Talon 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 Talon ARAM build is a Lethality path built for repeated ultimates: Profane Hydra, Serylda’s Grudge, Axiom Arc and Edge of Night, on Ionian Boots of Lucidity. Riot treats him well here. His Howling Abyss numbers are all upgrades: damage dealt at 105%, damage taken down to 95%, tenacity raised to 120%.

We matched items to his patch 26.21 abilities (win-rate tables stayed closed).

How is Talon changed in ARAM?

Three buffs, no nerfs (rare for an assassin). He deals 5% more damage, takes 5% less, and crowd control on him wears off faster thanks to the tenacity bonus. Why so generous? Talon’s best trick on Summoner’s Rift is roaming over walls with Assassin’s Path, and the Abyss has no side lanes to roam to. Everyone can see him coming down one bridge. Riot compensates with numbers, and that tenacity matters most, because the first stun that lands on an assassin usually decides whether he gets out.

Why does Talon work on the Howling Abyss?

His burst hits groups better than it looks, and the map gives him walls to vault. His patch 26.21 kit:

• Blade’s End (passive): spells Wound champions up to 3 times, and an attack on a 3-stack target makes it bleed heavily.
• Noxian Diplomacy (Q): crits in melee range or leaps to the target from further out; kills refund some health and cooldown. Cooldown 8/7.5/7/6.5/6.
• Rake (W): daggers out and back, with the return hitting harder and slowing. Cooldown 9/8.5/8/7.5/7.
• Assassin’s Path (E): a vault over terrain or structures; that terrain then goes on a long cooldown. Cooldown 0.
• Shadow Assault (R): blades fly out while he goes Invisible and fast, then return to him. Cooldown 100/80/60.

Rake goes through a whole line of enemies twice, and Shadow Assault’s blades hit everyone they pass on the way out and the way back. In a clumped ARAM fight, that’s a lot of Wounds on a lot of targets at once. Assassin’s Path still has a use: the Abyss is lined with walls, so he can vault around the enemy front line to reach the carries. And the Noxian Diplomacy refund on a kill? It chains, honestly, once one target drops low.

What should a Talon ARAM build focus on?

Lethality and Ability Haste, because every point of Haste on a Talon ARAM build means more ultimates, more Rakes and more bleeds over a long fight.

Profane Hydra first. Cleave makes his attacks hit nearby enemies, and Heretical Cleave is an active that deals physical damage around him, an extra burst piece that helps stack Blade’s End. The Lethality on it, 18 points, is what makes a Talon ARAM combo lethal against squishy carries.

Serylda’s Grudge is second. 35% Armor Penetration cuts through the tanks that ARAM often puts on the enemy team, and Bitter Cold slows enemies below 50% Health by 30% when his abilities damage them. A slowed carry can’t walk out of the bleed.

Axiom Arc third. Flux refunds part of his ultimate’s cooldown whenever a champion he damaged recently dies, so in a teamfight full of takedowns Shadow Assault comes back much sooner. That’s the whole reason to buy it, really (the stats are fine, nothing special).

Edge of Night closes the build. Annul blocks the next enemy ability, which on an assassin who dives in is often the difference between living and dying, and the item adds 250 Health. For boots, Ionian Boots of Lucidity and their 10 Ability Haste keep Rake cycling.

How do you play Talon on the Howling Abyss?

• Rake the clump. The daggers deal damage every time they pass through an enemy, out and back.
• Vault walls with Assassin’s Path to reach the backline from the side.
• Stack 3 Wounds before you attack. Blade’s End only bleeds on an attack against a 3-stack target.
• Use Shadow Assault to engage or to escape, since it makes him Invisible with extra Move Speed.
• Look for a kill with Noxian Diplomacy; it refunds health and cooldown on a takedown.

How do no-recall shopping and Mark change the plan?

Shopping happens at the fountain after each death. Profane Hydra is the first full item; a Lethality component on an early death still adds damage. Talon has no healing except the Noxian Diplomacy refund on a kill, so health relics on the lane are worth grabbing when you’re low.

Mark throws a snowball, and landing it gives a dash to the target. Summoners lock before load. On Talon, Mark is a fine engage: snowball, dash, then Noxian Diplomacy from melee range for the crit. Flash, though, doubles as an escape for a champion who dives deep. For what it’s worth, with the tenacity buff he can afford the greedier pick.

Is Talon a good pick on the Howling Abyss?

He’s a solid assassin pick here. The 105% damage dealt, 95% damage taken and 120% tenacity all help, and his abilities hit multiple targets more than most assassins’. The catch is visibility, since everyone sees him walking down the bridge.

Laning against him in mid is covered in the Talon counters guide. Curious about an exact stat? Our League items database lists them. His costumes, on the other hand, sit on the Talon skins page.

Long story short, the Talon ARAM build is Profane Hydra, Serylda’s Grudge, Axiom Arc and Edge of Night on Ionian Boots of Lucidity, and the plan is Rake the clump, vault in and reset the ultimate on takedowns.

FAQ

What are Talon’s ARAM modifiers?

All three are buffs: he deals 105% damage, takes 95% damage and gets 120% tenacity in patch 26.21.

What items should Talon build in ARAM?

Profane Hydra, Serylda’s Grudge, Axiom Arc and Edge of Night, with Ionian Boots of Lucidity.

Why Axiom Arc on Talon?

Takedowns on champions he hit shortly before give back a chunk of Shadow Assault’s cooldown through Flux.

Can Talon still vault walls in ARAM?

Yes. Assassin’s Path works on any terrain, and the Howling Abyss lane is lined with walls.

Where does this Talon build come from?

His patch 26.21 ability text, matched to item effects. No win-rate data was used.