Not too long ago, I ran across a strange top lane pick in ranked. I faced off against a Soraka in top lane, so I decided that this week’s spotlight would be about Soraka.
Soraka’s Story:
Once a celestial being, Soraka healed those who sought her out. After a man named Warwick visited her with his wife dead in his arms, life as Soraka knew it changed. Tricked by Warwick, Soraka gave up her immortality to help him. In the end Warwick inflicts a grave wound on Soraka and runs off. Soraka cursed the man with all the celestial power she could call upon. Since then, Soraka has devoted herself to healing those in need wherever they are.
Soraka’s Stats and Skills:
Salvation (Passive):
Soraka restores 1% more health and mana for every 2% that the target is missing.
Starcall (Q):
Soraka strikes all nearby enemy units within range for magic damage, reducing their magic resistance by 6 (+1% AP) for 5 seconds. This effect stacks up to 10 times. In addition, the cooldown for Astral Blessing is reduced if Soraka hits at least one enemy champion.
Astral Blessing (W):
Soraka restores health and grants bonus armor to target ally for 2 seconds.
| Skill Level | Base Heal (+35% AP) | Max Heal (Salvation) (+52.15% AP) | Bonus Armor (+15% AP) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | 70 | 105 | 50 |
| Tier 2 | 120 | 180 | 65 |
| Tier 3 | 170 | 255 | 80 |
| Tier 4 | 220 | 330 | 95 |
| Tier 5 | 270 | 402 | 110 |
Infuse (E):
Friendly Target: Soraka drains 5% of her maximum mana to restore mana to target ally.
Enemy Target: Soraka silences enemy and deals magic damage to them.
| Skill Level | Base Mana Restored (+5% Max Mana) | Max Mana Restored (+7.5% Max Mana) | Damage (+40% AP and 5% Max MP) | Silence Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | 20 | 30 | 40 | 1.5s |
| Tier 2 | 40 | 60 | 70 | 1.75s |
| Tier 3 | 60 | 90 | 100 | 2s |
| Tier 4 | 80 | 120 | 130 | 2.25s |
| Tier 5 | 100 | 150 | 160 | 2.5s |
Wish (R):
Soraka restores health to herself and all allies, regardless of range. This effect works on untargetable allies as well.
| Skill Level | Base Health Restored (+55% AP) | Max Health Restored (Salvation) (+82.5% AP) |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | 150 | 225 |
| Tier 2 | 250 | 375 |
| Tier 3 | 350 | 525 |
Is Soraka The Champion For You?
Soraka is primarily played as a support. Soraka isn’t a top-tier support this season, instead the heavy CC champions fill those roles. There is an alternative role for Soraka, but it’s extremely risky if you don’t understand how to do it. Running Soraka top lane is a counter to most of the top-tier top laners, especially the ones with no self-heal such as Shyvana.
The trick to top Soraka is getting Q first, and then W. Use the cooldown reduction bonus from your Q to your advantage. Make sure you’re hitting your E once you get a stack or two of your Starcall debuff on the enemy for additional damage. The reason this works is because no one expects to die to a Soraka with a tanky champion, but utilizing Soraka’s combos effectively can put you well ahead of the enemy top laner.
Overall, Soraka is still a primary target once you hit level 6, whether you go support or top lane. Her global heal is a direct counter to Karthus’ global magic damage. It can also make the difference in small skirmishes and full team fights. If this is the kind of approach you’re looking for, I recommend trying Soraka out. Otherwise, check out my other League of Legends Champion Spotlights.
