Kog'Maw How to Play: Tips & Power Spikes

When Kog'Maw Mid gets stronger, in the order it happens in a typical ranked game: ability unlocks from the most common skill order, item spikes at the median minute players finish them, and the game length Kog'Maw wins most.

1. Lv 3
   All three basic abilities at level 3

   Kog'Maw's full combo is online — the first point where trading all-in is realistic.
2. Lv 6
   Ultimate rank 1 at level 6

   The biggest early spike: look for a kill or a roam as soon as Kog'Maw hits it.
3. Lv 11
   Ultimate rank 2 at level 11

   Lower ultimate cooldown means more fights Kog'Maw can start or win.
4. Lv 16
   Ultimate rank 3 at level 16

   Lower ultimate cooldown means more fights Kog'Maw can start or win.
5. 11.8 min
   First item at 11.8 min

   Dusk and Dawn is done — Kog'Maw's first real damage or durability spike.
6. 20.6 min
   Two items at 20.6 min

   ›Dusk and Dawn + Shadowflame: the window to group and take objectives.
7. 26.7 min
   Three-item core at 26.7 min

   ››Dusk and Dawn + Shadowflame + Rabadon's Deathcap completes Kog'Maw's core build.
8. 40 min
   Strongest in games of about 40 minutes

   Kog'Maw wins 61.0% of games that end around this point.

Item timings are medians: half of players finish later. Fall behind in farm and every item spike moves back with it.

Kog'Maw recovers well from behind: a lost lane is not a lost game, so keep farming and wait for teamfights. On average Kog'Maw Mid is 12 gold ahead of the lane opponent at 15 minutes and ahead in 52% of games. A 1,000-gold lead at 15 turns into a 62% win rate; a 1,000-gold deficit leaves 40%. Kog'Maw averages 0.92 solo kills by 15 minutes.

What Kog'Maw does better or worse than other champions after laning, from this patch's ranked games — percentiles where 100 is the highest of every champion.