Rammus's Taunt ability compels an enemy champion or monster to attack him directly, while simultaneously granting Rammus a significant Attack Speed boost, which is extended if he has other abilities active.
Understanding Rammus's Taunt Ability
Rammus's Taunt is a powerful crowd control ability that serves both defensive and offensive purposes. It forces an opponent to focus their attacks on Rammus, drawing aggro and potentially saving his allies from damage. Concurrently, it empowers Rammus by increasing his own combat effectiveness.
Core Mechanics of Rammus's Taunt
- Forced Assault: When Rammus successfully taunts an enemy champion or monster, that target is immediately compelled to launch a reckless assault directly against Rammus. This means the target will stop any other actions (like casting spells on allies or moving away) and dedicate their basic attacks to Rammus for the duration of the taunt.
- Self-Buff: Increased Attack Speed: Upon casting Taunt, Rammus gains a substantial increase to his Attack Speed. This bonus allows him to deliver more basic attacks within a short timeframe. This is particularly synergistic with Rammus's passive, which causes his basic attacks to deal bonus magic damage scaling with his Armor.
- Duration Extension: The increased Attack Speed bonus Rammus gains from his Taunt can be extended. This occurs if any of his other spells (such as Powerball, Defensive Ball Curl, or Tremors) are active while the Attack Speed buff from Taunt is ongoing. This encourages chaining his abilities for prolonged combat effectiveness.
Strategic Importance
The Taunt is a cornerstone of Rammus's kit, enabling him to:
- Control Engagements: Dictate who enemies attack in teamfights, peeling for vulnerable allies by forcing high-threat champions to target him.
- Enhance Damage Output: Combine the Attack Speed buff with his passive to deal considerable damage, especially against targets he's taunted.
- Secure Objectives: Effectively manage neutral monsters like Dragon or Baron by forcing their attacks onto Rammus, allowing his team to focus on damage.
- Isolate Targets: Draw a single enemy out of position by taunting them, setting them up for a focus fire from Rammus's team.
Practical Applications
Rammus's Taunt is highly versatile across various game scenarios:
- In Teamfights: Use it to lock down an enemy carry (marksman or assassin), forcing them to attack the highly armored Rammus instead of squishier teammates.
- During Ganks: After rolling in with Powerball, Taunt the target to ensure they cannot escape or retaliate effectively while your allies follow up.
- Jungle Clearing: Taunt large jungle monsters to quickly gain Attack Speed and clear camps faster, thanks to the synergy with his basic attack damage.
- Duel Potential: In a one-on-one situation, taunting an enemy increases Rammus's own damage output and forces the enemy to engage him directly, often playing into Rammus's strengths.
| Effect Name | Description | Target |
|---|---|---|
| Forced Attack | Compels the taunted enemy to attack Rammus. | Enemy Champion/Monster |
| Attack Speed Buff | Rammus gains increased Attack Speed. | Rammus |
| Duration Extension | Attack Speed buff duration is extended if other Rammus spells are active. | Rammus |
