Aatrox
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Good (6/10)
Paid Relics
Epic Relics
High Investment Required
Aatrox is a polarized champion who oscillates between feeling sluggish and unstoppable depending on your collection. Without his signature relic and specific Epic relics, he struggles significantly with early-game tempo and initiative. However, with a fully optimized 'Titanic' setup, he becomes a consistent powerhouse capable of clearing the hardest content, though he remains slower than top-tier speedsters.
Titanic World Ender
The cornerstone of Aatrox's modern viability. This relic grants +0|+3, pushing Aatrox to 8 Health and activating the 'Titanic' condition for Starforged Gauntlets. The automatic strike on play accelerates World Ender's cost reduction immediately.
Provides +1 Starting Mana because The Darkin Blade ensures Aatrox is Titanic. This mana ramp is critical for playing Aatrox and his equipment earlier, smoothing out his clunky mana curve.
Aatrox's deck is comprised almost entirely of Cultists. This relic grants them all Overwhelm and +1|+1, turning his board of utility units into lethal threats.
Strategy
This build addresses Aatrox's two biggest weaknesses: lack of ramp and slow tempo. By starting with extra mana and striking immediately on summon, you can stabilize the board and threaten lethal turns earlier. The Darkin Blade effectively condenses the utility of Stalker's Blade and Luminous Orb into a single slot.
The Double Tap
Triggers a strike on summon. Aatrox heals the Nexus equal to the damage dealt (via his native Lifesteal) and reduces the cost of World Ender.- A second copy doubles the removal potential, healing, and World Ender discount. This often clears the opponent's board immediately upon Aatrox's arrival.
- Ensures that once the board is cleared by Stalker's strikes, your units can push damage through to the Nexus. If unavailable, Crownguard Inheritance is a viable substitute for closing games.
Strategy
A control-oriented setup that focuses on stabilizing against aggressive boards. The double strikes rapidly discount World Ender, often allowing you to level Aatrox the same turn he is played.
Sustain and Scale
Generates a fleeting copy of Aatrox in hand each round. This provides a consistent source of 'Deathbringer Stance', a spell that heals Aatrox and allows him to strike enemies without engaging in combat.
Grants +2|+2 every time Aatrox survives damage. Since Aatrox wants to regenerate health and trade units, this allows him to stat-check larger enemies as the game prolongs.- Provides an immediate strike to trigger healing and begin scaling Aatrox's presence on the board.
Strategy
This build creates a raid boss win condition. By generating strikes every turn via GGC and scaling stats with the Buckle, Aatrox becomes unkillable while removing threats one by one. Best suited for slower adventures where you aren't rushed down by Turn 2.
Other Relic Options
A powerful finisher. Since World Ender transforms Aatrox into a Level 2 champion, this relic grants a Rally immediately after the board wipe, usually ending the game.
Essential for adventures with heavy removal (e.g., Viego, Galio). Aatrox is a high-cost investment; having him recalled or entombed can be a run-ending tempo loss.
Can be paired with Secret Technique for massive stat multiplication, acting as a 'budget constellation' power.
Avoid 'Living Weapon' and 'Shadow Totem'. Living Weapon is too slow for Aatrox's needs, and Shadow Totem has anti-synergy with his auto-equip mechanics, often wasting equipment on ephemeral copies.
Constellation
Aatrox's constellation is widely considered one of the weaker release sets. It focuses heavily on stats without addressing his fundamental issues: slow startup speed and lack of interaction. He relies heavily on relics to fix these flaws rather than his star powers.
Infernal Chains
When an equipped ally strikes, reduce the cost of a random card in hand by 1.
Corrupted Weapon
+1 Starting Mana. Game Start: Create in hand 2 random Darkin equipment.
Infernal Chains II
When an equipped ally strikes, reduce the cost of a random card in hand by 2.Review
Discounts Darkin units when equipped allies strike. While useful for cheating out big units, it relies on having a board presence to function, which is Aatrox's main struggle in high-difficulty content.
Armed To The Teeth
Allies with Equipment or attachments have +2|+2.Review
Offers a +2|+2 stat boost (Armed to the Teeth). This is generally viewed as low-impact compared to mana generation or free unit summons seen in other constellations.
Manaflow
Game Start: Get a mana gem.
Darkin Awakened
When you summon or transform a Darkin, double its stats.Review
Doubles the stats of equipping units. While theoretically powerful, it is considered a 'win-more' effect that kicks in only after you have already stabilized. There is a known issue where stat-boosting powers like 'Armed to the Teeth' apply in the wrong order, diminishing the total stat gain.
Gameplay Tips
Manage Initiative Carefully
Equipping a unit passes priority to the opponent. In difficult adventures, this tempo loss can be fatal. Plan your turns so you don't pass priority right before a lethal attack. Using spells or units that equip on play (like Aatrox himself) bypasses this initiative pass.
World Ender Cost Reduction
Aatrox's champion spell, World Ender, reduces its cost every time a Darkin unit strikes or an equipped ally strikes. Relics that force strikes (like The Darkin Blade or Stalker's Blade) accelerate this condition significantly. Playing Aatrox often results in an immediate discount to World Ender.
The Assimilate Board Wipe
When you cast World Ender, all units equipped with Darkin weapons transform into their Darkin forms. This heals them to full and usually triggers a massive swing in board stats. Timing this to 'heal' a damaged board is a key defensive maneuver.
Avoid Ephemeral Anti-Synergy
Be cautious with powers or items that summon ephemeral copies of Aatrox (like Shadow Totem). The equipment mechanics can glitch or behave poorly with ephemeral units, sometimes causing you to lose the weapon or have it stuck on a unit that dies at round end.