Dominate Mid Lane With the Most Effective Azir Build and Runes

The Emperor of Shurima, Azir, stands as one of the most complex and rewarding control mages in League of Legends. To master him, a player must look past simple ability power and understand the synergy between attack speed, soldier positioning, and battlefield manipulation. Currently, the most effective build for Azir focuses on maximizing sustained magic damage through the Precision rune tree and an Ability Power-Attack Speed hybrid itemization.

Quick Answer: The Standard Azir Build for the Current Meta

For players seeking the most consistent results, the primary build path is as follows:

Primary Rune: Lethal Tempo (Precision Tree).
Core Items: Nashor's Tooth, Sorcerer's Shoes, and Shadowflame.
Summoner Spells: Flash and Teleport.
Ability Priority: Maximize Arise! (W) first, followed by Conquering Sands (Q).

Understanding Azir’s Combat Identity

Climbing the ranked ladder as an Azir specialist requires a shift in perspective compared to playing burst mages like Syndra or assassins like Zed. Azir functions more like an "AP Marksman." His primary source of damage is not his spells themselves, but the auto-attacks performed by his Sand Soldiers. This unique mechanic means that stats which are usually secondary for mages—specifically Attack Speed—become primary for Azir.

In high-level play, the difference between a good Azir and a great one is soldier management. Every charge of Arise! (W) is a precious resource. Deploying all soldiers at once may increase immediate DPS, but it leaves the Emperor immobile and vulnerable if the enemy chooses to engage. A veteran player always keeps at least one soldier charge in reserve to facilitate a Shurima Shuffle or a quick escape via Shifting Sands (E).

What are the Best Runes for Azir?

Runes provide the foundation for Azir's scaling. While multiple trees are viable depending on the matchup, the Precision tree remains the most statistically successful for consistent DPS.

Primary Path: Precision

Lethal Tempo: This is the definitive choice for Azir. Unlike other mages who cannot proc this effectively, Azir’s soldiers stack Lethal Tempo with every attack. Once fully stacked, it provides a massive boost to attack speed and increases attack range, allowing Azir to shred frontline tanks from a safe distance.
Presence of Mind: Azir is notoriously mana-hungry during the laning phase. Since he lacks a built-in mana restoration mechanic, Presence of Mind ensures that poke exchanges result in sustained mana pools for continued wave pressure.
Legend: Alacrity: The additional attack speed from this rune synergizes directly with Azir’s W passive, smoothing out his attack animations and increasing his damage ceiling.
Cut Down: Azir typically maintains a low health pool throughout the game. Cut Down allows him to deal significantly more damage to high-HP bruisers and tanks, which is his primary job in the late-game team fight.

Secondary Path: Sorcery or Resolve

Sorcery (Scaling): Manaflow Band and Gathering Storm are the go-to choices for games expected to last beyond 30 minutes. Gathering Storm ensures that Azir’s late-game scaling is unmatched by almost any other mid-laner.
Resolve (Survivability): Against burst-heavy assassins like Fizz or LeBlanc, taking Bone Plating and Overgrowth is a mandatory defensive adjustment. This provides the split-second window needed to survive an all-in and counter-engage with Emperor's Divide (R).

The Definitive Item Path for Maximum DPS

Itemization for Azir has evolved. While players once rushed mana-heavy items like Luden's Companion, the current optimal strategy prioritizes raw combat stats.

Core Starting Items

The standard start is Doran's Ring and two Health Potions. This provides the necessary AP and mana regeneration to survive the early levels. If facing a heavy poke lane, a Corrupting Potion or an early Tear of the Goddess may be considered, but these often delay the crucial Nashor's Tooth power spike.

The First Big Spike: Nashor's Tooth

Nashor's Tooth is the most important item in any Azir build. It provides Ability Power, Ability Haste, and a massive 50% Attack Speed boost. Crucially, the on-hit magic damage from its passive now applies to Azir’s Sand Soldier attacks. Completing this item marks the transition from a weak early-game laner to a mid-game threat.

Boots Selection

Sorcerer's Shoes: These are the default choice for maximizing damage against squishy targets through flat Magic Penetration.
Mercury's Treads: Highly recommended when the enemy team has heavy crowd control or multiple AP threats. Staying alive to auto-attack is always better than having slightly more penetration.

