{"id":17586,"date":"2026-02-18T14:36:09","date_gmt":"2026-02-18T14:36:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/magicstark.cz\/wiki\/thornmail\/"},"modified":"2026-02-23T09:49:30","modified_gmt":"2026-02-23T09:49:30","slug":"thornmail","status":"publish","type":"wiki","link":"https:\/\/magicstark.cz\/en\/wiki\/thornmail\/","title":{"rendered":"Thornmail"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Thornmail<\/strong> is a Legendary Tank item<\/strong> costing 2450 gold<\/strong> providing +75 Armor<\/strong> and +150 Health<\/strong>. Its passive THORNS<\/strong> retaliates every time the carrier is struck by a basic attack on-hit: dealing 20 + 10% bonus armor magic damage<\/strong> back to the attacker. If the attacker is a champion, they additionally receive Grievous Wounds for 3 seconds<\/strong>. THORNS is reactive damage \u2014 it does NOT trigger spell effects. It is not blocked by spell shields<\/strong>, not a projectile, and crucially triggers regardless of whether the basic attack deals damage<\/strong> \u2014 including when the carrier uses a shield or is invulnerable. THORNS will NOT trigger on dodged, blocked, or missed attacks (including when the attacker is blinded). The minimum reflect damage is 27.5 magic damage<\/strong> at purchase (20 base + 10% of 75 bonus armor). Grievous Wounds applies to the attacker even if they are shielded or invulnerable at the moment of the attack. Critically, healing effects triggered by the attacking basic attack (life steal, Xin Zhao’s Determination) are reduced by Grievous Wounds on the same attack that triggers THORNS<\/strong> \u2014 GW is applied on the triggering auto, not after it. Thornmail is the dedicated anti-healing armor item<\/strong>, and the primary Grievous Wounds source for physical-damage-focused tank builds. Limited to 1 Thornmail<\/strong> per player.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thornmail<\/strong> is a Legendary-tier<\/strong> item available on Summoner’s Rift (5v5)<\/strong>, ARAM<\/strong>, Nexus Blitz<\/strong>, and Arena<\/strong>. Categorized under Tank<\/strong>, Health & Regeneration<\/strong>, and Armor<\/strong> menus. Keywords: grievous wounds<\/strong>. ID 3075<\/strong>. Limited to 1 Thornmail<\/strong> per player. Sell value: 1715 gold<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\ud83d\udcca Stats at a Glance<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Stat<\/strong><\/td>Value<\/strong><\/td>Context<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Armor<\/td>+75 Armor<\/td>Highest armor on any Legendary \u2014 Chain Vest provides 40 for 800g; Thornmail’s 75 is nearly double at 2450g total<\/td><\/tr>
Health<\/td>+150 HP<\/td>Lowest HP on any tank Legendary \u2014 Thornmail prioritizes armor over HP<\/td><\/tr>
THORNS Base Damage<\/td>20 magic damage<\/td>Flat base reflect damage per incoming basic attack<\/td><\/tr>
THORNS Bonus Armor Scaling<\/td>+10% bonus armor added to THORNS damage<\/td>At 75 bonus armor (item only): +7.5 = 27.5 total reflect per hit; scales with additional armor items<\/td><\/tr>
THORNS vs Champions<\/td>Applies Grievous Wounds for 3 seconds<\/td>Only triggers GW on champion attackers \u2014 minions and monsters receive damage but not GW<\/td><\/tr>
THORNS Minimum Reflect (item only)<\/td>27.5 magic damage (20 + 10% x 75)<\/td>Minimum guaranteed reflect at point of purchase<\/td><\/tr>
THORNS at 150 bonus armor<\/td>35 magic damage per hit (20 + 15)<\/td>With one additional armor item adding 75 armor<\/td><\/tr>
THORNS at 250 bonus armor<\/td>45 magic damage per hit (20 + 25)<\/td>Deep armor stacking \u2014 two heavy armor Legendaries<\/td><\/tr>
THORNS Damage Type<\/td>Reactive damage \u2014 does NOT trigger spell effects<\/td>No Liandry’s chain, no spell-effect procs from THORNS reflect<\/td><\/tr>
THORNS vs Spell Shield<\/td>NOT blocked by spell shield<\/td>Bypasses Banshee’s Veil, Edge of Night \u2014 reflect fires regardless<\/td><\/tr>
THORNS Projectile<\/td>NOT a projectile \u2014 cannot be blocked by Wind Wall<\/td>Yasuo\/Yone Wind Wall does not block THORNS<\/td><\/tr>
THORNS Trigger Condition<\/td>Triggers regardless of whether basic attack deals damage<\/td>Fires during carrier’s shield or invulnerability \u2014 GW applies even vs shielded\/invulnerable attackers<\/td><\/tr>
