Bulls0717 here, a Set 2 Challenger player who is currently Grandmaster in Set 3. Cybernetics have been one of my favorite compositions of this set. On the surface, they are a fairly simple composition but the true skill in playing them comes from the early-to-mid game. They are one of the most consistent builds in the game if played correctly.
This guide is meant to explain the ins and outs of Cybernetics and to clear up some misconceptions about the comp.
Table Of Contents
Strengths
Extremely consistent – if played correctly Cybernetics can be played nearly every game
Very simple – Compared to other compositions such as Chrono Kayle, the units that you are playing are almost always the same
Strong early game – hitting the 3 Cybernetic trait early allows you to win streak and save hp
Tanky frontline – because of the HP gained from the Cybernetic bonus, your frontline will be able to tank damage and allow time for Irelia and Ekko to wipe out the enemy team
Item flexible – Due to the trait, Cybernetics naturally make use of any item
Weaknesses
Hard to play off of a loss streak – Cybernetics tend to fall off in the late game, so you really need to push the early and mid game win streak
They lack AOE damage – Irelia is the main damage dealer in Cybernetics and while she does a great job killing single targets, she cannot kill multiple units at once
They get outscaled late game – the late game of Cybernetics relies heavily on perfect Irelia items or finding Irelia 3. Cybernetics are not a first-place comp, you rely on the HP from winstreaking through the early and mid-game to last long enough for you to take a top 4
Items
Carousel Priority
First Carousel
Sword
Glove
Vest
Cloak and Belt
Rod and Bow
Focus on building strong early game items. Red Buff on Lucian is very strong early game. Slam the strongest items you can to guarantee a win streak.
Key Items
Irelia
2-3 offensive items and 0-1 Defensive
Offensive: IE> Last Whisperer(only if you already have IE)> Deathcap> Infiltrator Spatula >Deathblade =HOJ
Defensive: GA> Bloodthirster> Gunblade
Irelia mainly benefits from items that boost damage or increase her sustainability, but in my opinion, the best Irelia build is either double Infinity Edge and LW or depending on the lobby you may need a GA or BT
Note: Thieves glove Irelia can also be very strong but will not suffice as a strong late game carry
Ekko
1-2 Offensive and 0-1 Defensive Item
Offensive: Giant Slayer> Red Buff/Morello > Deathcap > Shojin =HoJ
Defensive: GA> Trap Claw
Ekko items are not prioritized when playing this comp. Ekko will often only have one item so he can take advantage of the Cybernetic trait. Red Buff is very strong on Ekko but just as strong on Lucian and is not worth selling the Lucian (if he’s 2*) to switch the item over. In general, focus on building perfect Irelia items and make use of the leftover items to make the best items possible for Ekko and the rest of your team.
Other Cybernetics items
Zephyr >>> Ionic >> Zeke’s/Locket > Single item components
Strategy
Early Game (Stage 1 & 2)
Simply put, always play your strongest board early-game. The ideal start would be with Cybernetics and look something like this.
1. Cybernetics
Lucian is your early game carry in Cybernetics and with a Red Buff will dish out significant damage.
Picking up Cybernetic units early on and spreading out items to take advantage of the Cybernetic trait is a great way to win streak early and protect your HP. Playing a Vanguard or Blaster at lvl 4 is your best option, as they are both 2 unit synergies that provide a power spike. If you happen to have a Red Buff early a Blaster would be your preferred lvl 4.
At level 5 you should be adding in either Vanguard or Blaster, whichever one you did not add at lvl 4. Playing a Jayce is ideal because along with Graves you are able to use the Space Pirate synergy to boost your economy. Jayce is also one of the strongest early game units in the game because of his hard-hitting AOE damage.
You should be leveling aggressively to push your win streak and have a better chance at rolling an early Irelia.
2. Playing your strongest board
Some games you may have the starting items for Cybers, but not the units. In this scenario, always play your strongest possible board. Piecing together a board like this while holding other Cybernetic units on your bench allows you to save hp instead of loss streaking. Simply only buying Cybernetics will not always result in a win streak, so try to avoid tunnel visioning on only those units.
