ARAM Build Guide
Xerath ARAM Build — Artillery Mage Sniper from Max Range
Xerath in ARAM is a poke machine. His abilities have insane range, his E stuns from a screen away, and his R lets him snipe low-HP enemies from fountain. Here's how to dominate from safety.
Xerath in ARAM is one of the most oppressive champions in the game. His Q (Arcanopulse) has 1400 range. His W (Eye of Destruction) has 1100 range. His E (Shocking Orb) stuns from 1050 range. And his R (Rite of the Arcane) has 5000+ range, letting you snipe enemies from your fountain. The enemy team can't even reach you.
His win rate in ARAM consistently sits above 54%. The narrow bridge makes his skillshots almost impossible to dodge, and his range means he's never in danger. He's an artillery mage who dictates the entire game from max range.
Best Xerath ARAM Runes
Primary: Domination
Dark Harvest — Xerath stacks this fast because he's constantly poking from max range. By 15 minutes you'll have 20+ stacks and your poke will chunk squishies to 30% HP.
Cheap Shot — Your E stuns, which procs Cheap Shot for bonus true damage. Free damage on every stun.
Eyeball Collection — Free AP from takedowns. You'll max this out fast.
Ultimate Hunter — Lower R cooldown means more snipes. Xerath's ult is his finisher.
Secondary: Sorcery
Manaflow Band — Xerath is mana-hungry. Manaflow Band gives you permanent mana and mana regen.
Gathering Storm — Free AP over time. ARAM games go long, so Gathering Storm gives you scaling.
Why not Arcane Comet? Comet is fine, but Dark Harvest scales harder in ARAM. You're not laning, you're poking from max range in constant teamfights. Dark Harvest gives you kill pressure that Comet can't match once you have 15+ stacks.
Best Xerath ARAM Items
Core Build (in order)
Luden's Tempest — Burst damage and magic penetration. The proc helps you waveclear and poke. Luden's is better than Liandry's on Xerath because you're bursting, not burning.
Sorcerer's Shoes — Magic penetration boots. More damage on every ability.
Shadowflame — Magic penetration and bonus damage to low-HP targets. Your poke chunks them, Shadowflame finishes them.
Void Staff — Once the enemy starts building magic resist, Void Staff becomes mandatory. 40% magic penetration makes your poke relevant again.
Situational 5th & 6th Items
Rabadon's Deathcap — If you want more AP burst. Your Q will one-shot squishies.
Zhonya's Hourglass — If you're getting dove by assassins. Stun them with E, Zhonya's, watch your team collapse.
Banshee's Veil — Against heavy CC comps. The spell shield lets you survive one engage tool.
Morellonomicon — If they have heavy healing. Your poke applies Grievous Wounds.
Don't build Liandry's on Xerath in ARAM. Liandry's is for sustained burn damage. Xerath is a burst mage who one-shots squishies with Q+W combos. Luden's gives you more burst damage, which is way more valuable.
Ability Order
Max Q first (Arcanopulse), then W (Eye of Destruction), then E (Shocking Orb). Take R at 6, 11, 16.
Q is your primary poke and damage. Lower cooldown means more poke. In ARAM, you're spamming Q on cooldown from max range.
W second for the damage and slow. In ARAM, enemies are grouped, so your W hits multiple targets.
E is one point wonder until last. The stun duration doesn't scale with rank — only the cooldown decreases. Max it last.
ARAM-Specific Tips
Your Q range increases while channeling. Xerath's Q starts at 750 range and extends to 1400 range after 1.5 seconds. In ARAM, always channel Q to max range. The enemy can't reach you at 1400 range.
Your R has 5000+ range. Xerath's ult lets you snipe enemies from your fountain. Use R to finish low-HP enemies who are backing off. You can hit them from anywhere on the map.
E stun combo: Xerath's E stuns for longer the further it travels. In ARAM, use E from max range for a 2-second stun. Follow up with Q+W for a guaranteed combo.
Positioning: Xerath has the longest range in the game. Stand behind your entire team, spam Q from max range, and never walk forward. If you're in front of your team, you're trolling.
R snipes: Don't use R in the middle of teamfights — you're immobile and vulnerable. Use R to finish low-HP enemies who are running away or to poke before fights start.
When Xerath is Strong vs Weak in ARAM
Xerath dominates against immobile comps and squishy teams. If the enemy has no gap closers, you'll poke them to death from max range. He's also great against waveclear-dependent teams — your Q clears waves from safety.
He struggles against hard-engage assassins (Zed, Talon, Fizz) who can dive past your team and one-shot you. He's also weak against long-range poke comps (Ziggs, Lux) who can match your range and poke you back.
He's weakest in the first 10 minutes before Luden's and Shadowflame. Once you have both items, you're a monster. Once you have Void Staff, you're one-shotting squishies.
FAQ
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Looking for more ARAM builds? Check out our Ziggs ARAM build, Lux ARAM build, or Brand ARAM build.
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Check out our full Xerath champion guide for ranked builds and strategies.
