So I usually main some sort of DPS or DPS/Support (Nasus, Janna, Soraka) but I've found that Rammus is a ridiculously fun character to play, especially in solo queue where everyone is reluctant to play the tank. I seem to be doing alright as him in terms of skill build and tactics, but I'm still never certain how to build his items.

Obviously if there are more casters or vice versa I change to accommodate that, but my general build needs work I think. I'll just post what I usually use.

Cloth Armor, 2 HP pot, 2 mana pot
Heart of Gold, Boots 1
Chalice (I know this will probably get the most arguments against using, but the MR is nice and I find myself really needing the mana)
Aegis
Merc Treads/ Ninja Tabi
Sunfire (Sell HoG)
Frozen Heart

None of my games have ever gone beyond that, so this is what I end up with on a particularly long game.

So, any suggestions or alternate builds would be appreciated. Thanks. ^_^

I used to main Rammus. My build wasn't too different from yours, but I usually didn't go for sunfire cape, because I just generally didn't get things that didn't have any armor. I get Frozen Heart earlier and don't do chalice. And I usually have more health pots at the beginning as opposed to mana pots and am just very stingy with my spells for the first few levels.

So it's generally

Cloth armor + 4HP
HoG (either 1 or 2, if I can afford 2 early)
Ninja Tabi / Mercury
Frozen Heart (or Aegis, depending on how much it is team fights vs. ganks at this point)
The other of Aegis or frozen heart.

And after that my build varies depending on the game. Also, if money is tight I sometimes just get glacial shard instead of frozen heart, cause you still get 20% CD reduction I believe.

I use clarity and I usually dont get any mana regen, as you can just blue pill back, and then powerball back to your lane.

I get a dorans shield and a health pot right from the get-go.

Then I get boots (first trip back) and rush a sunfire cape. The reason for doing this is because it helps you farm IMMENSELY. You will have gold pouring in if you can get a sunfire cape at lower levels.

After that it is AEGIS

Then look at other team.
Nukers: Get a force of nature and guardian angel
Physical: Get a thornmail (recently buffed) and a wardens mail (cheap)
Both: Get a frozen heart and guardian angel

my ramus build focus around using him offensive , first item i go for is frozen hearth , this get u the mana u need , the cooldown for taunt and the def u want , is the perfect item for him , my second being the armor with cooldown and 50hp , with that u can tank better , the idea is to use ur taunt ult to the max, opening with ball taunting and ulting as ur team come down the battle , , sometimes u just need to get close enough taunt someone and run all the way back while ur team kill him for good ^^ , granted t may not be the best build but is a pretty fun ramus to play , Is rly fun thinking how thye feel when they lose control on team battles :P

I start out with the shield thing, adds defense and gives you hp Regan (sorry I don't know the name) Then buy 1hp pot.

Then go Guardian Angel, then decide between thornmail or frozen heart depends what the other team is. Also, if they have lots of caster's I'll get a banshes.

My build-
Dorans+hp pot
HoG+ Boots 1
HoG
Merc treads
Aegis
Banshee
Once Ive completed banshee I sell dorans and start working on either Warmogs/GA/Thornmail/Sunfire.