Varus ADC build & stats
- Win rate
- 46.6%
- Pick rate
- 2.2%
- Ban rate
- 1.0%
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
Precision +
Inspiration 
Attacking an enemy champion grants you Attack Speed, up to 6 stacks. At max stacks, deal bonus adaptive damage On-Attack.
Triumph
Legend: Bloodline
Cut Down
Cash Back
Triple Tonic
Summoner spells
56.5%
46 games
Max order
W
Q
E
58.3%
24 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 Varus
Generated from this patch's numbers
- Varus wins 46.6% of games as ADC on patch 16.17 (386 games).
- Most common core: Statikk Shiv → Guinsoo's Rageblade → Terminus — 57% win rate over 28 games.
- Take Lethal Tempo as keystone: picked in 63% of games with a 48% win rate.
- Best matchup: Ashe (75% over 8 games). Hardest: Syndra (25% over 8 games) — consider a ban or a different pick when you see it.
- Varus scales: 61% win rate after 35 minutes versus 42% before 25. Farm safely early and never surrender.
Items
Core build in purchase order (from match timelines)
Core build
Starting items
Legendary items by win rate
| Item | Win rate | Pick |
|---|---|---|
| 78.3% | 6% (23) | |
| 66.1% | 16% (62) | |
| 58.3% | 6% (24) | |
| 54.3% | 9% (35) | |
| 52.9% | 4% (17) | |
| 52.5% | 52% (200) | |
| 52.4% | 48% (187) | |
| 51.0% | 13% (51) | |
| 50.0% | 15% (56) | |
| 49.3% | 75% (288) | |
| 47.4% | 10% (38) | |
| 36.5% | 13% (52) |
Runes
Most played full pages and keystone win rates
Precision +
Inspiration
Attacking an enemy champion grants you Attack Speed, up to 6 stacks. At max stacks, deal bonus adaptive damage On-Attack.
Absorb Life
Legend: Alacrity
Cut Down
Biscuit Delivery
Cosmic Insight
Sorcery +
Inspiration 
Precision +
Inspiration
Keystones
-
Lethal Tempo
Attacking an enemy champion grants you Attack Speed, up to 6 stacks. At max stacks, deal bonus adaptive damage On-Attack.
48.3%63% pick
-
Press the Attack
Hitting an enemy champion 3 consecutive times deals bonus damage and amplifies your damage until you leave combat with champions.
43.8%19% pick
-
Arcane Comet
Damaging a champion with an ability hurls a damaging comet at their location.
44.1%18% pick
Summoner spells
-
Flash + Barrier
47.0%52% pick
-
Flash + Ghost
39.3%16% pick
-
Exhaust + Flash
46.9%13% pick
Abilities & skill order
Which ability to max first, from match timelines
Q
W
E
47.8%46 games
W
Q
E
58.3%24 games
Q
E
W
50.0%4 games
Most common first three levels: Q → W → E (55%), E → W → Q (40%), E → Q → W (29%).
-
PLiving VengeanceOn kill or assist, Varus temporarily gains Attack Damage and Ability Power. This bonus is larger if the enemy is a champion.
-
QPiercing Arrow
Varus readies and then fires a powerful shot that gains extra range and damage the longer he spends preparing to fire.
-
WBlighted Quiver
Passive: Varus' basic attacks deal bonus magic damage and apply Blight. Varus' other abilities detonate Blight, dealing magic damage based on the target's maximum Health. Active: Varus empowers his next Piercing Arrow.
-
EHail of Arrows
Varus fires a hail of arrows that deal physical damage and desecrate the ground. Desecrated ground slows enemies' Move Speed and reduces their self healing and regeneration.
-
RChain of CorruptionVarus flings out a damaging tendril of corruption that immobilizes the first enemy champion hit and then spreads towards nearby uninfected champions, immobilizing them too on contact.