THORNS Non-Trigger Conditions<\/td>Does NOT trigger on dodged, blocked, or blind-missed attacks<\/td>Dodge (Jax E), Blind (Teemo Q), Block effects prevent THORNS<\/td><\/tr>
GW on Shielded\/Invulnerable Attacker<\/td>GW applies even if attacker is shielded or invulnerable<\/td>Xin Zhao R invulnerability does not prevent receiving GW from THORNS<\/td><\/tr>
Healing Reduction Timing<\/td>Healing effects from the triggering attack are reduced by GW immediately<\/td>Life steal from the auto that triggers THORNS is already reduced by GW \u2014 not the next auto<\/td><\/tr>
Total Cost<\/td>2450 gold<\/td>450g combine \u2014 moderate for the stat bundle<\/td><\/tr>
Sell Value<\/td>1715 gold<\/td>70% sell-back ratio<\/td><\/tr>
Swiftplay Cost<\/td>2650 gold (SR: 2450)<\/td><\/tr>
Swiftplay Health<\/td>200 HP (SR: 150)<\/td><\/tr>
Swiftplay Armor<\/td>85 armor (SR: 75)<\/td><\/tr>
Arena Armor<\/td>60 armor (SR: 75)<\/td><\/tr>
Arena Health<\/td>300 HP (SR: 150)<\/td><\/tr>
Arena THORNS Base Damage<\/td>20 (unchanged from SR)<\/td><\/tr>
Arena NEW EFFECT 1<\/td>Dealing physical damage to enemy champions also inflicts GW for 3s<\/td>GW applies on any physical damage in Arena \u2014 not just when being attacked<\/td><\/tr>
Arena NEW EFFECT 2<\/td>If target heals for over 60% max HP while continuously under GW, healing reduction increases to 80%<\/td>Escalating GW against mass-healing enemies in Arena<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\ud83d\udca1 The Bonus Armor Scaling \u2014 Why Stacking Armor Increases THORNS Damage: <\/strong>THORNS deals 20 + 10% of bonus armor<\/strong> as magic damage per reflect. Bonus armor includes armor from all items and runes \u2014 not the champion’s base armor from level scaling. Thornmail’s own +75 armor contributes 7.5 to THORNS damage at purchase. Adding Sunfire Aegis (+35 armor) increases THORNS to 20 + 10.5 = 30.5. Adding Frozen Heart (+70 armor) brings total bonus armor to 220, making THORNS 20 + 22 = 42 magic damage per basic attack reflect<\/strong>. Deep armor stacking is therefore doubly efficient on Thornmail<\/strong> \u2014 armor reduces incoming physical damage AND increases THORNS’s outgoing reflect per hit. The bonus armor scaling is not substantial as a primary damage source, but it ensures Thornmail retains relevance as the build deepens into armor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\ud83d\udca1 Grievous Wounds on the Triggering Attack \u2014 Not the Next One: <\/strong>One of Thornmail’s most tactically important properties: when a basic attack triggers THORNS, GW is applied to the attacker and immediately reduces the healing from that very same attack<\/strong>. Healing effects triggered by a basic attack \u2014 life steal, Xin Zhao’s Determination heal, any on-hit healing \u2014 are first reduced by the GW before the heal resolves<\/strong>. This means the first auto against a Thornmail carrier already heals 40% less than normal, not just the second onward. Against Draven at 20% life steal landing a 300 physical damage auto: the life steal would normally heal 60 HP \u2014 with THORNS GW applied on the same hit, it heals 36 HP (60 \u00d7 60% = 36 HP after 40% GW reduction). There is no free first auto before GW takes effect<\/strong> on healing sources that trigger on the basic attack itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\ud83d\udd28 Recipe & Build Path<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Component<\/strong><\/td>Cost<\/strong><\/td>Stats Provided<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Bramble Vest<\/td>800 gold (200g combine)<\/td>+30 Armor \u2014 also has its own THORNS passive (THORNS at reduced values)<\/td><\/tr>
\u21b3 Cloth Armor<\/td>300 gold<\/td>+15 Armor<\/td><\/tr>
\u21b3 Cloth Armor<\/td>300 gold<\/td>+15 Armor<\/td><\/tr>
Chain Vest<\/td>800 gold (500g combine)<\/td>+40 Armor<\/td><\/tr>
\u21b3 Cloth Armor<\/td>300 gold<\/td>+15 Armor<\/td><\/tr>
Ruby Crystal<\/td>400 gold<\/td>+150 HP<\/td><\/tr>
Combine Cost<\/td>450 gold<\/td>Standard combine cost<\/td><\/tr>
