Darius is a dominant top lane fighter who excels at lane control and team fights. His ability to both deal and absorb damage makes him an ideal pick for climbing ranks up to Platinum, even for off-role players.

Core Strengths:

• Strong lane dominance
• High threat potential throughout the game
• Effective against both tanks and carries
• Game-changing ultimate ability with reset mechanic

Ability Order:

1. Q (Decimate) - Max first
2. E (Apprehend) - Max second
3. W (Crippling Strike)
4. R (Noxian Guillotine) at levels 6, 11, and 16

Level 1-3 Strategy:

• Safe matchup: Start Q for safe farming and poke
• Aggressive matchup: Start W for early trade potential (AA-W-AA combo)
• Take E at level 3 for engage/disengage potential

Q (Decimate) Mechanics:

• Primary damage and sustain tool
• Aim to hit with outer ring for maximum effect
• Used for wave clear and enemy poke

E (Apprehend) Usage:

• Offensive: Pull enemies for engagement
• Defensive: Slow enemies during ganks
• Provides passive armor penetration

Ultimate (Noxian Guillotine):

• True damage execution
• Damage increases with passive stacks
• Resets on kill
• Unstoppable during animation

Item Build Path:

Starting Items:

• Doran's Blade + Health Potion
• Shield + 2 Health Potions (difficult matchups)

Core Items:

• Stridebreaker
• Dead Man's Plate
• Force of Nature

Situational Items:

• Black Cleaver (vs tanks)
• Death's Dance (vs AD heavy)
• Sterak's Gage (when ahead)
• Spirit Visage (vs AP heavy)

Build Strategy: Focus on mobility items early to compensate for Darius's low movement speed. Prioritize defensive items in the mid-game while maintaining damage threat through passive abilities and ultimate executions.

Early boots purchase is crucial for maximizing lane presence and chase potential. Balance between damage and tankiness based on game state and team composition.

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