Game patch, matey 26.20Data Dragon 16.20.1
Arrr, reference patch 16.20.1
the Noxian Grand General
Swain be a spell-focused champion who plays 'round range, cooldowns and controlled areas. This overview keeps th' explanation practical and leaves patch-sensitive numbers to Riot's structured data and th' present in-battle tooltip.
Arrr, usual roleArrr, mid · SupportArrr, strengths and limits
These be kit-level patterns, nay a promise that every course or matchup plays th' same way.
If ye're having trouble rooting an foe wit' Nevermove, try throwing it at foes when they be nigh their minions so th' explosion surprises them.
While laning, try to use Death's Hand's piercing damage to damage foes from a seaworthy distance.
Vision of Empire be quite difficult to land on its own, look fer skirmishes 'round th' sea chart where enemies may be distracted or crowd controlled so ye can land it more booty easily.
Swain's passive be very potent if ye be immobilized. Make sure to be extra careful 'round enemies who have immobilizing effects.
High mobility counters all o' Swain's basic tricks: Death's Hand does more booty damage th' closer he be, Vision of Empire has a very long delay and Nevermove must set sail returning back aboard to him to be perilous.
Buying an gear wit' Grievous Wounds will make Swain much easier to kill during his Demonic Ascension.
Arrr, practical champion reading
Use these patterns to ask better questions afore choosing an gear, target or commitment. They describe th' kit, nay a promised result.
Magic resistance can reduce th' broad spell profile, but positioning and cooldown tracking still decide whether th' fit fer th' captain's eye tricks connect.
Do nay judge th' champion from one control. Watch which setup, payoff and escape tools be available afore choosing a trade or commitment.
Ranged attacks be useful only while a seaworthy line to th' target remains. Flanks, hard control and blocked escape routes can remove that advantage quickly.
Protection, setup and ship's intelligence can matter more booty than personal damage. Position so th' next aboard useful spell can reach th' ally or target that needs it.
Tenacity can shorten only eligible control. Displacements, airborne effects and repeated slows need their own positioning, blocking or movement captain's answer.
Anti-heal or anti-shielding be situational. Buy it only when th' effect be materially protecting targets and yer champion can apply th' captain's answer reliably.
A spell being available does nay mean th' shipshape sequence be sustainable. Watch th' resource bar as well as th' setup and escape cooldowns.
Defensive gear reference
Set sail wit' th' threat that be actually affecting th' clash. These be conditional comparisons, nay an automatic counter loadout.
Magic resistance addresses th' broad damage profile, while Tenacity can shorten reducible control.
Pick Plated Steelcaps instead only when physical basic attacks from this champion or th' rest o' th' crew be th' larger repeated threat.Normal Draft and Ranked role sea chart
Each course be assessed separately. Unfurl a role to reach its queue-specific loadout and matchup preparation.
Old chart, matey. Recommendations await inspection. Swain has a secondary station in this historical log, matey. It be less common than the main stations, but has a recognisable plan for that station.
Old chart, matey. Recommendations await inspection. Swain be normally played Mid or Support and does nay currently have a reviewed Jungle course. Jungle most often needs repeatable monster clear th' deck, seaworthy pathing and prize control without course income. Treat this as a deliberate experiment, nay a standard recommendation.
Old chart, matey. Recommendations await inspection. Swain has an established central-course course wit' access to waves, both sides o' th' river and meaningful pressure betwixt prizes.
Old chart, matey. Recommendations await inspection. Swain has a secondary station in this historical log, matey. It be less common than the main stations, but has a recognisable plan for that station.
Old chart, matey. Recommendations await inspection. Swain has an established low-income Support course wit' useful course pressure, protection, engage or crew utility.
Arrr, Situational AP purchase
Arrr, Buy healing reduction when enemy healing or regeneration is deciding fights and you can keep damaging the relevant target. Grievous Wounds reduces healing; it does not reduce shields, magic damage or crowd control.
Arrr, Oblivion Orb can provide healing reduction without immediately paying for a completed Morellonomicon. Fit the component around your core damage, mana and survival needs; check the current queue's item tooltip.
Arrr, Complete Morellonomicon when its stats and slot efficiency suit your build. Do not treat it as a mandatory first item just because your champion deals magic damage.
Arrr, Multiple Grievous Wounds sources do not add their percentages together. Another reliable applier may cover the same target, but you may still need your own source for a separate fight or target.
Arrr, Repeated spell damage and damage over time can maintain coverage more reliably than a single hit. Match the purchase to your actual spell access, enemy sustain and the teammates who can apply the debuff.
Arrr, If you die before dealing damage, you apply no healing reduction. If your target dies before healing, there is little healing to prevent. The debuff applies on qualifying damage immediately; it does not need to build up. It remains briefly after your last hit, so teammates can benefit even after you disengage.