Mid-to-Late Game Scaling

Shadowflame: This item provides a secondary power spike by giving Azir flat Magic Penetration and the ability to "crit" with magic damage against low-health targets. It is perfect for cleaning up team fights.
Liandry's Torment: If the enemy team has two or more tanks stacking health, Liandry’s burn effect is superior to Shadowflame. It provides the sustained damage necessary to melt high-durability targets.
Rabadon's Deathcap: This is the multiplicative capstone for any AP build. Usually purchased as the 4th or 5th item, it elevates Azir’s soldier damage to terrifying levels.
Zhonya's Hourglass: Mandatory for playmaking. The Stasis active allows Azir to perform a "suicide" Shurima Shuffle—dashing into the entire enemy team to knock them back—and then survive the initial retaliation.

How to Level Abilities Correctly

The ability leveling order determines how much pressure Azir can exert on the map.

Arise! (W): Always max this first. Not only does it increase the damage of your soldiers, but the passive attack speed bonus is vital for his DPS scaling.
Conquering Sands (Q): Max this second. This reduces the cooldown of your soldier repositioning, which is essential for chasing down enemies or kiting away from divers.
Shifting Sands (E): Take a point at level 3 for safety, but max it last. It is primarily a utility and mobility tool rather than a damage source.
Emperor's Divide (R): Level this at 6, 11, and 16.

Mastering the Shurima Shuffle and Advanced Mechanics

Azir’s skill ceiling is largely tied to his E-Q interaction. The "Shurima Shuffle" involves placing a soldier (W), dashing to it with Shifting Sands (E), and then using Conquering Sands (Q) while in mid-air to extend the dash distance and change direction.

Execution Tips

The Drift: Practice the timing of the Q cast. If you cast Q too early, you shorten the dash. If you cast it too late, you miss the repositioning. The sweet spot is just as Azir reaches the initial soldier's location.
The Ultimate Buffer: You can cast Emperor's Divide (R) immediately after your Q dash finishes. In high-pressure situations, you can even Flash during the ultimate animation to redirect the wall's trajectory, catching enemies off guard.
The Sun Disc (Passive): Do not underestimate the power of the Sun Disc. Placing it on a destroyed tier-1 or tier-2 tower creates a zone of safety that allows your team to reset or siege the next objective. The Sun Disc deals significant damage and can act as a "sixth player" in jungle skirmishes near the mid lane.

Strategic Matchups: How to Survive and Thrive

Azir’s performance varies wildly depending on who he is facing in the mid-lane.

Against Melee Assassins (e.g., Akali, Katarina)

The goal is to harass them with W-auto-Q-auto at level 1 and 2. Denying them gold early prevents them from hitting their one-item power spikes. Once they hit level 6, hold your Ultimate defensively. If they jump on you, use Emperor's Divide to shove them into your tower or away from their kill pressure.

Against Control Mages (e.g., Orianna, Viktor)

This is a battle of attrition. Focus on wave clear and matching their poke. Azir generally out-scales other mages in pure DPS, so you do not need to force risky plays. Use Teleport to maintain tempo and keep your farm numbers high.

Against Artillery Mages (e.g., Xerath, Vel'Koz)

This is Azir's hardest matchup type. They out-range your soldiers. In these lanes, prioritize Boots of Swiftness or early Tier-2 boots to dodge skillshots. Your only window to kill them is through an aggressive Shurima Shuffle when their key CC (like Xerath's E) is on cooldown.

Conclusion

Building Azir correctly is a balance of respecting his fragile early game and preparing for his monstrous late-game potential. By prioritizing Nashor's Tooth and the Lethal Tempo rune, you align your stats with the champion's core mechanic: soldier-based auto-attacks. Remember that Azir is a champion of patience; positioning yourself safely behind your frontline while commanding your sand army is the most reliable path to victory.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions about Azir

Why don't people build Luden's Companion on Azir anymore?

While Luden's provides mana and burst, it does not offer the attack speed that Azir needs to sustain his DPS in long team fights. Nashor's Tooth provides much higher total damage output over the course of a fight.

Is Azir viable in the top lane?

Azir can be a strong niche pick in the top lane against immobile tanks (like Sion or Cho'Gath). However, he is very vulnerable to long-lane ganks, making his mid-lane position much safer for consistent scaling.

How do I manage mana without a mana item?

The combination of Presence of Mind and Manaflow Band (in the Sorcery secondary tree) is usually enough. Additionally, focus on using W for wave clear and only using Q when you can guaranteed a poke on the enemy champion.

Does Azir’s soldier damage trigger Lifesteal?

No. Azir’s soldiers deal magic damage and are considered spells for the purpose of effects. They trigger Omnivamp (at a reduced rate for AoE) but do not benefit from traditional Lifesteal.