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ARAM · Howling AbyssMatchup guidePatch 16.20.1

Varus vs Caitlyn

Build, runes, abilities and practical pre-game checks in one queue-aware reference.

VarusVSCaitlyn

Matchup guide

Choose the matchup

Search any two champions. ARAM uses one shared lane, so no Rift role selection is required.

VS
FormatOne shared lane

Choose two champions from the list.

ARAM context

One shared lane, one champion-specific plan

The page uses ARAM starting, shopping and teamfight rules. Its internal build source is not shown as a Rift assignment.

Howling Abyss
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 marksman 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 Hammer

950 gold

An ARAM attack-damage and sustain starter to compare with the current Recommended shop.

1
Attack-speed Boots

Berserker's Greaves

1,100 gold

Adds attack speed and movement for repeated attacks.

2
Repeated-attack core

Kraken Slayer

3,000 gold

Builds a reliable repeated-attack damage core.

3
Critical damage

Infinity Edge

3,500 gold

Increases critical-strike damage after critical chance is established.

4
Against armour

Lord Dominik's Regards

3,300 gold

Adds percentage armour penetration against meaningful armour.

5
Late sustain

Bloodthirster

3,400 gold

Adds high attack damage and sustain for extended late fights.

6
Final option

Immortal Shieldbow

3,000 gold

Completes the permanent inventory with critical strike and a low-health shield after the damage core is established.

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 healingMorellonomicon applies anti-heal. Buy it earlier only when healing is already deciding fights.View full route

Best when: Morellonomicon applies anti-heal. Buy it earlier only when healing is already deciding fights.

  1. Attack-speed BootsBerserker's Greaves
  2. Repeated-attack coreKraken Slayer
  3. Morellonomicon
  4. Against armourLord Dominik's Regards
  5. Late sustainBloodthirster
  6. Final optionImmortal Shieldbow

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

AlternativeThey burst meZhonya's stasis can absorb a committed dive or lethal burst window.View full route

Best when: Zhonya's stasis can absorb a committed dive or lethal burst window.

  1. Attack-speed BootsBerserker's Greaves
  2. Repeated-attack coreKraken Slayer
  3. Zhonya's Hourglass
  4. Against armourLord Dominik's Regards
  5. Late sustainBloodthirster
  6. Final optionImmortal Shieldbow

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

AlternativeOne spell stops meBanshee's spell shield can protect the first important cast against you.View full route

Best when: Banshee's spell shield can protect the first important cast against you.

  1. Attack-speed BootsBerserker's Greaves
  2. Repeated-attack coreKraken Slayer
  3. Critical damageInfinity Edge
  4. Banshee's Veil
  5. Late sustainBloodthirster
  6. Final optionImmortal Shieldbow

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

AlternativeThey stack magic resistVoid Staff becomes valuable when the target has bought meaningful magic resistance.View full route

Best when: Void Staff becomes valuable when the target has bought meaningful magic resistance.

  1. Attack-speed BootsBerserker's Greaves
  2. Repeated-attack coreKraken Slayer
  3. Critical damageInfinity Edge
  4. Void Staff
  5. Late sustainBloodthirster
  6. Final optionImmortal Shieldbow

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 marksman referenceRecommendation review pendingView full route

Recommendation review pending

  1. Attack-speed BootsBerserker's Greaves
  2. Repeated-attack coreKraken Slayer
  3. Critical damageInfinity Edge
  4. Against armourLord Dominik's Regards
  5. Late sustainBloodthirster
  6. Final optionImmortal Shieldbow

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

AlternativeToo much healingMorellonomicon applies anti-heal. Buy it earlier only when healing is already deciding fights.View full route

Best when: Morellonomicon applies anti-heal. Buy it earlier only when healing is already deciding fights.

  1. Attack-speed BootsBerserker's Greaves
  2. Repeated-attack coreKraken Slayer
  3. Morellonomicon
  4. Against armourLord Dominik's Regards
  5. Late sustainBloodthirster
  6. Final optionImmortal Shieldbow

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

AlternativeThey burst meZhonya's stasis can absorb a committed dive or lethal burst window.View full route

Best when: Zhonya's stasis can absorb a committed dive or lethal burst window.

