Wait... WHAT? Are you talking about AP Gangplank?

That's it. Gangplank is generally an AD-offtank solotop champion (playing as jungler sometimes), but he has a bitly unknown AP carry side, still being funny and destructive.

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Pros His Q still damages due to Lich Bane. High CC resistance thanks to his W. He has a healing comparable to the famous AP Yi's one. He is team-friendly due to his skills.

Cons You are pretty weak when having Remove Scurvy on CD. Long CD (you need to build CDR). Only one spammable spell. They will flame you to death if you play as AP GP :c

Go to the next chapter if you don't need the information ASAP.

Runes

The runes put on the introduction are the default runes. Now I'm going to explain some runes that fits with AP GP:

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Masteries

I suggest 21/9/0, deffensive AP carry masteries. This election has no much to explain. You are AP carry but due to being melee, you need some def instead of utility to your masteries.

From the offensive tree, they're all the default 21 points AP tree. I emphasize the full points on Double-Edged Sword (because you get benefit from being melee) and Sorcery (because AP GP really needs CDR).

From the deffensive tree, I tried to select the masteries that helps you to stay laning without recalling for more time, securing a bit your early-game farm.

+ x2 Default starting. Doran's passive synergizes with your Q, so you can earn more gold than you opponent by farming.

+ x4 You aslo may start with boots and pots. Chose this option if you need survability.

This is the target item for the first back. Despite it procs physical damage, you will really start having a nice output damage with it.

If you are laning versus an high poke AP enemy and you need some def to keep laning, buy this one and pots. You can upgrade it into Spirit Visage later.

The most essential item on AP GP. You can activate and proc it at the same time by using Q. Trust me, not building a Lich Bane on AP GP is like giving him a squirt gun.

GP isn't originally a caster, so he has excesive CDs. You need this boots in order to poke with your Q. Anyways, consider building Ninja Tabi or Mercury's Treads if you really need it.

Do you need more dmg? Buy some of these.

Buy this if you want the best dmg item. On the other side, if you need some utility as well as damage, buy some of the next ones.

Does an assassin leap on you and burst you ever teamfight? You can also use Zhonya's active combined with your W to became indestructible.

CDR + Tons of AP + dmg active = OP. If you need burst dmg, buy this. The most harmful combo with this item is Active + Q + R + Q.

Buy this one only if you are extremely fed.

Zhonya is the best item when playing versus enemies with gap closers.

When you need armor playing versus enemies without gap closers, this is the best item. We waste the Iceborn Gauntlet's Sheen proc on the single target, but it worth because the AoE slow still applies.

This is the best MR item for AP GP, specially because it increases your W healing.

These are some item that may look like they are useful on AP GP at first sight, but I'm going to explain why they aren't. This spoiler is optional, but it's still useful if you want to know the in depth AP GP building.

This is the priority when maxing your abilities:

Abilities' explanation (+ tips)

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This is not areally OP passive. Anyways, you can take adventage from its slow (arround 20% @ 3 stacks) and you may notice its damage when you have long fights (63 dps @18). Personally I think this passive needs a buff, but that's another story.

• Don't let an enemy go away thinking your passive will kill him. At early level its damage is not noticiable.
  
• If you have to be in melee range when attacking your enemy, try to reach 3 stacks quickly by using Q between each AA.

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This is the AP GP's bread and butter. Despite it doesn't scale with AP, you can do high AP damage because it applies and procs Lich Bane at the same time.

• In lanephase use it only to farm (on caster creeps as much as possible, so you dont have to stay near your enemy's poke range).
  
• Again, use it only for farming. If you harass with your Q, you will go OOM soon and your output dmg will be ridiculous. Wait your Sheen to start poking.
  
• This is your poke weapon. Try to land as Q as you can before start fighting.
  
• Your Q applies redbuff. This is not essential, but don't waste the opportunity if you get that buff*

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This ability will make your enemies become crazy, and you will be able to heal yourself like the old AP Yi (R.I.P.). You have to learn when to use and when to not use it.

• Don't overuse it at lanephase because its mana cost is too high and the healing isn't much.
  
• You avoid any single stun (with the exception of knockup and knockback) so try to not having it on CD before a fight.
  
• As a practic example, you can intercept stunning skillshots (such as Enchanted Crystal Arrow or Cocoon) and then use your W in order to save a teammate (in example) when you are running away.
  
• Try to not using your W when you're not affected with Ignite or Morellonomicon's passive as much as possible.

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This is the less useful abuility on AP GP. It's not essential leveling it up at level 4, but it's helpful if your jungler ganks. Despite its own uselessness, your E can be useful in some situations.

• Use it when chasing or running away form an enemy.
  
• Help your teammates or take some assist by buffing them with your E.
  
• You can activate Lich Bane's Sheen passive with your E when your Parrrley is on CD.
  
• In order to doing the max output damage, use E before Q if you aren't going to need your E soon.

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YARRRRRRRR! THIS turns AP Gangplank into a ruthless soul devourer. Multikill is waiting you after this endless-range AoE ability.

• APGP's early-game consists in farming. You can use your R to help another lanes until lanephase ends.
  
• You can use your ultimate to start a fight if you see your enemies too joined. It gives you a not bad fight starting, furthermore enemie carries are more accesible due to your slow.
  
• When they are not fights arround, you can use your R to kill big minion waves, in order to defend a structure or taking tons of farm.

Lane phase

Play safely and go for an intensive farm session, trying to get as farm as possible. Use your Q to kill caster creeps in order to not being harassed. Risk only if your jungler ganks. If you farm the same as your enemy, you will earn more gold due to your Q's passive.


After getting the 1st blue you can risk bitly more, because you will have the W available more often. If you are planning to poke your enemy and you have enough gold for a Sheen recall at min 6:30 aprox, you will be full hp and the blebuff will spawn when you arrive your lane.

This is the most defensive-playing phase for AP GP. Anyways, if you won't need your ultimate to kill your mid enemy or pushing your tower, you can use it on another lanes, so you may get assist or you may not lose an ally tower.

Mid game

You must have bought Lich Bane at least and (if the game is running properly) some AP item. You have nice poke potential, heal, speed buff and global presence. When fights are going to start, stay back, then use E, R in the enemy team and Q them like a pirate!


The most powerful combo since now (if you have DFG) is:

Lategame

You can heal yourself by 1000 hp every 10 seconds, you can deal 400+ dmg every 3 seconds, but you are not the best at 1v1 fights. Try to stay with the team, so you will be able to poking and buffing them with your E. You can bait due to your exreme healing, and you still have global presence. Focus on objectives and bring your team to the victory.

 
 

I'm writting this chapter in order that you know how to lane vs some champs playing as AP GP. I'm trying to add as champs as possible, but I can't do it while I've not laned vs them. The champions are alphabetically ordered.


The bold paragraph is a general view about the matchup.

• The dots are some tips about that lane.

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A picture speaks a thousand words, so here's some printscreens with AP GP OP. All the games as GP aren't like these, but these ones are the best.




If you get some good score as AP GP with this build, don't hesitate to post it on comments :D

Thanks for reading my guide!


Gangplank played as AP mid is not a typical midlaner, but he has potential, and he's funny to play. Due to some weak points, this is not a serious ranked pick. He's instead a perfect champion to playing premade with some friends or to playing some serious normal games. If you have any tip or correction to the guide, please write it. I'm not a perfect AP GP player, and like you noticed, I'm not a native english speaker, so I hope you understand my guide xD