Hellion Guide for Set 5

Hellion Guide

Once you reach Teemo, this comp is one of the highest caps in the game. This guide will walk you through how to navigate the early and mid-game to reach Teemo and how you should play once you find him.

Sample Level 8 Comp:

Hellion Guide for Set 5

This comp revolves around using Morello Kennen with Tank items, and Statikk Shiv Ziggs with other Damage items to carry your early and mid-game with 5 Hellions, to reach level 8 or 9 and find Teemo to carry your late game there. 

Leveling Pattern:

This comp plays to the standard level 8 comp leveling

  • Level 4 => 2-1 if you hit your 2-star Hellion units naturally; if you have not, wait until 2-2 at the earliest to level up.
  • Level 5 => 2-5 with 10 gold or on 3-1 if loss streaking.
  • Level 6 => 3-2 with 30+ gold, and roll a bit for 5 hellions if close or for extra units to synergize with the Hellion units you are fielding.   
  • Level 7 => 4-1 and then roll a bit for a stable board. 
  • Level 8 => 4-5 if you properly managed your econ, you can roll down here if you have upgrades to make on your board or are low hp because you will need econ to buy Teemo. 
  • Level 9 => If you hit Teemo, Heimerdinger, or most of your board upgraded naturally by the time you went level 8 on 4-5 , you choose to not roll down on level 8 and opt to do the bulk of your rolling on level 9 during stage 5. Since this comp can run almost every legendary unit, you will want to reach level 9 if playing for a first. Otherwise, you need to roll on level 8 to try to top 4. You can look to go level 9 if you’ve stabilized your board around a Teemo or Heimerdinger.

Strengths

  • Very high cap (strong late game)
  • Very cheap early to mid-game boards
  • Flexible itemization in the late game

Weaknesses 

  • Reliant on hitting Teemo
  • Wants good items to stay healthy without rolling much early, mid game. 

Item Guide

Notes on Shadow Items

Shadow items with a [S] in front for clarity in this guide. When taking shadow components, do so with caution because poorly used shadow items may bring more harm than good to your team.

While no shadow item is needed in this build, the shadow versions of the core items in the composition (i.e., Statikk Shiv, Morellonomicon, and Guardian Angel) are far stronger than the normal versions of the item, so you can be more liberal in taking the following components early on, assuming you have NOT made the normal item yet. 

Shadow Items to consider taking:

  • Shadow Bow
  • Shadow Tear
  • Shadow Belt
  • Shadow Rod
  • Shadow Sword
  • Shadow Chain

Kennen Items

Best in Slot Items:

  • [S] Mor-evil-lonomicon | Morellonomicon [Rod + Belt] => Kennen:  Kennen is one of the best morello users in the game, so having an early morello can winstreak your early game as well as serving as a source of late source damage. The shadow version is preferred but not required.  
  • S] Fallen Guardian Angel | Guardian Angel [Sword + Chain]: The revive guarantees Kennen’s ult, allowing you to solo frontline him for faster cast and more Morello’s burn time. Furthermore, he will usually ult again after he revives, providing more CC and disruption. The Shadow version is preferred but not required. 

Substitute Items:

  • [S] Gargoyle Stoneplate of Immortality | Gargoyle Stoneplate [Cloak + Chain]: Not an amazing item, but it gives early game power and uses a cloak which makes it a decent slam. 
  • Warmog’s Armor [Belt + Belt]: Gives a large chunk of flat hp. This item works great on Kennen, helping him get multiple casts off. 
  • Frozen Heart [Chain + Tear]: Good on Kennen who delivers the slow into their backline, however, the components are valuable, making this a later slam if you have extra components.
  • Titan’s Resolve [Bow + Chain]: This item gives both resistances and scaling damage; however, the components are both used elsewhere, so only build as a last resort. The shadow version is generally not built in this comp. 
  • ZZrot Portal [Belt + Bow]: While the item itself is not bad, it uses two core components, so this item will be rarely seen in this comp. 

Ziggs Items

Best in Slot Items:

  • [S] Statikk Stiletto | Statikk Shiv  [Tear + Bow]:

This item, when paired with Morellonomicon on Kennen, serves as the core of this composition throughout the early and mid-game. The shadow version is strictly better.

