Renekton 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 Renekton ARAM build is a bruiser path built on area damage and healing: Black Cleaver, a Hydra and defensive items, so Cull the Meek and Dominus keep paying off in a crowd. The Howling Abyss lists 100% damage dealt and 105% healing for him, a small boost to the sustain his kit already has.

His patch 26.21 ability text set the priorities for every slot below. Nobody checked a win-rate site.

How is Renekton changed in ARAM?

Damage dealt stays at 100%, no change, and healing goes up to 105%. That’s a single, focused buff (and a sensible one). Cull the Meek is Renekton’s heal, and on the Abyss it hits more enemies per spin than in a top lane duel (more targets means more healing, since it heals for part of the damage dealt), so the modifier stacks on top of a heal that’s already bigger in this mode. Why touch anything else? Riot didn’t.

Why does Renekton work on the Howling Abyss?

His heal and his ultimate both hit everything around him, and ARAM puts a lot of champions around him. Riot’s patch 26.21 data:

• Reign of Anger (passive): his attacks build Fury, faster at low Health, and Fury powers up his abilities.
• Cull the Meek (Q): damages everything around him and heals for a small part of it; stronger above 50 Fury. Cooldown 7.
• Ruthless Predator (W): a two-slash stun for 0.75 seconds, or three slashes, high damage, shield removal and a 1.5 second stun above 50 Fury. Cooldown 16/14/12/10/8.
• Slice and Dice (E): a dash through units; empowered, extra damage plus an Armor reduction. Cooldown 16/14.5/13/11.5/10.
• Dominus (R): Tyrant form, with bonus Health, damage to nearby enemies and Fury generated over time. Cooldown 120/100/80.

Dominus is the ARAM ultimate here. It damages nearby enemies the whole time it’s active and hands him Fury on a timer, which means more empowered Cull the Meeks and more 1.5 second stuns in a single fight. Slice and Dice also improves, since it damages every unit along the dash, and an empowered one shreds Armor on a whole line of champions. The weakness? Range, put simply. At 125 he has to dash in, and a team with knockbacks can keep him out of the middle where his kit works best.

What should a Renekton ARAM build focus on?

Armor shred and area damage first, then Health and Tenacity to survive the middle of a fight. Four items plus boots.

Black Cleaver is the starting point. Every ability Renekton has deals physical damage, so Carve’s Armor reduction (6% per hit for 6 seconds, stacking 5 times) builds up quickly, and an empowered Slice and Dice lowers Armor on top. The item’s 400 Health and 20 Ability Haste suit a champion who wants to stay in the fight and cast often.

Ravenous Hydra second, for the sustain. Its 12% Life Steal is healing, and healing is at 105% for him here. Cleave spreads his attacks to nearby enemies, and the Ravenous Crescent active is one more area hit with Life Steal applied, so in a crowd it pairs neatly with Cull the Meek. It also gives 65 Attack Damage and 15 Ability Haste.

Third slot: Sterak’s Gage. Lifeline kicks in when damage would take him under 30% Health, granting a decaying Shield for 4.5 seconds, and Reign of Anger builds Fury faster at low Health, so a shielded, low-Health Renekton is one with empowered abilities ready. Its 20% Tenacity helps him keep swinging through crowd control.

Spirit Visage finishes against magic damage, with 400 Health, 50 Magic Resist and Boundless Vitality raising heals and shields on him by 25%, which multiplies Cull the Meek, Hydra’s Life Steal and Sterak’s shield together. Against physical teams, Death’s Dance takes the slot instead. Boots: Plated Steelcaps or Mercury’s Treads.

How do you play Renekton on the Howling Abyss?

• Dash through several champions. Slice and Dice damages every unit along the way, and empowered it reduces their Armor too.
• Save 50 Fury for the stun. The empowered Ruthless Predator stuns for 1.5 seconds and destroys shields, a big deal in a mode full of shields.
• Use Cull the Meek in the middle of the crowd. The heal scales with how much damage it deals, and more targets means more damage.
• Pop Dominus early in the fight. It damages nearby enemies the whole time and generates Fury, so the longer it runs during a fight, the better.
• Don’t dash in alone. At 125 range, he needs to be in the middle, and the middle is dangerous without a team behind.

How do shopping and Mark work for Renekton?

ARAM has no recall. Purchases happen at the fountain at the start and after each death, and Black Cleaver components are the natural first buy, since Carve works on the first stack. The Health relics on the lane are a nice top-up, though Cull the Meek handles most of his sustain.

Your summoners are set once loading begins. Mark is a snowball, and hitting someone with it gives you a dash straight to them. On Renekton, that’s a second gap closer next to Slice and Dice, and since he needs to be close to do anything, it’s a strong pick. Honestly, Flash and Mark together give him more ways in than most melee champions get.

Is Renekton good in ARAM?

Yes. His modifiers, 100% damage dealt and 105% healing, slightly improve his sustain, and Cull the Meek, Slice and Dice and Dominus all hit groups, which suits a narrow lane. To be fair, ranged teams with knockbacks can make his life hard, since he has to reach them first.

Who beats him in a normal top lane? The Renekton counters guide names five. If the role itself is new, our guide to LoL roles is the place to start, while patch-by-patch numbers for every item here are kept in the LoL items database. For what it’s worth, his crocodile outfits all sit on the Renekton skins page.

Long story short, the Renekton ARAM build is Black Cleaver, Ravenous Hydra, Sterak’s Gage and Spirit Visage or Death’s Dance, and the plan is to dash into the middle with Dominus running and heal off everyone around.

FAQ

Is Renekton buffed in ARAM?

Slightly. The Wiki’s patch 26.21 data gives him 100% damage dealt and 105% healing, so only his healing changes.

What items does the Renekton ARAM build use?

Black Cleaver, Ravenous Hydra, Sterak’s Gage, and Spirit Visage or Death’s Dance, with Plated Steelcaps or Mercury’s Treads.

Why build Ravenous Hydra on Renekton?

Its Life Steal and area damage add healing in fights against several enemies, and his healing is boosted in ARAM.

How does Fury work for Renekton?

His attacks generate Fury, more when he’s low on Health, and Dominus generates Fury over time. Above 50 Fury, his abilities get bonus effects, including a longer stun on Ruthless Predator.

Were win rates used for this build?

No. Thing is, his patch 26.21 kit already tells you what to buy: physical damage, area hits and healing that rewards Life Steal.