Mid Game (Stage 3 & 4)
If you’re on a win streak, scout the lobby and see if you need to level in order to maintain that streak, if not you should level to 6 at 3-2 and continue playing your strongest boards. You should not be rolling at this stage unless you are extremely low on hp because your rolls will be much more valuable at lvl 8.
This is a possible board that I would be playing in the early mid game. Lucian will continue to carry your mid game until you find an Irelia. You should be leveling to 6 at either 3-1 or 3-2 depending on whether you’re winstreaking or not. At level 6 your options are very open as to what unit to add because you cannot gain any new synergies. Usually I tend to play the strongest possible unit, this could be another Blaster, Vanguard, or Cybernetic.
You should be leveling to 7 by 4-1. At level 7 there are plenty of possible boards that you can play, but I will go over two of them.
Option 1, the 4 Vanguard pivot, is seen above. 4 Vanguard is a very strong synergy that provides a tanky frontline for your Lucian. The units are fairly easy to find for this board as the most expensive unit is Jayce, a 3 cost.
Option 2, the 4 Blaster pivot, is seen below. This is a more expensive pivot that you will be in the position to make less often. Instead of adding in Poppy/Morde at 7, you add in Ezreal and Jinx. Because Jinx is a 4 cost, it is unlikely that you will naturally roll one. This makes this pivot much rarer than the 4 Vanguard pivot but will have significantly higher DPS.
Once you have achieved your mid-game board you should be focusing on picking up units for your final composition. Units such as Vi can be expensive to buy during the early game, but during stage 4 you should picking her up, as well as recognizing whether you need extra Lucains or Fioras (your typical item holders for Ekko and Irelia) in order to swap items onto your carries.
Cybernetics almost always level to 8 at 4-3. At this point, you should have at minimum 30+ gold to roll. Your main focus is obtaining 6 Cybernetics as fast as you can.
The picture above shows what an ideal level 8 board would look like. Extra item components should be put on Vi and Fiora. Continue to play your strongest possible board until you can hit this board or something similar to it.
Another potential option is going Fast 9. If you happen to have a strong board and plenty of health, you have the option of rolling a bit at level 8 and going to level 9 as early as you can with at least 30 gold left to roll with.
If you are unable to find Kayle 2 or a Miss Fortune the 2nd strongest option is to play Shen and Ezreal in their place. This is the point in the game where scouting becomes even more important. Position your Zephyrs to hit opponent carries and try to dodge Zephyrs yourself. Units such as Shen can be troublesome into Cybernetics, as well as Bramble Vests. Always scout for them and position Irelia on the opposite side.
Late Game (Stage 5+)
At this stage, you should either be level 8 or 9. If you have 2 starred everything but Ekko and Miss Fortune and have the hp to do so, you should level to 9 and add Thresh. Position Irelia and Thresh on opposite sides to avoid wasting Mana Reaver hits.
Level 9 is important for Cybernetics to be able to win the game. Your chances of hitting Ekko 2 and Miss Fortune 2 are greatly increased and you gain the Mana Reaver synergy. With the increased chances of rolling 5-cost units at level 9, you are able to find units such as Lulu much easier. Lulu is one of the best units for Thresh to pull in, because of the extra starting mana she gains from Thresh, causing her to cast quickly.
You should roll at 8 or 9 to hit everything 2 star and finalize your board. You should also be picking up strong units for Thresh to pull in if you are level 9. Tiaan’s tier list for the best units Thresh can pull in is seen below
Blitzcrank, Shen, Lulu
Lux, Wukong, Soraka
Fizz, Neeko, Cho’Gath
Remember that Irelia is your main carry and always prioritize 2-star Irelia over everything. Once you hit her, you stabilize and can start econing.
Variants and Positioning
Standard (Level 8)
Chrono (Level 8)
Mana Reaver (Level 9)
The positioning for Cybernetics is extremely flexible. Ekko at 2 stars can be frontlined for a faster ult or can be kept backline and positioned to jump on a specific target. Vi should always be positioned on the opposite side of the opponent’s carry. You also may need to put units such as Fiora in corners, as Blitzcrank or Zephyr bait.
