Blitzcrank ARAM Build and Guide

Updated for patch 26.21. Ability details come from Riot’s official game data for this patch; ARAM balance numbers come from the League of Legends Wiki’s champion data.

A Blitzcrank ARAM build is a tank build with extra Mana: Winter’s Approach feeds Mana Barrier, Zeke’s Convergence and Locket of the Iron Solari protect the team after a hook, and Jak’Sho keeps him standing. ARAM nerfs him to 95% damage dealt and 110% damage taken.

We picked items by reading his patch 26.21 ability text against each item description. Win-rate data stayed out.

Is Blitzcrank nerfed in ARAM?

Yes, twice over. Riot trims his output to 95% and raises what he suffers to 110%, so the golem is both weaker and squishier here. Why would Riot do that to a support? Because on one narrow lane a hook has far fewer places to miss. Every grab that lands drags a champion into five enemies instead of two, and the nerf is the price of that. The damage taken line is the one to plan around; it’s why this build goes full tank.

Why is Blitzcrank’s hook stronger on one lane?

His patch 26.21 kit, per Riot’s data:

• Mana Barrier (passive): a shield based on his Mana when he drops to low Health.
• Rocket Grab (Q): fires his hand to grab an opponent in its path, dealing damage and pulling them back. Cooldown 20/19/18/17/16.
• Overdrive (W): a surge of Move Speed and Attack Speed, then a brief slow. Cooldown 15.
• Power Fist (E): the next attack deals double damage and knocks the target up. Cooldown 7/6.5/6/5.5/5.
• Static Field (R): attacks mark enemies for lightning damage after 1 second; the active removes nearby shields, damages and briefly silences. Cooldown 60/40/20.

Width. The Howling Abyss lane is narrow, so the enemy team stands closer together and has fewer angles to dodge from, and Rocket Grab only needs to touch one of them. Minions still block it, though, which is where most ARAM hooks die (and the reason to throw them from the side of the wave, not the middle). Funny enough, his ultimate gains value in this mode too. ARAM teams stack shields from supports and items, and one cast strips every shield nearby before your team commits. The downside is plain. He has no escape, so after a grab he’s standing next to the enemy carry’s friends.

What should a Blitzcrank ARAM build focus on?

Mana for the shield, then protection for whoever follows the hook. Four items and boots.

Winter’s Approach first. It brings 550 Health, 500 Mana and 15 Ability Haste, and Mana Barrier scales with Mana, so this one item makes his low-Health shield noticeably bigger. Manaflow grants extra max Mana each time his attacks and abilities land, and the item transforms into Fimbulwinter at 360 bonus Mana gained that way. With hooks and Power Fist going out every fight, that happens quickly.

Zeke’s Convergence second. Each Static Field cast wakes up Frostfire Tempest, a 5 second storm around the golem that slows enemy champions by 30% and burns them for 30 magic damage every second. Static Field comes back in 20 seconds at rank 3, so the storm shows up often, and the slow keeps a hooked target from walking away.

Locket of the Iron Solari third. Devotion shields nearby allies, which covers the moment his team dives in after a grab and the enemy turns around. It also adds 30 Armor and 30 Magic Resist.

Jak’Sho, The Protean last. Stay in a brawl for 5 seconds and the golem’s bonus resists climb by 30% for the rest of it, a decent answer to that 110% damage taken number (honestly, the best one in the shop for him). Mercury’s Treads bring 30% Tenacity, useful because a hooked enemy’s teammates will try to lock him down in return.

How do you play the golem on the Howling Abyss?

• Hook from the edge of the wave. Rocket Grab grabs the first opponent in its path, and minions count.
• Grab the squishy, not the tank. Pulling a tank into your team only helps them.
• Cast Static Field before your team commits. The active removes nearby shields and silences briefly.
• Power Fist the pulled target right away. Double damage and a knock-up stop the escape.
• Use Overdrive to reposition. The Move Speed boost gets you a better angle, but remember the slow after it ends.

How do shopping and Mark work for him?

No recall here. You shop at the fountain at the start and after each death, so the first visit should finish Winter’s Approach or get close; Mana Barrier gains nothing from components that aren’t Mana. Health relics restore Health on the map, and as the frontline Blitzcrank usually deserves the first one (to be fair, so does whoever just got hooked back to safety by you).

Summoner spells lock before loading. Mark throws a snowball and lets him dash to whoever it hits, and on Blitzcrank a snowball into Rocket Grab is a long-range engage the enemy can’t easily ignore. Real talk, that’s one of the few champions where Mark fits naturally. Look, Flash still works. Pick based on whether your team can follow a long engage.

Is Blitzcrank good in ARAM?

He’s good with the right team. The 95% damage dealt and 110% damage taken lines hurt, but a narrow lane makes Rocket Grab easier to land than anywhere else in the game, and one good hook decides most ARAM fights. Without damage to follow up, though (and some random team comps have none)? Then he’s a tank pulling enemies into a team that can’t kill them, which is worse than not hooking at all, because the pulled champion now stands next to your carries with full Health.

Supports who block or punish the hook are named in the Blitzcrank counters guide. Every item above is in the items database with full stats, the role guide for League covers what a tank support does, and his cosmetics are on the Blitzcrank skins page.

In practice, the Blitzcrank ARAM build is Winter’s Approach, Zeke’s Convergence, Locket of the Iron Solari and Jak’Sho with Mercury’s Treads, and the plan is one clean hook per fight with Static Field ready for the shields.

FAQ

Is Blitzcrank good in ARAM despite the nerf?

He deals 95% damage and takes 110% (Wiki data, patch 26.21), but the narrow lane makes Rocket Grab easier to land.

What is the best Blitzcrank ARAM build?

Winter’s Approach, Zeke’s Convergence, Locket of the Iron Solari and Jak’Sho, The Protean, with Mercury’s Treads.

Why does Blitzcrank build Mana items?

Mana Barrier gives him a shield based on his Mana when he drops to low Health, so more Mana means a bigger shield.

Does Static Field remove shields?

Yes. The active removes nearby enemies’ shields, damages them and silences them briefly.

How was this Blitzcrank build chosen?

From his patch 26.21 kit and item text: a Mana-based shield, a frequent ultimate and a damage taken nerf point to Mana and tank items. No win-rate data was used.