Hecarim 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 Hecarim ARAM build stacks Move Speed, because Warpath turns it into Attack Damage: Trinity Force, Black Cleaver and Dead Man’s Plate, with Spirit Visage to make the most of his healing buff. Few fighters get as much from the Howling Abyss: 105% damage dealt, 90% damage taken, 120% healing and 10 bonus Ability Haste.

Each slot was earned by what the item text does for his patch 26.21 abilities. Win rates didn’t come up.

How big are Hecarim’s ARAM buffs?

Bigger than almost anyone’s. Four lines, every one in his favor: he deals 105%, takes 90%, heals for 120% and starts with 10 bonus Ability Haste. Spirit of Dread’s healing gets the healing bonus, Rampage and Devastating Charge come back sooner, and the damage taken cut helps a fighter who charges into five enemies. Why so generous? Hecarim’s whole game is running across the map to start fights, and the Abyss has no map to run across (honestly, it’s the right call).

What does his kit do on one lane?

From Riot’s patch 26.21 data:

• Warpath (passive): Attack Damage equal to a percentage of his bonus Move Speed.
• Rampage (Q): a cleave that gets stronger and comes back sooner each time it hits. Cooldown 4.
• Spirit of Dread (W): resistances, magic damage around him, and healing from damage nearby enemies take. Cooldown 14.
• Devastating Charge (E): ramping Move Speed and unit-walking; the next attack knocks back, harder the farther he ran. Cooldown 20/19/18/17/16.
• Onslaught of Shadows (R): a spectral charge dealing magic damage in a line, finished with a shockwave that fears nearby enemies. Cooldown 140/120/100.

Spirit of Dread is the star here. It heals him for a share of the damage that enemies near him take, from anyone, not just from him, and in an ARAM brawl the whole enemy team takes damage near him. With 120% healing on top, he can sit in the middle of a fight for a long time. Onslaught of Shadows hits a line and fears a crowd at the end, so on a narrow lane it can scatter the entire enemy team. The catch? Devastating Charge needs distance to build speed, and the Abyss is short (start the charge from behind your own tower line if you can).

Which items work for Hecarim on the Abyss?

Move Speed that becomes damage, Armor shred, and healing amplification. Four items and boots.

Trinity Force first. Quicken grants 20 Move Speed for 2 seconds on attack, and Warpath turns that speed into Attack Damage. Spellblade adds bonus physical damage on the next attack after an ability, and Rampage comes back every few seconds. It brings 333 Health and 15 Ability Haste as well.

Black Cleaver second. Carve lowers the target’s Armor by 6% per stack for 6 seconds, stacking 5 times, and Rampage’s cleave applies it to a whole group. Fervor gives Move Speed for 2 seconds after physical damage, more fuel for Warpath. Plus 400 Health.

Spirit Visage third. Boundless Vitality raises heals on him by 25%, stacking with the 120% healing buff on every Spirit of Dread tick. Its 50 Magic Resist matters against mage-heavy random teams.

Dead Man’s Plate last. Shipwrecker builds up to 20 bonus Move Speed while he moves, then discharges it into his next attack as bonus damage, and Unsinkable cuts the effect of slows by 15%. Slows are his biggest problem, so that line counts. Boots of Swiftness give 55 Move Speed and reduce slows by 25% (sure, Plated Steelcaps work against an AD-heavy team).

How should you play Hecarim in ARAM fights?

• Start Devastating Charge early. It ramps over time, so begin running before you reach the target.
• Keep Rampage hitting. Each hit makes the next stronger and sooner.
• Stay inside the brawl with Spirit of Dread up. It heals from damage that nearby enemies take.
• Aim Onslaught of Shadows through the backline. The fear shockwave at the end scatters whoever is near.
• Fight next to your team’s damage. More damage on enemies near him means more Spirit of Dread healing.

How do the fountain and Mark work for Hecarim?

No recall, ever. Gold is spent at the fountain at the start and after each death, so Trinity Force should come together in the first trips; Quicken and Spellblade need the finished item. Health relics are less urgent for him than for most fighters, since Spirit of Dread with 120% healing does that job, so leave them for squishier teammates.

Spells lock once the game loads. A landed Mark snowball lets him leap to its target, and on Hecarim that’s a long-range engage that doesn’t depend on running distance, which the short lane rarely gives. Look, Mark plus Onslaught of Shadows is about as strong as ARAM engages get. Flash still works for a surprise knockback with Devastating Charge.

Is Hecarim good in ARAM?

Very. 105% damage dealt, 90% damage taken, 120% healing and extra haste make him one of the most rewarded fighters in the mode, and Spirit of Dread heals off a crowd. His problem? Slows and roots, which ARAM players throw constantly.

The junglers who stop him are in our Hecarim counters guide. Item stats are in the LoL items list, the roles explainer covers fighters, and his skins sit on the Hecarim skins page.

In practice, the Hecarim ARAM build is Trinity Force, Black Cleaver, Spirit Visage and Dead Man’s Plate with Boots of Swiftness, and the plan is to run in fast, keep Rampage cycling, and heal off the whole enemy team with Spirit of Dread.

FAQ

Is Hecarim buffed in ARAM?

Heavily. Patch 26.21 Wiki data gives him 105% damage dealt, 90% damage taken, 120% healing and 10 bonus Ability Haste.

What is the best Hecarim ARAM build?

Trinity Force into Black Cleaver, then Spirit Visage and Dead Man’s Plate, with Boots of Swiftness.

Why does Move Speed matter on Hecarim?

Warpath grants Attack Damage equal to a percentage of his bonus Move Speed, so speed items also raise his damage.

How does Spirit of Dread heal him?

It heals Hecarim for a percentage of any damage that nearby enemies take, not only his own damage.

How was this Hecarim build chosen?

From his patch 26.21 kit and item text: Attack Damage from Move Speed and a healing buff point to speed items and healing amplification. No win-rate data was used.