
Guardian's Hammer
950 goldAdds attack damage, health and life steal for physical champions who rely on repeated basic attacks in Swiftplay.
Bot · SwiftplayMatchup guidePatch 16.20.1
Build, runes, abilities and practical pre-game checks in one queue-aware reference.
Role fit
Caitlyn has an established Bot carry plan that can scale through shared-lane farm and work with a Support partner.
These patches track recommendation review, build validation and item lookup separately. Updating item data does not complete a build review.
Swiftplay · Bot
Follow the completed-item order as a pre-game reference. Components and owned items do not create extra inventory slots.

Adds attack damage, health and life steal for physical champions who rely on repeated basic attacks in Swiftplay.

Completes the six-item inventory with high attack damage and sustain for extended late fights.

Adds attack speed and movement speed for champions whose repeated basic attacks remain central to the route.

Increases critical-strike damage after a reliable critical core is established; it does not repair a route with too little critical chance.

Adds percentage armour penetration against targets who have built meaningful armour.

Adds a revive for a high-value late fight after the functional damage or durability core is established.

Adds high attack damage and sustain after the route can already reach targets and survive long enough to keep attacking.
Buy this only after selling the Guardian starter when all six permanent slots are needed.
Complete build choices
Recommendation review pending
Best when: Mortal Reminder combines armour penetration with anti-heal.
Buy this only after selling the Guardian starter when all six permanent slots are needed.
Best when: Wit's End adds magic resistance without giving up attack speed.
Buy this only after selling the Guardian starter when all six permanent slots are needed.
Runes and summoner spells
Preserve firing space and turn longer fights into sustained damage.
Avoid duplicating the same defensive spell without a reason. Barrier protects the user; Heal can protect both nearby lane partners.
Choose Cleanse only when removable crowd control is the lane or fight problem and you can use it reliably.
Matchup notes
Range and lane control can pressure last hits while preserving safer spacing.
Early to midLook for lane pressure, first recalls and early objectives before scaling carries complete several items.
Treat Vex as one part of the map state. Their Jungler, nearby waves and which teammates can move determine whether the same trade or rotation is safe.
Static alternatives
These choices are not selected from live scores. Use one only after you identify the stated match problem yourself.

Mortal Reminder combines armour penetration with anti-heal.

Wit's End adds magic resistance without giving up attack speed.
Ability reference
Ability reference Data Dragon 16.20.1
Cooldown (s) / Cost / Listed range (units) Data Dragon 16.20.1
Every few basic attacks, or against a target she has trapped or netted, Caitlyn will fire a headshot dealing bonus damage that scales with her critical strike chance. On trapped or netted targets, Caitlyn's Headshot attack range is doubled.
Caitlyn revs up her rifle for 1 second to unleash a penetrating shot that deals physical damage (deals less damage to subsequent targets).
Cooldown (s) 10/9/8/7/6 · Cost 55/60/65/70/75 · Listed range (units) 1250Caitlyn sets a trap that, when sprung, reveals and immobilizes the enemy champion for 1.5 seconds, granting Caitlyn an empowered Headshot.
Cost 20 · Listed range (units) 800Caitlyn fires a heavy net to slow her target. The recoil knocks Caitlyn back.
Cooldown (s) 16/14/12/10/8 · Cost 75 · Listed range (units) 750Caitlyn takes time to line up the perfect shot, dealing massive damage to a single target at a huge range. Enemy champions can intercept the bullet for their ally.
Cooldown (s) 90 · Cost 100 · Listed range (units) 3500When Jayce swaps weapons he gains Move Speed for a short duration.
Hammer Stance: Leaps to an enemy dealing physical damage and slowing enemies. Cannon Stance: Fires an orb of electricity that detonates upon hitting an enemy (or reaching the end of its path) dealing physical damage to all enemies hit.
Cooldown (s) 16/14/12/10/8/6 · Cost 40 · Listed range (units) 600Hammer Stance: Passive: Restores Mana per strike. Active: Creates a field of lightning damaging nearby enemies for several seconds. Cannon Stance: Gains a burst of energy, increasing Attack Speed to maximum for several attacks.
Cooldown (s) 10 · Cost 40 · Listed range (units) 285Hammer Stance: Deals magic damage to an enemy and knocks them back a short distance. Cannon Stance: Deploys an Acceleration Gate increasing the Move Speed of all allied champions who pass through it. If Shock Blast is fired through the gate the missile speed, range, and damage will increase.
Cooldown (s) 20/18/16/14/12/10 · Cost 55 · Listed range (units) 240Hammer Stance: Transforms the Mercury Hammer into the Mercury Cannon gaining new abilities and increased range. The first attack in this form reduces the target's Armor and Magic Resist. Cannon Stance: Transforms the Mercury Cannon into the Mercury Hammer gaining new abilities and increasing Armor and Magic Resist. The first attack in this form deals additional magic damage.
Cooldown (s) 6 · Listed range (units) 600Adapt the plan
Judge the whole lane or map state, not only personal kills. Choose the situation closest to the current game.
Pressure farm with your Support while keeping the wave and river warded; two opponents can still punish an isolated carry.
Move after the wave is secured and attack the objective from a position your team can defend.
Deal damage to the closest safe target and preserve the shutdown. The lead matters only while you remain alive.
Match the opposing carry's income and trade when both lane partners can participate.
Finish the wave before rotating unless the fight is immediate and clearly reachable.
Stand behind allied control and build damage on reachable targets before stepping toward the back line.
Farm near tower or with nearby allies. Give up isolated minions instead of offering another kill.
Avoid being first into river and trade an unsafe objective for income when the team cannot contest.
Wait for enemy cooldowns and attack whoever enters your safe range; survival creates more damage than a desperate flank.
Pings, movement and objectives
Protect income and coordinate with Support. Your movement should follow the wave, while your pings make target choice and danger clear before the fight begins.
Pings create a shared plan; they do not replace checking waves, vision and who can move.
Finish safe farm and communicate the recall or move before the objective setup begins.
Walk with Support or another ally and choose the side where enemy engage cannot reach you first.
Keep an exit route and identify the nearest target you can damage without crossing enemy control.
Continue useful damage without chasing away from the objective or donating a shutdown.
Later objectives: Repeat the same process around later major objectives: handle nearby income, communicate the route, enter through vision and agree on the fight before committing.
Keep preparing
The matchup page is a pre-game reference. It does not predict the result or alter its recommendation from changing live match data.