Kog'Maw is the highest DPS ADC in the late game. His W gives range and %max HP magic damage, making him the ultimate tank shredder. He needs a team to protect him — zero mobility, zero escape.
Abilities
Skills Overview
P
Icathian Surprise
Passive
4 seconds after dying, Kogmaw explodes, dealing true damage to surrounding enemies.
Icathian Surprise: on death, you explode after 4 seconds dealing true damage. Run at enemies when you die.
Q
Caustic Spittle
Skillshot · Armor/MR Shred
Kog'Maw launches a corrosive projectile which deals magic damage and corrodes the target's armor and magic resist for a short time. Kog'Maw also gains additional attack speed.
CD: 7 · Cost: 40
Q shreds armor AND MR. Hit it on tanks before auto-attacking for amplified damage.
W
Bio-Arcane Barrage
Range Buff · %HP On-Hit
Kog'Maw's attacks gain range and deal a percent of the target's maximum health as magic damage %i:OnHit% On-Hit.
CD: 17 · Cost: 40
W extends range massively and adds %max HP magic damage. Your main DPS steroid — activate before fighting.
E
Void Ooze
AoE · Slow · Zone
Kog'Maw launches a peculiar ooze which damages all enemies it passes through and leaves a trail which slows enemies who stand on it.
CD: 12 · Cost: 40/55/70/85/100
E slows in a line. Use for self-peel and zoning.
R
Living Artillery
Long Range · AoE · Execute
Kog'Maw fires an artillery shell at a great distance dealing magic damage (increased significantly on low health enemies) and revealing non-stealthed targets. Additionally, multiple Living Artilleries in a short period of time cause them to cost additional Mana.
CD: 2/1.5/1 · Cost: 40
R is long-range artillery that deals more damage to low-HP targets. Mana cost increases with rapid casts — don't spam it.
Skill Leveling Order — Max W first, then Q, then E · R at 6 / 11 / 16
| Level | Q | W | E | R | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Take W — range + %HP | ||||
| 2 | Take E — slow | ||||
| 3 | Take Q — shred | ||||
| 4 | Level W | ||||
| 5 | Level W | ||||
| 6 | R — Living Artillery | ||||
| 7 | Level W | ||||
| 8 | Level Q | ||||
| 9 | W maxed ✓ | ||||
| 10 | Level Q | ||||
| 11 | R rank 2 | ||||
| 12 | Level Q | ||||
| 13 | Level Q | ||||
| 14 | Q maxed ✓ | ||||
| 15 | Level E | ||||
| 16 | R rank 3 | ||||
| 17 | Level E | ||||
| 18 | E maxed ✓ |
Itemization
Recommended Builds
Summoner Spells
Primary
Flash
Best repositioning tool — engage, escape and combo extension
Secondary
Heal
Sustain through poke trades plus burst movement speed
Situational
Cleanse
Cleanse
Core Build
Kraken Slayer
True damage + on-hit synergy.
3100g
Berserker's Greaves
AS.
1100g
Guinsoo's Rageblade
Converts crit to on-hit. Double W %HP procs.
2600g
Blade of the Ruined King
%HP on-hit stacks with W.
3200g
Situational
Wit's End
MR + on-hit magic damage.
3100g
Runaan's Hurricane
Bolts apply W %HP to 3 targets.
2600g
Lord Dominik's Regards
Armor pen.
2900g
Kraken → Guinsoo's → BotRK. On-hit stacking with W = highest DPS in the game.
Runes
Precision Primary
Lethal Tempo
Stacking AS for maximum on-hit procs.
Presence of Mind
Mana sustain for R.
Legend: Alacrity
AS.
Coup de Grace
Execute.
Resolve Secondary
Bone Plating
Survive burst in lane.
Overgrowth
Bonus HP scaling.
Shards
Attack Speed · Adaptive Force · Health
Gameplay
How to Play Kog'Maw
01
Early Game
Farm Safely, Survive
- Farm safely. You're the weakest ADC early. Don't trade.
- W gives extra range for 8 seconds. Use it to poke when it's active, then back off.
- E slow is your only self-peel. Place it between you and threats.
- You have NO escape. Position extremely carefully.
