Lich Bane

What is Lich Bane? ⚡

Lich Bane is the AP SPELLBLADE item for mages and hybrid AP champions who weave basic attacks into their ability rotation. The SPELLBLADE passive converts the first basic attack after any ability cast into a burst of bonus magic damage scaling with both base AD and AP — creating a unique on-hit burst pattern that rewards the ability → auto-attack weave rather than pure ability-spam or pure auto-attack.

What separates Lich Bane from the other SPELLBLADE item (Trinity Force) is the AP ratio: Lich Bane SPELLBLADE scales with 40% AP in addition to 75% base AD, making it scale primarily with AP investment rather than requiring high base AD to reach maximum efficiency. A mage with 500 AP who has modest base AD still generates large SPELLBLADE hits because the AP portion dominates the damage formula. Trinity Force, by contrast, has no AP ratio and scales purely with base AD — ideal for high-base-AD fighters.

At 2,900 Gold, Lich Bane provides the highest AP per gold among SPELLBLADE items alongside the movement speed stat — unique among AP items at this price point. Building from Sheen (the SPELLBLADE component), Aether Wisp (the movement speed component), and Blasting Wand. Sell price: 2,030 Gold. ID: 3100. Available on SR 5v5, ARAM, Nexus Blitz, and Arena.

📊 Base Statistics

🔨 Recipe & Components

Lich Bane builds from Sheen + Aether Wisp + Blasting Wand with a 250g combine — the lowest combine cost of any AP legendary:

⚡ SPELLBLADE Passive — Complete Mechanics Reference

Trigger, Window, and CD

SPELLBLADE is granted at the start of the triggering ability’s cast time — not when the ability lands or resolves. This means champions who cast abilities with a travel time or delayed effect have the SPELLBLADE buff available from the moment the button is pressed, not when the projectile hits. The buff window is 10 seconds — ample time to land a basic attack after almost any ability cast in a normal rotation.

Critically, consecutive ability casts refresh the 10-second duration — casting a second ability before the buff is consumed resets the 10-second window without consuming the SPELLBLADE charge. This means rapid ability sequences (ability spam, multi-ability pre-weave) keep the buff active until the next basic attack consumes it. The 1.5-second cooldown starts AFTER the empowered attack is consumed — not after the ability that triggered the buff. The CD only begins when the buffed basic attack actually lands.

Attack Speed While Buffed

SPELLBLADE grants +50% bonus attack speed as long as the buff persists — even if the buffed basic attack has not been used yet. This is a distinct mechanic from the on-hit damage: the attack speed is granted passively while the SPELLBLADE buff is active on the champion. Champions who benefit from attack speed during their ability cast animations (e.g., Twisted Fate between card draws) gain this speed bonus throughout the buff window. The attack speed buff disappears when the enhanced attack is consumed (or the 10-second window expires).

SPELLBLADE — Full Mechanics Table

Lich Bane vs Trinity Force — SPELLBLADE Comparison

Both Lich Bane and Trinity Force use SPELLBLADE but target fundamentally different champion archetypes:

💨 Movement Speed Stat — +4% MS

The +4% movement speed is a percentage bonus to total movement speed, not a flat increase. At 330 base MS (typical for most champions): 330 × 1.04 = 343.2 MS — an additional 13.2 MS over base. Combined with other sources like Sorcerer’s Shoes (flat MS), Cosmic Drive (stacking MS), or Telekinesis (ability MS), the 4% compounds with the total MS calculation.

The MS stat is the Lich Bane-exclusive differentiator from the AP perspective — no other primary AP burst mage item provides movement speed. This creates a distinct advantage in kiting patterns, ability landing, and escape sequences that pure AP items (Rabadon’s, Shadowflame) don’t provide. For champions who weave basic attacks into their kit (Twisted Fate, Lux, Orianna), the movement speed between ability casts directly improves their positioning for the SPELLBLADE auto weave.

