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Darius

Darius

Top Lane Juggernaut

Noxian juggernaut—bleed stacks into resettable execute

VS
Teemo

Teemo

Top Lane Ranged

Ranged poison lane bully with blind and shrooms

Matchup Dynamics

How This Matchup Works

Win by stacking Hemorrhage with Q – Decimate blade hits and W – Crippling Strike resets; pull with E – Apprehend when Teemo mobility or main trade spell is down. The lane pivots at level 3 (E) and level 6 (R – Noxian Guillotine resets); first Stridebreaker at ~11:00 opens dives and roams.

Early Game (1-5)

Teemo Favored - Trade after Teemo Blinding Dart or Toxic Shot used; step to Q blade (outside 205 handle) for heal; freeze 5–6 minions near tower at 3:20–4:00; ward tri/pixel at 2:30.

Mid Game (6-11)

Teemo Favored - Complete Stridebreaker by ~11:00; shove→hover Herald 8–10; force pull when Flash down (~300s); play short lane and threaten dive on stacked wave.

Late Game (12+)

Skill Matchup - Stack before fights; pull priority carry from fog; fight around river chokes; avoid blind face-checks; turn on objective after pick at 20:00.

Key Interactions

  • Step into Q blade; deny Teemo counter: Cast Q from brush; use Sweeper/Control Wards to clear R – Noxious Trap; Q heal offsets poison if blade hits 1–2 champs
  • Hook after Teemo main mobility/CC: Hold E – Apprehend until Teemo uses Toxic Shot or Blinding Dart; pull during end-lag (~0.2–0.3s) to force trade.
  • Ghost timing vs Flash windows: Force long chases with Ghost; if enemy Flash is down (300s), walk past minions and angle E behind to cut off escape.
  • Ult threshold discipline: Count stacks; R – Noxian Guillotine at 5 stacks (~25–35% HP on most tops) unless shields/stasis available; cancel auto for instant R if needed.

Darius

Strengths

  • Q – Decimate sustain trades; heals scale on blade hits
  • W – Crippling Strike resets for fast 5-stack setup
  • E – Apprehend punishes dashes or long wind-ups
  • R – Noxian Guillotine resets convert leads to plates

Weaknesses

  • Kiteable before Stridebreaker; struggles into blinds/disengage
  • Missing Q blade removes sustain; long fights vs Teemo shields/mitigation risky
  • Vulnerable to early 2v1 without vision on slow-push

Teemo

Strengths

  • Teemo uses Blinding Dart and Toxic Shot to control spacing/trades
  • First mythic shifts mid-game tempo
  • Can force short trades while Darius W/Q are down

Weaknesses

  • Cooldown-reliant; vulnerable right after key spell use
  • Struggles if pulled off minion wave into short lane
  • Objective setups weak vs E pull + Ghost flanks

Power Curve Comparison EXPERIMENTAL

Power Curve Visualization

Win Conditions

Darius's Win Condition

  • Freeze 5–6 minions at 3:20–4:00; force trades on Q blade + W reset; call jungler on cannon crash
  • Buy Plated Steelcaps/Mercury’s by 6–8 (1200g/1250g); pick Bramble/Executioner’s if Teemo sustains
  • Hit Stridebreaker (3300g) by ~11:00; shove→ward rift; threaten dive with Ghost + E pull
  • Arrive 15s early on objectives; pull carry from fog; stack to 5 then R reset for turn

Teemo's Win Condition

  • Cheater recall on wave 3 if HP even; buy anti-burst/armor vs Darius
  • Fight only when Darius Q/W down; keep wave mid-lane to kite back
  • Hold Flash for E; bring TP to cover map plays

Laning Phase Guide

Level/Phase Darius Teemo
Level 1 Start Q – Decimate; slow-push 3 waves; trade after Teemo Blinding Dart used; step to blade edge; ward pixel 2:30; all-in only if HP>60% + Ignite down Start Blinding Dart; last-hit; deny Q blade by stepping inside 205; ward tri 2:30; crash 3rd wave to reset
Level 2 Take W – Crippling Strike; short trade auto>W reset>walk out; hold E; punish if Teemo uses Toxic Shot Take Toxic Shot; trade on Darius W/Q cooldowns; keep minions between to block pull
Level 3 Unlock E – Apprehend; freeze near tower; pull when enemy uses dash/commit; Q blade heal then back; control ward raptors 3:30 Respect pull; thin wave to break freeze; stand behind casters; call jungler if wave stuck
Level 4-5 Threaten 5-stack on cannon waves; take short trades ≤3s; prep wave for 6; deep ward 4:00 Trade on large waves; avoid extended fights; poke and back off; track Ghost
Level 6 All-in: E pull > auto > W reset > Q blade > autos to 5 stacks > R; dive only with wave + Ghost; track Stopwatch Respect execute; buy early armor or stasis; flash E pull; kite with Toxic Shot or Blinding Dart spacing
Level 7-8 Complete Stridebreaker ~11:00; shove then roam river; fight with item spike; place pinks on river entrances Match push on timers; avoid river skirmishes without vision; ping jungler on crashes
Level 9 Max Q; perma-short lane; take plates if vision; prep TP for 14 min timer (360→240s) Max primary trade spell; thin waves; hold wave outside tower to deny dives

Power Spikes

Level Spikes

Darius Teemo
Level Description Level Description
3 Major E unlocks guaranteed Q blade > W reset windows off enemy CDs 3 Major Toxic Shot or core combo online—use to disengage or force short trades
6 Critical R resets enable dives and snowball on 5 stacks 6 Major Noxious Trap adds execute/escape; deny Darius all-in windows
9 Major Q max improves heal; sustain through poke to force fights 9 Minor First max rank increases poke/DPS; fight on item parity
11 Minor R2 lowers CD; skirmish frequency increases

