Medarda: Arcane Champion - Strategy & Build Guide

Hey guys! Ready to dive deep into the world of Medarda, the Arcane Champion? This guide is your ultimate key to unlocking Medarda's full potential, ensuring you're not just playing, but dominating on the Rift. We'll break down everything from her abilities and item builds to gameplay strategies and team compositions. Whether you're a seasoned player or a newbie eager to learn, this guide is packed with insights to elevate your Medarda game. Buckle up, because we're about to turn you into a Medarda pro!

Understanding Medarda's Abilities

First things first, let's get acquainted with Medarda's arsenal. Understanding her abilities is the bedrock of any successful game. Medarda is all about precise execution and strategic positioning, making her a formidable force in the right hands. Her kit is designed for both engaging and disengaging, offering a blend of damage and utility that can shift the tides of battle.

Passive: Arcane Surge

Medarda's passive, Arcane Surge, is a key component of her sustained damage. Basically, every time Medarda casts an ability, she gains a stack of Arcane Surge. These stacks increase her ability power and damage output. This passive encourages frequent ability usage, so it’s all about weaving your spells together. The more you cast, the more powerful you become, making her a constant threat in team fights and skirmishes. This passive is crucial for maximizing her damage and making her a threat throughout the entire game. Building around this passive is key to Medarda's success; focusing on ability haste and mana management will keep those surges flowing. It also boosts her ability power, making each subsequent spell hit harder. This constant damage boost is what makes Medarda a terror in extended fights. To make the most of Arcane Surge, you'll want to prioritize ability haste in your build, enabling you to cast more spells and maintain those crucial stacks. Good mana management is also key. Don't waste spells; every cast should be purposeful and contribute to either damage, positioning, or securing a kill. Understanding and utilizing Arcane Surge will drastically improve your efficiency with Medarda. It rewards you for consistent play and calculated spell casting, transforming her into a sustained damage dealer who can quickly delete enemies. Remember, the goal is always to have this passive active as often as possible during combat, maximizing your overall impact. Think of it as a constant buff that makes your abilities hit harder and harder as the fight goes on.

Q: Mystic Shot

Mystic Shot is Medarda's primary poke and farming tool. It's a skillshot that deals magic damage to the first enemy hit. While it's relatively straightforward, mastering this ability involves more than just aiming. The key here is to learn how to predict enemy movement, landing it consistently on enemy champions. It's your bread-and-butter for harassing in lane. Use it to chip away at your opponent's health bar or farm safely from a distance. If an enemy is too close to farm safely, Mystic Shot is also ideal for last-hitting minions under tower. The ability is also crucial for clearing minion waves, helping you maintain lane control and farm effectively. Efficiently using Mystic Shot to last-hit and poke is fundamental for building a gold advantage early on. Timing your Mystic Shots to last-hit under tower requires practice. Try aiming to hit minions as they are just about to die from the tower's attacks. Mastering this skill gives you a significant edge in lane. The more often you can land this ability, the better you'll become at controlling the lane and setting up kills. Mystic Shot's consistent damage makes it a great way to force enemies to back off, giving you the opportunity to farm in peace or look for a favorable trade. Furthermore, this ability allows you to maintain vision by clearing out wards that your opponents have placed. The damage of the skillshot is also increased by Medarda's passive, so the more you cast your abilities, the stronger your Q becomes. In team fights, use Mystic Shot to wear down the enemy team before engaging. Mystic Shot is an amazing spell overall.

W: Arcane Barrier

Arcane Barrier provides Medarda with a shield, absorbing damage and protecting her. This ability is crucial for survival. It's your defensive tool for surviving burst damage and engaging in fights. It gives you the edge in trades, allowing you to absorb some damage while you dish it out. Timing is everything here. Don't waste your shield; anticipate the incoming damage. Arcane Barrier can block significant amounts of damage, so using it reactively to counter enemy abilities can make or break a fight. You can use it to block a key ability or a damaging auto attack. Properly timing Arcane Barrier can often bait out enemy engages, creating opportunities for counterattacks. Knowing your enemy's damage patterns and cooldowns is vital to getting the most out of Arcane Barrier. It also provides a temporary shield that is incredibly beneficial during team fights. This shield allows Medarda to tank a bit more damage, allowing her to stay alive. The shield can also be used to absorb the incoming crowd control, allowing her to continue dealing damage. The shield can be used as a setup tool, baiting the enemies into using their spells, allowing you to punish them. The shield can also be used as a farming tool, allowing you to last-hit minions under tower without being punished. This ability enhances Medarda's survivability, enabling her to withstand enemy attacks and execute her strategy effectively. Always be mindful of the enemy’s burst potential. Using Arcane Barrier at the right moment can save your life. By mastering this ability, you’ll be able to stay in the fight longer, and contribute to your team. Use it to initiate fights, providing your team with an advantage. Properly using this ability will make you a much better Medarda player. Don't underestimate the power of a well-timed Arcane Barrier.

