Aatrox is a close range melee carry that has a playstyle comparable to Jax or Xin Zhao. Aatrox has good AD scalings with a massive amount of sustain. Aatrox can play as an assassin or as a sustained bruiser. In lane Aatrox has a weak waveclear but a strong sustain. His Q is both his engage and disengage so that should be baited out when looking to gank him. He relies on AS for alot of his effects therefore a frozen heart or randuins is a good counterbuild item for him.

(Passive)Blood Well- Aatrox's abilities cost health to cast. When using an ability, Aatrox stores 70% of the health cost into a blood well. Upon taking fatal damage, Aatrox becomes invulnerable for 1.5 seconds as he recovers all the health in his blood well.
Aatrox's Blood Well has a base amount equal to 35% of the maximum. When out of combat, the well will deplete at a rate of 3% per second down to the base amount.
While Blood Well is on cooldown, Aatrox will not accumulate blood.

This passive can be compared to a Zac/Volibear type last stand kind of passive. When Aatrox's health pool reaches 0 he will temporarily become untargetable and heal the heal from his blood pool (His rage gauge) and heal about 40% of his hp. This passive is really good due to the sustained nature of his kit, he can revive and burst heal to almost full health instantly if played right allowing for ultimate heal baits.

Dark Flight- Aatrox takes flight and slams down at a targeted location, dealing physical damage in a large area. Enemies in the center of the blast are also knocked up for 1 second.

This move is both your escape and your engage. The skill is pretty much Zac's elastic slingshot but it is unable to be charged for more distance. Targets on your landing point are actually hit pretty hard by your knockup (Like they fly as if Malphite or Wukong ult had hit). This skill is very readable and thus easily flashable. The skill can also be canceled with a hard CC during his initial rise into the air. This will typically be your 1 point wonder.

Blood Thirst: Aatrox heals himself on every third attack. Activating Blood Thirst toggles Blood Price.
Blood Price: Every third attack now deals bonus damage instead of healing Aatrox. Aatrox loses health based on the bonus damage dealt.

The centerpiece of Aatrox's kit is his ability to use Blood Price and Blood Thirst. On every third autoattack depending on the mode you will either heal ~Red Sword~ (Like Xin's passive heal) or do damage to yourself and your enemy ~Purple Sword~ (Like Olaf's Reckless Swing). The 3rd hit proc DOES not expire. If you recall with it up then run back to lane it will still be up. This makes him be able to have a duel playstyle as he can either act like jax and go for a third proc damage hit or he could just sit and sustain in lane. When Aatrox is below 50% hp the heal is 3x. If you are in a close duel it may be better to toggle on blood thirst for the 200+ hp heal if both you and your enemy only have auto attacks left. This will usually be your first max due to its uses.

Blades of Torment- Aatrox fires a line attack that damages and slows enemies caught in its path. Aatrox is refunded a part of the health cost if Blades of Torment strikes an enemy champion.

This is the standard "this champion needs one ap move" move from riot. This will mostly be used for a slow while sticking to a target. It can help your very poor waveclear. This is typically your second max as it has a lower health cost and a decent damage increase.

Massacre- Upon activation, Aatrox instantly damages enemies in an area around him, temporarily gaining max health based on the number of enemies hit. For the duration of Massacre, Aatrox gains bonus attack speed and range. Massacre has no health cost.

Your ultimate. You deal % current health to nearby enemies and gain max health based on how many enemies hit.This skill also gives you slightly enhanced range and an AS steroid (This range increase puts you at about 100 less than Urgot's attack range)

This should be used at the start of a duel since it does % max hp damage.


Ravenous Hydra-Gives the stats of an unfilled bloodthirster for an only slightly increased price. The Active gives you another AD ratios worth of damage as well as some more sustain when fighting the enemy in minion waves. This also makes up for your low shoving ability and allows you a decent AoE clear.

Blade of the Ruined King-Gives you sustain as well as the ability to stick to an enemy. The passive is good for dueling tanky enemies. The attack speed also helps increase the amount of times your W passives will proc.

Randuin's Omen- Strong item for dueling a physical enemy champion. If the enemy is auto attack reliant or an ADC they should not be able to outduel you if you have this. the active also allows you to stick to foes.

Warmog's Armor-Good amount of sustain helps your bloodwell.

Last Whisper-Damage increase for when they get armor.

Bloodthirster-Sustain and damage (Which transitions to more sustain and damage through your W).

Spirit Visage- Better sustain and MR

Aatrox has a decently strong early game for being a health resourced champion. In lane he will typically use his Q to jump in with a 2 hit W whenever its up to get a hit of blood price on you and then return and sustain back the trade with Blood thirst. He will try and wear down the enemy in lane before going in for the kill.

Aatrox's lategame is easily countered by some focus if he is not semitanky forcing him to build some health and armor items for defense. His primary role in a fight will be as an anticarry since he does not have any real peeling for your ADC. If he is allowed to successfully reach the enemy ADC and attack them he can tear them apart.

Aatrox is a new AA style of top laner like Jax or Xin Zhao. He will typically be annoying to kill due to his massive amounts of sustain and healing. He will be a fun top laner to play around with and I am looking forward to his release on the live servers. As always summoners I hope you have a good day and good luck on the Fields of Justice!