Darius 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 Darius ARAM build gets a small head start: in ARAM, Darius deals 105% damage and takes 100% damage. The mode also feeds his whole kit, because Decimate heals more for every enemy champion hit, and in a single lane there are usually several.

Every Darius item here was picked for its effect text in this patch. We don’t use win-rate data.

How is Darius changed in ARAM?

So Darius gets a modest buff. His real advantage in ARAM is that fights drag on and everyone clumps, so Hemorrhage stacks to five on multiple targets and Decimate heals off a packed lane.

Why does Darius fit the Howling Abyss?

• Hemorrhage: bleed stacks from attacks and abilities, up to five, after which he becomes much stronger.
• Decimate: a wide swing that heals him based on enemy champions hit.
• Crippling Strike: a slow on his next attack.
• Apprehend: armor penetration, and a hook that pulls enemies in.
• Noxian Guillotine: true damage that grows with each bleed stack on the target.

What should a Darius ARAM build focus on?

Health, damage and a way to stick to targets. Stridebreaker (40 Attack Damage, 25% Attack Speed, 450 Health) cleaves nearby enemies and has an active that slows by 35%. Black Cleaver (45 AD, 400 Health, 20 Ability Haste) shreds armor as he deals physical damage and grants Move Speed. Sterak’s Gage (400 Health, 20% Tenacity) gives a shield when he drops below 30% health, and that shield fires often in ARAM because fights drag on.

In practice, Tenacity matters more than you’d expect for Darius in ARAM, because kiting and slows are how teams beat him in a straight lane.

How do you play Darius on the Howling Abyss?

• Hit Q on several champions. Decimate heals more for each one, and grouped enemies make that easy.
• Stack before you ult. Noxian Guillotine deals more true damage per bleed stack.
• Save the pull for runners. Apprehend brings a fleeing target back into the fight.
• Take the relics. Health relics keep him in the lane, and he needs to be in melee range to do anything.

How do shopping and Mark change the plan?

Two things about ARAM change every Darius game. Shopping happens only at the fountain (start of game, then each respawn), so Darius players should know the next purchase before the bleed stacks run out. Health relics in the lane are your only other sustain. Mark throws a snowball; land it and Darius can dash straight to that enemy, which solves his old problem of getting kited.

For Darius, Mark solves his biggest ARAM problem, which is reaching people. A hit snowball brings him into range for Decimate and Apprehend. Spells lock at load. That spell pick matters as much as your first item.

What do those numbers mean in a fight?

How much is a 5% damage buff on Darius? If his full combo with five Hemorrhage stacks and Noxian Guillotine deals 1,500 damage on the Rift, the same combo deals 1,575 in ARAM. Damage taken stays at 100%, so he is no tankier than usual (that part is entirely up to his items).

The real advantage is time. ARAM fights last long enough for Hemorrhage to reach five stacks on several champions, and Decimate heals him for each champion it hits. Two or three enemies in one swing is common in the single lane.

Which enemies make his games hard? Ranged champions who kite him and slow him, and teams that buy Grievous Wounds early to cut his Decimate healing. Our counters page explains the matchups in detail.

Is Darius good in ARAM?

Yes, with one weakness: range. Teams full of poke and slows can keep him out of melee until he is low. The catch is, one good pull or a flash into the backline flips the fight. If you play him on Summoner’s Rift, check our Darius counters guide. His skins are on the Darius skins page, and the items above have stats and history in our LoL items database.

Put simply, the whole Darius ARAM game plan comes down to reaching the group, stacking bleeds and landing Decimate on as many champions as you can.

FAQ

Is Darius buffed in ARAM?

Slightly. Per the wiki’s ARAM table, Darius sits at 105% damage dealt and 100% damage taken.

Why is Darius strong in ARAM?

Fights are long and grouped, so Decimate heals him off several champions and Hemorrhage stacks quickly.

What items does Darius build on the Howling Abyss?

Health and damage items with utility, such as Stridebreaker, Black Cleaver and Sterak’s Gage.

How does Darius’s ultimate scale?

Noxian Guillotine deals true damage that increases with each Hemorrhage stack on the target.

Is this build based on win rates?

No. Darius’s ability text for patch 26.21 drives every recommendation. We don’t use win-rate data.