E: Spell Flux

Spell Flux is Medarda's damage dealer ability that marks enemies and applies bonus damage to them when hit with other spells. It's an excellent tool for increasing your damage output. Mark an enemy with Spell Flux, and then follow up with other abilities for extra burst. This is the core of Medarda's combo. Use it to amplify your damage output and quickly eliminate high-priority targets. This ability enhances Medarda’s burst potential, allowing her to quickly eliminate high-priority targets or turn the tide of a fight. This ability is all about maximizing your damage. You use it on a priority target, and then combo it with your Q and R for a massive burst. It's a great tool for disengaging from fights, allowing you to create distance and reposition yourself. It can also be used defensively, as it provides a speed boost. Remember that landing your abilities on marked targets is crucial, so always make sure you're aiming correctly. Spell Flux is also great for zoning, forcing enemies to stay out of range or risk taking increased damage. Positioning is key; make sure you're in a spot where you can safely cast Spell Flux and follow up with your other abilities. Medarda can use Spell Flux to apply bonus damage to her enemies, allowing her to dish out more damage. Using this ability effectively is critical to maximizing her damage output. This damage boost also helps in team fights, making it easier to take down key targets and win battles. Knowing when to use Spell Flux, and coordinating with your team for maximum impact, will significantly improve your team's chance of success. It's all about strategic use, and making sure that the increased damage helps you to burst down the enemy champions. Using Spell Flux effectively requires strategic decision-making and precision. Mastering this ability is key to becoming a successful Medarda player, allowing you to deal significant damage in battles. It's the ultimate tool for maximizing damage output, allowing her to eliminate enemies quickly. Be sure to use this ability on high-value targets, prioritizing them during fights. Make use of this spell.

R: Arcane Shift

Arcane Shift, Medarda's ultimate ability, is her ultimate engagement or escape tool. It allows her to teleport a short distance, repositioning her in fights, making her a mobile champion. It's crucial for escaping ganks, dodging skillshots, or repositioning to deal damage. Use it offensively to get into range for a quick combo or defensively to create distance from your enemies. Its versatility makes it invaluable in a variety of situations. Use it creatively to outmaneuver your opponents. Position yourself where they least expect you. The short-range teleport can be used to blink over walls, which opens up new opportunities for surprise attacks and strategic repositioning. This ultimate also opens up creative play. You can use it to jump over walls and escape sticky situations or to engage with the enemy from an unexpected angle. Arcane Shift can also be used to quickly reposition during team fights, allowing Medarda to avoid incoming damage or to chase down enemies. The ability also helps you in ganking. Use it to reposition during fights, avoiding incoming damage, or chasing down enemies who try to escape. It's key to staying alive in high-pressure situations, allowing you to react quickly to threats. If you are good with this ability, you can outplay your opponents in many situations. It adds a layer of depth to your gameplay. Arcane Shift is your get-out-of-jail-free card. Mastering the nuances of Arcane Shift will allow you to make aggressive plays and survive in even the toughest situations.

Itemization: Building for Success

Now, let's talk about the gear. Choosing the right items can transform Medarda from a good champion into a monster. Your item build should focus on enhancing her damage output, survivability, and ability haste. Here are some of the most effective items to consider:

Core Items

• Luden's Tempest: This is a top choice, providing ability power, mana, and ability haste. Its passive, Echo, adds bonus damage to your abilities, synergizing perfectly with Medarda's playstyle. Its passive is a perfect fit for her, adding a nice burst of damage to your abilities. It enhances Medarda's ability to quickly eliminate targets, and it provides mana, which helps with Medarda's mana issues. The magic penetration it provides also increases your damage to enemies. This item not only boosts her damage output but also helps with mana regeneration, allowing you to cast spells more frequently. It gives a burst of damage that is perfect for Medarda's burst-oriented combo. The movement speed also allows you to kite enemies or to reposition. It's the go-to choice for Medarda. It provides everything she needs to thrive in the game.
• Horizon Focus: This item increases her ability power, making her abilities hit harder. The bonus damage it provides also helps with Medarda's burst potential. It amplifies her damage on enemies that are slowed or stunned. This item further enhances her poke and burst potential, making her a significant threat. Its passive amplifies damage on enemies hit by her abilities. The extra ability power is a great stat for her and helps her with everything. The increased range it gives also helps with her overall damage. This is a must-buy item for Medarda, as it synergizes well with her kit.
• Sorcerer's Shoes: These boots provide magic penetration, significantly increasing the damage your spells deal to enemies. This helps deal more damage to enemy champions. This enhances your damage output, allowing you to make your spells deal more damage. This is an essential item for Medarda's build, and it gives you a much bigger advantage. Magic penetration is very important for Medarda, since her abilities deal magic damage. Without magic penetration, Medarda's damage will be reduced by the enemy's magic resist. Sorcerer's Shoes are an essential item for Medarda, as they provide magic penetration.

