Swain
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Excellent (9.5/10)
High Investment Required
Paid Relics
Swain is a premier control and burn champion, widely considered one of the most dominant forces in the game alongside Aurelion Sol. His power is exceptionally high at maximum investment, but he requires specific relic synergies and constellation upgrades—particularly the Pyromantic Wake minor node—to achieve his full potential as an effortless board-clearing engine.
The High Command Siege
Provides essential early-game tempo. The starting Nexus drain automates Plunder triggers for early deployment, while the spell mana refill facilitates immediate removal upon summon.
Grants an additional starting mana gem. This accelerates the deck's curve, allowing high-cost removal spells to be used as early as the first round.
Crucial for build functionality. This relic provides +2 Health, ensuring Swain reaches the 8+ Health threshold to be considered 'Titanic' and activate the Starforged Gauntlets. Additionally, the mana refill upon leveling allows for massive spell-chaining turns.
Strategy
This configuration maximizes resource acceleration and sustain. By ensuring Swain is 'Titanic' via the Battery, you gain a significant mana advantage. The strategy involves deploying Swain early to capitalize on his stun-locking passive and using the resulting mana refills to chain high-impact spells.
Noxian Artillery Barrage
- Acts as the primary engine for Plunder activation and sustain, keeping the general supplied with spell mana.
Synergizes with the Raven Army's automatic drain to provide immediate cost reduction. The scaling stats also ensure Swain remains a formidable threat in late-game scenarios.
Functions as a secondary board wipe. The multiple skill procs benefit from Swain's damage amplification, typically leveling him instantly and devastating the opposing field on summon.
Strategy
This build focuses on an explosive mid-game arrival. By reducing Swain's cost via Plunder, you can summon him for as little as 1 mana, triggering a barrage of Skill damage that simultaneously satisfies his level-up requirement and clears the enemy board.
Accessible Suppression (Rare Focus)
- The most effective rare relic for progressing Swain's level-up requirement. It ensures that his entry into the field results in immediate board disruption.
Provides necessary cost reduction through Plunder, which is easily achieved through the deck's numerous low-cost burn options.
Amplifies the efficiency of every spell and skill in the deck. This increased damage is vital for hitting lethal thresholds on high-health nightmare units.
Strategy
Designed for accessibility, this build focuses on the core synergy between cost reduction and Skill damage. The goal is to damage the Nexus early, deploy Swain at a discount, and use his amplified Skills to establish absolute board control.
Other Relic Options
A high-impact alternative that triggers Swain's level-up instantly on play by damaging the entire board, which activates his passive stuns for the remainder of the round.
Increases the density of champion spells in the deck, facilitating a more consistent and spam-heavy control playstyle.
Useful for triggering an immediate Nexus strike, which provides the necessary non-combat damage to progress level-up conditions or trigger stuns if Swain is already transformed.
Relic choices should prioritize either cost reduction via Plunder mechanics or the amplification of non-combat damage to maximize Swain's disruptive capabilities.
Constellation
Swain's constellation is exceptionally powerful, transforming him from a slow control deck into an inevitable offensive powerhouse. His upgrades focus on amplifying non-combat damage and resource management.
Crush the Weak
Your first spell or Skill each round deals 1 extra damage for each 5 Health the enemy Nexus is missing.
Collateral Damage
+1 Starting Mana. When a unit dies, deal 1 to the enemy nexus.
Crush the Weak II
Your first three spells or Skills each round deal 1 extra damage for each 5 Health the enemy Nexus is missing.
Raiding Party
When you damage the enemy Nexus, grant the top ally in your deck +1|+1.Review
The Raiding Party node is considered high-impact, providing essential stat scaling that ensures Noxian spells and units maintain relevance against the numeric growth of endgame enemies.
Manaflow
Game Start: Get a mana gem.Review
The additional starting mana is a fundamental requirement for tackling highest-tier adventures, allowing for proactive board management on Round 1.
Demonic Ascension
When you damage an enemy with a spell or Skill, deal the same amount to all other enemies as well.Review
Demonic Ascension is an overwhelming power spike. By mirroring single-target spell and skill damage to all other enemies, Swain transforms every individual removal spell into a comprehensive board wipe, effectively trivializing unit management.
Gameplay Tips
- Maximize Pyromantic Wake Synergies
Strategic analysis identifies the Pyromantic Wake minor node as Swain's most critical internal synergy. The additional damage to the enemy Nexus scales with his passive, turning every drafted spell into a devastating strike that accelerates his level-up.
- Optimize Titanic Thresholds for Starforged Gauntlets
When utilizing Starforged Gauntlets, ensure Swain meets the Titanic threshold (8+ Health or Power) while in the deck. Relics like Jayce's Hextech Battery or Luminous Orb are mandatory for lower-level accounts to reach the required Health threshold to activate the extra mana.
- Strategic Priority Passing
Passing priority early is a superior tactic to bait enemy mana usage. This allows you to deploy board-wiping spells or summon Swain without the risk of the AI responding with interaction or protective spells.
- Health as a Defensive Resource
Due to Swain's ability to stun the strongest enemy upon Nexus damage, it is often more efficient to take minor damage early to preserve unit health. Once Swain is leveled, his passive stuns will naturally stabilize the board state.
- Efficient Drafting
Prioritize drafting low-cost burn spells or units that generate pings. Because Swain scales all damage sources based on lost Nexus health, even minor pings become high-impact removal tools in the late game.