Hi everyone, I'm Uslish, and here is my personal Hecarim Guide. I tell it now, I'm not of english origin, so I apologize for my mistakes ^^" Anyway, for me Hecarim is the funniest champ to play on top lane because of his mobility and huge damage when you strike ennemies. Some people will say the pony is really better in jungle. I don not agree. In the jungle you have really strong mid game. When you're in top lane, you have good lane phase and can stomp laners with your masterie Fervor of Battle and Ghost, plus good mid and late game if your team regroup.

Pros + High damages and still tanky + Really strong duelist + Good engage/disengage + Good wave clear

Cons - Not really good early game - Manavore with your Rampage - Easily counter with slows, stun in TF - Get tanky only in mid game

I put 21 in this one so you can be lot more aggresvie on lane. Fervor of Battle will give you huge damage when you'll spam your Q and auto attacks. For the rest, you have pen.armor. AS, and I pick Expose Weakness for the ult. If you rush on 4 or 5 people, it will give your allies more damage in fight.

Nothing to put in here. You don't need cookies, movement speed out of combat is not rly usefull (you nieed it IN combat). Anyway, nothing really important there. I saw some peaople play with Stormraider's Surge . It's not that bad with your Ult + E, but you lost any advantage on lane. Thunderlord's Decree is also not that abd with your W.

To conclude, you can have little more tankiness in there. Regen with Recovery , less damage from cs (doesn't matter), basic health with Veteran's Scars . And finally Insight . This is really important if you want to have low CD on Ghost.

Greater Mark of Armor PenetrationArmorPen

MovementSpeed

I choose Greater Mark of Armor Penetration because you can spam your Rampage in lane and deal more damage, but Greater Mark of Attack Damage also work if you prefer have more damage for better last hitting.

For Quintessence, I picked MS cause with your passive, you gain 2.33 AD and 1.16 MS. That's I think is better than only 7 AD with Greater Quintessence of Attack Damage. Anyway, if your prefer AD Quintessence, it also works.

Armor

MagicResist

Those Seals are for a basic match up. Most of top laner are in this meta AD. So flat armor is the best way. BUT. If you can use a second page just for Hecarim, you can switch you're Greater Seal of Armor by Greater Seal of Health if you're against an AP laner.

I put flat MR if you can only have one page on Hecarim. In case of an AP laner, you can handle him a little. BUT. Like Seals, if you can have a second page on Hecarim, you can switch your Greater Glyph of Magic Resist by MR per lvl. And in your "Against AP" page, put your flat MR.

Flash

Ghost

Teleport

Ignite

Flash is common spell on top lane, but Ghost is really better. Most of champions on toplane must be play with flash, so if you're not confortable without it, take it It's not the best spell with Hecarim. But you can escape quickly, you're safe when you're ganked.

Ghost Since few patches, ghost is now the best summunor spell for Heca. With Insight , you have only 178 sec of CD on your ghost. Wich gives you huge damage from your passive. Don't hesitate yo you use it on trades

As a toplaner, this summoner spell is indispensable. Mostly with Hecarim. You can have map pressure with it. Some of top laner replace Teleport by Ignite for more pressure on lane. But you can pick Ignite AND Teleport with Hecarim.

Ignite use to be common spell on Heca. With new Ghost, it's no longer worth. You can still us it if you want to be extremly agressive, but Ghost will be better when you'll have to team fight, and it has lower CD.

So for me best summoner spells are Teleport and Ghost. ingite is still viable on Hecarim toplane, but in term of CDR, Ghost wins. You can use it more often

Basic boots. Counter cc, gives you MR, move speed, basically, everything you need. If you lose match up on top agsint AD champ, go on Ninja Tabi

If you don't pick Mercury's Treads, use this one. Boots of Swiftness are not really good on Heca. So chose boots on your match up. Ad : Tabi, AP : Mercury.

Just core item. You don't have to start with it. But you have to get it if you want to rekt people up and make insane damage. Plus, new trinity gives you 20% DCR instead of 10, wich is good for you.

Second item to rush. This way, you have 40% CDR with 2 items. That means more Q, more ult, more everything.

I use to pick this one in third place. It gives you tankiness, MR, and can avoid a spell. That can be really usefull agasint burst like LeBlanc or Lissandra.