TOTAL<\/td>2450 gold<\/td>+75 Armor, +150 HP, THORNS (GW on champions)<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\ud83d\udca1 Bramble Vest as First-Back GW Source: <\/strong>Bramble Vest (800g) provides an early THORNS-like passive with armor \u2014 it is the component form of Thornmail and carries a weaker version of THORNS. Against heavy-healing lanes (Nasus with Lifesteal, Soraka support, Yasuo with Bloodline rune), buying Bramble Vest at 800g on first back establishes Grievous Wounds immediately<\/strong>, before the full Thornmail can be completed. The 800g is fully absorbed into Thornmail’s final cost with no gold waste \u2014 Bramble Vest is a cost-efficient GW timing tool that transitions directly into the completed item.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u26a1 Passive \u2014 UNIQUE: THORNS<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Parameter<\/strong><\/td>Value<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Trigger<\/td>Being struck by a basic attack on-hit<\/td><\/tr>
Reflect Damage<\/td>20 + 10% bonus armor as magic damage to the attacker<\/td><\/tr>
Grievous Wounds<\/td>Applied to champion attackers for 3 seconds<\/td><\/tr>
Damage Type<\/td>Reactive damage \u2014 does NOT trigger spell effects<\/td><\/tr>
Spell Shield<\/td>NOT blocked by spell shield<\/td><\/tr>
Projectile<\/td>NOT a projectile (cannot be blocked by Wind Wall, etc.)<\/td><\/tr>
Trigger Regardless of Damage<\/td>Fires even if basic attack deals zero damage (carrier shielded or invulnerable)<\/td><\/tr>
GW on Shielded Attacker<\/td>Applied even if attacker is shielded or invulnerable<\/td><\/tr>
Healing Reduction Timing<\/td>GW reduces healing from the SAME triggering attack (life steal, on-hit heals)<\/td><\/tr>
NON-TRIGGER: Dodged attacks<\/td>Jax Counter Strike E dodge prevents THORNS<\/td><\/tr>
NON-TRIGGER: Blocked attacks<\/td>Block effects prevent THORNS from firing<\/td><\/tr>
NON-TRIGGER: Blind misses<\/td>Teemo Q, similar blinds \u2014 missed auto does not trigger THORNS<\/td><\/tr>
Minimum Damage at Purchase<\/td>27.5 magic damage (20 + 10% x 75 armor)<\/td><\/tr>
Bramble Vest interaction<\/td>Bramble Vest has own weaker THORNS; full Thornmail replaces Bramble Vest’s THORNS with the full version<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

EFFECT: <\/strong>When struck by a basic attack on-hit, deal 20 + 10% bonus armor magic damage<\/strong> to the attacker. If the attacker is a champion, inflict them with Grievous Wounds for 3 seconds<\/strong>. THORNS is reactive damage that does not trigger spell effects, is not blocked by spell shields, is not a projectile, and fires even when the carrier takes zero damage from the attack (shield or invulnerability). GW applies to the attacker even if they are shielded or invulnerable. Healing effects from the triggering attack are immediately reduced by GW before they resolve. THORNS does NOT trigger on dodged, blocked, or blind-missed attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u26a0\ufe0f THORNS Fires During Carrier’s Own Invulnerability: <\/strong>THORNS triggers regardless of whether the basic attack deals damage to the carrier<\/strong>. This includes when the carrier is using a shield (Sterak’s Gage Lifeline, Locket of the Iron Solari active) or is invulnerable (Kayle R, Taric R, Sion Glory in Death). An enemy who continues auto-attacking a Kayle-ulted ally with Thornmail is continuously receiving THORNS magic damage and refreshing GW<\/strong> during the invulnerability window, even though their attacks are dealing zero damage. This interaction makes Thornmail’s passive particularly punishing for auto-attack-dependent champions who commit to targets during defensive cooldowns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u26a0\ufe0f Dodge, Block, and Blind Are the Three THORNS Non-Triggers: <\/strong>THORNS has three explicit non-trigger conditions that are mechanically distinct from invulnerability. Dodge<\/strong> (Jax Counter Strike E): the attack is registered as dodged, THORNS does not fire. Block<\/strong> (Pantheon passive, similar effects): the attack is blocked, THORNS does not fire. Blind miss<\/strong> (Teemo Q Blinding Dart, blind effects): the attacker misses due to blind status, THORNS does not fire. These three conditions are the only reliable ways to auto-attack a Thornmail carrier without triggering the reflect \u2014 understanding them determines whether building blind sources or dodge has counterplay value against a Thornmail tank.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\ud83c\udfaf Who Should Buy This Item<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Champion Archetypes<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n