01 / Varus
At a glance
Learn Varus abilities and prepare your first games. Find builds for each supported role.
02
Strengths & weaknesses
Tools to play around
- Piercing ArrowContributes damage to the champion’s rotation.
- Hail of ArrowsCan slow a target to prepare the next action.
- Chain of CorruptionAdds a utility effect to the champion’s kit.
What can go wrong
- Piercing ArrowPractise the hit area and target conditions first. Do not spend the rest of your rotation automatically when the opening damage misses.
- Hail of ArrowsUse the slow to make the next action easier. It does not replace checking distance, cooldowns and an escape route.
- A completed combo is only useful when your position, resources and follow-up are safe.
03
Abilities & tips
Open an ability to read its effect and a practical use tip.
PLiving Vengeance
On kill or assist, Varus temporarily gains Attack Damage and Ability Power. This bonus is larger if the enemy is a champion.
Practise the hit area and target conditions first. Do not spend the rest of your rotation automatically when the opening damage misses.
QPiercing Arrow
Varus readies and then fires a powerful shot that gains extra range and damage the longer he spends preparing to fire.
Practise the hit area and target conditions first. Do not spend the rest of your rotation automatically when the opening damage misses.
WBlighted Quiver
Passive: Varus' basic attacks deal bonus magic damage and apply Blight. Varus' other abilities detonate Blight, dealing magic damage based on the target's maximum Health. Active: Varus empowers his next Piercing Arrow.
Practise the hit area and target conditions first. Do not spend the rest of your rotation automatically when the opening damage misses.
EHail of Arrows
Varus fires a hail of arrows that deal physical damage and desecrate the ground. Desecrated ground slows enemies' Move Speed and reduces their self healing and regeneration.
Use the slow to make the next action easier. It does not replace checking distance, cooldowns and an escape route.
RChain of Corruption
Varus flings out a damaging tendril of corruption that immobilizes the first enemy champion hit and then spreads towards nearby uninfected champions, immobilizing them too on contact.
Read the effect and its conditions, then practise it alone. Build your sequence around the effect you can reliably reproduce.
Varus combos: execution and timing
AA = basic attack · EAA = empowered attack · 1/2/3 = cast stage. Follow the order, not instant key presses.
Include Chain of Corruption in the rotation
- E
- R
- Q
With Varus, start with Hail of Arrows, then continue through Chain of Corruption → Piercing Arrow. Track the marks from Blighted Quiver before following with Piercing Arrow. Compare a marked target with an unmarked one in practice.
Include Chain of Corruption in the rotation
- R
- Q
- AA
- E
- AA
With Varus, start with Chain of Corruption, then continue through Piercing Arrow → Basic attack → Hail of Arrows → Basic attack. Track the marks from Blighted Quiver before following with Piercing Arrow. Compare a marked target with an unmarked one in practice.
05
Game plan by role
Varus · Bot
Coordinate trades with your support and keep last hits consistent. Stand where you can attack without stepping into both enemy players’ threat range.
Collect safe farm while staying close enough to join your team. Check the map before crossing an exposed side lane for one more wave.
Keep dealing damage to an accessible target while tracking enemy engage tools. A safer sustained position is often better than chasing a distant carry.
Before your next fight, check: Piercing Arrow · Chain of Corruption · Combos
Varus · Top
Keep trades short until you understand the opponent’s main cooldown. Check the minion wave before chasing and preserve a route back to your tower.
Decide between a side-lane push and joining the next objective. Push only as far as your vision and teammate positions allow.
Agree on your job before the fight: pressure a side, threaten a target or protect a carry. Save a key defensive tool when the enemy can turn on you.
Before your next fight, check: Piercing Arrow · Chain of Corruption · Combos
06
Matchup preparation
Compare opponents in the build for the role you are actually playing. Then check their key control, escape and defensive spells before choosing your trade.
07
Practice checklist
- Cast each ability alone and identify its range, target conditions and stopping point.
- Practise the first sequence slowly. Repeat it while moving, without skipping the conditions shown on its card.
- After each attempt, identify the spell you would still have available to defend or retreat.
08
Varus · Builds & runes
Choose a role, then select your rank on the build page for runes, items, skill order and matchup statistics.