Situational Items

• Morellonomicon: This item is useful against teams with strong healing abilities. This provides you with anti-healing, allowing you to reduce the effectiveness of enemy healers. The healing reduction is great, and you will deal more damage overall. It enhances your damage output, and it also prevents enemies from healing. This item is particularly crucial against champions like Soraka, Vladimir, and Dr. Mundo. It is perfect against teams with strong healing.
• Banshee's Veil: This item provides a magic damage shield, allowing Medarda to stay in fights longer. It protects you from getting hit by crowd control, giving you a chance to play more aggressively. If you're constantly being targeted by crowd control or facing heavy magic damage, this is a great item. The shield helps absorb a lot of damage from the enemy champions. This shield helps you survive burst damage, giving you a chance to retaliate. This item helps with both survivability and damage output.
• Zhonya's Hourglass: This item is for survivability, allowing you to go invulnerable for a short duration. If you're frequently getting dove by assassins or facing high-burst damage, this is a lifesaver. This allows you to survive intense situations, giving you a chance to retaliate. The stasis allows you to survive burst damage, and it can save you in tight situations. This item helps you survive in team fights and duels.

Gameplay Strategy: Mastering Medarda in Action

Now, let's look at the best strategy. Medarda's gameplay revolves around consistent damage output and strategic positioning. Understanding how to execute her combos, manage her mana, and make the most of her abilities is essential.

Laning Phase

In the laning phase, focus on farming and harassing your opponent. Use Mystic Shot to last hit minions and poke down your enemy. Keep in mind enemy jungler positions, and be cautious about overextending. You want to maintain a safe distance and farm up. When the enemy is distracted, try to hit them with your Mystic Shot. Use Arcane Barrier to block incoming damage from the enemy's abilities. Use Spell Flux to mark your enemy when you engage. If the enemy is low enough, engage them with your combo.

Mid and Late Game

In the mid and late game, group with your team and look for opportunities to engage in team fights. Utilize Spell Flux to mark high-priority targets. Use Mystic Shot to poke down the enemy team. Time your Arcane Barrier to block incoming damage from the enemy. In team fights, prioritize positioning and focus on staying safe while dealing damage. Take advantage of your ultimate to reposition yourself and evade enemy attacks. Coordinate your engagements with your teammates and capitalize on enemy mistakes to secure objectives and kills.

Combos and Tactics

• Standard Poke: Mystic Shot -> Spell Flux -> Mystic Shot. This is your go-to combo for poking and harassing the enemy in lane. This will keep them out of range and help you deal damage. This combo is easy to execute and gives you great results. With proper execution, you can quickly put the opponent down. Remember to focus on landing the skillshots.
• Burst Combo: Spell Flux -> Mystic Shot -> Arcane Barrier -> Arcane Shift. This combo deals a lot of damage, especially in the late game. It is great for quickly taking down enemies. This combo maximizes Medarda's burst damage and can instantly delete a squishy target. Use it when you are confident you can secure a kill. It's especially effective when you can catch an enemy out of position.
• Defensive Combo: Arcane Shift -> Arcane Barrier. When you get dived, use this combo to escape or survive.

Team Compositions and Synergies

Medarda thrives in team compositions that allow her to play to her strengths. She works best with teams that can peel for her and protect her from getting engaged on.

Strong Synergies

• Engage Supports: Champions like Alistar or Leona can initiate fights, allowing Medarda to follow up with her damage. They can create opportunities for her to land her spells and deal massive damage.
• Tanky Frontline: Having a tanky champion in the top lane or jungle is crucial to soak up damage and keep the enemy focused. They can give Medarda the space she needs to deal damage. They create a front line to deal damage. Tanks create space, allowing Medarda to safely deal damage.
• Crowd Control: Champions with strong crowd control abilities, like Malzahar, can set up kills for Medarda. They make it easier for her to land her spells. They also help to secure objectives and team fights.

Weaknesses

• Burst Assassins: Champions like Zed or Katarina can quickly burst Medarda down if she gets caught out of position. Be careful when playing against assassins.
• Heavy Crowd Control: Champions with strong crowd control abilities, like Annie, can easily lock Medarda down and prevent her from dealing damage. Remember to position and be patient.
• High Mobility: Champions with high mobility, like Fizz, can easily dodge Medarda's spells and escape her combos. It's difficult to punish them, since they can easily dodge your abilities.

Conclusion: Becoming a Medarda Maestro

Alright, guys! That wraps up our deep dive into Medarda, the Arcane Champion. You now have the knowledge and tools to dominate the Rift with her. Remember, practice is key. Master her combos, learn to manage your mana, and refine your positioning. Over time, you'll become a true Medarda maestro. Keep experimenting, keep learning, and keep climbing the ranks! See you on the Rift! Good luck and have fun!