🗺️ Map-Specific Differences

🎯 When to Build Lich Bane

Lich Bane performs best on AP champions who naturally weave basic attacks into their ability rotation — specifically those whose kits either empower basic attacks post-ability (Twisted Fate W gold card, Lux passive Illumination) or who have short ability cooldowns that enable frequent ability → auto → ability patterns.

✅ Build Lich Bane When:

• Champion has short ability CDs enabling frequent auto-weaves: Twisted Fate (Q/W/E rapid cycling), Lux (passive Illumination empowers every single auto after each ability), Kassadin (Q fast reset), Ekko (Q/W/E rotation) — each ability cast resets the SPELLBLADE window; frequent casters fire SPELLBLADE on every available auto
• Champion has a passive that empowers basic attacks after abilities: Lux’s Illumination doubles the SPELLBLADE concept — the passive adds bonus magic damage on the first auto after each ability, stacking multiplicatively with SPELLBLADE; SPELLBLADE + Illumination on one basic attack represents extreme per-hit burst damage
• Hybrid AP/attack damage champion: Corki, Twisted Fate, Kaisa (AP build) — champions dealing both physical and magic damage from abilities AND basic attacks benefit from AP scaling on SPELLBLADE that purely physical attackers don’t generate. The AP stat itself also amplifies their ability damage simultaneously
• Champion needs movement speed: the +4% MS is a unique AP item differentiator; mages who need mobility for kiting, ability landing, or escape (Orianna positioning, Lux range adjustment, Twisted Fate roaming post-R) get value from MS that no other AP burst item provides

❌ Do NOT Build Lich Bane When:

• Champion never basic attacks: purely ability-rotation mages who never auto (Lissandra, Viktor full ability-only patterns, Ziggs AoE poke mage) cannot trigger SPELLBLADE effectively. Rabadon’s Deathcap, Shadowflame, or Void Staff provide better AP damage amplification for those patterns at comparable cost
• Champion already runs Trinity Force: SPELLBLADE group — only one SPELLBLADE item allowed. If the build includes Trinity Force, Lich Bane cannot be added
• Team needs you to be pure frontline/tank: Lich Bane’s 0 HP, 0 armor, 0 MR stat package is entirely offensive — tank-focused builds need the defensive stat contribution that Lich Bane doesn’t provide

👥 Best Champions for Lich Bane

✅ Ideal Picks

• Twisted Fate — Pick A Card (W) cycling generates SPELLBLADE buff with each card draw attempt. Gold Card (W Q) stun + SPELLBLADE auto is the primary kill pattern: W starts cycling → Q to lock Gold Card → auto attack fires SPELLBLADE while Gold Card stun resolves — total burst: Gold Card damage + SPELLBLADE 75% AD + 40% AP + Destiny (R) teleport followup. Twisted Fate’s mid-level base AD (high for a mage) contributes meaningfully to both SPELLBLADE formula components. The +4% MS also improves Twisted Fate’s post-Destiny roaming speed between gates.
• Lux — Illumination (P) passive: every ability hit marks the target with an energy sphere; the next basic attack detonates it for bonus magic damage. Every single Lux ability activation generates a SPELLBLADE buff AND a P mark — one basic attack after any ability consumes both simultaneously. The combined burst per auto: P Illumination (~50-200 bonus magic) + SPELLBLADE (75% AD + 40% AP) + regular auto attack = each ability → auto sequence deals approximately 150-400 additional magic damage at full AP builds. The synergy with Lux’s kit makes SPELLBLADE weaving significantly more impactful than on champions without a passive auto-empowerment.
• Akali — Five Point Strike (Q) into auto weave is Akali’s primary damage pattern in the early game. SPELLBLADE converts each Q cast into an empowered auto — Q → auto at +50% attack speed (from SPELLBLADE buff) enables extremely rapid Q → auto → Q cycling. Akali’s hybrid damage nature (Q magic, autos physical with AP ratios from E) makes the AP scaling on SPELLBLADE more relevant than Trinity Force’s base AD scaling would be.
• Kassadin — Null Sphere (Q) into SPELLBLADE auto, then Riftwalk (R) positioning. Kassadin’s rapid R + Q cycling in the late game generates frequent SPELLBLADE windows. At 4+ items with 500+ AP, SPELLBLADE hits for 245+ bonus magic damage per proc — stacking with Kassadin’s already-high Q and E damage to create rapid burst sequences. The +4% MS also compounds with Kassadin’s Riftwalk repositioning between SPELLBLADE casts.
• Anivia — Frostbite (E) deals double damage to Chilled targets. SPELLBLADE weave after E: Flash Frost (Q) to apply Chill → SPELLBLADE auto → E for double damage. Anivia’s extended fight pattern (Glacial Storm R constant drain) generates frequent SPELLBLADE procs from R ticks triggering the buff, then auto-weaving between ability casts. The SPELLBLADE + Frostbite double-damage interaction creates high burst patterns on Chilled targets.
• Ekko — Timewinder (Q) + Phase Dive (E) auto-reset combo. Phase Dive (E) dashes to the target and resets the next basic attack — that reset auto fires SPELLBLADE simultaneously. Ekko’s Z-Drive Resonance (P) every-third-hit slow also interacts with the SPELLBLADE weave pattern when timed to land on the empowered third hit. The AP ratio on SPELLBLADE scales well with Ekko’s AP-heavy build path.

