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Game patch 26.21Data Dragon 16.21.1

Reference patch 16.20.1

Olaf ARAM · Howling Abyss

A champion-specific Howling Abyss plan with ARAM starting, shopping and teamfight rules. Summoner's Rift roles are not used here.

One shared laneOne-lane Howling Abyss preparation
Champion overview
Review patch unknownRecommendation review pending

These patches track recommendation review, build validation and item lookup separately. Updating item data does not complete a build review.

Recommendation patch
— Data Dragon
Build validation patch
16.19.1 Data Dragon
Item lookup patch
16.20.1 Data Dragon

Howling Abyss rules

Prepare for one shared lane

ARAM removes the normal Rift role map. Build around the champion, the five-player team and the next fight instead.

01
Start together

Review rerolls and the shared bench, then leave with an opening that fits this champion and the team around it.

02
Shop while dead

You cannot Recall to buy. Plan components before leaving the shop and use each death timer deliberately.

03
Share health relics

A relic heals nearby allies after a short delay. Signal it and avoid taking the trigger when a lower-health teammate needs the area.

04
Fight with the wave

Minions create structure pressure and safer space. Clearing first can be more useful than forcing another low-health engage.

ARAM · Howling Abyss

ARAM tank reference

Compare the opening with Riot's ARAM Recommended shop before leaving base. After that, purchases happen only while dead; the six usable inventory slots do not increase.

Death-only shopping
S
ARAM opening · separate from item 1

Guardian's Horn

950 gold

An ARAM health and regeneration starter to compare with the current Recommended shop.

1
Physical-defence Boots

Plated Steelcaps

1,200 gold

Adds movement and basic-attack defence against physical pressure.

2
Mixed resistance

Jak'Sho, The Protean

3,200 gold

Adds mixed resistance during extended fights.

3
Armour and wave control

Sunfire Aegis

2,800 gold

Adds health, armour and close-range wave control.

4
Against magic damage

Kaenic Rookern

2,900 gold

Adds dedicated magic resistance against sustained spell damage.

5
Against critical strikes

Randuin's Omen

2,700 gold

Adds armour and critical-strike protection against attack-heavy opponents.

6
Health and recovery

Warmog's Armor

3,100 gold

Completes the permanent inventory with health and recovery after the resistance core.

Buy this only after selling the Guardian starter when all six permanent slots are needed.

Complete build choices

Choose the route before play

Recommendation review pending

AlternativeToo much healingChempunk Chainsword adds anti-heal without abandoning attack damage and health.View full route

Best when: Chempunk Chainsword adds anti-heal without abandoning attack damage and health.

  1. Physical-defence BootsPlated Steelcaps
  2. Mixed resistanceJak'Sho, The Protean
  3. Chempunk Chainsword
  4. Against magic damageKaenic Rookern
  5. Against critical strikesRanduin's Omen
  6. Health and recoveryWarmog's Armor

Buy this only after selling the Guardian starter when all six permanent slots are needed.

AlternativePhysical burstDeath's Dance delays physical damage so takedowns can stabilise the fight.View full route

Best when: Death's Dance delays physical damage so takedowns can stabilise the fight.

  1. Physical-defence BootsPlated Steelcaps
  2. Mixed resistanceJak'Sho, The Protean
  3. Death's Dance
  4. Against magic damageKaenic Rookern
  5. Against critical strikesRanduin's Omen
  6. Health and recoveryWarmog's Armor

Buy this only after selling the Guardian starter when all six permanent slots are needed.

AlternativeThey stack armourBlack Cleaver shreds armour during extended fights.View full route

Best when: Black Cleaver shreds armour during extended fights.

  1. Physical-defence BootsPlated Steelcaps
  2. Mixed resistanceJak'Sho, The Protean
  3. Black Cleaver
  4. Against magic damageKaenic Rookern
  5. Against critical strikesRanduin's Omen
  6. Health and recoveryWarmog's Armor

Buy this only after selling the Guardian starter when all six permanent slots are needed.

Complete build comparison

Complete build comparison

Recommendation review pending

Build review neededARAM tank referenceRecommendation review pendingView full route

Recommendation review pending

  1. Physical-defence BootsPlated Steelcaps
  2. Mixed resistanceJak'Sho, The Protean
  3. Armour and wave controlSunfire Aegis
  4. Against magic damageKaenic Rookern
  5. Against critical strikesRanduin's Omen
  6. Health and recoveryWarmog's Armor

Buy this only after selling the Guardian starter when all six permanent slots are needed.

AlternativeToo much healingChempunk Chainsword adds anti-heal without abandoning attack damage and health.View full route

Best when: Chempunk Chainsword adds anti-heal without abandoning attack damage and health.

  1. Physical-defence BootsPlated Steelcaps
  2. Mixed resistanceJak'Sho, The Protean
  3. Chempunk Chainsword
  4. Against magic damageKaenic Rookern
  5. Against critical strikesRanduin's Omen
  6. Health and recoveryWarmog's Armor

Buy this only after selling the Guardian starter when all six permanent slots are needed.

