Champion Guide

Cho'Gath Guide

By LoLSuggest

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Cho'Gath is a durable mage-tank who grows with every Feast. Rupture knocks enemies up after a short delay, Feral Scream silences everyone in a cone, Vorpal Spikes empowers his attacks and Feast deals true damage that also secures dragons and Baron. Carnivore heals him whenever he kills a unit, so he survives even hard lanes. The newest guides play him as an AP tank in top lane, as a roaming Hail of Blades mage in mid, and in the jungle.

Recommended Setup

Our recommended Cho'Gath build

Our recommended runes, summoner spells and items. Compare build win rates on the stats page.

Items

Starting Items

Core Items

Situational Items

Start Doran's Ring and a Health Potion, or Doran's Shield against Teemo, Cassiopeia or ranged AD champions. The AP tank build rushes Rod of Ages with Ionian Boots of Lucidity, then Frozen Heart and Jak'Sho, The Protean; take Mercury's Treads against magic damage or targeted crowd control and Plated Steelcaps against physical damage. Against heavy magic damage add Kaenic Rookern, Hollow Radiance or Force of Nature, and against physical damage Sunfire Aegis and Thornmail. The roaming mid version runs Boots of Swiftness, Hextech Rocketbelt, Dead Man's Plate and Force of Nature. Run Grasp of the Undying with Demolish, Conditioning and Overgrowth, plus Triumph and Legend: Alacrity; the roaming build uses Hail of Blades with Cheap Shot, which also triggers off his crowd control. Take Flash and Teleport (Ghost when roaming). In the jungle the same tank items work with Smite and Mosstomper Seedling. Max Q, then W, then E.

Runes

Primary Tree

Secondary Tree

Summoner Spells

Skill Max Order

Strengths

Feral Scream is one of the strongest silences in the game and shuts down bruisers and assassins such as Riven or Jayce.
Feast secures kills and objectives with true damage and makes him tankier with every champion stack.
Carnivore's healing lets him survive almost any lane.

Weaknesses

Rupture is one of the hardest abilities in the game to land.
Mana-hungry early, and Feral Scream is expensive to use.
Long-range champions can poke him and stay out of his reach.

Laning Phase

At level 1 push the wave with Vorpal Spikes; it also resets your attack and slows, which makes Rupture easier to land. Predict the enemy's movement with Q, ideally from a brush or fog of war so they cannot see the cast coming. Against mobile champions such as Irelia, use Feral Scream first so they cannot dash out of Rupture, and do not waste W early because its mana cost is high. If you farm well, buy Lost Chapter with the wave that takes you to level 6, and Feast that wave's cannon minion right away unless a kill is coming within the next 20 seconds.

Mid & Late Game

Cho'Gath is at his best playing around his jungler: chain Feral Scream into Rupture, or follow your team's crowd control such as Leona's Q with your own. Keep Feast ready for objectives and never spend it right before dragon, Rift Herald or Baron. In teamfights stand at the front and save Feral Scream for the bruiser or assassin that threatens your team most.

Key Tips

Silence mobile champions with Feral Scream before you cast Rupture so they cannot dash out.
Vorpal Spikes resets your attack and slows, which sets up Rupture.
Feast the cannon minion at level 6 if you will not kill a champion in the next 20 seconds.
Hide in a brush before casting Rupture: enemies cannot see or hear it coming.

Matchups

Matchups and synergies

Our picks for difficult opponents, favorable lanes and strong allies. Compare matchup win rates on the stats page.