Situational / Off-Meta

• Corki — Hextech Munitions (P) converts a portion of physical damage to magic — basic attacks deal mixed damage from P, and Lich Bane’s AP SPELLBLADE adds pure magic damage. The hybrid nature makes the AP ratio on SPELLBLADE more valuable than Trinity Force’s pure AD SPELLBLADE. In AP Corki builds, Lich Bane outperforms Trinity Force’s SPELLBLADE per the math established above.

❌ Less Optimal

• Pure AP ability-only mages (Viktor, Syndra, Lissandra): if the champion never basic attacks in their damage pattern, SPELLBLADE is dead weight. Shadowflame, Rabadon’s Deathcap, and Luden’s Tempest provide more sustained AP damage amplification without requiring basic attack weaving
• High base AD fighters building AP (Jax, Irelia): their high base AD makes Trinity Force SPELLBLADE (200% base AD) comparable or superior at the 128 base AD crossover threshold; if the champion’s base AD exceeds 32% of their AP at full build, Trinity Force SPELLBLADE matches Lich Bane — and Trinity Force’s HP + AS + AH are more valuable for fighter builds

⚙️ Recommended Build Paths

Twisted Fate — Burst Mage SPELLBLADE

1. Sheen — First back (~900g) — SPELLBLADE active immediately at component level; AH for faster Pick A Card cycling; Twisted Fate’s W + Gold Card pattern enabled from minute 8-10
2. Lich Bane — First full item (complete with Aether Wisp + Blasting Wand + 250g combine) — +100 AP amplifies all ability damage; +4% MS improves Destiny (R) roaming; SPELLBLADE buff lasts through Gold Card cast → auto timing
3. Shadowflame — Second item — CINDERBLOOM execute pen below 35% HP; +110 AP stacks with Lich Bane; pen amplifies SPELLBLADE’s magic damage against MR
4. Rabadon’s Deathcap — Third item — MAGICAL OPUS +30% AP multiplier; at 3 items with Lich Bane + Shadowflame + Rabadon’s, AP total hits 400+; SPELLBLADE at 400 AP = 205 bonus magic damage per proc
5. Zhonya’s Hourglass — Fourth item — STASIS survival; AP + AH; enables landing Gold Card + SPELLBLADE auto then Zhonya’s through counterattack
6. Void Staff — Fifth item — 40% magic pen; amplifies SPELLBLADE magic damage, Q, and E against MR-building tanks

