Xerath How to Play: Tips & Power Spikes

When Xerath Bot 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 Xerath wins most.

1. Lv 3
   All three basic abilities at level 3

   Xerath'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 Xerath hits it.
3. Lv 11
   Ultimate rank 2 at level 11

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

   Lower ultimate cooldown means more fights Xerath can start or win.
5. 11.2 min
   First item at 11.2 min

   Luden's Echo is done — Xerath's first real damage or durability spike.
6. 19.7 min
   Two items at 19.7 min

   ›Luden's Echo + Shadowflame: the window to group and take objectives.
7. 26.6 min
   Three-item core at 26.6 min

   ››Luden's Echo + Shadowflame + Rabadon's Deathcap completes Xerath's core build.
8. 35 min
   Strongest in games of about 35 minutes

   Xerath wins 57.1% 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.

Xerath plays an even lane: no extreme in gold, leads or scaling, so the matchup decides how hard to push. On average Xerath Bot is 5 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 64% win rate; a 1,000-gold deficit leaves 30%. Xerath averages 0.29 solo kills by 15 minutes.

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