Offensive Items

  • Jeweled Gauntlet [Rod + Glove]: This is the preferred damage item on Teemo in the late game but has many other items close in power. Do not build the shadow version of this item.
  • Guinsoo’s Rageblade [rod + bow]: Helps proc Statikk more often in the early game and helps Teemo cast more often in the late game. Solid use of more bows. Do not build the shadow version of this item.
  • [S] Rabadon’s Caustic Deathcap | Rabadon’s Deathcap [rod + rod]:
  • High Amounts of AP, pairs very well with a Jeweled Gauntlet.
  • [S] Hand of Vengeance [tear + glove]: The damage and healing from this item are both utilized well by Teemo. The Shadow Version of this item is good; however, in its current state, the normal version is not worth making. 
  • [S] Evil Giant Slayer | Giant Slayer[sword + bow]: With the current reroll meta, if you have extra bows and swords after making your Shiv and Ga you can consider making this item. The Shadow variant of this item is a generic 50% damage increase, making it acceptable if you cannot hit the other items.
  • Blue Buff [Tear + Tear]: Helps Teemo and Ziggs cast more often. 
  • Spear of Shojin [Tear + Sword]: Helps Teemo and Ziggs cast more often. Serviceable on Lulu as well.

Defensive Items:

You do not need any of these, but if you have a lack of offensive options available, these are fine to use on Ziggs and Teemo as well. 

  • Guardian Angel [Sword + Chain]: The revive can help keep Ziggs or Teemo alive into assassins and can help trigger Teemo’s Cruel trait. 
  • Trap Claw [Glove + Belt]: Can help protect against CC like Thresh and stop Vel’Koz, Karma, or enemy Teemo Casts.

Support Items:

  • [S] Chalice of Malice | Chalice or power [Tear + Cloak]: Good use of a Cloak in this composition. 
  • Zeke’s Herald [Sword + Belt]: If you have an excess of Swords and frontline items, Zeke’s is a decent support item. 

Utility Items

These positioning-reliant items should be taken off of later carousels or built from the last components you get after your core carry items are built. 

Zephyr [Tear + Cloak]: Disables the unit mirrored from the holder of the item from the fight for 5 seconds. [ignores QSS]

Shroud of Stillness [Glove + Chain]: Increases the mana of the first cast by 35% of enemies in a two-hex line from the holder. 

Spatula Items

[S] Hellion Spat [Spat + Bow]

Enables access to 7 Hellions or you to drop some Hellions for better units. Great on Heimerdinger. Can use on Ivern if cannot access Heimerdinger. 

[S] Revenant Spat [Spat + Cloak]: Serves as a Ga with Damage amp on revive on Teemo or Heimerdinger

Carousel Priority

Hellion Guide for Set 5

Rod > Tear > Belt >>>>> Chain > Sword > Bow >>>>>> Glove > Cloak 

Early Game (Stage 1 and 2)

As stated in the introduction, Morello Kennen and Shiv Ziggs are the core to this build, so you will want to run a Hellion opener if possible. Itemization past the Morellos and Shiv is very flexible. Aim to make whatever offensive or defensive items possible to preserve HP or winstreak.

Hellion Guide for Set 5

You will be running either Spellweaver or the Synergy synergizing with your plus one Hellion unit as your level 4 and ideally both as your level 5.

The unit you prefer to run is as follows. 

Kled: Rell > Hecarim > Sejuani 

Poppy: Taric > Thresh > Nautilus > Leona 

Lulu: Kindred > Lux = Ryze > Morgana 

For Spellweaver, it varies depending on the stage of the game. 

Early [Stage 2]: 

  • Brand: Helps to kill off units before you have Morellos and Shiv online to do your damage.
  • Viktor: After you find your Morellos and Shiv, Viktor is superior to Brand by providing shields to Keep your Hellions alive for longer.

Mid [Stage 3]: 

  • Viktor: Viktor two starred helps keep your Hellions alive.
  • Zyra: If you don’t have two starred Viktor, Zyra’s cc is usually better. 

Late [Stage 4]: 

  • Zyra: Zyra 2 starred helps to provide CC. 
  • Vel’koz: If you don’t have Zyra 2, a Vel’koz 1 can usually clean up fights during stage 4.

Random Ivern: If you find this unit, you can consider running him for more frontline and CC once you have your Morellos and Shiv online. 

Alternative Openers: 

Hellion Guide for Set 5

Cav + Spellweaver:

Hec and Brand can hold Morello’s reasonably well early game until you can find Kennen. Another plus is this board translates into Hellions very easily. 

Hellion Guide for Set 5

Ranger + Knights:

Rangers can hold Shiv reasonably well in the early game, and running Knights with Poppy gives you a unit to pivot around once you hit your Hellion units. 

Hellion Guide for Set 5

Skirmishers: 

If you hit early Skirmishers with Kennen, it is still a strong early game, so you can use this to play out stage 2 and add the Hellions units back in later on. 