Lux — Illumination + SPELLBLADE Stacking

7. Sheen — First back — SPELLBLADE + Illumination(P) combined from component level; early SPELLBLADE + P one-auto burst available after binding (Q)
8. Lich Bane — First full item — every Lux ability cast sets up both P Illumination detonation AND SPELLBLADE; one basic attack after any spell consumes both simultaneously; the combined burst per auto is the highest single-auto damage output in Lux’s kit
9. Luden’s Tempest — Second item — ECHO burst on first ability hit per 12s; +100 AP and +600 mana; mana sustains Lux’s Q-E-R poke pattern; ECHO procs alongside SPELLBLADE setup
10. Rabadon’s Deathcap — Third item — MAGICAL OPUS 30% AP multiplier; SPELLBLADE 40% AP ratio and Illumination bonus scale with the full amplified AP total
11. Shadowflame — Fourth item — execute pen; CINDERBLOOM activates when SPELLBLADE + Illumination bursts push the target below 35% HP
12. Void Staff — Fifth item — magic pen; all of Lux’s damage (SPELLBLADE, Illumination, Q/E/R) hits at reduced effective MR

🔄 Similar Items — SPELLBLADE & AP Mage Family

❌ Common Mistakes & How to Avoid Them

• Buying Lich Bane on champions who never auto: SPELLBLADE’s 40% AP value is entirely unlocked only through a basic attack weave. Champions who spend 100% of their combat time casting abilities without auto-attacking leave SPELLBLADE permanently on cooldown. If the champion’s play pattern is pure ability rotation (Viktor Q→E→R→Q→E repeatedly without auto-attacks), Shadowflame or Luden’s Tempest provide more total damage per gold for that pattern
• Not knowing that SPELLBLADE is granted at ability CAST START: the buff is available from the moment the button is pressed, not when the ability lands. This means champions can begin their auto-attack wind-up immediately after pressing the ability button, even for abilities with long travel times. A Twisted Fate player who presses Q (Stacked Deck) and immediately auto-attacks has the SPELLBLADE buff available from that Q press — they don’t need to wait for the card to visually appear on-screen
• Thinking crits amplify SPELLBLADE: SPELLBLADE is explicitly NOT affected by critical strike modifiers. Building Infinity Edge on an AP champion and expecting it to amplify SPELLBLADE damage is incorrect — the crit bonus damage from IE only applies to basic attack physical damage, not SPELLBLADE’s bonus magic damage. Crit builds and Lich Bane are fundamentally separate damage vectors on the same basic attack
• Stacking two SPELLBLADE items: Lich Bane and Trinity Force are both SPELLBLADE group — holding both is impossible; the game blocks the second purchase. Planning a build with both items will result in the item refusing to be purchased. Choose one based on the champion’s primary scaling: AP → Lich Bane; base AD → Trinity Force
• Forgetting the CD starts after consuming the proc, not after the ability cast: the 1.5-second CD begins when the buffed basic attack lands and is consumed. If SPELLBLADE is triggered by ability 1 but the champion doesn’t auto-attack for 5 seconds, then auto-attacks consuming SPELLBLADE, the CD only starts at that 5-second mark. This means the CD is naturally shorter in rapid ability → auto → ability cycles than it seems — the 1.5s CD is between SPELLBLADE auto attacks, not between ability casts

✅ Best Practices

• Buy Sheen at first back (~900g): SPELLBLADE active immediately at component level; Gold Card + SPELLBLADE weave pattern enabled at 8-10 minutes rather than waiting for full 2,900g Lich Bane completion
• Time the auto-attack immediately after ability cast start: SPELLBLADE buff is granted at ability cast start, not on ability landing; for mages with long cast animations or projectile travel (Lux Q, Twisted Fate W), begin the auto-attack wind-up during the ability animation — both can resolve together
• Use consecutive ability casts to refresh the 10-second window: if the first ability’s SPELLBLADE window doesn’t produce an auto opportunity, cast a second ability to reset the 10-second timer; the buff persists through multi-ability setups
• In Arena: prioritize Lich Bane early for the 66% AP ratio: Arena SPELLBLADE at 66% AP is a 65% stronger ratio than SR; the item becomes an extremely high-damage option for any AP-basic-attack weaving champion in Arena’s closer combat range
• Combine with Lux Illumination (P) for maximum single-auto burst: the combined Lux P + SPELLBLADE per basic attack creates the highest burst-per-auto magic damage output in the mage category; both procs fire simultaneously on the empowered auto

FAQ

Q: Does Lich Bane SPELLBLADE trigger Electrocute or other rune procs?

