Udyr, the tigerturtlebearphoenix!

This is my first guide, let alone post written on these forums. Any opinion or advice is welcome.


Basics – Skills


Monkey's Agility (Passive): When Udyr enters a stance he temporarily gains 15% attack speed and 6% dodge. This effect can stack.


[Q]: Tiger Stance.

Activation: Udyr's next attack will deal a high amount of damage over 3 seconds.

Persistent: Udyr's attack speed is passively increased. In addition, Udyr splits his attacks into 3 lightning fast hits.

about:
This is an important ability. Important enough to be the 2nd priority ability, this is what will help you get some early kills and overall kick some mean behind. As the text says in-game only the first hit will be trigger ”On Hit” effects such as Wit's End. So no use in stacking such items just for that, the attack speed however is quite welcome, especially when coupled with his passive; Monkey's Agility.


[W]: Turtle Stance.

Activation: Udyr gains a temporary shield that absorbs damage.

Persistent Udyr's attacks cannot critically hit, but he restores health and mana equivalent to a percentage of his damage dealt.
This is your skill for fighting.

about:
This is Udyr's most important ability. You gain an effective shield to avoid damage and you practically get to have Lifesteal and... Manasteal with this stance.
So you can't crit. So what? We aren't going to be needing any critical strike chance with this setup anyway.
Just make sure you time the shield properly. If you see a spell coming your way... Pop the shield!
This is your skill for protection, during offence or defence.


[E]: Bear Stance.

Activation: Udyr gains a large movement speed increase for a short duration (duration increases with level).

Persistent: Udyr's attacks stun the target for 1 second. This effect cannot occur on the same target for 5 seconds.

about:
What can you do with Bear Stance? What can't you do with Bear Stance! Chase, flee, move fast!
This ability will easily let you catch up to any champion not on steroids, and it'll let you run away from champions just as easily. An easy advantage is also moving across the field at a tremendous speed, since I for instance don't use Teleport.
This is your skill for running.


[R]: Phoenix Stance.

Activation: Udyr sounds out pulsing waves of fire dealing damage to nearby foes for 5 seconds.

Persistent: Every third attack, Udyr engulfs enemies in front of him in flame.
about:

This skill is completely irrelevant for this setup. Do not look at it! Do not even think about getting it unless you can't spend any more points into anything else. You will not be using it, at all.
This is your skill for... Looking pretty, I guess.


Basics – Character


Health: Average.
Attack: Strong.
Spells: Average.
Difficulty: Hard.


The mystics of Ionia delve into the deepest mysteries of Valoran, pioneering the most inner depths of spirituality. Their adepts are some of the most devout proponents of enlightenment and harmony...but as is always the case, there are those who follow a very different path. Born in a grassy clearing under a red moon, Udyr has always been compelled by the primal drive within him. His will was not untempered, simply undomesticated. As a boy, he toiled on his father's farm, but he felt a much deeper connection with the mustangs that would graze in the distant fields than with the townsfolk who would visit. Oftentimes he was dragged into the house at night with a swat and a scolding when his parents would find him sleeping beneath the stars.


On the day of his sixteenth birthday, Udyr bade his family farewell and struck a path to the east, determined to shed the trappings of ''civilized'' society. Freed of the shackles of cultural expectations, Udyr tapped into a well of inner ferocity he hadn't known before. His feral senses roiled to the surface and he let them overcome him. It was at this point in his life that Udyr truly lost his humanity. Poachers and travelers who entered his territory did so at terrible risk, and rarely managed to leave it.


A monk on a long journey passed through his woods one day, and Udyr decided to scare him, leaping from a nearby brush. The monk casually turned and redirected Udyr to one side. Udyr, enraged, tried time and time again to best him, but the monk was unassailable. When Udyr was exhausted, the monk wordlessly beckoned him to follow, and together they walked in silence to the Hirana Monastery. The monks there took him in, and taught him to harness and control his animalistic fury...most of the time.


