Aphelios' current off-hand weapon, dealing 31 − 100 (based on level) (+ 40% − 60% (based on level) bonus AD) (+ 50% AP) physical damage per hit. The sentry can critically strike and benefits from both Aphelios' attack speed and critical strike chance at 100% effectiveness.



Sentry will cast at max range if cast beyond that.

W

CAST TIME: NONE

STATIC COOLDOWN: 0.8

ACTIVE: Aphelios switches between his main weapon and off-hand weapon over 0.25 seconds.

E

Weapon Queue System

The icon of this ability reflects the next weapon that is in reserve.

R

Moonlight Vigil

COST: 100 MANA

COOLDOWN: 120 / 110 / 100 (BASED ON LEVEL)

CAST TIME: 0.6

TARGET RANGE: 1300

EFFECT RADIUS: 300

Moonlight Vigil.png

ACTIVE: Aphelios casts forth a lunar spotlight in the target direction that briefly grants sight of the area along its path and stops upon illuminating an enemy champion. Alune smites the area centered on the illuminated target, dealing 125 / 175 / 225 (based on level) (+ 20% bonus AD) (+ 100% AP) physical damage to enemy champions struck and locking-on to each target hit, as well as granting sight of the area for 2 seconds.



After 0.3 seconds of the illumination, attacks based on Aphelios' current main weapon will launch from the sky against each locked-on target, dealing 100% AD physical damage and applying on-hit effects at 100% effectiveness. These attacks can critically strike for (20% + 35% 35%) AD bonus physical damage. There is no range limit for locked-on targets.



CALIBRUM: Applies an empowered mark that deals 50 / 80 / 110 (based on level) bonus physical damage per mark consumed.

SEVERUM: Heals Aphelios for 250 / 350 / 450 (based on level) if at least one enemy champion is hit.

GRAVITUM: Increases the initial Slow icon.png slow to 99% and empowers Binding Eclipse Binding Eclipse to root targets affected by the enhanced slow for 1.35 seconds.

INFERNUM: Deals 50 / 100 / 150 (based on level) (+ 25% bonus AD) bonus physical damage on the initial blast. Attacks splash in a 400 radius instead of a cone, dealing ( 90%) of that damage. Enemy champions will take damage from overlapping areas.

CRESCENDUM: Generates 5 additional spectral Chakrams that return to Aphelios from the first enemy champion hit, for a total of 6, on top of those from other targets hit.



Best weapon rotation

Reckless made a really good informational video on Aphelios's most optimal weapon rotations. Mastering this is really important because it allows Aphelios to be strong at every point in the game and largely improves his consistency

Combos

The optimal LVL 2 trade

Aphelios's lvl 2 is one of the strongest of any adc because you have 2 abilities.

What you want to do is walk up while using your Severum Q then after you mark them with Calibrum you want to back off use your crazy aa range attack, then switch to Calibrum, use Calibrum q and attack again after you marked them. Make sure to attack before using severum Q to get that little bit of damage you might need to secure a kill!



How to setup a play if you have runaans





The Gravitum Infernum weapon combo trade

This trade is nothing special what you wanna do is Infernum AA, Infernum q, aa, switch to gravitum, and then grav q. It's really important to use your basic attacks before your skills to get off the maximum possible damage! This trade is great for fighting multiple enemies at a time.



How to stack cresendum with infernum q

This is a great way to stack your cresendum chakrums before going to trade with cresendum aa's. The bonus damage from the stacks is really noticeable!



how to severum cresendum all-in

This combo is great because it quickly and reliably stacks cresendum's chakrams without the need of having many enemies nearby. you can throw in a galeforse in the middle of the severum Q if you need more damage or if you want to chase and quickly dash to your target to start spamming your cresendum aa's. getting close when using your cresendum aa's is crucial because their attack cooldown timer is lowered the closer you are to the enemy youre attacking.



