Swain ADC build & stats
- Win rate
- 57.9%
- Pick rate
- 1.5%
- Ban rate
- 0.5%
Recommended build
Chosen by win rate among builds with enough games, from ranked matches of high-elo players on patch 16.17
Start with
Build in this order
Runes
Sorcery +
Inspiration 
Your attacks and abilities send Aery to a target, damaging enemies or shielding allies.
Manaflow Band
Transcendence
Gathering Storm
Magical Footwear
Cosmic Insight
Summoner spells
59.9%
147 games
Max order
Q
E
W
66.7%
9 games
Each line is the variant with the best win rate among those played enough times, not simply the most popular one. Win rates are smoothed so a lucky three-game build can't top the list. Sample sizes are shown next to every choice.
Tips for Swain
Generated from this patch's numbers
- Swain wins 57.9% of games as ADC on patch 16.17 (273 games).
- Most common core: Rylai's Crystal Scepter → Malignance → Zhonya's Hourglass — 82% win rate over 17 games.
- Take Conqueror as keystone: picked in 65% of games with a 59% win rate.
- Best matchup: Seraphine (88% over 8 games). Hardest: Draven (38% over 8 games) — consider a ban or a different pick when you see it.
- Swain is an early-game champion: 60% win rate in games under 25 minutes but 52% after 35. Snowball your lead into towers and objectives.
Items
Core build in purchase order (from match timelines)
Core build
Starting items
Legendary items by win rate
| Item | Win rate | Pick |
|---|---|---|
| 72.7% | 4% (11) | |
| 72.5% | 25% (69) | |
| 69.2% | 5% (13) | |
| 67.9% | 10% (28) | |
| 63.3% | 33% (90) | |
| 61.7% | 47% (128) | |
| 60.0% | 4% (10) | |
| 58.8% | 60% (165) | |
| 56.3% | 6% (16) | |
| 55.4% | 30% (83) | |
| 54.5% | 4% (11) | |
| 52.2% | 8% (23) |
Runes
Most played full pages and keystone win rates
Sorcery +
Resolve
Your attacks and abilities send Aery to a target, damaging enemies or shielding allies.
Manaflow Band
Transcendence
Gathering Storm
Second Wind
Overgrowth
Precision +
Sorcery 
Precision +
Sorcery
Keystones
-
Conqueror
Gain stacks of adaptive force when attacking enemy champions. After reaching 12 stacks, heal for a portion of damage you deal to champions.
59.0%65% pick
-
Summon Aery
Your attacks and abilities send Aery to a target, damaging enemies or shielding allies.
57.7%19% pick
-
Deathfire Touch
Damaging a champion with an ability burns them over time.
42.1%7% pick
-
Electrocute
Hitting a champion with 3 separate attacks or abilities in 3s deals bonus adaptive damage.
66.7%4% pick
Summoner spells
-
Flash + Ghost
59.9%54% pick
-
Exhaust + Flash
58.4%37% pick
-
Flash + Teleport
40.0%7% pick
Abilities & skill order
Which ability to max first, from match timelines
Q
W
E
56.7%30 games
Q
E
W
66.7%9 games
Most common first three levels: E → W → Q (40%), E → Q → W (71%), Q → E → W (14%).
-
PRavenous FlockSwain's ravens collect Soul Fragments that heal him and permanently increase his maximum health.
-
QDeath's Hand
Swain unleashes several bolts of eldritch power that pierce through enemies. Enemies hit take more damage for each bolt they are struck by.
-
WVision of Empire
Swain opens a demon eye that deals damage and slows enemies. Champions hit are revealed and also grant Swain a Soul Fragment.
-
ENevermove
Swain launches a wave of demonic power forward. It then returns to Swain and roots enemies it hits. Swain can then choose to pull all rooted champions closer. This ability has a shorter cooldown during Demonic Ascension.
-
RDemonic AscensionSwain transforms into a demon and drains health from nearby enemy champions, minions, and neutral monsters. Swain can cast Demonflare to decimate and slow nearby enemies with a nova of soulfire. This form is indefinite a...