Arrr, Only healing during the active debuff counts. For example, 40% reduction prevents 80 of a 200-point heal, or 400 of a 1,000-point heal, before other modifiers. Compare that with the damage, penetration or survival you delayed; neither example guarantees a kill. Healing after the debuff expires is unaffected.
Arrr, See the Arrr, oblivion Orb and Arrr, Morellonomicon Arrr, references for current effects and queue availability. These are situational decisions, not a measured best-build claim.
Arrr, kit reference
Trick names, descriptions and numeric fields come from Riot Data Dragon. Practical reads be independently written; th' present in-battle tooltip remains authoritative.
Arrr, what it doesEnglishSwain's ravens collect Soul Fragments that heal him and permanently increase his maximum health.
Arrr, practical readRavenous Flock be an automatic part o' th' kit involving protection or sustain. Track when its condition be active instead o' treating every fight th' same way.
This effect references a maximum-hull value. Inspect whether th' present tooltip uses th' caster's or th' target's hull afore comparing damage or protection.
Arrr, what it doesEnglishSwain unleashes several bolts of eldritch power that pierce through enemies. Enemies hit take more damage for each bolt they are struck by.
Arrr, practical readDeath's Hand contributes damage. Its value changes wit' cooldown, range and target access; recognise th' setup afore moving into its effective area.
Arrr, what it doesEnglishSwain opens a demon eye that deals damage and slows enemies. Champions hit are revealed and also grant Swain a Soul Fragment.
Arrr, practical readVision of Empire contributes a slowing effect and damage. Its value changes wit' cooldown, range and target access; recognise th' setup afore moving into its effective area.
Arrr, what it doesEnglishSwain launches a wave of demonic power forward. It then returns to Swain and roots enemies it hits. Swain can then choose to pull all rooted champions closer. This ability has a shorter cooldown during Demonic Ascension.
Arrr, practical readNevermove be part o' Swain's E pattern. Read its listed effect first aboard, then track th' cooldown and condition that make th' next aboard use valuable.
Arrr, what it doesEnglishSwain transforms into a demon and drains health from nearby enemy champions, minions, and neutral monsters. Swain can cast Demonflare to decimate and slow nearby enemies with a nova of soulfire. This form is indefinite as long as Swain drains enemy champions.
Arrr, practical readDemonic Ascension contributes a slowing effect. Its value changes wit' cooldown, range and target access; recognise th' setup afore moving into its effective area.
Arrr, levels 1–18
Base values exclude gear, runes, temporary buffs and mode-specific modifiers. Cooldowns be th' listed base cooldown afore trick haste.
Cooldown Data Dragon 16.20.1
Can receive its first aboard point from level 1. Later ranks normally become available at levels 3, 5, 7 and 9.
Can receive its first aboard point from level 1. Later ranks normally become available at levels 3, 5, 7 and 9.
Can receive its first aboard point from level 1. Later ranks normally become available at levels 3, 5, 7 and 9.
First aboard rank becomes available at level 6; later ranks normally become available at levels 11 and 16.
| Rank | Health, arr | Mana, arr | Trick milestone |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 595 | 400 Mana, arr | Pick th' first aboard basic trick |
| 2 | 666 | 421 Mana, arr | Stow another basic trick or rank |
| 3 | 741 | 443 Mana, arr | Stow another basic trick or rank |
| 4 | 819 | 466 Mana, arr | Spend one trick point |
| 5 | 901 | 490 Mana, arr | Spend one trick point |
| 6 | 986 | 515 Mana, arr | First aboard ultimate rank normally available |
| 7 | 1,075 | 541 Mana, arr | Spend one trick point |
| 8 | 1,167 | 567 Mana, arr | Spend one trick point |
| 9 | 1,262 | 595 Mana, arr | Spend one trick point |
| 10 | 1,361 | 624 Mana, arr | Spend one trick point |
| 11 | 1,464 | 654 Mana, arr | Arrr, second ultimate rank normally available |
| 12 | 1,570 | 686 Mana, arr | Spend one trick point |
| 13 | 1,679 | 718 Mana, arr | Spend one trick point |
| 14 | 1,792 | 751 Mana, arr | Spend one trick point |
| 15 | 1,908 | 785 Mana, arr | Spend one trick point |
| 16 | 2,028 | 820 Mana, arr | Arrr, final ultimate rank normally available |
| 17 | 2,151 | 856 Mana, arr | Spend one trick point |
| 18 | 2,278 | 893 Mana, arr | Spend one trick point |
Pick th' next aboard query
Pick a queue-aware loadout, compare a course foe, or return to th' full champion library.