AlternativePhysical burstDeath's Dance delays physical damage so takedowns can stabilise the fight.View full route

Best when: Death's Dance delays physical damage so takedowns can stabilise the fight.

  1. Physical-defence BootsPlated Steelcaps
  2. Mixed resistanceJak'Sho, The Protean
  3. Death's Dance
  4. Against magic damageKaenic Rookern
  5. Against critical strikesRanduin's Omen
  6. Health and recoveryWarmog's Armor

Buy this only after selling the Guardian starter when all six permanent slots are needed.

AlternativeThey stack armourBlack Cleaver shreds armour during extended fights.View full route

Best when: Black Cleaver shreds armour during extended fights.

  1. Physical-defence BootsPlated Steelcaps
  2. Mixed resistanceJak'Sho, The Protean
  3. Black Cleaver
  4. Against magic damageKaenic Rookern
  5. Against critical strikesRanduin's Omen
  6. Health and recoveryWarmog's Armor

Buy this only after selling the Guardian starter when all six permanent slots are needed.

Runes and summoner spells

Runes and summoner spellsOlafHowling Abyss

ARAM rewards reliable access to clustered fights. Mark helps a melee front liner enter; Flash preserves a separate escape or reposition.

ARAM
Primary tree

Resolve

Grasp of the UndyingFont of LifeConditioningOvergrowth
Secondary tree

Precision

TriumphLegend: Haste
Summoner spells
FlashMark
Howling Abyss only

Mark and Clarity are mode-specific choices. Do not copy this pair onto a Summoner's Rift page.

Protect the next fight

Choose the second spell around access, survival and team resources rather than treating every ARAM champion as a diver.

Static alternatives

Compare the problem before changing the plan

These choices are not selected from live scores. Use one only after you identify the stated match problem yourself.

Too much healing

Chempunk Chainsword

Chempunk Chainsword adds anti-heal without abandoning attack damage and health.

Physical burst

Death's Dance

Death's Dance delays physical damage so takedowns can stabilise the fight.

They stack armour

Black Cleaver

Black Cleaver shreds armour during extended fights.

Kit reference

Olaf abilities

Ability names, descriptions and numeric fields come from Riot Data Dragon. Practical reads are independently written; the current in-game tooltip remains authoritative.

Abilities Data Dragon 16.20.1Cooldown (s) / Cost / Listed range (units) Data Dragon 16.20.1
P
Passive

Berserker Rage

What it doesOlaf gains Attack Speed and Life Steal based on his missing Health.

Q
Q ability

Undertow

What it doesOlaf throws an axe that damages and slows enemies and reduces champions' armor. Picking it up refunds cooldown depending on elapsed time; an immediate reset is not guaranteed.

Practical readRetrieve the axe only when safe; check the remaining cooldown before casting again.

Cooldown (s)9Cost50/55/60/65/70Listed range (units)1000
W
W ability

Tough It Out

What it doesOlaf's Attack Speed is increased and he gains a Shield.

Cooldown (s)16/15/14/13/12Cost50Listed range (units)700
E
E ability

Reckless Swing

What it doesOlaf attacks with such force that it deals true damage to his target and himself, refunding the Health cost if he destroys the target.

Uses health. Check the current ability tooltip for the health amount and any additional resource cost.

Cooldown (s)11/10/9/8/7Listed range (units)325
R
Ultimate

Ragnarok

What it doesOlaf passively gains increased armor and magic resist. He can activate this ability to become immune to disables for as long as he keeps attacking.

Cooldown (s)100/90/80Cost100Listed range (units)400

Adapt the plan

What to do when the game changes

Judge the whole lane or map state, not only personal kills. Choose the situation closest to the current game.

Even plan

Trade around health, range and the next wave

1
Wave

Let the team clear without spending every important cooldown at once.

2
Map play

Track the shared lane, brush control and available relics rather than looking for a Rift rotation.

3
Fights

Use the champion's reliable range, protection or control before forcing a low-percentage engage.

Shared-lane plan

Olaf on Howling Abyss

Read health, range, wave position and respawn timing together. ARAM has no side-lane rotation, neutral-objective setup or normal ward-control loop.

ARAM only
1
Before the fight

Clear or escort the wave, check which allies are alive and preserve enough health to use the champion's reliable range, protection or engage.

2
During the fight

Use the nearest safe target and the team's reachable follow-up. Do not cross the whole enemy formation for a single low-health champion.

3
After the fight

Push with surviving minions, take the safe structure damage available and reset only through a real death rather than donating one alone.

Keep preparing

Stay inside the ARAM ruleset

Compare another champion, review all Howling Abyss builds, or return to the champion overview. Rift lanes and counter-pick claims stay out of this mode.

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