Tempo-and-map marksman-assassin build: Akshan does not win by playing an honest front-to-back, but by turning a pathing mistake, an uncovered side lane, or a slow rotation into an immediate pick. The build must therefore protect his execution speed, movement freedom, and enough safety for every fog-of-war exit to remain profitable.
Three builds, one right answer per draft. The advisor reads the five enemies (and your allies) and names who triggers what — the same rule as the Draft MVP sheet and Ask Nexus.
Best Akshan build (Mid Lane): Infinity Edge › Phantom Dancer › The Collector › Bloodthirster › Blade of the Ruined King, boots Berserker's Greaves, keystone Conqueror. Three variants and when to pick each are below.
Standard build maximizing damage output. Use on neutral matchups or when ahead.
15,500 total cost
Nothing dominates on the other side: the standard build maximizes your damage.
Open this draft in the tool →Anti-resist build for tanky enemies. Choose when multiple enemies build armor/magic resist.
15,600 total cost +100gDefensive build adding survivability. Pick this against high enemy damage or when behind.
15,600 total cost +100g
Scores out of 10: where this champion sits against the whole roster, phase by phase. The strip shows its own power ramp level by level — it does not compare across champions.
Your hardest matchups in this role, and the item from your situational list that answers each one.
Irelia
Mortal Reminder
Recurring healing
Malphite
Kraken Slayer
Very durable
Taliyah
Serylda's Grudge
Highly mobile
Teemo
Guardian Angel
Physical damage
Best Akshan build (Dragon Lane): Infinity Edge › Blade of the Ruined King › Phantom Dancer › Lord Dominik's Regards › Navori Quickblades, boots Berserker's Greaves, keystone Conqueror. Three variants and when to pick each are below.
Standard build maximizing damage output. Use on neutral matchups or when ahead.
15,500 total costNothing dominates on the other side: the standard build maximizes your damage.
Open this draft in the tool →Anti-resist build for tanky enemies. Choose when multiple enemies build armor/magic resist.
15,600 total cost +100gDefensive build adding survivability. Pick this against high enemy damage or when behind.
15,600 total cost +100gScores out of 10: where this champion sits against the whole roster, phase by phase. The strip shows its own power ramp level by level — it does not compare across champions.
Your hardest matchups in this role, and the item from your situational list that answers each one.
Draven
Guardian Angel
Physical damage
Samira
Serylda's Grudge
Highly mobile
Ashe
Guardian Angel
Physical damage
Caitlyn
Guardian Angel
Physical damage
Same advisor in the Draft (the MVP sheet applies it to your real draft) and in Ask Nexus, which explains the choice. On counters pages: the variant to take against each counter-pick.
Foundational item core, without recent situational additions — kept as a base for understanding the kit. For the up-to-date build, see the section above.
Akshan doesn’t win through DPS but through sequences. He creates instant numerical advantage and forces imbalance before fights stabilize. The build maximizes initial burst and re-entry potential.
Long Sword
Executes low-health targets, triggering the resurrection passive
Bonus range for safe lane poke and kiting
anti-heal on auto attacks doubles of passive Double Swing
Gluttonous Greaves
Quicksilver
Stasis
›
›
Your double-shot passive and boomerang Q stack it fast — max omnivamp sustains extended E swings.
Strengthens trades double auto in early with dominate trades in lane.
Your E strafes still-full targets from the rope — the bonus applies across the whole spray.
Attack speed to trigger the Dirty passive Fighting double auto more often.
E swings and stealth — every acrobatic engage triggers the true damage.
Infinity Edge
Maw of Malmortius
Infinity Edge
Serpent's Fang
Infinity Edge
Guardian Angel
Galeforce
Quicksilver
Coup De Grace
Giant Slayer
Bone Plating
Sudden Impact
Once his two main items are completed, Akshan stops being merely annoying in poke and becomes truly capable of killing isolated targets quickly while still threatening longer skirmishes. This is often the point where every side-vision mistake becomes punishable.
