Ashe, the Frost Archer, remains a staple in the bot lane thanks to her unique combination of utility, consistent damage, and game-changing crowd control. Whether you’re a beginner learning the ropes or a seasoned player refining your skills, this guide will help you dominate with Ashe in any matchup.
1. Statistics on Patch 14.23
In Patch 14.23, Ashe has carved out a significant spot in the meta:
- Win Rate: 50.59% (Emerald+ ranks)
- Pick Rate: 16.88%
- Ban Rate: 11.49%
- Games Played: Over 3 million matches in Emerald+ tier
Her presence in both ranked and pro play highlights her flexibility and the impact she brings to team compositions. However, her relatively high ban rate indicates that players respect her potential to snowball games and dominate team fights.
2. Recommended Runes for Ashe
Option 1: Lethal Tempo Setup
This setup focuses on maximizing Ashe’s sustained damage output, allowing her to shred through enemies in extended fights.
- Primary Tree (Precision):
- Keystone: Lethal Tempo – Increases attack speed after attacking, synergizing perfectly with Ashe’s basic attack-reliant playstyle.
- Triumph: Restores health on takedowns and provides bonus gold.
- Legend: Alacrity: Boosts attack speed as you score kills or assists.
- Coup de Grace: Increases damage to low-health enemies, helping secure kills.
- Secondary Tree (Inspiration):
- Magical Footwear: Free boots at 12 minutes (earlier with kills/assists) save gold for core items.
- Biscuit Delivery: Provides extra sustain in the laning phase.
Option 2: Hail of Blades Setup
This setup is situationally better if you’re against squishy enemies and want to burst them down quickly.
- Primary Tree (Domination):
- Keystone: Hail of Blades – Grants rapid attacks to burst down enemies.
- Taste of Blood: Sustain through poke-heavy matchups.
- Eyeball Collection: Increases AD for takedowns.
- Ultimate Hunter: Reduces cooldown on R (Enchanted Crystal Arrow).
- Secondary Tree (Precision):
- Presence of Mind: Restores mana after kills/assists.
- Legend: Bloodline: Provides lifesteal as the game progresses.
When to choose each?
- Go Lethal Tempo in most games, especially for extended fights.
- Opt for Hail of Blades against squishy lanes or if your team lacks burst damage.
3. Recommended Build for Ashe
Starting Items
- Doran’s Blade: Provides early AD, lifesteal, and HP for trading and sustain.
- Health Potion: For extended laning presence.
Core Build
- Kraken Slayer: Essential for shredding tanks and high-damage output.
- Berserker’s Greaves: Attack speed and movement speed to kite effectively.
- Runaan’s Hurricane: Great for wave clear and dealing AoE damage in team fights.
Situational Items
- Guardian Angel: If you’re being focused down in team fights.
- Mortal Reminder: For anti-healing against champions like Soraka or Dr. Mundo.
- Infinity Edge: For increased crit damage when paired with Kraken Slayer.
- Bloodthirster: Adds lifesteal and shields for survivability.
- Wit’s End: Useful against heavy AP comps.
- Lord Dominik’s Regards: Against tanks with heavy armor.
4. Recommended Skill Order and Summoner Spells
Skill Order
- W (Volley): Max this first for poke, wave clear, and slow utility.
- Q (Ranger’s Focus): Max this second for increased DPS.
- E (Hawkshot): Max this last; it’s more for vision than combat.
- Upgrade R (Enchanted Crystal Arrow) whenever available (levels 6, 11, and 16).
Summoner Spells
- Flash: Mandatory for mobility and escaping sticky situations.
- Heal: Default choice for ADCs; provides sustain and team utility.
- Barrier: Consider this against burst-heavy champions like Draven or Pyke.
5. Game Plan: Early, Mid, and Late Game
Understanding Ashe’s role and adapting your gameplay to the phase of the match is crucial for success. Ashe’s strength lies in her ability to control the pace of fights and provide unmatched utility. Here’s how to approach each stage of the game:
Early Game
The early game sets the tone for Ashe’s impact in the mid and late game. Focus on surviving, farming, and poking the enemy laners to gain a lead. Ashe’s early game damage is decent, but her lack of mobility makes her vulnerable to aggressive opponents.
