Xerath- laning options

[Oberoth]

So I am going to be buying Xerath tomorrow (maybe day after if pregnant wife decides we have to go do something). I like the look of the champ. I usually play Brand and am working on my builds with him and really like how this character "felt" when I read the info on it.

So my big questions are

1.) any advice on how to play specific abilities?

2.) What lane counters do I have/weaknesses ?

3.) any general opinions on the guy.

I don't really see it played that often so it has me a bit worried that it will have some major flaw in its gameplay, but I just really like what I see so far.

[Deleted]

Read this: http://www.solomid.net/guides.php?g=12887

[Oberoth]

Read this: http://www.solomid.net/guides.php?g=12887

I already read those... I kinda meant from personal experience... lol.. Guides are great and all, but talking to someone who has played the toon before is a bit more beneficial imo due to being able to back and forth in case they bring up a point I am not sure on.

[Fenlnir]

Ability wise, follow the guide. Pretty important to remember that while you cast his W, you can then get ready to line up your next shot. I found that his biggest advantage was his range, and his stun, but his q is pretty easily countered if your opponent is always moving. Later levels he can act as a mini-turret with enough AP.

[Oberoth]

Ability wise, follow the guide. Pretty important to remember that while you cast his W, you can then get ready to line up your next shot. I found that his biggest advantage was his range, and his stun, but his q is pretty easily countered if your opponent is always moving. Later levels he can act as a mini-turret with enough AP.

Have you found it easier to get off chains or pulse (by having them pinned down) right after locus? It seems like lining up the chains then following with locus would work, but some of it may be situational.

[Elhorn the Doomchicken]

When I play Xerath, I usually go Hit-and-run. Once you get to 18, w's cooldown is a couple of seconds, and that's when you can pop in and out at will. Move up, but still behind your minions/melee, W>E>Q/R. then move, repeat. When I do this, it helps to attempt to hit more than one target with Q, but if not possible hit the target your group is focusing.

With a lot, 400-500+ AP, and blue buff, you can easily push back pretty much any champ/team as you will have more than enough spell pen. to deal with any resist they have due to your W.

[Oberoth]

When I play Xerath, I usually go Hit-and-run. Once you get to 18, w's cooldown is a couple of seconds, and that's when you can pop in and out at will. Move up, but still behind your minions/melee, W>E>Q/R. then move, repeat. When I do this, it helps to attempt to hit more than one target with Q, but if not possible hit the target your group is focusing.

With a lot, 400-500+ AP, and blue buff, you can easily push back pretty much any champ/team as you will have more than enough spell pen. to deal with any resist they have due to your W.

Are there any champs you would warn me about early game... Personally I normally play Brand and struggle against Cait and Gank for some reason..... so I assume there might be some on this guy too that dont make sense but still can easily mess you up (not actual counters, but just ones that bug you).

---------- Post added 2012-05-04 at 02:09 AM ----------

BTW thanks for the help so far

[Savalia]

http://www.championselect.net/champ/Xerath

I know it's not from personal experiance, but this is a start. This site is great.

[Deleted]

From personal experience, all I can say is he gets stomped on by assassins and Yorick. I had such an easy time defeating him while playing Yorick mid (before M5 yes, lane swap to make it easier for our w/e he was) and Talon shreds him since he jumps on his back, evades the Q and then kills 'im.

[Darkdruidelf]

From personal experience, all I can say is he gets stomped on by assassins and Yorick. I had such an easy time defeating him while playing Yorick mid (before M5 yes, lane swap to make it easier for our w/e he was) and Talon shreds him since he jumps on his back, evades the Q and then kills 'im.

See, you say assassins counter him, but Ive had problems with him playing things like LB. Purely because he will sit at his turret and push me to mine from so far back that if I try to combo him he's 1 step from his turret range. His ability to push from such a huge range usually gives me problems on assassins, for the same reason TF annoys me.

[Fenlnir]

He's pretty easily countered if you know how to move and scramble. But I personally would E, then follow up with my Q for a stun. Probably his best counter to assassins is the speed buff from the W, especially if you can land an early E while still "mounted up" which would give you enough freedom to stun. His Ulti might be my favorite next to Tibbers for sheer power and control it offers, especially when getting 1v5'd. If you ever doubt item ideas, Rylais is AMAZING. The slow from that makes a E&Q combo super easy to land, so I usually look for it to be my first meta item, and the health isn't that bad either.

[Oberoth]

OK picked him up today.

He is a bit to get used to, but DAMN I had fun. I don't feel instantly paper thin during the game. His W is a bit to get used to and comboing some of his shizz together...but over all I loved his play style. Thanks for the info and personal ideas here was a great help starting out.