User blog:WhiteSeraph/Gragas

Here's how to play GRAGAS

Prep
For runes, I go with magic penetration marks, magic resist seals, scaling AP glyphs, and flat AP quints. Another viable and very enjoyable thing to do is have an entire page filled with only scaling AP. You'll be at a disadvantage for the first 4-5 levels, but after that you hit too hard to care.

21/0/9 or 21/9/0 AP masteries are best.

Flash + Ignite or Flash + Teleport for spells

Overview
Gragas is a nuke mage. These are his skills
 * Passive - Heals him for a little bit every time he uses a skill. This doesn't do a lot for him in a fight, but in lane it is fantastic because he can sustain himself over a long period of time.
 * Q - Throws out a barrel that will explode either when you press Q again, or after a few seconds. This is Grag's main skill, and with its low cooldown you use it pretty much whenever you want. Max this first.
 * W - Gragas drinks some grog, which makes him give 98% less fucks. He takes less damage, restores mana, and increases his AD (not AP) after a short channel. Very good skill for laning because of the sustain you get from reduced damage and mana replenishment. Max this second.
 * E - Gragas dashes, slowing and dealing damage to enemies he runs into. This is used for mobility, positioning, slowing, and damage. When you're running away, remember that it's basically another Flash. Max this last.
 * R - Gragas throws out an even bigger barrel that explodes on impact, dealing massive damage and knocking enemies away from the explosion. Great for disrupting a team fight, as well as pure damage. Max this whenever you can.

Build
With Gragas, I tend to build a bit more situationally than I do with other mages such as Ziggs or Xerath, but I'll try to cover the basics.

Start Doran's Ring and 2 potions of your choice.

Usually I'll keep smashing whoever I'm laning against until they have to go back to heal, at which point I'll go back and buy a 2nd Doran's. If I have money, I'll usually get a Chalice of Harmony to keep my mana up constantly.

If I'm losing lane, I'll get the 2nd Dorans, but then start building a Catalyst, starting with the red crystal. With Gragas's W, health makes him noticeably harder to kill.

Next I'll build Rod of Ages if I got Catalyst, or Athene's if I got Chalice. I'll almost never get both in one game, because I want to get Rabadon's faster.

You should get Sorcerer's Shoes when you need mobility (aka when everyone else in the game has 2nd level boots)

After you get Rabadon's, start stacking a LOT of AP.

Here's my example finished buld: Sorc Shoes, Athene's, Deathcap, Void Staff, DFG, Zhonya's.

Play
Gragas has pretty simple gameplay. Throw out as many Qs as you can, hitting as many enemies as possible. When they're low enough, you can follow up with E or R. Always keep your W buff on when you can.

Farming is also simple. Use one Q to hit as much of the minion wave as you can, prioritizing the caster minions. Follow up on those wizarding fuckfaces with E. This will kill them. Since you have W up, you can farm the fighter minions pretty easily.

If you push up to the enemy turret, don't worry about it. The range on Q is long, so you can keep farming and harassing your lane opponent.

In team fights, you don't do much that you wouldn't do in lane. Just keep using Q when you can, and hit as many enemies as you can. If you can get 3 Qs on the enemy adc, you'll probably win the fight. You can also use R to split up their team in a fight, or just deal a ton of damage to most of their team. If your adc is getting hammered, use E on whoever is attacking him. The slow will usually give your adc time to get out of there.