Mid Game (Stage 3 and 4)

Stage 3:

During the mid-game, you should aim to have hit some form of 5 Hellions by 4-1. At 3-2, you can consider rolling a bit for 5 Hellions, especially if you’re sitting on paired Hellion units. Defensive itemization at this point of the game is very strong because it allows you to solo frontline Kennen. If your Kennen is still squishy, you can simply move some of the Cavalier or Knight units up, so they share damage Aggro with Kennen. 

Sample 3-2 Board:

Hellion Guide for Set 5

Rell here can be any plus one unit noted in the prior section, and if you do not find Lulu within a few rolls you can simply run two plus one units. 

Stage 4

You should not be, but if you are low HP here and need to roll a lot to stabilize here, heavily consider pivoting to units you find when you rolldown because you likely will not be able to reach Teemo this game. 

Sample 4-1 Board: 

Hellion Guide for Set 5

Your level 7 will also be pretty flexible; you can fit in another plus one unit or all 3 extra synergies if you upgraded them all and still haven’t found a Lulu. 

Sample 4-5 Board:

Hellion Guide for Set 5

You can also run a random Ivern if you find him here. 

Late Game (Stage 5 and beyond)

Sample Level 8 Comp:

Hellion Guide for Set 5

This is an example of a board you will usually play once you find your first Teemo on Level 8. From here, if you have enough HP and gold to reach level 9 with around 30-40 HP, you can use this board to stop rolling and level up to 9.

Regardless of whether you stay level 8 or go to level 9, you will slowly replace units with better units.

Heimerdinger > Kindred > Lux

Volibear = Garen > Rell 

If you hit Karma 2 and Syndra 2, you can replace Kled and Poppy with them. 

Hellion Guide for Set 5

A level 8 board with these substitutions will look like this. 

Hellion Guide for Set 5

If you need more frontline or don’t find invokers, the comp will look like this. This comp does especially well in AP lobbies. In a super AD-heavy lobby, you can run Ironclad units over the Mystic units; however, the Mystic units are generally better individually, so only do so when needed. 

Hellion Guide for Set 5

If you have enough gold at level 9, you can pivot out of Hellions entirely, arriving at a board similar to this. 

Positioning Considerations

  • Assassins: Hardest matchup, but winnable if you hit your cap. Position with fodder units in front of your carries, and Kennen Lulu, Ivern and Kindred, if applicable, will be able to deal with them with CC and Death Immunity. If you are fighting a stacked Katarina player, swap your Teemo one Hex toward the center, so Katarina does not one shot him. 
  • Front to Back fights [Kayle, Draven, Aphelios, Karma]. Default Assassin positioning is usually enough to deal with front to back fights as well. Position on the side away from Draven if possible. Lulu and Ivern can deal with stray Diana’s and Veigos. If no Assassin players, you can frontline your Ivern. 
  • Vel’Koz Matchup: Have your Volibear opposite side from your Teemo, either your Teemo will be on the correct side into Vel’Koz, or Volibear will interrupt the Vel’koz cast. Avoid the left side into Abomination Vel’koz players.
  • Sett Matchup: Place your Kennen one hex to the Left of being cornered so Sett does not one shot your backline. Syndra is extremely good into Sett, being able to throw the Sett away from your carries. Therefore, if running Syndra, you can be either side into Sett, without Syndra, position opposite side of Sett if possible. 
  • Mirror Matchup: Scatter your units more to avoid getting Aoe’d as much from Teemo Mushrooms. Invokers have the advantage in this matchup, with Syndra and Karma giving more access to the backline. Place your Volibear in front of their Teemo if possible. 
  • Your Heimer Turret:  If Heimer is not your main carry, you can use the Heimer turret as Assassin Fodder or Thresh Fodder. If neither of these are needed, aim to position the turret on the opposite of the enemy clump. 

What to do when Contested and how should I Pivot?

If you don’t hit a Teemo but do hit a Heimerdinger, you can use play around him as your primary item holder.

If you have Blue buff, you can Pivot into Karma, or if you have a Shojin, you can try and pivot into Vel’koz. However, these pivots are usually fairly hard to pull off, so user beware. 

Tips

Positioning Against Enemy Kennens:

Hellion Guide for Set 5

If you have 2 ranged units to surround your Ziggs, you can position like this so the enemy Kennen cannot reach your Ziggs and will not stun him. Alternatively, you can position your Ziggs nearside to their Kennen and another unit farside to bait the Kennen away. 

About the Author

Hey, I’m Re;Chaos, a NA player who has played on other servers and has been challenger every set since set 3.

I love to think about builds and the reasoning behind why and how units/comps became/are strong.

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