While he might not be the most popular champion, Talon is an extremely powerful mid lane assassin who matches up well against many of the other assassins in League of Legends.
Talon’s strength comes from his ability to deal critical damage in a small amount of time and make an escape using his ultimate ability, Shadow Assault. This allows Talon to become invisible for a short amount of time, creating a perimeter of blades that will return to the champion’s new location and damaging enemies in their path.
Talon, much like other champions in League, can effectively use a variety of items to complement his situation from game to game. But the assassin does have core items that will grant the player the best chance of winning regardless of the game state.
Here is the best build for Talon in season 11.
Runes
Screengrab via Riot Games
Domination
Electrocute: Talon utilizes a combination of his abilities in quick succession to secure takedowns. Electrocute is a must-have rune for champions like Talon because it will deal bonus damage should he successfully land three unique abilities on an enemy within three seconds. For Talon, this is going to be a common occurrence and taking this rune makes the champion even more dangerous.
Taste of Blood: As a melee champion, you’ll be taking a lot of damage early on during the laning phase. Going for Taste of Blood will help you survive your rather weak early game until you get more levels and can start roaming around the map. If you want some additional damage, then Sudden Impact is a good alternative.
Eyeball Collection: This rune allows Talon to get stronger for every takedown he secures. Securing takedowns will see the champion gain bonus adaptive damage up until the 10th takedown. Upon securing this max mark, Talon will receive another boost of adaptive damage to further increase his power. This is the perfect way for the champion to gain strength as the game progresses.
Relentless Hunter: Talon benefits from increased movement speed, allowing him to get the jump on his enemies. Relentless Hunter grants the champion five out-of-combat movement speed, allowing him to get near enemy champions and set up his perfect takedown combination.
Sorcery
Nimbus Cloak: Again, mobility is key to setting up kills for Talon and Nimbus Cloak increases this further by granting the champion the ability to pass through units after using a summoner spell. Should Talon ignite an enemy, he will be able to track them down without being disrupted by minions in the lane. On top of this, the rune will also grant him increased movement speed based on the cooldown of the summoner spell he has used.
Absolute Focus: This rune allows you to have a higher burst when you’re above 70 percent health, which you’ll be during most of your roams. While early on the adaptive force won’t be that impactful, as you scale more with levels, the amount of AD received will be higher.
Bonuses: +9 adaptive power, +9 adaptive power, +8 magic resistance
Starting items
Long Sword
While a Long Sword may only grant 10 attack damage, it allows Talon to purchase a Tiamat quicker than if he began with a Doran’s Blade for its life-stealing abilities. Depending on the matchup, Talon may have a slow early game, and for him, to be able to piece together a build means that he will be able to set up takedowns faster.
Refillable Potion
A great item to sustain champions who are susceptible to taking damage early in lane, Refillable Potion will grant Talon a total of 250 health over two charges that can be refilled once the champion returns to base. For Talon this means he is able to sit in lane and accrue gold without the need of returning to base as quickly.
Core items
Ionian Boots of Lucidity
This is your core goal to get during your first base. The additional ability haste alongside early movement speed allows you to quickly shove the mid lane, before roaming to other lanes to help them or invade the opposing jungler. While two or three Long Swords would improve your damage instead of these boots, the movement speed and ability haste makes them much more valuable compared to the pure AD which you’d get from Long Swords.
Prowler’s Claw
This is the Mythic item you want to go for in most of your games. In rare scenarios where you go for a bruiser oriented build, you can go for Goredrinker, but in other scenarios, this is the best item in the slot. On top of the amazing stats this item gives you, you get access to a dash and get five lethality for each legendary item in your inventory, making this a prime choice.
Serpent’s Fang
With more shield champions becoming meta, this item is perfect to deal with them. While it only grants you 55 attack damage and 18 lethality, which might feel inefficient, the passive effect to reduce shields received by the target allows you to actually do more damage than a critical strike item with perhaps more attack damage.
Late-game items
Serylda’s Grudge
In the later stages of the game, enemies will be stacking up a lot of armor. Serylda’s Grudge will help you penetrate 30 percent of it alongside granting you 45 attack damage, 20 ability haste, and an effect to slow your enemies whenever you hit them with a damaging ability.
Edge of the Night
Once Talon starts to get involved in teamfights, he will find himself the target of crowd control abilities to stop his attacks and eliminate him before he can deal major blows. Edge of the Night gives Talon a spell shield that will negate the effect of one spell before going on cooldown. With this, the item also grants Talon 325 health, 50 attack damage, and 10 lethality.
Youmuu’s Ghostblade
Youmuu’s Ghostblade grants 60 attack damage and 18 lethality and unique abilities that will increase Talon’s mobility. For the first, Talon will gain 40 percent increased movement speed out of combat. The second ability grants Talon 20 percent movement speed and the ability to pass through units.
Situational items
Mercury’s Treads
In rare situations where you’re facing a lot of AP champions, or those who have a lot of CC, getting Mercury’s Treads should be your priority. It will reduce damage taken by them by quite a lot early on, while also reducing CC received.
Plated Steelcaps
Alternative against heavy AD compositions to reduce their pressure from auto attacks and physical damaging abilities. It is a decent rush if you’re having issues in the mid lane against an AD champion such as Lucian, Zed, Tristana, or others.
Manamune
If you need to constantly clear waves in the mid lane, then going for an early Tear would be a good option. It can later on be converted to Manamune, which will give you a nice chunk of AD depending on how much mana you have. On top of that, your abilities will get additional damage once the item is fully stacked.
Chempunk Chainsword
Great late game item against compositions with a lot of innate healing. On top of the amazing stats it gives you, you’ll also be getting an anti-healing debuff for those pesky opponents with a lot of healing potential.
Executioner’s Calling
Early-game item to counter the healing from your lane opponent. This is a crucial item to help you land those early-game kills against champions such as Lee Sin, Sylas, Lucian, and others, who can easily regain a huge amount of health quickly.
Quicksilver Sash
Cheap 1,300 gold item with a decent amount of magic resist and a cleanse on a 90-second cooldown. It’s a requirement to get this against teams with a lot of CC so that you don’t get blown up in fights. While the lack of damage might make you think twice before getting it, it’s better to have a Talon with less damage potential alive rather than a Talon with a lot of AD who gets blown up instantly.
Guardian Angel
If you’re the primary carry of the team and you’re finding yourself in trouble in teamfights, then getting Guardian Angel can be a good option for the second life. Your cooldowns will be back up by the time you’re resurrected and might be able to trade your life for a kill before going down. If your team reacts properly, you might even avoid death and be able to safely run away.
