Xerath Bot APC Smurfing Analysis

I am posting these results to reflect the final state of each account. The account with the lower win rate (69%) was on EUW. The other two accounts were on EUNE. The MMR on the EUW account ranged from Gold to D2, while on the EUNE accounts, it spanned from Plat to Master. I duoed on one of the EUNE accounts (the one with the 11 KDA). My duo partner was not a smurf; he was a legitimate Plat player I brought along because he followed my calls to the letter, which I considered better than playing with random supports. The other two accounts were strictly solo.

I play Xerath bot as an APC exclusively; I never play him mid. I consider Mid Xerath too weak for smurfing purposes. It is extremely difficult to make it work, and I have no interest in trying.

The rationale for bot lane is simple: the gold generation from the bot lane mission is arguably overpowered, providing free gold and effectively granting you a +1 item advantage. Additionally, the matchups against standard ADCs and even opposing mages are generally favorable.

However, there are distinct trade-offs. You hit level spikes slower due to shared XP, and you are somewhat dependent on your support. A bad support can either provide zero utility or actively grief the lane by inting. Furthermore, as an immobile mage, you are a prime target for jungle ganks and mid roams, especially if the enemy team has reliable engage. Despite these risks, the potential to snowball off two kills plus the enemy jungler makes bot lane superior. I can also roam slightly and use my ult on the enemy mid for sneaky kills.

Rune Configurations

1) FS (First Strike)

• a. First Strike, Cash Back, Triple Tonic, Cosmic Insight | Cheap Shot, Treasure Hunter.
• b. First Strike, Cash Back, Triple Tonic, Cosmic Insight | Presence of Mind, Cut Down.

I used FS only for much lower ranks, up until Emerald. Games were very short, averaging 24 minutes. You play the early levels without any real combat runes, which doesn't feel great, but once you get some damage in, you start printing money. I didn't duoq while testing these. Having a massive item advantage earlier simply killed those lobbies. I dropped FS in Emerald+ because a gold advantage was no longer enough. I needed more damage, precise burst, and the ability to solo-kill targets using only my R to force 5v4 scenarios.

2) DH (Dark Harvest)

• a. Dark Harvest, Cheap Shot, Grisly Mementos, Ultimate Hunter | Cash Back, Triple Tonic / Cosmic Insight.
• b. Dark Harvest, Cheap Shot, Grisly Mementos, Ultimate Hunter | Presence of Mind, Cut Down.
• c. Dark Harvest, Cheap Shot, Grisly Mementos, Ultimate Hunter | Manaflow Band, Scorch.
• d. Dark Harvest, Cheap Shot, Grisly Mementos, Ultimate Hunter | Axiom Arcanist, Absolute Focus / Gathering Storm.

I used these in Emerald–Master MMR lobbies on the EUNE solo account. I believe 2b is the optimal setup to carry with. These scale extremely well and provide everything you need for games that drag on, which happens often below Master. When solo laners int, you can't use FS effectively to make up for the deficit, and Comet becomes useless. The total endgame damage from these runes is insane compared to anything else.

2c is a bait. You might think you get scaling from DH and a bit of early game from the secondary tree, but you only get half the benefits. Scorch is useless as the game progresses and I need to 1v9, not just win lane. Setups 2a and 2d aren't that bad, but the lack of mana in teamfights is a frequent issue.

3) Comet

• a. Arcane Comet, Axiom Arcanist, Absolute Focus, Scorch / Gathering Storm | Presence of Mind, Cut Down.
• b. Arcane Comet, Manaflow Band, Absolute Focus, Scorch | Cash Back, Triple Tonic / Cosmic Insight.

3a was my standard setup from Emerald+ on EUW. They are reliable for lane presence and pressure, but the downside is that Comet produces negligible damage, resulting in a low total by the end of the match. Scorch is useless in the late game, and Gathering Storm takes too long to reach a relevant state, usually requiring at least 30 minutes.

Build Path

1) With 8–10 stacks on Dark Seal:
Luden's Echo - Mejai's Soulstealer - Shadowflame - Rabadon's Deathcap / Void Staff - Actualizer.

I rush Rabadon before Shadowflame if I have 20+ stacks and am confident I can maintain them. Xerath has massive scaling on his Q (90%) and W (108%), so he benefits enormously from flat AP. If I die at 25 Mejai stacks with a full build, I sell it for Horizon Focus (utility/vision) or Stormsurge (max damage).

2) Without stacks or if survival is a concern:
Luden's Echo - Shadowflame - Rabadon's Deathcap - Void Staff - Actualizer - Stormsurge.

On Flat Penetration:
I also tried Luden's Echo - Stormsurge - Shadowflame for maximum flat pen, but it feels lacking when you need to 1v9. Honestly, I don't want to delay Rabadon's that much. This remains to be tested for relevant ranks where you can afford to use items other than those strictly for solo carrying.

Strategic Notes on Items:

• Defense: I run Banshee's Veil only if absolutely necessary, buying Verdant Barrier early and upgrading it last. Zhonya's is not an item I want; I only buy it if the game becomes unplayable without it.
• Malignance: I find it weak and not worth the gold. The extra ult CDR is redundant if you run Ultimate Hunter.
• Blackfire Torch: I never consider buying Blackfire Torch over Luden's because it weakens your kill potential significantly. I’ve tested this extensively in the practice tool against various MR and HP levels, and Luden’s consistently deals superior damage overall. Even when hitting three targets to maximize the Blackfire Torch passive, Luden’s still outperforms it in total numbers. Since I prioritize burst and kill pressure over poke, Luden's is the clear choice for this playstyle.

Support & Social Strategy

In champ select, I always request a melee support with hard CC and Ignite. Leona is preferred, followed by Nautilus or Pantheon. I hate ranged supports; they are not needed, and they often int because they are squishy: a single mistake means death. They also fail to provide the reliable lockdown Xerath needs to ensure every ability lands. I type to my support during the laning phase to explain my damage and CDs. They are often confused or have wrong expectations about Xerath early game.

I /mute all the second the game starts. I do not want to see chat or pings from anyone. I still use chat and pings myself to direct the game.

This is my experience smurfing as Xerath. The win rates aren't peak and the climb is slow due to the current system (no more double rank ups, and a few losses drop your gains to +25). I prefer going full damage because it tilts the enemy completely. I sometimes consider my lack of defensive items as griefing, but I prioritize damage output regardless. I am interested in hearing about others' experiences smurfing below Master. I want to see different approaches to carrying and how you specifically approach your runes and itemization.

Contact:
Discord: esports.enjoyer