Gandalf is one of the strongest guardians in GoME. He can play support, carry, or run mid-lane. As a result, having a strong Gandalf in your arsenal can be the difference between victory and defeat. The following is a rough guide designed to help you learn, and then excel at one of GoME’s most feared guardians.

About the author: Ledzep has been playing GoME for close to two years. First on Ps3, and recently on the Steam verison. He enjoys mostly custom games with friends, but would love to see battlegrounds get more active! Feel free to add and comment on Steam: ledzepIV


Abilities and Leveling

The following is a list of Gandalf’s abilities as well as a rough guide to leveling each one.

Ability 1 - Flame of Anor (level at 12-14)
A shield which also invokes long range true sight. As you level it, the shield grows stronger.

Ability 2 - Narya’s Power (level at 2,4,6)
Ability DOT(damage over time) for each enemy within close range. Also invokes blindness to any enemy caught within close range, as well as buffs all damage resistance types. As you level it, the damage grows larger and the blindness last longer.

Ability 3 - Gandalf’s Might (level at 3,8,10)
True Ability Damage and Root on one enemy guardian at close range. In addition, ability life-steal on same enemy. Leveling this ability increases damage and life-steal.

Ability 4 (Ult.) - Fireworks (level at 5,7,9,11)
Medium range AOE(Area of effect) Ability DOT. Also invokes silence on each enemy caught within medium range. Leveling increases damage per second and length of silence.

Passive - Lore Master
Adds basic damage resistance and 10 AP (Ability Power) per level.


Note: Flame of Anor can be leveled earlier if pair against tough opponents, but is suggested only as a last resort if under leveled.

Loadouts
When I first played Gandalf, I prefered a more old-school style belt. Long Lake(If you spend 10 seconds without using an Ability, you get +120 Ability Power. This bonus lasts until 5 seconds after using an Ability), Black Gate (Using an Ability gives you a Shield that blocks 20 damage per Level for 15 seconds. While the Shield is active, you get +10 Ability Power per Level. 20 second Cooldown), Doors of Durin ( Every 25 seconds the next damage you deal with an Ability will have 50 Ability Penetration. This bonus will last for 5 seconds after the damage is dealt). This style of belt has several advantages, including a relic at 4, an extra shield (which can stack with your own), as well as both APs (ability power and penetration). The belt is also complete at 14, as opposed to having to level the relics (think beorning’s strength or warg-claw).

Later I adopted Westernesse(You get +2 Ability Penetration per Level and +16 Ability Power per Level.) Warg-Claw(Killing an Enemy Guardian gives you +50 Ability Power. Stacks up to 4 times. You lose 2 stacks on death.) This gives you less flexibility, and makes getting levels and kills more important. If played right, it can be a devastating build for your opponents to face.

As far as gems, I got strait Ability power gems and ability cooldown. The single green gem is up to you, I like to go resistance to basic damage.

Either belt can serve you well. The second has more upside, the first will be more consistent game to game.

Potions
I typically take one xp potion, one healing potion, and two ability potions, whichever you prefer. Use them early for the extra xp, to stay in lane longer, and to get early pushes

Commands
Tier One- Heal - stay in lane early
Tier Two- Smite - get that early kill
Tier Three - Ability Amplify - take it into a team fight and watch them drop
Tier Four- Summon D - trap them in your Ult.

Play Style in 3-Lane
Gandalf excels early at lane control. Later, in the team fights, he excels at crowd control and clean up. Learning how to play within Gandalf’s strengths and weaknesses can be hard at first, but with practice, you will be controlling matches in no time!

Early game, you are most likely not going to rack up kills. As a result of his limited basic damage, getting into 1v1 fights early is typically a bad idea. Staying alive and getting levels should be the biggest focus until level 5. At that point, using your Ult. to support, gank and push creep becomes a larger focus. If you run Mid-lane, level 5 will also signal the time for early ganks and lane switches. Gandalf is one of the better guardians to run ganks and solo-mid, so don’t hesitate to try!

Early in the match, hide in the bush or beneath your tower. As two creep lines fall into ranks, use your shield and run into the middle of the enemy creep and immediately use Narya’s Power on as many enemies as you can manage. Don’t be scared to get right into it! As long you’re not out numbered, you will typically be able to absorb enough damage initially with theshield to come out on top health-wise. Remember that Narya’s Power will blind everyone in close range, so as long as your shield lasts through the initial damage, Narya’s Power basically negates the rest. After the blindness wears off, make a small push for space and try to land Gandalf’s Might to recoup whatever life you may have lost in the first push. Back off and wait for the next wave of creep. Rinse and repeat until level 5.

Once level 5 hits, Gandalf becomes much stronger and more survivable. Still, avoiding 1v1 fights at the shrines is typically a pretty good idea, as Gandalf is better at lane control and team fights. Gandalf is also a strong ganker. To get a good gank with Gandalf, wait till the opponents push past half-way in any lane (the further the better). Drop your Ult. behind them (works best running strait up or down), hit them with Nayra’s power and root the weakest guardian with Gandalf’s might. This can often be achieve directly at level 5, provided the adjacent lane is being pushed.

As far as team fights go, there are two main ways to play them with Gandalf. You can initiate, or run clean up. If you decide to initiate, make sure you and your team-mates are on the same page. Use your shield to get as much space as possible before using your Ult. Then push on with your team-mates, using Narya’s power as soon as you can hit a couple Guardians. Use Gandalf’s Might early to catch squishy guardians within your Ult. or later to regain health and root guardians that are fleeing the scene. This type of play with Gandalf carries high risk, but also high rewards. You may kill half the team basically yourself, or you may die before you get a chance to use your Ult. For this reason I do not recommend it if you are under-leveled or generally when you’re losing the game.

The other option is the one that I typically employ, which is more a nuke role(heavy group damage). In this style, you wait for the opponent to commit into a team fight, and come in halfway through the battle, hopefully to turn the tides. Wait in hiding, or just behind your team. Once it is clear the teams are engaged in fighting, run in and use Narya’s power on as many basic damage dealers as you can. The idea here is to negate damage that would otherwise clear your teammates. As long as they do not turn and run, use your Ult. in as central of the battle as you can safely manage. Finally use Gandalf’s might to capture fleeing guardians and regain some health. If enemies flee into the bush, use your shield to reveal them to teammates.

-Happy Hunting, Ledzep

Feel free to comment, ask questions, and add me on Steam at LedzepIV