Item Spikes

Darius Teemo
Item Description Item Description
Phage (1100g) On-hit MS helps stick through kiting Bramble Vest (800g) Anti-heal vs Q and bleed sustain
Stridebreaker (3300g) Active gap-close to secure E range Early Armor/MR Boots (1200g/1250g) Reduce Darius burst/CC chain
Black Cleaver (3000g) Armor shred + haste for extended fights Core Mythic (2900–3300g) First mythic changes mid-game tempo
Plated Steelcaps/Mercury’s Treads (1200g/1250g) Defense vs AD/CC to reach target

Best Build for Darius

Starting Items

Doran's Shield + Health Potion

Core Items

Stridebreaker (3300g) → Black Cleaver (3000g) → Plated Steelcaps/Mercury’s (1200g/1250g)

Runes

Primary: Conqueror, Triumph, Legend: Tenacity, Last Stand

Secondary: Bone Plating, Unflinching

Summoner Spells

Flash + Ghost

Priority Build Path

1
Stridebreaker

Active dash + slow grants guaranteed pull angles

2
Black Cleaver

Shreds armor so R execute hits earlier

3
Plated Steelcaps/Mercury’s

Mitigates AD or tenacity vs CC comps

4
Death's Dance

Converts burst to bleed; synergizes with resets

Situational Adjustments

  • Sundered Sky: Need sustain in extended fights vs bruisers/tanks
  • Thornmail: Enemy healing high; pairs with W reset and pulls
  • Force of Nature: Heavy AP + slows; improve chase
  • Sterak's Gage: Need shield/tenacity vs burst and CC

Key Patterns

Lethal Combos

Darius Full Combo (Level 6+):

Ghost (if up) > E – Apprehend > auto > W reset > Q blade (hit edge) > autos to 5 stacks > R – Noxian Guillotine

R reliably kills at ~25–35% HP on 5 stacks; earlier with Cleaver + Ignite
Teemo Escape/Counter Combo:

Toxic Shot or key disengage > burst/CC > kite back beyond Apprehend range

Saves Flash for pull; buys time for jungler or cooldowns

Trading Combos

Darius Short Trade:

Q blade hit > step in to cancel handle > auto > W reset > step back

Keep trades ≤3s unless Ghost; fight after enemy Q/E down
Teemo Quick Trade:

Blinding Dart poke on last-hits > Toxic Shot to disengage

Avoid extended fights into Darius Q heal

Lethal Thresholds

  • Darius Kill Range: R kills ~25–35% at 5 stacks; with Cleaver + 2 items, secure at ~35–45% on squishies
  • Teemo Kill Range: Wins when kiting out Q and dodging pull; kill ranges depend on ignite/burst and Darius Ghost down
  • Critical Levels: 3 (E pull), 6 (R resets), 9 (Q max), 11 (R2)

Level by Level Game Plan

Level Primary Goal Lane Position Trading Opportunities Kill Windows Setup Opportunities
1 Cheater slow-push & sustain Hold wave just outside tower Q blade after Teemo Blinding Dart used Low; only with large minion lead Ahead: zone with Q; Even: track jungle; Behind: thin & farm
2 Add reset threat Short lane auto>W reset>back out; no E yet Low-Med if enemy misplays Ahead: heavy trades; Even: keep wave; Behind: conserve HP
3 Hook timing mastery Freeze 5–6 near tower E after enemy dash/commit; Q blade then back Medium off pull Ahead: call jungler; Even: deny crash; Behind: ask cover
4-5 Stack pressure before 6 Short lane on cannon Short 2–3s trades; prep all-in Medium with Ignite Ahead: deep ward 4:00; Even: hover river; Behind: farm safely
6 First execute Fight on vision E>W>Q>autos to 5>R High at 5 stacks Crash then reset; track Stopwatch/Flash
7-8 Spike to mythic Push then hover Herald Stridebreaker force > pull Medium on item lead Ahead: dive; Even: contest vision; Behind: trade sides
9+ Q max sustain Perma short lane; threaten plates Repeat Q>W trades Medium on pull Set TP timers (14 min Unleashed)
Mid Game (11-16) Side lane draw + collapse Side → collapse to objectives Long chases with Ghost High on isolations Pink river, 20:00 Baron/Atakhan
Late Game (16+) Front-to-back picks Flank through fog Stack on frontliner then R backline High if access; low vs triple peel Track flashes & stasis; force timers

First Back Goals

Ideal Back (1100–1400g)

  • Phage (1100g)
  • Control Ward (75g)

Crash 3rd/cannon wave ≈2:30–5:00; base on bounce to hold freeze

Standard Back (700–900g)

  • Ruby Crystal (400g)
  • Boots (300g)
  • Control Ward (75g)

Reset on slow-push when wave returns to you

Anti-Heal Back (800–1200g)

  • Bramble Vest (800g) or Executioner’s Calling (800g)

Base if opponent sustaining through trades

Teamfight Tips

Aspect Darius Teemo
Primary Role Frontline juggernaut / clean-up execution Top Lane Ranged
Target Priority ADC without Flash
APC with no stasis
isolated bruiser near pit		 Kite Darius; peel carries; mark flanker
Objective Control Arrive early; pull jungler off pit; turn after pick Start on vision; disengage Darius pull angles
Positioning Fight in river/jungle entrances; stack off whoever steps up
Avoid open mid lane vs multiple kites		 Hold chokes with CC; save mobility for pull
Other Tips Buffer E during enemy dash wind-ups
Count stasis/Flash—skip those targets		 Bait Q with feints; punish when Q/W on CD
Spread to reduce E multi-pulls