This build guide for Morgana is for mid lane and is by Nyjacky, a platinum rated player on League of Legends. Morgana is a strong mage with a unique skillset. Her Dark Binding (Q) can be the best initiate in the game. Very strong AP Carry.
Due to how safe Morgana's laning phase is, you can actually have three different opener items. Boots of SPeed and three health potions, Sapphire Crystal and two health potions, or a Doran's Ring are all completely viable options. If you're going to fight sustain battles against champions like Gragas, mana crystal or Doran's Ring start is much better. However, against
Core Items
Sorcerer's Shoes
Rabadon's Deathcap
Zhonya's Hourglass
Abyssal Scepter
Catalyst the Protector and Rod of Ages are amazing items for making Morgana an incredibly tanky champion with her spell vamp. You can pick up Sorc boots in this build as well as you'll be so naturally tanky combined with your spell vamp you can afford to go with the extra magic pen. You also have a built in spell shield and you won't ever need mercs. You can alternately get your Zhonya's Hourglass as a second item, as it has a massive utility effect combined. Typically I go Rabadon's Deathcap third to increase damage output massively. It is the pinnacle item for almost every AP carry to buy.
Endgame Items
Void Staff
Liandry's Torment
Finishing out a Void Staff to keep your damage even is something every ability power carry must do. WOTA is also very good, because it is nice for the spell vamp and aura for team members. Depending on the game, you might need to grab MR Boots instead of Sorc boots (this is more typical in competitive play). In solo queue, you are fine running sorc boots.
Why Rod of Ages first? I thought it's better and more standard to rush Zhonya so you can just flash into the middle of the enemy team, ult and be safe.
1. give tankiness so you can survive harass and being bursted down by champions like ahri and cassiopeia (as your shield has a quite a long cooldown early on)
2. help solve morgana's mana hungriness early on so you can farm with your W without depleting all of your mana
In tournaments or 5man teams can be better to just rush zhonya, in solo queue (even in high elo), games tend to unnecessarily drag and morgana is one of most foolproof farmers so you should have both before 30min mark almost every game. RoA+Back Shield also gives you (well, most of a time) enought surviability to pull your ult during early skyrmishes and dragon fights. I still personally think going doran and zhonya and DC is better idea, maybe i am too used to that "ohcrap" panic button but usually when i went for early Scepter or RoA, i ended up regreting it. I am not a pro but from what i´ve seen even amongs pro-Morgs it comes to personal preffrences. I say try both and decide what suits bettter, but at your place i´d probably listen to Jacky, if you ar learning her, early catalyst can help you, it gives more sustain and you are generally more durable.
I like the majority of this build; however, I have my own recommendations. Morgana's spells are deadly, but they really shine when she has cooldown added with massive AP in my opinion.
1) I generally start w/ Amplifying Tome and a Mana pot to allow myself to fully utilize masteries and runes early game. It means playing a bit defensive early, but good pay out to get kills as early as level 3 with the W-Q-Ignite combo (2W, 1Q is a genius idea; should've thought of it myself). I rush into getting Morello's and then Sorcerors Shoes. (Q now has an 8s CD)
2) Depending on how well the game is going, I go for the three core items in my build. Rabadon's is always a staple. Unless the following two situations occur, it's the second major item I get:
Abyssal Sceptre if AP heavy team is killing me. (MR, AP and MR removal aura? a major plus)
Frozen Heart for surviving AD heavy teams. Personally, I never remember to activate Zhonya's, plus with the extra CDR, it puts me at a total 40% CDR which gets me down to ulting every 66s and casting main 3 spells every 6-8s.
3) After Rabadon, I start building the Void Staff for even more MP. And if the game is long enough, I'll swap out my Morello's for Archangel's Staff.
4) Will of the Ancients doesn't do much for her anymore since the nerf on it.
And that's my thoughts. As far as this guide overall, it's very well done- the tips and tricks are quite helpful. Plus the counter champs are spot on; only one missing is of course as people have said is Malzahar.
Why build WOTA when Morgana won't benefit from the extra spell vamp? I have been building early Athene instead, because i think it gives Morg more mana to farm and CDR to harass the champ on lane easily. Maybe she won't need it, but i find more utility on that item that with WOTA.
WotA enhances your passive and also gives your team a beneficial aura. It's more beneficial late game. Also, you will build Rod of Ages and get blue, so Athene's isn't 100% required, although it's not a bad idea either.