Then you can this one for more tankiness and armor. Plus his passive gives you more MS and will slow the next target you AA. Wich works on Devastating Charge

That's great if you don't pick Frozen Heart. Slow AS, and it gives huge tank stats.

It is really good as last or pre last item. It gives you HP and AD, and his passive gives you huge shield wich is good in team fight. Only go as last or pre last item. Get tankiness first.

Little help -->
- Things highlight in Orange are for AD
- Things highlight in Green are for AP
- Things highlight in Pink are for CDR


Warpath : Hecarim perpetually ignores unit collision and gains bonus attack damage equal to 15 / 17.5 / 20 / 22.5 / 25 / 27.5 / 30 % of his bonus movement speed.
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This passive is pretty strong. Not in early game, cause you only have your Devastating Charge for mobility boost. But in mid game, with your Enchantment: Homeguard + Teleport.


Rampage : Hecarim cleaves nearby enemies, dealing 60 / 95 / 130 / 165 / 200 (+ 60% bonus AD) physical damage (66% damage against minions). COOLDOWN: 4
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This is a basic spell for Hecarim. you can spam it with the unique passive (More use, less CD) and it's usefull for the combo Q-aa with Trinity Force passive.


Spirit of Dread : Hecarim surrounds himself with the spirit of dread for 4 seconds, dealing magic damage per second (20 / 30 / 40 / 50 / 60 (+ 20% AP)) to all enemies within its reach. Hecarim is healed for 20% of the damage dealt by any source to enemies within the area (capped against minions or monsters). COOLDOWN: 22 / 21 / 20 / 19 / 18
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Nice spell for sustaining. When you're engaged, or if you're in bad trade. The drain works on sbires, so if there is 8 or 10 cs, you can bait your ennemy : run away, thn turn back and rush him with Devastating Charge + Spirit of Dread. You'll drain him + all cs around you. You'll be able to fight longer and maybe kill him. I use to max in second place this spell if I lose a bit my lane, and if your ennemy has Ignite. You'll be able to tank a little bit more the ignite by healing your self in trades.


Devastating Charge : Hecarim gains 75% movement speed over the course of 3 seconds, starting with initial 25% upon cast, and ending one second afterward. While Hecarim is charging, he gains 150 extra attack range (325 total). His next basic attack knocks back the target, dealing physical damage based on how far Hecarim has traveled during Devastating Charge's duration. COOLDOWN: 24 / 22 / 20 / 18 / 16
MINIMUM PHYSICAL DAMAGE: 40 / 75 / 110 / 145 / 180 (+ 50% bonus AD)
MAX PHYSICAL DAMAGE: 80 / 150 / 220 / 290 / 360 (+ 100% bonus AD)
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Before I talk about this spell in team fights and with Teleport, this spell in lane is hard to master. When you cast it, try to browse the longer distance to deal much damage. But when you'll cast it, your opponent wil run to his turret and you'll push it to the tower, then he will be safe. So try to exceed him, and push him back. Like an InSec. Then, just spam Q and leave the trade. This ability is really strong with Sheen.
Now, with Teleport. When you tp on a ward with Enchantment: Homeguard i use to instant press E, cause usueally, the target is not far from the ward. But, it happens that you have to browse longer distance, so becarefull with your E. The TP + Homeguardis also really good for flanks. For example, if there is a fight mid, teleport on a ward in river, and rush back lane (ADC, APC).


Onslaught of Shadows : Hecarim summons spectral riders and charges forward with them in a line, dealing magic damage (150 / 250 / 350 (+ 100% AP)) to enemies in their path. Hecarim is immune to crowd control while dashing. Enemies within range of where Hecarim stops will Fear in terror for 1 second. The wave of spectral riders will travel the maximum distance possible in the direction of the cast, regardless of where Hecarim himself stops. COOLDOWN : 140 / 120 / 100
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This spell is a good iniation for a team fight. If you're not at your base, waiting for an opportunity to Teleport, this could be a good engage. This spell is really strong cause you're abme to catch the back lane (ADC, APC and support). Remember that, even if you're stun or snare during your ult, Hecarim will anyway go to the target location, and you'll stun or snare when arriving.
Combo with TP : When you've cast your TP Homguard, don't instantly rush with your ult. Wait to strike an ennemy, THEN ult ON him (ON HIM, or he won't be fear).