- Let your support dictate trades. Follow up with W autos.
02
Mid Game
W Active DPS
- W + on-hit items = devastating DPS. Activate W before every fight.
- Q shreds armor + MR. Hit tanks before auto-attacking for amplified damage.
- R artillery poke from long range. Don't spam it — mana cost stacks.
- Stay behind your entire team. One assassin reaching you = death.
- You need your team to protect you. Communicate this.
03
Late Game
Highest DPS in the Game
- You deal the most DPS of ANY champion at full build. 6% max HP per auto with W.
- Guinsoo's doubles your on-hit procs. W + BotRK + Kraken + Guinsoo's = tanks die in 3 seconds.
- Position behind everyone. You are the win condition — if you die, your team loses.
- W range at max rank rivals Caitlyn's. You outrange most champions.
- If protected, you're literally unkillable. Lulu + Kog'Maw is the most broken combo in the game.
Teamfighting
How to Teamfight as Kog'Maw
Kog'Maw stands behind his team and auto-attacks with W. If protected, he kills everything.
1
Position — Behind Everyone
Maximum safety
01
Stand behind your ENTIRE team.
02
Activate W before the fight.
03
Q the nearest tank for shred.
You have ZERO escape. If anyone reaches you, you die. Position is EVERYTHING.
2
DPS — W Auto Attacks
Tank shredding
01
Auto-attack with W active. %HP melts everything.
02
Focus nearest target. Don't overextend for the backline.
03
E slow anyone who gets close.
3
Artillery — R Poke
Cleanup
01
R low-HP fleeing enemies.
02
R does more damage to low targets.
03
Don't spam R — mana cost increases per cast.
Lulu R + Kog'Maw is the strongest duo in the game. Lulu's W, E, R all protect Kog while he melts the entire team with W.
Video Guide
Watch the Full Guide
Credits to Eternal Hero
Tips & Tricks
Advanced Mechanics & Hidden Tech
Advanced mechanics for Kog'Maw.
Basic
W is Everything
W gives range and %HP on-hit. ALWAYS activate it before fighting. It's your entire identity.
Intermediate
Q Shred
Q shreds armor AND MR. Hit tanks before auto-attacking for amplified damage.
Basic
Zero Mobility
You have NO escape. Position behind your team at all times. One misstep = death.
Advanced
Guinsoo's Double Proc
Guinsoo's makes every 3rd auto apply on-hit effects twice. W + BotRK + Kraken all double-proc. Insane DPS.
Basic
R Mana Cost
R costs more mana each time you cast it rapidly. Don't spam it — use it for finishing low-HP targets.
Intermediate
Death Passive
When you die, you explode after 4 seconds. Run at enemies for true damage. It's not wasted.
Matchups
Counters & Matchups
Kog'Maw struggles against assassins and all-in lanes. He excels when protected by a peel comp in late-game teamfights.
Click any matchup to expand tips & how to play against them
Loses Against
Draven kills you in 3 autos. You can't trade back.
Farm under tower. Don't trade. Outscale at 3 items.
Lucian's burst and dash overwhelm you.
Respect his level 2. Farm safely.
Kai'Sa R dives directly onto you. No escape.
E slow when she R's. Hope your support peels.
Wins Against
You outscale Ashe and your W outranges her late.
Farm equally. You win at 3+ items.
Sivir can't match your DPS at any stage.
Free farm lane. Outscale.
Ezreal's poke is manageable and you outscale.
Farm safely. Your late game DPS dwarfs his.
Team Comp
Best Synergies
The best protect-the-carry pairing — Lulu R knockup, W polymorph, E shield, and Ardent attack speed buff all directly keep Kog'Maw alive and attacking at full W DPS throughout teamfights.
R Monsoon physically pushes all assassins and divers off immobile Kog'Maw; Tailwind movement speed prevents him from being caught while W active gives his extended range poke.
Malphite's hard engage and tankiness absorb all incoming damage so Kog'Maw can freely auto-attack with W active — Malphite's R groups enemies for Kog'Maw's W on-hit AoE.
Mantra E speed plus E shield protect Kog'Maw; Ardent Censer attack speed buff stacks with his W DPS steroid for an even larger on-hit damage output during the shield window.