This Secret Kog'Maw Build is Breaking Ranked: Why Isn't He Getting Banned?

Kog'Maw is a champion many consider niche: weak early game, no mobility, vulnerable to assassins. But in the latest patch, one build fundamentally changes the perception of this champion and literally tears through solo queue. According to ChampSight.com, Kog'Maw has one of the highest win rates among ADCs, yet he's barely getting banned.

Players are finding ways to bypass Kog's weak sides and start pressuring with just two items, rather than waiting for the game to reach the 40-minute mark. And what's strangest - this build is still barely being used by anyone. The effect is additionally amplified by the fact that Kog'Maw isn't picked very often, so many players don't know how to play against him. As a result, we get an insane win rate with an average value above 60 percent.

The Build's Core: Speed, Damage, Free Boots

Items

Forget about Kraken Slayer, Galeforce, and Infinity Edge. Now the meta revolves around building: Guinsoo's Rageblade, Blade of the Ruined King, Runaan's Hurricane

All of this is built around the Lethal Tempo rune, which synergizes perfectly with his Bio-Arcane Barrage (W) ability.

Why this works:

Rageblade doubles the effect of W, adding magic damage to auto-attacks

Blade of the Ruined King provides current health damage and saves you in duels

Runaan's Hurricane turns Kog'Maw into a mega-pusher dealing damage to multiple champions in teamfights, all on-hit effects spread to additional targets including lifesteal

This combination turns Kog into a hybrid that's equally dangerous to tanks, fighters, and even assassins, if they don't kill him within a second (which won't happen if you follow the tips below).

Runes

Usually, players more often take Resolve as the secondary rune tree, but in this case, we'll look at alternative Kog'Maw runes with the highest win rate (incredible 60.4%!).

Primary Tree: Precision

• Lethal Tempo
• Triumph
• Legend: Alacrity
• Last Stand

Secondary Tree: Inspiration

• Magical Footwear
• Biscuit Delivery

Additional:

Adaptive Force + Attack Speed + Scaling Health

These runes allow you to build your first items faster and get the power spike Kog'Maw needs to start dominating.

How to Play This Build

Laning Phase

Kog'Maw isn't strong in the early levels, especially without a protective support. Your goal is to farm until your first back (usually Noonquiver or straight to Recurve Bow + Vampiric Scepter), don't die, and don't force fights at this stage. Biscuit Delivery will help maintain sustain in lane during this phase and make farming easier.

You can max either W -> Q -> E or W -> E -> Q, depending on the situation, but the most important thing is to choose W first - it's the core ability in this build.

Mid-Game Phase

The runes allow you to get Blade of the Ruined King faster. Upon purchasing it - a different phase begins. You can now safely trade 1v1 with most champions and quickly destroy the frontline in teamfights.

Guinsoo's Rageblade in the second slot enhances W so much that Kog'Maw starts dealing magic damage with every auto-attack, without crits, but with constant, guaranteed power.

Runaan's Hurricane is picked up third, and from this moment you literally demolish the entire enemy team, but it's important to remember positioning.

For late game stages, it's recommended to take Jak'Sho, The Protean, Wit's End, or something more situational (for example, if the entire enemy team has predominantly one damage type) with additional resistances and health. If the game drags on, you'll need protection so assassin champions with gap-closers don't one-shot you and your support can help you, while you already have colossal AOE damage from the first three items.

Why This Works But Isn't Meta and Why He's Rarely Banned Despite the Win Rate

The problem is that Kog'Maw requires understanding of positioning. He can't jump like Kai'Sa and doesn't escape from fights like Ezreal. Most players are afraid to pick him because "he's not mobile" and he's easy to focus.

But this build compensates for everything else:

1. Long attack range
2. High damage from a safe position
3. Consistent damage even without perfect teamfights
4. Magical Footwear gives additional 5 movement speed throughout the entire game and accelerates the purchase of Blade of the Ruined King
5. Late game items can be chosen for defense because you already have lots of damage against multiple targets, and percentage damage destroys even tanky opponents with their slightest mistake
6. With this build, damage almost always comes out half physical and half magical, which doesn't allow the enemy bruiser to focus on one type of resistance

In the next patch preview, there are also no changes related to items, runes, or Kog'Maw nerfs.

Summary

Kog'Maw with Guinsoo's, Blade of the Ruined King, and Runaan's Hurricane + Magical Footwear isn't just a new build. It's a meta-shifter with a 60+ win rate in Platinum and above that allows you to play an aggressive mid-game and punish the enemy team for the slightest mistakes in every teamfight.

To strengthen this imbalanced build even further, you might need a support friend playing the most suitable support champions for Kog'Maw, such as Milio or Lulu. While this champion requires some getting used to positioning, if you want to climb rating without depending on crits and snowballs - now is the time to pick up this monster. Before he gets nerfed or starts getting banned.