Riven
Master Tier Champion Guide
Identity: Why You Should Play Riven
Riven's identity is that of a high-skill, aggressive AD caster who excels at snowballing a lead. She is a lane bully who uses her high mobility and animation cancels to outplay opponents in duels and teamfights. Her goal is to dominate the early game and convert that lead into map-wide pressure, making her a formidable threat in the hands of a skilled player.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Strengths
Dominant Early Game Potential: Riven has one of the strongest Level Ones in the Top Lane, allowing her to establish a good position from the start and look for cheesy kills or early trades.
High Versatility and Mobility: Flash makes Riven extremely versatile. She is very fast on the map due to her ability to hop over walls and use her many dashes, making her excellent at clearing side waves and grouping quickly.
Powerful Snowballing: Riven functions best when she is ahead. If she gets a lead, she can be extremely hard to deal with and can wipe a team fight out.
Weaknesses
Vulnerable When Behind or Even: It can be extremely hard to play Riven if she is even or behind, depending on the enemy team composition.
Weakened by Lacking Cooldowns: Riven is 50% stronger in any team fight if she has Flash, Guardian Angel, or a Stopwatch available. Playing without these key resources often requires a reserved playstyle.
Inefficiency is Punishing: Players must be as efficient as possible on the map. If Riven groups up mid too often and loses efficiency and resources, she will fall behind.
Laning Phase
Riven's objective is to play aggressively and win her lane to gain a significant lead.
Falling Behind
If you fall behind, your goal is to clear as many side waves and farm jungle camps as you can to recover resources and get back into the game.
Level 1 and Trades
Use her strong Level 1 to trade aggressively, often by not leashing and attacking the opponent on the first wave.
Level Timers
Learn to use the Level 2 and Level 6 timers efficiently. Use a Q cast on the wave to secure the level-up and simultaneously close the gap for a favorable trade.
Standard Poke Trade (Vs. Melee)
Q forward to get close (or stand next to them), then press W + Auto-attack, and use E + Q to escape. Crucially, try to avoid using E to initiate small trades, as E is your ability to secure your exit and avoid opponent abilities (like Ornn's or Darius's).
Starting Items
The most common and aggressive start is Long Sword plus three potions (especially when running Flash + Ignite), as this gives an edge in early health trades.
Doran's Shield is taken into ranged matchups or neutralizing tanks (like Gragas) to ensure Riven does not fall behind.
Trading vs. Ranged
A golden rule: If you use E and two Qs to gap close, the trade will be bad 90% of the time. If you use E and only one Q to gap close, the trade can be good. This is because using too many Qs depletes the damage needed for your fast combo.
Team Fighting & Macro
Macro
Due to her mobility (dashes and wall hops), Riven is very fast and efficient at clearing waves and jungle camps.
Riven should be utilized to collect side waves and jungle camps quickly. It is important to not group up mid too often and lose efficiency.
Always make a plan when leaving base, such as: collect the side wave, look for a jungle camp, and then group mid. This makes her more efficient and helps maintain high CS averages.
If Flash is on cooldown, or you are close to completing a major item spike (like Death's Dance or Guardian Angel), stick to the side lane and farm until those timers are ready.
Team Fighting
Before joining a fight, track cooldowns and determine the win condition. Check if you have Flash, Guardian Angel, or a Stopwatch.
If Riven has her key cooldowns/items, she can play towards her limits and dive the enemy backline. If she lacks them, she should play more reserved, either playing front to back or waiting for a good flanking opportunity.
If the enemy carries lack Flash or other important cooldowns (like Zhonya's), they become the priority target.
If your ADC or primary carry is fed, Riven has good CC to peel for them and stop assassins like Zed from reaching them.
Key Combos
The Fast Combo
Q
QQThis is the most important combo for maximizing DPS. Clicking the ground after the auto-attack is vital, as it cancels Riven's Q recovery period, making the entire sequence faster. Use Q next to the target so Riven does not dash, speeding up the Q animation.
Q Delay All-in
QQ
EQUsed to close the gap and set up the main damage. If the Q charges are delayed properly, the Q cooldown will be back up almost instantly after the third cast. This allows you to immediately follow up with the Fast Combo.
Highest Burst Double Cast
E
WQUsed to burst down low-HP targets in the execution range. You are using W and Q simultaneously, sacrificing an auto-attack in between for higher instant burst. Can be combined with Flash: E → Flash → Auto + W + Q (instantly).
Tips & Tricks
Abilities
GeneralRiven is famous for her animation cancels. Both Q and W can be used to animation cancel her auto-attack.
At the end of the duration of Riven's
E ability, you are able to perform a double or even triple cast, using multiple abilities at once (e.g., E, wait a bit, then W + Q at once).
RAlways use R1 (Blade of the Exile) at the start of your fight/combo, as it increases the damage and range of both Q and W. Use R2 (Wind Slash) at the end of your combo, as it deals more damage depending on how low your opponent's HP is (execution damage).
You can cancel the animation of your R1 by using your
Q ability instantly after it (E into R + Q) for a smoother transition into the fight.