How to instantly heal almost your full hp bar

what you basically want to do is use your infernum q with severum as your secondary on a wave and you will heal crazy amounts of health! this is really useful if you lost a trade and you need really quickly a health boost.





The best zone denial combo

So what you wnat to do is you want to use your cresendum turret with calibrum as a secondary weapon. If the enemies walk into your turret range they will get marked and if you attack you will stack your cresendum chakrams. This combo has the highest dps out of any combo there is without the use of r but its main flaw is that it only works if the enemmy walks into your turret. So to mitigate this flaw you want to use your turret in a bush so they dont see it. this combo is amazing at killing objectives!





Combos with R

Calibrum 1v1 combo

This combo is one of the best burst combos Aphelios have. What you want to do is use calibrum r aa use calibrum q and aa again.



The grav R setup

This combo is super simple you just grav r and then q. A great tip is to wait half a second before using the grav q becouse your r slows enemy champs for 99% for 1 sec.



The best teamfighting combo

This combo is your best teamfighting combo allowing near instant penats. What you want to do is use infernum R, flash while r is traveling use Infernum aa Q switch to gravitum and grav q.



The best single target damage combo

This combo has the best damage if you want to really easily win a 1v1. it is also great in teamfights but there you have to burst 1 enemy at a time. the combo is cresendum r, switch to seveum, severum aa, severum q, switch to cresendum and spam aa's



The severum r heal

Use this combo as a last resort if you are getting birsted or if you need really quickly health and you dont have any means to do the infernum severum heal combo. The combo is basically Severum R only but its a great way to survive dangerous all-ins



And remember most combos are done slower than usual for visual clairity!

How to play early game as aphelios

LVL 1

As I said in this guide again and again 😂 Aphelios's lvl 1 is one of the shitiest ones due to the lack of abuilites. Most people overexaggerate this bad lvl 1 and dont harras the enemy champs at all. That safe of a playstyle is unnessesery. What you want to do is use your calibrum to poke because if its long aa range and use severum to cs. An exeption to this is if the enemy team have some sort of projectile barier like a Braum shield or a yas wall, then you want to use your severum weapon to poke too becouse severum aa's arent a projectile and they ignore the projectile shields. your main goal early is to cs as well as possible and trade back if you get traded by the enemy.

LVL 2

lvl 2 is were the fun starts. If you have a tank support and they use their support item to cs the second wave's 3 cannon minions on the forth you will get lvl 2. This is a great way to get lvl 2 advantage despite your weak early game. Imidietly after you get your lvl 2 ping your support to go aggresive and use the optimal lvl 2 trade combo.

Post lvl 3

After you get lvl 3 your main goal is to use your weapons combinations to the fullest to make the enemy team suffer. There isn't anything specific. your main goal should be maintaining your optimal weapons rotation.

Closing thoughts

Aphelios is one of the most unique champions league has to offer. His powerfull but hard to master kit is incredibly versatile allowing him to adapt to allmost any situation. Mastering this champion will definitely take practice but the trade-off is insane. The last thing that I want to tell you is that Aphelios is a really challenging champion, you shouldn't mentally beat yourself up if you seem to struggle. After all learning Aphelios is half of the fun 😃 . Everything will feel so rewarding when you finally pull off that combo you have been practicing for hours, or when you get that beautiful Penta, so take things slow and enjoy your time.

Bellow are some great communities that can help you learn Aphelios

https://www.reddit.com/r/ApheliosMains/

https://discord.gg/UN92Eu7Ekq

Below are some great content creators that can help you learn Aphelios

www.youtube.com/c/Remmk

https://www.youtube.com/c/ChallengerReplays

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA7Q5TezlsynU867BZlpgIg

Big thanks to The lol wiki for giving most of the Abilities information manually writing

that would have been a nightmare.



I want to apologize for not having matchup-specific info but ill be gathering knowledge and the guide may be updated soon!

Thank you for reading this guide!