- Farm Safely: Prioritize last-hitting minions to build your core items quickly.
- Poke with W (Volley): Use it to harass enemies while staying out of danger.
- Trade Smartly: Combine your basic attacks and W to maximize damage during short trades.
- Coordinate with Support: Work with your support to punish enemy missteps, especially if they overextend.
- Use Hawkshot for Vision: Scout for the enemy jungler to avoid ganks and protect your lane.
Mid Game
In the mid game, Ashe transitions from a laning ADC to a key team player. Her utility and vision control make her invaluable during this phase. Focus on objectives and positioning as fights become more frequent.
- Group for Objectives: Join your team to secure dragons, Rift Herald, and towers.
- Engage with R (Enchanted Crystal Arrow): Look for picks with your ultimate to set up team fights or catch out-of-position enemies.
- Wave Clear Efficiently: Use W (Volley) and Runaan’s Hurricane to quickly push lanes and set up map pressure.
- Stay Safe: Always be mindful of assassins or flanking threats; use your slows to kite and stay near your team.
- Vision Control: Use E (Hawkshot) proactively to reveal objectives, jungle camps, or enemy rotations.
Late Game
Ashe shines in the late game, where her DPS and utility can turn the tide of team fights. However, her lack of mobility requires precise positioning and teamwork to stay alive while dishing out consistent damage.
- Position Perfectly: Stay behind your frontline and maintain maximum range. Avoid being caught by enemy divers or crowd control.
- Peel and Kite: Use W (Volley) to slow enemies chasing you or your allies, making it easier for your team to disengage or secure kills.
- Focus Key Targets: Prioritize squishy carries like the enemy ADC or mid-laner. A well-placed ultimate can secure a game-winning pick.
- Control Objectives: Help your team secure Baron and Elder Dragon with vision from E (Hawkshot) and your consistent damage.
- Stay Patient: Don’t rush into fights. Wait for the enemy team to make mistakes, then capitalize with your crowd control and high DPS.
6. How to Team Fight with Ashe
Ashe thrives in team fights when played correctly. Here’s how to excel:
- Initiate with R: Look for opportunities to start fights by stunning key targets (e.g., enemy ADC or mid-laner) with R (Enchanted Crystal Arrow).
- Stay Safe: Position yourself at maximum range, and let your frontline protect you. Always stay aware of assassins like Zed or Akali.
- Kite Effectively: Use W (Volley) and autos to slow enemies while moving back. Your slows make it difficult for opponents to reach you.
- Peel for Allies: If an enemy dives your backline, slow them with W and focus them down.
Credits to @MissFortuneDaBes
7. Toughest Matchups
Some champions counter Ashe due to their burst damage, mobility, or range advantage. Here are Ashe’s toughest matchups:
- Draven: Out-damages Ashe early and snowballs easily.
- Tip: Avoid extended trades; focus on farming and call for jungle help.
- Caitlyn: Superior range and poke make laning difficult.
- Tip: Farm under tower, and wait for a support engage or level 6 power spike.
- Ziggs: Consistent poke and wave clear can zone Ashe out.
- Tip: Use E (Hawkshot) to track him and avoid gank setups.
8. Tips & Tricks
- Cross-Map Ultimates: Practice your R (Enchanted Crystal Arrow) accuracy to secure kills or assist teammates across the map.
- Vision Control: Use E (Hawkshot) to scout objectives like Baron and Dragon or reveal enemies in fog of war.
- Kiting Mastery: Always orb-walk (attack-move) to kite effectively while maintaining damage output.
- Cooldown Management: Ashe’s abilities are relatively low cooldown; use W (Volley) frequently for poke and utility.
- Team Utility: Even when behind, Ashe’s slows and vision utility remain impactful. Play around objectives and provide support for your team.
Conclusion
Ashe is a versatile ADC who rewards players with excellent mechanics, map awareness, and positioning. While her lack of mobility makes her vulnerable, her kit provides unparalleled utility, making her a top-tier pick in the current meta. Mastering Ashe will not only help you dominate games but also elevate your overall understanding of the ADC role.
