Chronos Guide - Tik Tok

This is where we see how Chronos may or may not fit your playing style. I'll cover his basic pros and cons here (abilities are covered below) and end with a bottom line of why you should or should not choose to play as The Lord of Time.

Pros + Good damage output + Decent CC + Good mobility + Excellent survivability ( Rewind) + Good sustain without huge potion expenditures + Wheel of Time adds versatility

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Cons - Very ability-reliant - Very squishy, Rewind not useful against burst damage (like Loki or Freya) - Mediocre lane clear early game - Not the best in teamfights - Weak when ultimate is on cooldown

As with each character, Chronos has strengths and weaknesses, and since his abilities are his ticket to playability, it is only natural to examine the pros and cons to each skill individually.

1: Time Rift - This ability is just a damaging poke, nothing else.
Pros - High damage, decent size area, very low cooldown
Cons - No nice added knockups or banishes like He Bo or Janus has

2: Accelerate - Chronos's favorite thing in the whole world. A movement speed buff that adds one of 4 additional effects based on his Wheel of Time passive.
Pros - Hugely versatile, plenty long-lasting, makes basic attacks really hurt
Cons - Cooldown

3: Stop Time - Very useful stun, with two separate instances of damage. Damage is only decent, but this is your only CC and is invaluable as such.
Pros - Nice hard CC, pretty decent damage, easily aimed
Cons - The stun really needs to be longer for this long of a cooldown.

4: Rewind - Your ultimate, and honestly one of the most broken ults in the game (up there with Aphrodite's and Neith's ults).
Pros - You are much harder to kill than anyone would believe, you are almost impossible to trap, and you get all your abilities back.
Cons - If you're caught out without it (and it has a 90 second cooldown), you better start running, cause you are squishy.

A note with your ultimate: Use it wisely, because you are definitely going to need it. But more strategy later.

Welcome to Mid

Now for most people, mid is a bit of a mystery. Everyone seems to fear it, and yet nobody really ever says why. The reason I like the mid lane personally is because as Chronos, you can reach everywhere very fast when you are in mid. Solo does not have the same range, because he is on the side of the map. Of course, as Apollo, that doesn't matter as much--which is why you give him that lane and take mid. It maximizes mobility more.

Now, of course, as the player in this key location, you are the jungler's favorite gank target. Getting an advantage mid usually spells destruction for the other team (my worst fear for a long time was a fed mid, usually Hades, coming to get me), and so you will likely see a lot of gank attempts. Hence the Wards I suggested, as they let you paper for ganks. Check the minimap constantly.

Around level 5, there is an accepted point for mid lanes to back for buying. If you have yet to force your opponent to head back (which is likely given your comparatively ordinary early game), wait for him to head back, then push damage on the tower. Remember that your ultimate gives you much more gank survivability, and use this to your advantage. Once you have panicked the other team a bit and someone has showed up (or, lucky dog, you destroyed the tower), head back to your fountain and buy.



Now, into the inevitable teamfight stage. In most non-competitive matches, this stage is absolutely chaotic. As Chronos, your job is just to pour the damage onto people, pick up assists, pick up kills, and in general put the fear of clocks into your opponents. Don't worry overmuch if you only come out with a few kills. Your job in this phase is to keep mid going and smack face when you can. Also, go help your jungler keep the buff camps down, preferably stealing damage or speed. This will help your team keep from having a horrifying Loki or Nemesis be able to shift the balance of a teamfight.

If your team decides to go for an objective, good for you! Most casual games (in my experience, at least; if you have better luck in your games, please tell me your secret) never take advantage of Gold Fury or Fire Giant bonuses. Gold Fury attempts don't usually need you, so just keep laning or spreading rage among enemy players. Make them wish they had a pro Chronos like you on their team. Fire Giant attempts, on the other hand, need everyone available. Grab the red buff and go in. Accelerate from Quadrant IV, basic attack until the steroid effect runs out, then pop your Time Rift constantly. Fire Giant is easy to hit with this. And don't forget to use Stop Time, too. When you get low, ult your health back, and repeat the whole thing.

Then, late game, just push lanes like there's no tomorrow. Burn down the puny gods that come try to stop you, double phoenix, and win.

A bit belatedly, I realized that even though most people just want to see a list of items to try out when they are newish to the game, the more experienced players want a set of reasons behind each item, so they can see the overarching principle of the build. So, let's examine the reasons behind each item.

If you go duo, you should be prepared to play support through most of the game, though your kit fits a carry more. Sadly, people expect mages to not have the wherewithal (that means the balls and the kit) to carry a duo lane. And early game, they're right. You don't. So pick out a nice Aura item that helps you, and masquerade as support. Then, when you have your ult, watch for an opening. Generally, this will be when one of the two enemy gods in your lane heads back. This is when you go all-out and put some serious hurt on them.

Other than that, see the mid guide for most everything else.

1 August 2014 - Guide started, added both mid and solo guides. Can't figure out why Hades and Apollo won't show their respective tooltips, matchups to come for mid and duo. No idea how to put colors tastefully, and no, I do not have a cool picture gestalt. Also added reasoning behind item choices (thanks for the reminder, Greenevers).

2 August 2014 - Added Pros and Cons, went into detail on items, tried to make everything look a bit nicer.