Darius
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Good (7/10)
Low Investment
Rare Relics OK
Darius is a straightforward, aggressive champion who excels at rapid clears and speedrunning. While his early constellation upgrades provide immense value, his final upgrades are considered inefficient, and his core strategy often revolves around empowering support champions rather than playing Darius himself.
Titanic Speedrunner
Enables a 4-mana start when combined with stat-boosting relics, allowing for immediate deployment of high-impact support champions.
Provides the rerolls needed to consistently find game-winning powers.
Provides the +2 Attack necessary to make Darius Titanic, activating Starforged Gauntlets, while offering a powerful stun and rally effect.
Strategy
This build leverages The Hand of Noxus to boost Darius's attack, activating Starforged Gauntlets for a 4-mana start. This allows for the immediate deployment of high-impact 4-cost support champions.
Loaded Dice is used to aggressively reroll for powers like Titanic Wake or Trifarian Might to secure turn-one victories. The combination of early mana acceleration and premium powers makes this the definitive setup for rapid adventure clears.
Zoe & Poro King Support Carry
Zoe Specialized
- Provides extra rerolls to secure the 'Titanic Wake' power.
- Allows the use of 3 or 4-cost support champions, significantly increasing options for a powerful support.
Gives Darius the +2 attack he needs to be titanic, activating SFG. Sometimes, this comes in handy too in the rare case you get to play darius too.
Strategy
Designed specifically for the 10-star Zoe adventure, this build relies entirely on drafting the 'Titanic Wake' power and a strong 3-cost or 4-cost support champion like Zed. Restart the adventure if you do not acquire Titanic Wake as your initial power.
Spectral Scissors amplifies the support champion's offensive capabilities by summoning an attacking Ephemeral copy. The goal is to win quickly using the support champion, as Darius himself is often too expensive to deploy effectively in this encounter.
Passive Deck Utility
- Maximizes rerolls to ensure consistent access to premium starting powers.
Provides passive stat scaling to the entire deck, enhancing early board presence.
Offers crucial protection against early removal spells for key units.
Strategy
Darius is uniquely positioned as a champion who rarely needs to be played to win. This build turns him into a utility engine, acknowledging that his high cost often makes him a liability in his own deck.
Loaded Dice ensures consistent access to premium powers, Stacked Deck provides passive scaling to the entire deck, and Black Shield offers crucial protection. The goal is to draft a strong support champion and use Darius's relics to empower them from the bench.
Plunder Swarm
Reduces cost upon plunder and provides scaling stats.
Further reduces cost upon plunder, enabling very early deployment.
Generates massive value upon summon by creating discounted high-cost units.
Strategy
This setup focuses on aggressive cost reduction. By triggering early plunder effects, Darius can be deployed as early as turn one or two.
Portal Pals generates massive value upon his summon, flooding the board with large units to overwhelm the opponent and trigger his rally mechanics. This build is highly effective for players who prefer to actively play Darius rather than using him as a passive support engine.
Other Relic Options
Provides extra rerolls to secure optimal starting powers, serving as a budget alternative to Loaded Dice.
Grants a reliable rally effect upon leveling up for immediate game-ending attacks.
Useful for speedrunning monthly challenges by ensuring an early 1- or 2-cost follower is drawn.
Opinions are divided on The Hand of Noxus. Some consider its stun and rally effect a powerful tool for explosive turns and activating Starforged Gauntlets, while others find it too situational and inefficient compared to passive deck buffs.
Constellation
Darius's constellation tree is heavily front-loaded. His early upgrades provide massive power spikes, but his later nodes are widely regarded as inefficient investments.
Noxian Might
Each round, the first time you play an ally, grant it +2|+0.
Carve a Path
+1 Starting Mana. Each round, the first time you attack with 15+ total Power, Rally.
Noxian Might II
Each round, the first time you play an ally, grant it +4|+0 and Overwhelm.
Hold It!
Round Start: Stun the strongest enemy.Review
This power is considered exceptionally strong. Stunning the strongest enemy at Round Start mitigates early tempo issues and allows Darius's aggressive units to bypass blockers safely. It is crucial for surviving difficult early encounters like Viktor.
Manaflow
Game Start: Get a mana gem.Review
The extra starting mana is highly valued for accelerating his game plan and enabling turn-one plays with discounted units or powerful support champions.
The Hand of Noxus
When allies attack, summon a random Noxian ally with cost equal to your mana gems.Review
This upgrade is widely criticized as underwhelming. Summoning an unbuffed unit that does not attack immediately clogs the board and fails to synergize with his aggressive rally mechanics. Many players consider it a low-priority investment.
Gameplay Tips
- Prioritize Premium Powers
Drafting the right powers is critical. Titanic Wake and Trifarian Might synergize perfectly with the deck's high-attack units, often enabling turn-one victories. Use rerolls aggressively at the start of an adventure to secure these.
- Leverage Support Champions
Darius himself is often the least important card in his deck. Focus on drafting and buffing a strong, low-cost support champion. Equip Darius with passive relics so he can empower the deck from the bench while the support champion acts as the primary win condition.
- Manipulate Support Champion Costs
When drafting, understand that the cost of your support champion influences the item pool in shops. Selecting an expensive support champion (4-cost or higher) increases the likelihood of finding premium items like Double Attack or Scout.
- Exploit the Rally Mechanic
Plan attacks around his rally threshold. By carefully sequencing unit deployments and combat tricks, you can trigger the rally effect mid-combat or immediately after, allowing for devastating back-to-back attacks.