Malz has the best laning phase of any mage, if not of any champion period, because in 1v1 he is broken and his ability to bully and push are rediculous. He's terrible in teamfights if the enemy has any clue what they're doing, unfortunately, because his damage is over 3-4 seconds and he has to stand perfectly still at a short range to do it. Since Morgana has the safest laning phase of any champion, she's arguably the best counter to Malz that is still a standard AP mid. TLDR, that Morg was bad.
Current Favorites: Midalee, Eve, Ziggs, TF, Cho'gath
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Posted 10/8/2012 5:48:02 PMI was hoping the 'Item Build' section would have been updated. The first section is still cut off.
"If you're going to fight sustain battles against champions like Gragas, mana crystal or Doran's Ring start is much better. However, against"
And that's it.
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Posted 9/15/2012 4:10:30 PMNyjacky is probably the best morg in the game.. I trust this guide to the end.
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Posted 8/23/2012 2:31:12 PMWhy Rod of Ages first? I thought it's better and more standard to rush Zhonya so you can just flash into the middle of the enemy team, ult and be safe.
Please answer I want to learn Morgana.
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Posted 8/24/2012 12:09:51 PMI might be wrong here but i buy Rod of Ages to:
1. give tankiness so you can survive harass and being bursted down by champions like ahri and cassiopeia (as your shield has a quite a long cooldown early on)
2. help solve morgana's mana hungriness early on so you can farm with your W without depleting all of your mana
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Posted 10/8/2012 5:08:58 PMIn tournaments or 5man teams can be better to just rush zhonya, in solo queue (even in high elo), games tend to unnecessarily drag and morgana is one of most foolproof farmers so you should have both before 30min mark almost every game. RoA+Back Shield also gives you (well, most of a time) enought surviability to pull your ult during early skyrmishes and dragon fights. I still personally think going doran and zhonya and DC is better idea, maybe i am too used to that "ohcrap" panic button but usually when i went for early Scepter or RoA, i ended up regreting it. I am not a pro but from what i´ve seen even amongs pro-Morgs it comes to personal preffrences. I say try both and decide what suits bettter, but at your place i´d probably listen to Jacky, if you ar learning her, early catalyst can help you, it gives more sustain and you are generally more durable.
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Posted 7/16/2012 11:00:37 AMI like the majority of this build; however, I have my own recommendations. Morgana's spells are deadly, but they really shine when she has cooldown added with massive AP in my opinion.
1) I generally start w/ Amplifying Tome and a Mana pot to allow myself to fully utilize masteries and runes early game. It means playing a bit defensive early, but good pay out to get kills as early as level 3 with the W-Q-Ignite combo (2W, 1Q is a genius idea; should've thought of it myself). I rush into getting Morello's and then Sorcerors Shoes. (Q now has an 8s CD)
2) Depending on how well the game is going, I go for the three core items in my build. Rabadon's is always a staple. Unless the following two situations occur, it's the second major item I get:
And that's my thoughts. As far as this guide overall, it's very well done- the tips and tricks are quite helpful. Plus the counter champs are spot on; only one missing is of course as people have said is Malzahar.
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Posted 7/8/2012 10:59:53 AMrylai might actually be good for morgana instead of wota... helps her ult to stay in range too
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Posted 7/1/2012 9:47:33 PMWhy build WOTA when Morgana won't benefit from the extra spell vamp? I have been building early Athene instead, because i think it gives Morg more mana to farm and CDR to harass the champ on lane easily. Maybe she won't need it, but i find more utility on that item that with WOTA.
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Posted 7/26/2012 12:34:48 PMWotA enhances your passive and also gives your team a beneficial aura. It's more beneficial late game. Also, you will build Rod of Ages and get blue, so Athene's isn't 100% required, although it's not a bad idea either.
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Posted 6/28/2012 9:40:40 AMMalza pwnd morg easy
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Posted 10/10/2012 7:04:41 PMNever had problems with him and even if, Malz is pretty bad after laning phase, morgana has godly teamfights.
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Posted 11/24/2012 1:19:56 AMCurrent Favorites: Midalee, Eve, Ziggs, TF, Cho'gath
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Posted 6/26/2012 7:04:20 AMDon't u think Janna counters Morgana's Soul Shackles quite well especially in teamfights with her ulti?
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Posted 7/26/2012 12:35:47 PMJanna counters Morg if she doesn't use Black Shield on herself. It's a situational call.
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Posted 5/13/2012 10:43:37 AMwota useless.