Tanky mages top

[quote=TheKut]I was thinking about a way to challange the current tanky top meta with semi-tanky mages. I've been playing [[Swain]] top to great success and building him with [[Rod of Ages]], [[Spirit Visage]], [[Zhonya's Hourglass]] and [[Sunfire Cape]], or [[Will of the Ancients]] if I'm ahead. I've been going the same with [[Elise]] but going for [[Abyssal Scepter]] instead of RoA and sometimes [[Void Staff]] instead of Zhonya's. I've seen quite some top [[Ryze]] and [[Gragas]] in the LCS recently and I think it might work if you make them a bit tanky. I've also been thinking about [[Lissandra]], [[Mordekaiser]], [[Galio]] and maybe [[Vel'Koz]] due to his passive and high base damage. I know some of them are in quite a bad spot right now but how would they actually do against a meta top lane?[/quote]

[quote=Lugignaf][[Lissandra]] might be good, but she's really squishy early on and doesn't have any "good" CC early on unless you take [[ring of frost]] first. And then it's kinda hard to last hit. Taking [[Glacial path]] first leaves you with either a huge wave pusher/damage, or an escape. And [[Ice Shard]] pushes the lane regardless. As for [[Galio]], he doesn't have any real strengths against the [b]primarily AD top lane bruisers.[/b] No escape other than some CC on Q and a speed boost on E. Morde is in the same situation, but he has even less escapes with 0 CC unless he buys [[Rylai's crystal scepter]]. Overall, I just don't think it'll work.[/quote]

[quote=TheKut]But if you sync it with a tanky jungler with a lot of CC, like [[Jarvan IV]] or [[Zac]]. The point is to shut down the early game of the top laners since most meta top laners are very weak to ranged harrass. For example, [[Renekton]] top can't really do much against the harrass from a [[Ryze]] and when he tries to go in with his [[Slice and Dice]] you can just snare him with your [[Rune Prison]]. The same goes with pretty much all these champions. With their ranged harrass they can make sure that your opponant doesn't get enough farm.[/quote]

[quote=Jimmydoggga 2.0]Swain might work although you are really squishy until 6. [[Cho'gath]] is pretty much Gragas in the top lane tbh. Mordekaiser might work depending on who you're actually against.[/quote]

[quote=SpawnOfHell]I still see [[singed]] top having a lot of success in solo queue. Been seeing more [[rumble]]s probably from the fact that he's getting a new skin, he's still pretty strong though he's quite hard to play. [[karma]] and [[ryze]] top work well as ranged mages. [[vladimir]] may make a comeback too if the PBE changes that benefit him go through.[/quote]

[quote=utopus]Hmm.... I thought that the only consistently strong solotop mages were ryze, rumble, and singed. Maaybe cho'gath too, although he has fallen a little out of favor due to his lack of mobility.[/quote]

[quote=SpawnOfHell]Cho is stronger as a mid lane imo.[/quote]

[quote=EdisonKhoo]Yea, I luv AP Cho ^^ Top tanky mages eh...You could consider [[gragas]], [[swain]], [[nidalee]](i guess :p), AP Cho :p Edit: [[diana]] top is also kinda okay though.[/quote]

[quote=Scott Azrael]I've seen a few [[Mordekaiser]]'s top and they seem to all do well. That's in Silver. Usually because they end up against a champ that is a poke champ and is mana reliant.[/quote]

[quote=lollcsplayers]I would vote for Swain/Ryze/Vlad/Singed/Rumble. I think the other ones are better in other positions.[/quote]