A: A: No — SPELLBLADE is proc damage, which explicitly does not trigger spell effects. Electrocute requires three separate non-proc damage instances; Arcane Comet requires ability damage. SPELLBLADE’s bonus magic damage is supplementary on-hit burst that sits outside the spell effect proc calculation entirely. The base attack itself counts as a basic attack for rune purposes, but the SPELLBLADE bonus damage does not count as a spell hit.

Q: Does SPELLBLADE benefit from critical strike chance?

A: A: No — SPELLBLADE is explicitly NOT affected by critical strike modifiers. If the buffed basic attack critically strikes, the physical portion of the auto deals crit bonus damage, but the SPELLBLADE bonus magic damage remains at 75% base AD + 40% AP regardless of the crit. Building Infinity Edge on Lich Bane does not amplify SPELLBLADE damage. This is a frequently misunderstood interaction.

Q: What happens if a spell shield blocks the SPELLBLADE basic attack?

A: A: When SPELLBLADE is applied by a basic attack and a spell shield (Banshee’s Veil, Edge of Night ANNUL) blocks it: the damage is negated, the SPELLBLADE effect is consumed, AND the 1.5-second CD begins. Notably, the physical auto attack damage is NOT blocked — only the SPELLBLADE bonus magic damage portion is absorbed by the spell shield (as SPELLBLADE is the triggered effect). However, if SPELLBLADE is applied through an ability’s on-hit effect, the entire SPELLBLADE trigger is blocked by spell shields.

Q: When exactly does the 1.5-second CD start — on ability cast or on auto-attack?

A: A: The 1.5-second CD starts AFTER the empowered basic attack is consumed (used). Not after the ability that triggered the buff, and not on the ability’s cast time. If SPELLBLADE is triggered by ability at t=0 seconds but the empowered auto isn’t used until t=6 seconds, the CD starts at t=6 seconds. If the 10-second buff expires unused (no auto was performed), no CD is applied at all. The CD is specifically between SPELLBLADE auto-attack procs, not between ability triggers.

Q: Why is Lich Bane better than Trinity Force for AP champions?

A: Lich Bane SPELLBLADE scales with 40% AP + 75% base AD, while Trinity Force SPELLBLADE scales with 200% base AD only. Most AP mages have 55-80 base AD at level 18 but reach 400-600 AP with items. At 400 AP with 60 base AD: Lich Bane = 45 + 160 = 205 bonus magic damage; Trinity Force = 120 bonus physical damage. Lich Bane deals 71% more SPELLBLADE damage at this AP level. The crossover point where Trinity Force matches Lich Bane requires 128 base AD at 400 AP — no AP champion has that. Additionally, Lich Bane provides +100 AP (amplifying all ability damage) while Trinity Force provides 0 AP. The wiki confirms this explicitly: ‘hybrid champions may prefer Lich Bane over Trinity Force as it scales much better due to also having AP scaling.’

Q: Does SPELLBLADE from Lich Bane trigger against structures (towers, inhibitors)?

A: A: Yes — the wiki explicitly states SPELLBLADE triggers against structures. This means tower-taking with Lich Bane provides bonus magic damage on SPELLBLADE procs against the tower. The 1.5-second CD is the limiting factor for how often SPELLBLADE contributes to structure damage during split-push. Note: SPELLBLADE CANNOT trigger against jungle plants (ward bushes, blast cones, scryer’s bloom).