Release the Kraken! - Poseidon guide for mid laners (S9, 9.7, Mid Season)

• Start with Tidal Surge due the lower cooldown and same damage of Whirlpool.

1. (For wave clear and high damage while cripples the enemy)
2. (For movespeed and increase your passive)
3. (For damage proposing only)

• As soon as available to enhance the damage

1. (For wave clear and high damage while cripples the enemy)
2. (For extra damage on your combo)
3. (For movespeed and increase your passive)

• As soon as available to enhance the damage

• You are WEAK and an easy target until level 3/4 and 5, SO AVOID FIGHT, unless it's inevitable.
• Try to clear the wave as soon as possible, and try to don't take damage from the wave. If the enemy cleared his wave first, retreat to your tower.
• High recommend you take the damage buff. If you see that there is a chance of the enemy take your buff, then do it even before your jungler comes. If this chance is not possible, wait for him (if he takes too long to do it, do it by yourself).
• In teamfights try to participate from some distance and run for your life using Trident if someone focuses on you.
• PUT WARDS ON THE MAP to avoid be Ganked!!. Now you have a FREE WARD, no excuses.
• Poke your enemy as soon as possible (See the "poking combo" on Combos Section) and be careful doing it, he might call for help and put you in serious trouble.
• FOCUS ON FARMING, you need to get big as soon as possible so every farm you see, do it if possible (camps or minions waves), especially the camps on the right and left side of mid-lane.
• Be careful to don't die. IF THE ENEMY GETS BIGGER THAN YOU, YOU WILL SUFFER SO MUCH.
• Ask for help every time you need it, and don't do anything that can compromise yourself.
• Remember that you have a low health pool and 0 defenses early game, so "be smart".

• Now you do decent damage, probably you are killing a minions wave without problems using Whirlpool.
• Now it's time to become a little aggressive. Your damage scales very well now (mainly with the build I did). You will see your basic attacks (with Trident) doing very good basic attacks, and it surprises the most of the enemy. The squishy target should be dying extremely easy for you if you hit your entire combo (including the center of Kraken). Time to shine.
• Don't hold krakens, if Kraken is ready then use it. Go for ganks to use it or if you see an enemy in a bad spot, go for it.
• REMEMBER THAT OBJECTIVES ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN KILLS, so it's time to start to rotate, taking down towers, and kill with your team jungle bosses such as gold fury and fire giant.
• ALWAYS try to participate in teamfights now, 'cause your skills ARE VERY USEFUL to the team and do VERY GOOD damage.
• Now it's a nice moment to start rotating to surprise enemies and release some Kraken!!!

• Time to group up.
• Now you are stronger than ever, so, time to keep shining.
• Use wisely your skills now, 'cause they are powerful and can change the games' destiny.
• Stay with your team helping them and now, more than ever, participate in the team fights combining your skills with theirs.
• Unfortunately, you are very squishy, so YOU DIE VERY FAST at late game, BUT, you can counter it by playing safe behind your teammates. So, as long as you don't try to be a front line and stay together with your team, you will still be a killing machine.
• As you should notice, a single Whirlpool combined with the center of the Kraken can also kill a full health squishy target, so use it wisely.
• Try to keep you passive always full or almost full 'cause if someone turns to you, you can activate Ayrton Senna mode, I mean... Trident and just run away.

Now I will talk about how you should build Poseidon properly, what your build must have to be decent and viable.

how to build

What a Poseidon build must have?

• Power: To make decent damage output.
  
  
• Penetration (% pen and flat, if possible): To hurt squishes and tanks.

What a Poseidon build may have?

• Lifesteal: To restore some HP lost on fights. Usually soul gem, but can Bancroft's Talon too.
  
  
• Mana: Since you can spam skills and poke hard your enemy/clear the wave needs always at least 2 skills, you are mana hungry, so why not put some mana in the build like Book of Thoth or non-stacking items like Soul Reaver?
  
  
• HP ("solved" on power items): Some HP may be useful sometimes to help you "tank" a bit some burst damage/let you get closer to your enemy without die in the process.
  
  
• Anti-heal: Some enemies will require anti-heals if you want to beat them, and ability based anti-heals like Divine Ruin can be decent options.
  
  
• Utility Items: Generically, items with some utilities for your match like Gem of Isolation to keep apply some slow on Whirlpool, Magi's Cloak to absolve a hard cc...
  
  
• Attack speed Items: Trident allows your basics to really hurt, so why not put some AS items to have some fun? (Not recommended in general, but can be functional and fun).

What a Poseidon build mustn't have?

• Tank items: like Mystical Mail, Genji's Guard...
  

Builds

Gem Build

This build will provide you everything you need and is focused on burst power (1 hit build). It was made to melt reasonably tanks and also DESTROY squishes with single 1 kraken.

CDR Build (Bumbas)

This build offers less damage in exchange for an insane movespeed, and we all know how op Pos is with movespeed. You may still damage reasonably tanks and squishes but now you can race around the map too, so you can escape easily and gank/help way more frequently. Don't forget to AA resets to proc bumba's asap.

details

Item		Explanation
		Magi's Cloak If the enemies have a lot of CCs and your Purification Beads isn't enough, then this item may be helpful.
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		Ethereal Staff If the enemies have a lot of HP and/or you are looking for some more survivability, this item is the right choice. Try to get it at mid/late game, when the % is more efficient.
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		Gem of Isolation If the enemies are sticking on you, this might be a decent option to keep them away. Build it after you already have some CDR and boom, just kite the enemy (throw your skills then run).
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		Book of the Dead If the enemies are diving/bursting and killing you a lot, then build this item for extra survivability. Don't forget to get items with mana to enhance your shield. Consider building it earlier if needed.
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		Divine Ruin If the enemies have too much lifesteal (like Anubis) and/or healing (like Aphrodite) build this to lower their healing. It's more efficient in the early game. You may build it instead of Spear of the Magus on any build.
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		Doom Orb If you are looking for extra movespeed to enhance your escape capacities or to chase someone (or just for fun), this item can give tons of movespeed, power and mp5.

"You are shark bait!" - Poseidon



My conclusion is that Poseidon is a good and easy god to play and is very welcome on mid-lane and can be fun to play with him as ADC. Building him right and playing with him right, I'm almost sure you will always have a positive KD and will have a good match. He is probably the easiest mid to carry a game, once fed, there's no coming back to the enemy due to your insane pressure with ulti + whirlpool.

Follow the guide I posted here, you will do a nice job with him.

So let's go now, let's release a lot of krakens!

Special Thanks:

• Zennore - The guy who did this amazing art of Cute Poseidon on the headers.

Check my guides:



Art by Zennore via DeviantArt
and HiRez via Youtube