Hullbreaker

Hullbreaker is a 3,000 gold split-push item in League of Legends: 40 Attack Damage, 500 Health and 4% Move Speed in patch 26.21. Skipper makes every fifth attack against champions and epic monsters deal bonus physical damage, increased against structures, and Boarding Party gives nearby allied siege and super minions extra Armor and Magic Resist.

What does Hullbreaker do?

It helps you take towers alone. That’s the whole idea: one player pushes a side lane, the minion wave with them survives longer, and every fifth hit on a structure lands hard.

Skipper counts your attacks. On the fifth one against a champion or an epic monster (Dragon, Baron, Rift Herald and the like), you deal bonus physical damage. Against towers and other structures that bonus goes up, which is why Hullbreaker users melt plates so fast. Riot’s data text doesn’t list the damage numbers, so the tooltip in the client is where they are.

Boarding Party works on the big minions only. Siege (cannon) and super minions near you gain Armor and Magic Resist, so they soak more tower shots and keep pushing. Small minions get nothing (melee and caster minions are on their own). Funny enough, that makes the item stronger the later the game goes, since super minions only spawn after an inhibitor falls.

Is it gold efficient?

Right at even, 101%. Its stats are worth 3,034 gold against the 3,000 gold price.

Health is now the biggest part. 500 Health is worth 1,334 gold at 2.67 per point, 40 Attack Damage is worth 1,400 gold, and 4% Move Speed adds 300 gold. Both passives sit on top for free. Not bad for a niche item, right? Since patch 14.19 the item leans tanky, which suits a player who spends long stretches alone on a side lane (and needs to survive when someone comes to stop them).

What does it build from?

Tunneler (1,150 gold), Winged Moonplate (800) and Pickaxe (875), then a small 175 gold combine. Tunneler is also a part of Spear of Shojin, the fighter item for ability users, so a Tunneler first back doesn’t lock you in. The finished item doesn’t upgrade.

How has it changed since patch 11.13?

The item ID was Sanguine Blade until patch 11.13, when it became Hullbreaker with a split-push theme. Since then:

• Patch 13.10: cost 2,800 → 3,000 gold, Attack Damage 50 → 60, Move Speed 5% added.
• Patch 14.1: Attack Damage 60 → 65, Health 400 → 350.
• 14.19 was the big shift: Attack Damage 65 → 40, Health 350 → 500, Move Speed 5% → 4%.

So patch 14.19 swapped a lot of damage for Health. Put simply, Riot wanted it on durable split-pushers, not on glass cannons. The Sanguine Blade entries are in the table above too, and our LoL items database shows the history of every other fighter item.

Who should build Hullbreaker?

Top laners and other fighters who win by pressuring side lanes instead of grouping. If your champion can duel whoever comes to defend, and your team can hold four-versus-four elsewhere, Hullbreaker turns that into towers. Does your team need you in every fight? Then skip it.

Honestly, it’s a strategy item more than a stat item. In games where your team groups for every objective, the passives do little and a standard fighter item gives more. Our guide to LoL roles explains what top laners usually do in the mid game, and that’s when a Hullbreaker build pays off.

FAQ

How much does Hullbreaker cost?

3,000 gold, only 175 of it at the final combine, and it sells for 2,100 gold.

How does Skipper work?

Every fifth attack against champions and epic monsters deals bonus physical damage, increased against structures.

Which minions does Boarding Party buff?

Nearby allied siege and super minions. They gain Armor and Magic Resist.

What stats does it give?

40 Attack Damage, 500 Health and 4% Move Speed.

What was Hullbreaker before?

Its item ID belonged to Sanguine Blade until patch 11.13.