Full AP Ashe – The Ultimate Build Guide

One of the most common off-meta champion builds currently being sported in League of Legends is the AP Ashe build. Usually, picked as a Support on the Summoner’s Rift or, even better, on the Howling Abyss, AP Ashe brings an insane amount of utility to any team comp.

With her global ultimate that packs a stun in it, and a wide aoe slow available every few seconds for her team from her W (Volley), picking AP Ashe will help you absolutely destroy all short ranged comps and help you get some sweet LP.

If you are looking for a fun way to make your opponents pull their hair out, follow this guide on AP Ashe support and cripple your enemies with your insane poke and CC.

Also read: How to Get a PBE Account?

AP Ashe Background

Ashe is one of the oldest ADCs in the game. If you have been playing for a few years now, you might know very well that Ashe used to be a really strong AD carry in the botlane. Even when ADCs were weak, Ashe was always relevant, building lots of attack speed and outputting high DPS.

However, in Season 12, the traditional Ashe build has sort of lost its charm; its weak, and can be very unrewarding to play against the current meta ADCs. But creative League players and Ashe fans worked their way around it and created a build that allows you to still have fun with Ashe in the current season.

This made-for-ADC champion is now commonly being flexed as an AP support. You may think it’s like trolling on purpose but this build actually works. As of Patch 12.14, it is currently the most popular playstyle for Ashe (Source: Mobalytics), and also has the highest winrate of all Ashe builds. Interested? Continue reading for a refreshingly amazing AP Ashe build.

Why Does AP Ashe Work?

Ashe has 100% AP scaling on her ultimate. That means if you have around 600 AP at late game, your ultimate will deal over a thousand damage when you combine the base ultimate damage with your AP.

Additionally, your ultimate can go to as low a cooldown as around half a minute, and you can start firing it off very frequently. Such a high damage ability, paired with global range and a maximum stun of about 3.5 seconds is very overpowered.

But if you think AP Ashe only offers value to the team through her ultimate, you are wrong. Her W, on a very low cooldown, offers insane high range AOE poke and slow, which can really help your team decide the pace of the teamfight.

Best Items for AP Ashe

There are a bunch of items that go really well with AP Ashe. The best items to build on her are:

1. Imperial Mandate

Imperial Mandate is actually the best mythic item for Ashe, especially if played in the support role. This item’s passive deals bonus damage to all enemies you immobilise. As Ashe, your entire kit has CC and slows, so this item has perfect synergy with your kit.

You can trigger it using your W from a long range, and on multiple targets at once, and since Ashe is already so good at setting up fights for her team, you can take advantage of this item to get free bonus damage on your enemies.

Also read: How Much Farm Should You Have in 10 Minutes?

2. Manamune / Muramana

Another must-build for AP Ashe is Manamune. The tear you buy early on for this item really helps you in poking your enemies without running out of mana. And once you finish the whole item, it gives you really impressive stats.

This is the only AD item you absolutely need to build with AP Ashe, and it makes your auto attacks really strong, even for an AP build. And if the game goes over to the late game, this item will dish out incredible damage consistently.

The most common build for AP Ashe, however, pairs this up with about 2 more AD items, and as a result, you get extremely consistent DPS in addition to your insane poke and CC.

3. Ionian Boots of Lucidity

The boots of choice for poke Ashe are Ionian Boots of Lucidity. These boots will give you much needed cooldown reduction which will let you spam your W for crazy amounts of poke.

These boots help with everything AP Ashe does. You can get your ultimate back faster for more teamfight setups and clutch saves, and you can also get your W up fast enough to keep enemies perma-slowed.

4. Axiom Arc

Axiom Arc reduces your ultimate cooldown by 20% for every champion takedown you get. As you can imagine, this item goes incredibly well with AP Ashe’s playstyle because your ultimate is what makes AP Ashe really strong.

If you aren’t convinced of this item’s importance for AP Ashe, look at it this way. Her ultimate is the only ability in her kit with AP scaling. So she has maximum damage output and map presence when she has her ultimate available.

This item will literally let you cast your ultimate multiple times within a minute if you can get the takedowns needed. Also, if you pair this with Muramana, this item also gives you crazy high damage on your auto attacks.

5. Chemtech Putrifier

As a support, you are expected to either provide heals to the team, or cut out enemy healing. This item will apply Grievous Wounds, which will reduce enemy healing. With your W as a high range AOE ability, Ashe can easily utilise this ability right at the start of the fight.

Chemtech Putrifier also gives you extra HP and cooldown reduction in the form of ability haste, in addition to the attack damage and the useful passive. So it is really good value for money and can fit easily into your build.

Also read: Best Supports For Nilah

6. Rabadon’s Deathcap

What can be the best thing for any AP build? More ability power! Rabadon’s Deathcap takes your ability power and gives it a big boost, especially when paired with multiple other ability power items. Although an expensive purchase, this item will give you a huge damage boost for your ultimate.

It is usually best to buy this item as the fifth or sixth item because of how its passive works and its gold cost. However, it is a must buy for high AP builds.

Our Verdict

AP Ashe is a fun twist on the traditional League of Legends ADC, and you can play this to drive your enemies crazy, whilst also having an absolute blast destroying your enemies with your never ending CC.

What are your thoughts on this playstyle? Let us know in the comments down below whether you prefer AP or AD Ashe.