I typicall go for a spiritstone and boots of speed at my first back.

The aegis of legion is my first big item. Depending if im ahead or behind i build the Glacial Shroud into Frozen heart or Iceborn Gauntlet. If i'm ahead i usually just grab as much benefits to damage as possible to be able to go to victory. For magic resistance i get the Runic Bulwark and a  Spirit Visage. The spiritstone is build into a Golem if they are AD dependant and i would need the early armor and health and if i'm ahead i get a Lizard instead to be able to chug down more damage.

Since i don't use a build that is written in stone, its difficult to say what i would use, but i focus on getting defensive items in a team and feed the kills to my lanes while i focus more on damage when i play by myself in SoloQ

Meh I like to take fracture early, but great guide.

While i agree that Fracture is a good ability for sustain and damage, i don't really feel its useable pre 13 due to its mana cost. In some occasions when i'm ahead and i've gotten the glacial shroud pretty quick i grab the fracture on level 8. But since its cost really don't justify the damage and sustain it provides in early levels, id rather spend it on an ability that can maintain the mana cost and still do the damage.

 Excellent at taking advantage of teammates out of position with his ultimate.

Do I read that wrong, or doesn't that needs a little fixing?

machete+5 is ok on himi play +15AP essences, but this depends on taste.
Spirit of ancient golem is rly good, you can get ninja tabi or Trollboots, cuz you still have tenacy.

Iceborn Gauntlet
is rly rly underated, in S2 i build early sheen and armor anyways.The slow, armor and sheen effekt on this item is good for skarner,
mobility and dmg is added, while he still gets tanky.

so not updated, no machete, heart of gold....

Heart of Gold no longer exists, yet it's in your "updated" guide.

True, i also realized that when i read the guide.

This is something I would welcome; do you have a source for that sweet piece of info?

Worst items I have seen so far in a guide. Why would you want to spend so much gold in mana? 900? Are you kidding me? I have played almost 300 games with skarner (he is the one I have being most successful) and I haven't really needed more than 200 extra mana or so. Maybe if you want you could use Frozen Heart, but it's not necessary at all. 900 mana is just absurd and a poor choice.

Too many armor items, what is that for? You don't need that much.

Guardian Angel? Very bad item for skarner. You are supposed to try making enemies attack you, not make them ignore you. 

Shurelya is decent right now despite the nerf.

I would not take mercury threads in every game, they are expensive and now you have a new item that gives you tenacity in the jungle. I would say that depends completely on the team comp.

I thought FoN was removed.

I don't think Spirit visage is specially a good choice for skarner. Maybe it works because is just the same with every champ.

Banshee's Veil is ok but normally you don't need the shield. It depends on the team comp. Same with Quicksilver Sash.

Athene unholy, again, another item that gives you mana, not worth it, I don't understand you.

Normally I never write but the mana items were just so absurd that I had to come here to say it. 

Keep improving!

Arzenal, great guide, thanks!

S3 Jungle changes and Skarner, will you still roll boots?  Or get the Machete as people are saying that's mandatory?  Thanks!

I agree with the Machete and 5 pots strategy since it gives you plenty of health through your first clear.  I also love the spirit of the ancient golem, but I was wondering if it's worth picking both this and merc treads since the tenacity won't stack.  Didn't know if alternatives to either would be viable if the team comp didn't automatically decide boots.

FYI, the guide lists Philosopher's Stone as being 700g when it is actually 800g.  What I would give for it to me 700g!