Aurora Build: Runes, Items, and Abilities
Aurora, the Frost Queen, reigns supreme in the mid lane, renowned for her potent poke and devastating area-of-effect (AOE) crowd control. This guide equips you with the latest build strategies, optimal rune setups, and gameplay tips to unleash Aurora's full potential.
Patch 14.13
Aurora's Item Build & Runes
Aurora Top runes: 50.00% WR, 86.4% PR
Core Items
- Essence Reaver
- Spear of Shojin
- Rapid Firecannon
Aurora Middle runes: 50.00% WR, 57.97% PR
Core Items
- Essence Reaver
- Spear of Shojin
- Rapid Firecannon
Highest win rate Aurora Top build:
- Rod of Ages
- Sorcerer's Shoes
- Liandry's Torment
- Rabadon's Deathcap
- Cosmic Drive
- Zhonya's Hourglass
Highest win rate Aurora Mid build:
- Nashor's Tooth
- Sorcerer's Shoes
- Lich Bane
- Liandry's Torment
- Malignance
- Zhonya's Hourglass
Best Picks vs Aurora
Worst Picks vs Aurora
Best Lane Counters vs Aurora
Aurora's Runes
Aurora's versatility makes her a strong pick for both top and mid lane. Here's a breakdown of how to play her in each lane:
1. Top Lane Aurora: Poke and Burst
Main Runes: Choose runes that boost your on-hit magic damage, empower your next attack or spell, or make your basic attacks stronger.
Why? Top lane Aurora often builds items that give both AD and AP. This makes these runes ideal for maximizing your damage output, letting you poke with both basic attacks and abilities before going for the kill.
Secondary Runes: Focus on runes that provide Magic Penetration, Ability Haste, lower your ultimate cooldown, or give you movement speed when you damage or kill an enemy.
Why? You need Magic Pen to deal with tanky top laners. Ability Haste means more spells, and a lower ultimate cooldown means more crowd control in teamfights. The movement speed helps you chase down enemies or escape when needed.
2. Mid Lane Aurora: Long-Range Poke and Control
Main Runes: Pick runes that increase your ability power, give you mana back when your abilities hit, or give you a shield/heal when you deal damage.
Why? Mid lane Aurora is all about spamming her Q for safe wave clear and constant poke. These runes make her poke hurt more, ensure she has mana to keep casting, and make her a bit tougher to kill.
Secondary Runes: Just like top lane, prioritize Magic Penetration, Ability Haste, cooldown reduction, or bonus movement speed.
Why? These will help you scale into the late game, making sure your damage output is high and you're effective in teamfights.
Aurora Build Breakdown
1. Top Lane Aurora
Mythic Item (first item): Go for items that give both AP and bonus AD or on-hit effects. This maximizes your damage output from both abilities AND basic attacks, taking advantage of Aurora's hybrid AP bruiser playstyle.
Sorcerer's Shoes: Best choice for the magic pen. Helps you cut through the enemy's magic resist and deal more damage.
After that: Build more items that give AP, Magic Penetration, Ability Haste, or defensive stats (armor/magic resist) depending on how the game is going.
Why build this way? Top lane Aurora needs a balance of damage, magic pen (so your spells hit hard), Ability Haste (to use your ult more!), and some survivability to make it out of fights alive.
2. Mid Lane Aurora
Mythic Item (first item): Your first item should be a Mythic that boosts your AP, Mana regen, Ability Haste, and ideally has a useful effect when you use an ability. This lets you spam spells for poke, control the lane better, and burst enemies down.
Sorcerer's Shoes: Same as top lane, these are your go-to. More magic pen = more damage!
Following items: Focus on items that increase AP, Magic Penetration, or Ability Haste. If the enemy team has a lot of magic damage, you can also consider getting a magic resist item.
Basically: Mid Aurora wants high AP to maximize her spell damage, magic pen to shred through enemy magic resist, and Ability Haste to use that ult as much as possible in teamfights.
Aurora position
Top, Mid, Support
Aurora's summoner spells
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Aurora ability
Aurora's skill order
Aurora's abilities
Spirit Abjuration
Keep using your abilities and basic attacks on enemies to stack up souls. The more souls you have, the more health you'll regen and the faster you'll move.
Twofold Hex
Use your Q to poke enemies from a distance and quickly clear minion waves. Time your Q casts so you can re-cast it for the soul, dealing bonus damage and healing yourself.
Across the Veil
Use your W to quickly close the gap on enemies or to escape when you're being chased. It's also a great way to dodge dangerous skillshots. Combo W with your ult (R) to quickly get into range and land your ultimate reliably.
The Weirding
Use your E to slow enemies, making it easier for you or your allies to catch up or escape. Place E strategically to split the enemy team or block their path.
Between Worlds
Use your ultimate (R) to lock down multiple enemies, giving your team a huge advantage in teamfights. It's perfect for splitting up their formation or peeling for your teammates when they're getting jumped on.
How to play Aurora
Early Game
- Focus on farming and using your long-range Q to poke the enemy.
- Watch out for ganks and keep vision up!
Mid Game
- Be proactive: roam to help your team and look for picks or small skirmishes using your ult (R).
- Keep pushing your lane advantage.
Late Game
- Aurora excels at teamfights with her AOE damage.
- Find a safe position, land your ultimate (R) on as many enemies as possible, then finish them off with Q and E.
Aurora Tips and Tricks:
- Maximize Your Passive: Land 3 basic attacks or 3 abilities to empower your next basic attack. It deals bonus damage and gives you a burst of movement speed.
- Q is Your Friend: It has long range, low cooldown, goes through minions – perfect for poking and wave clear.
- W for More than Escapes: Use your invisibility (W) to check bushes and avoid ganks.
- Master Your E: Practice using E to engage, escape, and navigate terrain. It's key to Aurora's mobility.
- Respect the Ult Cooldown: R has a long cooldown, so make every cast count!
Key Aurora Combos:
- Basic Poke Combo: Q -> Basic Attack (to proc passive) -> E
- Burst Combo: Q -> E -> Basic Attack (proc passive) -> R -> Q -> Basic Attack
- Pick Combo: W -> R -> Q -> E -> Basic Attack
Aurora pros and cons
Pros
- Strong poke potential.
- Powerful AoE crowd control.
- Multiple escape tools.
Cons
- Reliant on ultimate ability.
- Vulnerable to highly mobile champions.
- Subpar sustain.