  1. Attack-speed BootsBerserker's Greaves
  2. Repeated-attack coreKraken Slayer
  3. Zhonya's Hourglass
  4. Against armourLord Dominik's Regards
  5. Late sustainBloodthirster
  6. Final optionImmortal Shieldbow

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

AlternativeOne spell stops meBanshee's spell shield can protect the first important cast against you.View full route

Best when: Banshee's spell shield can protect the first important cast against you.

  1. Attack-speed BootsBerserker's Greaves
  2. Repeated-attack coreKraken Slayer
  3. Critical damageInfinity Edge
  4. Banshee's Veil
  5. Late sustainBloodthirster
  6. Final optionImmortal Shieldbow

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

AlternativeThey stack magic resistVoid Staff becomes valuable when the target has bought meaningful magic resistance.View full route

Best when: Void Staff becomes valuable when the target has bought meaningful magic resistance.

  1. Attack-speed BootsBerserker's Greaves
  2. Repeated-attack coreKraken Slayer
  3. Critical damageInfinity Edge
  4. Void Staff
  5. Late sustainBloodthirster
  6. Final optionImmortal Shieldbow

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

Runes and summoner spells

Runes and summoner spellsVarusHowling Abyss

The marksman page preserves sustained damage and spacing. Flash and Ghost provide two player-controlled movement tools on the narrow Howling Abyss.

ARAM
Primary tree

Precision

Lethal TempoPresence of MindLegend: AlacrityCut Down
Secondary tree

Sorcery

CelerityGathering Storm
Summoner spells
FlashGhost
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.

Matchup notes

What changes when Caitlyn is opposite you?

Pre-game kit comparison
Shared-lane interaction

Compare reliable reach and repeatable value

Track which champion can apply damage, control or protection without crossing the enemy team's safe space. ARAM does not turn this kit comparison into a lane-counter claim.

Team context first

Rerolls, allied range, engage and protection can matter more than either champion in isolation.

Your plan

Use the route you prepared

Use the champion-specific ARAM build as a starting reference, then check the current Recommended shop, your five-player composition and the next available death shop.

Ability reminders

Varus reminders

  • An early point in Blighted Quiver helps harass enemy champions and get killing blows on minions.
  • During short range fights it's sometimes best to fire Piercing Arrow quickly, rather than charging it to full power.
  • Try to take advantage of Piercing Arrow's very long range to snipe at enemy champions before a fight or as they're trying to flee.
Ability reminders

Against Caitlyn

  • Keep behind allied minions if Caitlyn is harassing you with Piltover Peacemaker (it deals less damage with each subsequent target).
  • You can intercept Ace in the Hole's missile from hitting an ally if you stand in its path.

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

Morellonomicon

Morellonomicon applies anti-heal. Buy it earlier only when healing is already deciding fights.

They burst me

Zhonya's Hourglass

Zhonya's stasis can absorb a committed dive or lethal burst window.

One spell stops me

Banshee's Veil

Banshee's spell shield can protect the first important cast against you.

They stack magic resist

Void Staff

Void Staff becomes valuable when the target has bought meaningful magic resistance.

Ability reference

Compare both kits

Ability reference Data Dragon 16.20.1

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

Varus

  1. P
    Living Vengeance

    On kill or assist, Varus temporarily gains Attack Damage and Ability Power. This bonus is larger if the enemy is a champion.

  2. Q
    Piercing Arrow

    Varus readies and then fires a powerful shot that gains extra range and damage the longer he spends preparing to fire.

    Range changes as this ability charges. Check the current ability tooltip; the listed value is not its full range.

    Cooldown (s) 16/15/14/13/12 · Cost 50/55/60/65/70 · Listed range (units) 925
  3. W
    Blighted 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.

    Cooldown (s) 40 · Listed range (units) 750
  4. E
    Hail 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.

    Cooldown (s) 18/16/14/12/10 · Cost 90 · Listed range (units) 925
  5. R
    Chain of Corruption

    Varus 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.

    Cooldown (s) 100/80/60 · Cost 100 · Listed range (units) 1300

Caitlyn

  1. P
    Headshot

    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.

  2. Q
    Piltover Peacemaker

    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) 1250
  3. W
    Yordle Snap Trap

    Caitlyn 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) 800
  4. E
    90 Caliber Net

    Caitlyn 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) 750
  5. R
    Ace in the Hole

    Caitlyn 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) 3500

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

Varus 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 with Howling Abyss information

Open the complete ARAM build or compare another champion. Rift role counters are intentionally kept out of this page.

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