Build


Ability Path


Level 1: Turtle Stance (1)
Level 2: Tiger Stance (1)
Level 3: Turtle Stance (2)
Level 4: Tiger Stance (2)
Level 5: Turtle Stance (3)
Level 6: Tiger Stance (3)
Level 7: Turtle Stance (4)
Level 8: Tiger Stance (4)
Level 9: Turtle Stance (5)
Level 10: Tiger Stance (5)
Level 11: Bear Stance (1)
Level 12: Bear Stance (2)
Level 13: Bear Stance (3)
Level 14: Bear Stance (4)
Level 15: Bear Stance (5)
Level 16: Phoenix Stance (1)
Level 17: Phoenix Stance (2)
Level 18: Phoenix Stance (3)


Items


First: Boots of Speed → Berserker's Greaves / Ninja Tabi (depending on opposing team).
Second: Any item(s) that will become Tiamat → Tiamat
Third: Long Sword / Recurve Bow → Last Whisper
Fourth: Vampiric Scepter / Emblem of Valour → Stark's Fervor
Fifth: Long Sword → Black Cleaver
Sixth: Bloodthirster


Masteries


I'm not any sort of high-level, but a primary of utility is not bad in order to attain a better early game thanks to Meditation (3/3) where stances cost a lot of mana. Also improving attack speed through the use of offence is not a bad idea either, however improving critcal chance won't be useful since you're going to be running in Turtle Stance in most battles.


Summoner Abilities


Most preferred abilities are:


Cleanse and Ghost


or


Exhaust and Ghost


As to why:
Cleanse is a very effective tool if you're targeted. You can't activate your Turtle shield while stunned, so it'd be vital to either get up the shield fast or run away.


Exhaust is also a very effective tool as most people are aware of, it'll slow your opponent down and if chosen with masteries it'll also reduce their armour; making them an easier kill.


Both are quite well when teamed with Ghost.
With Cleanse, Ghost will allow you to escape effectively.
With Exhaust, Ghost will allow you to catch that runner!


And since Ghost and Bear form both increases movement speed, you'll reach quite a tremendous velocity with Udyr.


Game Strategy
Playing with Udyr, you'll have to remember to switch stances, near constantly when you are able to afford it (level 3-5 stances).

Tiger ↔ Turtle: Fighting head-on with an enemy.
Tiger ↔ Bear: Chasing an enemy.
Turtle ↔ Bear: Retreating or fleeing.


Early game (level 1-6)


Play defensively. That's all you have to do early on. You don't have anything with which you can harass, except for activating your shield and try to hit them with an attack (yes, shield. Since you'll be targeted by both Champions and minions). If possible, run with someone who can stun. This will allow you to more effectively utilize your Tiger Stance. Enemies don't like seeing that tiger pop up as you run towards them. This stage of the game is where you get your boots, and possible one or two components for Tiamat.


Mid game (7-12)


By now you may have gotten a kill or two, and if you've managed to push the enemies' tower, even have dealt a bit of damage to it. This is the stage where you get Tiamat. But why? Why Tiamat? I'll tell you why. Because that AoE damage you'll now deal (which, once you get it will probably lie about 130 damage to the main target) is very, very effective at pushing your enemies towers. You kill their minions before theirs can kill yours. And what does that bit of rambling mean? It means more meatshields! Push those towers down. Also once you get Tiamat you'll kill a lot more minions, meaning the way to Last Whisper and Stark's Fervor was just shortened a lot.


Late game (13-18)


This is where Udyr won't shine. He won't shine at all. Because he'll be covered in so much of your opponents' guts. In the beginning of this phase you'll probably be building Stark's Fervor. The reason for Stark's is simple. At this point your opponent's carries might get strong enough to start killing you off, so you want to prevent them from that, naturally. But you'll be strong enough at this point to start running around and pushing the different lanes' towers, if your team mates haven't already. In the end, you should even be strong enough to go toe-to-toe with Jax quite easily.


Credits to


HackerJacks



This guy first made me play as Udyr, so a big thanks to him.
Udyr applauds fellow brother Udyr!