Skill order : I think there is only one way for Hecarim abilities. Even if you're losing your lane, you're camped, or anything max Rampage. For Devastating Charge and Spirit of Dread, it's even. When I'm losing the lane, I secondly max Spirit of Dread, so you can regen when your oppenent push and a huge wave is coming on you. But if the lane is equal, or your winning, just max Devastating Charge in second. So skills order in this way :

Here we are ! You picked your runes, your masteries, and now you're in the Rift with your Hecopter ! This chapter will be separate in 4 part :

• Lane phase
• Mid game
• Team Fights
• Synergy

Lane Phase

Lane phase is not that simple with Heca. This is not because you have Rampage, Fervor of Battle and Ghost, that you will win every single trade. First of all you have your Q at lvl1, don't trade until you get Spirit of Dread. That means at lvl2. From that, you don't need your Devastating Charge to make a huge trade. Try to not get low before 2, and engage him. Your W regen you as f*ck. So don't hesitate to go in when there is lot of cs around. If the trade is going well, use Ghost, that will prevent his Flash and you'll gain more damage. Remember that more you use spells and AA, more Fervor of Batlle gives you more damage. From that you can easily get First Blood. Then you can be more agressive on lane, and try to get more kills.
If you're losing lane (**** happens), just let him push, and let him fail a trade. I sometimes get back my lane cause he took couple of turret hit, I press R and E, then he is dead. If by any chance you're losing hard (0/3/0), there is no secret. Farm under turret and try to be less useless as you can.

Mid Game

I consider mid game from the moment you lost your turret, or you destronyed his. If you lost your turret, and you're losing lane, keep farming between your turrets, but keep and eye on the mini map to help your team with a Teleport or if your jungler need help. If you destroyed his turret, it's time for you to roam. Try to keep farmin. Mid game is the beginning of team fights, this is also the part where Hecarim is the strongest. So it's at this moment you can get a real advantage for your team. You probably have your Trinity Force, so you have tons of damage. With your Frozen Heart, you have 40% CDR. So you can ult often. Think to use Ghost in fights.

Team Fights

First thing to notice, YOU'RE THE FRONT LANE, YOU TAKE ALL SKILL SHOOTS, OR ANYTING COME FROM THE ENNEMY TEAM. Still, Hecarim is good to rush back lane. Use your ult, your sick mobility + Ghost and kill their ADC. You'll probably have enough damage to kill him (if you don't fail, as I sometimes do lol). But if you didn't you probably dealt him enough damage to get him out of the team fight. He will run away, then turn back and focus APC (Or the next target your team decided to kill), but keep an eye on their ADC if he tries to come back. You'll have your Devastating Charge back, rush him again and you'll kill him (This will be like that if his is not peel, but he will). The rest will depend on how the team fight will evolve. Just remember also that your team can't ask you to peel for your ADC or APC. You CAN'T PEEL. You're an engager, you're not suppose to wait beside your carries and protect them. Never. Just run as fast as you can to their face, and rekt them. Heca is also a good flanker. For example, if fight is hepapening mid, with a good Teleport from river, you can come from river top or bot side, and rekt ther back line up.

Synergy

Hecarim works with a team fight/engage composition. If your team decide to focus on split push, skirmish, Hecarim is the wrong pick. For example I like to have Sivir as ADC because her ult gives you more damage. Nunu & Willump is also nice with his Blood Boil who gives you MS. Anyway, Hecarim is good with any champ that gives MS + team fight/engage composition. You probably noticed it on item set, I put Turbo Chemtank. I rarely build this item. But if your support is tanky ( Alistar, Braum, Nautilus..) ask him to build it. Talisman of Ascension also works. They work exactly like On The Hunt.

Thank you all for reading my Hecopter Guide, I hope you'll become a better player Hecarim. If you have any suggestion/question, leave a comment and I'll try to give you an explaination.

This is my first guide, and i'm not a pro player, so I could make some mistakes on the guide. Just notice it on comments, and I'll try to figure it out.

Here is a video of my favorite player Hun1 who sometimes play the pony :
PS : I'll add some match up later, don't be worry if you don't find the one you wanted :p