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Master LoL’s latest champ with our strategy guide.
League of Legends' latest champ, Ornn, The Fire Below The Mountain, is a beefy bruiser who excels at single-target duels and team fighting. Ornn’s abilities allow him to lock down his enemies with brute force, stopping his foes dead in their tracks with endless CC and damage.
The Fire Below The Mountain is an excellent addition to any team looking to display dominance during skirmishes and late-game teamfights. Despite his strengths, Ornn requires excellent mechanical awareness, positioning and target prioritisation. If you’re looking to tear apart your foes with titanic force, Ornn might be the champion you’re looking for.
How to make the most of Ornn's abilities
Living Forge (passive)
Ornn sets down his hammer and starts building any non-consumable item he has selected. Forging takes four seconds and the process is disabled if Ornn enters combat. It’s a very simple, yet effective passive that gives him a lot of versatility and access to items that help counter his lane opponent. Just remember to sit away from the action when forging to avoid poke as he has no sustain.
Volcanic Rupture (Q)
Ornn slams the ground, sending out a fissure that deals physical damage and slows all enemies caught within it. After a small delay, a stony pillar emerges from the ground which blocks movement for a few seconds. Volcanic Rupture is a decent, ranged ability that allows Ornn to safely farm and poke his enemies from a distance. The primary use of this ability is to set up a wall behind an enemy and then slam into it with Searing Charge.
Bellows Breath (W)
Ornn belches out flames from his mouth, engulfing him in a fiery shield for a portion of his max health and dealing damage to enemies based on their current health. The final bout of flame marks enemy targets as Brittle, causing CC to last longer against them. Ornn’s basic attacks deal additional damage and knock back enemies who are marked as Brittle, so make sure you deliver a flurry of fiery auto attacks to melt those engulfed.
Searing Charge (E)
Ornn dashes in a target direction, damaging those he passes through. If he runs into a wall, Ornn creates a shockwave that deals damage based on his armour and magic resist as well as knocking up those caught in the charge. This ability is great at locking down grouped enemies and destroying player-made terrain. Remember to use Volcanic Rupture to place a wall behind your foes before charging your way into the fray with Searing Charge.
Call of the Forge God (R)
Ornn summons a flaming ram that tears through the lane towards him. Enemies run over by the fiery beast will take damage, be slowed and become Brittle. Ornn can butt heads with his ultimate to redirect it and send the ram in the opposite direction. Enemies hit by the redirected ram are knocked up, take damage and become Brittle. Call of the Forge God is an exceptional team-fighting ultimate and can turn the tide of a battle instantly.
Essential Ornn strategy tips
Ornn’s abilities really complement his overall style and he’s easily one of the most intricate champions to be released this year. While the master craftsman has no inbuilt sustain, his adaptability is second-to-none thanks to his ability to forge new items without returning to base.
The key to laning as Ornn is taking as little damage as possible, and regenerating any lost health by simply building more
Before you walk into lane make sure you study up on your early-game itemisation options so you can quickly craft the right gear to counter your lane opponent. The key to laning as Ornn is taking as little damage as possible, and regenerating any lost health by simply building more. Rushing tanky health items like Sunfire Cape and mana regen items like Abyssal Mask will allow you to nullify Ornn’s health and early mana issues, while also decreasing your opponent’s overall effectiveness.
Lane bullies and poke-heavy champions like Darius and Jayce can be a real nightmare to deal with and can often force the Rift’s resident blacksmith out of lane. You can avoid most early-game frustrations by farming and poking with Bellows Breath, while Volcanic Rupture can help deal damage to champions who favour fighting from afar.
Ornn really shines when played in the top-lane as his Searing Charge can be used to its full potential. The walled off sections of top-lane give a greater level of choice when it comes to engaging a target from multiple angles. If you get tower dove simply charge into your turret to knock up the assailants to turn the fight in your favour. Ornn has great synergy with most champions, so if you see your jungler roaming top simply use Volcanic Rupture to slow your opponent before following up with Searing Charge to secure an easy First Blood.
You can set up a near-constant barrage of knock ups by carefully placing a wall while using your ultimate, Call of the Forge God. When teamfighting make sure you layer the CC onto grouped champions to make the most of his ultimate’s lengthy cooldown. Remember to choose wisely when opting to dash in with Searing Charge as once you’ve chosen to engage you won’t be able to get out unless you have Flash available. It’s often best to wait till your team-mates have poked your enemies down or use your ultimate to wall off squishy damage dealers from the safety of their team.
Always keep tabs on what your enemies are building and be ready to pull the wool over their eyes by adapting your build with Living Forge. For example, you could sneakily craft Righteous Glory to drastically increase your movement speed or deliver an icy slow with Iceborn Gauntlet.
Overall, Ornn is a great addition to the roster. He has the potential to turn the tide of battle and constantly adapt to his surroundings, keeping his enemies on their toes throughout all stages of the game. Many players may be put off by his unique kit, but those who are willing to learn his intricacies will be greatly rewarded.
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