If you are a League of Legends player looking to gain an edge in champion combat, the First Strike rune can give you a powerful advantage. This keystone rune from the Inspiration tree rewards you for dealing damage or applying crowd control effects to an enemy champion within the first 0.25 seconds of combat. Upon activation, First Strike grants 9% bonus true damage to all post-mitigation damage dealt against champions for 3 seconds, as well as a gold reward based on the bonus damage dealt. In this article, we will dive deeper into the mechanics of the First Strike rune and how to use it to dominate your opponents.
Understanding the First Strike Rune
The First Strike rune can be found in the Inspiration tree under the “Outwit Mere Mortals” section. It is a keystone rune that provides a passive effect upon meeting certain conditions in champion combat. To activate First Strike, you must deal damage or apply a crowd control effect to an enemy champion within the first 0.25 seconds of combat. Upon activation, you will gain First Strike for 3 seconds. During this time, all post-mitigation damage dealt against champions will deal 9% bonus true damage.
Additionally, First Strike grants you a gold reward equal to either 100% (for melee champions) or 70% (for ranged champions) of all bonus damage dealt within the duration. This gold reward can be a significant boost to your early game, allowing you to purchase items and gain an advantage over your opponent.
However, it is important to note that First Strike will go on full cooldown if you are struck by an enemy champion before you strike them. This means that you should time your attacks carefully to ensure that you activate First Strike without being hit first.
Best Runes for First Strike
There are several runes from the Precision tree that pair well with First Strike. Legend Bloodline is a good choice if you are looking to heal off your first strike attacks. Presence of Mind will restore mana and energy you might expend dashing to your target to apply first strike. Triumph is also good if you think you’ll be killing your opponents as it will give extra gold and restore health upon killing an enemy champion.
Contraption, Hextech Flashtraption, Magical Footwear, Perfect Timing, Future’s Market, Minion Dematerializer, Biscuit Delivery, Cosmic Insight, Approach Velocity, and Time Warp Tonic are also viable choices for your primary rune tree. You can mix and match these runes to suit your playstyle and strategy based on the enemy team composition and what makes sense. Experiment and you might find the best combination that not even the Pro’s recommend!
Notes on First Strike
There are a few important notes to keep in mind when using the First Strike rune. Firstly, if you do not have immobilizing effects, Glacial Augment will be exchanged for First Strike. Additionally, First Strike’s bonus damage will trigger from all damage types, including true damage. This means that all of your attacks, spells, and items that deal damage will benefit from the bonus true damage.
It is also important to note that First Strike goes on cooldown upon activation, and that the triggering instance of damage will benefit from First Strike’s bonus damage. Moreover, First Strike will fire a missile at the target for each instance of damage dealt to them per cast instance while the effect is active. This missile has a fixed travel time of 0.4 seconds and does not determine the rune’s effects.
If multiple targets are damaged at the same time, the missile will be sent towards the first target hit. This missile causes the user to be revealed briefly. Finally, it is important to be aware of the map-specific differences, as the cooldown of First Strike changes in Ultra Rapid Fire mode.
Champion that Benefit from First Strike
The First Strike rune can be a valuable addition to the toolkit of many champions in League of Legends. Its passive effect rewards players for striking their opponents quickly, granting bonus true damage and a gold reward based on the bonus damage dealt.
Assassins, in particular, can benefit greatly from First Strike. Champions like Zed, Talon, and Kha’Zix rely on dealing damage quickly and efficiently to eliminate their opponents before they have a chance to respond. First Strike can help these champions deal even more damage and secure kills more easily, giving them a significant advantage in the early game.
In addition, bruisers like Darius, Garen, and Renekton can also make good use of First Strike. These champions are known for their ability to engage in close combat and deal massive amounts of damage. First Strike can help them deal even more damage and secure kills more easily, allowing them to dominate their opponents and control the pace of the game.
However, it is important to note that not all champions are well-suited to using First Strike. Some champions, like mages and marksmen, may not benefit as much from the bonus true damage and may have difficulty activating the rune’s passive effect. In these cases, other runes from the Inspiration tree or other rune trees may be a better choice.
Ultimately, the decision to use the First Strike rune should be based on your champion’s playstyle and strategy. If you are an assassin or bruiser looking to gain an early advantage in champion combat, First Strike can be a valuable tool to add to your arsenal.
Conclusion
The First Strike rune is a powerful tool for League of Legends players looking to gain an advantage in champion combat. Its unique passive effect rewards players for striking their opponents quickly, granting bonus true damage and a gold reward based on the bonus damage dealt. By selecting the appropriate runes and timing your attacks carefully, you can maximize the benefits of First Strike and gain an edge over your opponents.
To summarize, First Strike is a keystone rune from the Inspiration tree that provides a passive effect upon meeting certain conditions in champion combat. Upon activation, it grants 9% bonus true damage to all post-mitigation damage dealt against champions for 3 seconds, as well as a gold reward based on the bonus damage dealt. To use First Strike effectively, you should time your attacks carefully and select complementary runes from the Inspiration tree.
If you are looking to dominate your opponents in League of Legends, consider incorporating First Strike into your gameplay strategy. With its powerful passive effect and gold reward, it can help you gain an early advantage and secure victory on the Rift.
FAQs
- What is the First Strike rune in League of Legends? The First Strike rune is a keystone rune from the Inspiration tree that rewards players for dealing damage or applying crowd control effects to an enemy champion within the first 0.25 seconds of combat. Upon activation, it grants 9% bonus true damage to all post-mitigation damage dealt against champions for 3 seconds, as well as a gold reward based on the bonus damage dealt.
- How does First Strike work in champion combat? To activate First Strike, you must deal damage or apply a crowd control effect to an enemy champion within the first 0.25 seconds of combat. Upon activation, you will gain First Strike for 3 seconds. During this time, all post-mitigation damage dealt against champions will deal 9% bonus true damage. Additionally, First Strike grants you a gold reward based on the bonus damage dealt.
- What are the best runes to pair with First Strike? Legend Bloodline is a good choice if you are looking to heal off your first strike attacks. Presence of Mind will restore mana and energy you might expend dashing to your target to apply first strike. Triumph is also good if you think you’ll be killing your opponents as it will give extra gold and restore health upon killing an enemy champion. are popular choices from the Precision tree that can further increase your Healing and Gold Generation. Contraption, Hextech Flashtraption, Magical Footwear, Perfect Timing, Future’s Market, Minion Dematerializer, Biscuit Delivery, Cosmic Insight, Approach Velocity, and Time Warp Tonic are also viable choices for your secondary rune tree.
- How long is the cooldown for First Strike? The cooldown for First Strike varies based on your level, ranging from 25 to 15 seconds. However, in Ultra Rapid Fire mode, the cooldown is reduced to 15 to 9 seconds.
- Can First Strike be activated by spells that deal 0 damage? Yes, First Strike will trigger from spells that deal 0 damage. However, it is important to note that the triggering instance of damage will benefit from First Strike’s bonus damage.
