Liandry’s Torment vs Blackfire Torch: My Take
Alright, let’s get this out of the way first I’m not a pro player. I don’t have a million LP or some Challenger badge next to my name. I just play League a lot, and I love messing around with builds, trying things out, and seeing what actually works in real games. So yeah, this isn’t some theorycraft-heavy breakdown. It’s based on my own experience, testing both Liandry’s Torment and Blackfire Torch.
Both of these items deal burn damage and scale off ability hits, which sounds similar on paper but when you actually play with them, the difference is pretty clear. Let’s compare how they actually perform, when each one shines, and why I personally lean toward one more than the other depending on the game.
What Liandry’s Torment Gives and How It Works
Price: 3000 gold
Stats:
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60 Ability Power
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300 Health
Effects:
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Torment: Damaging abilities burn enemies for 2% of their maximum health as magic damage per second, lasting 3 seconds.
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Suffering: For each second in combat, you deal 2% bonus damage, stacking up to 6% over 3 seconds.
Best for:
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Tanky enemies with large health pools
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Extended fights where you want to wear down opponents gradually
What Blackfire Torch Gives and How It Works
Price: 2800 gold
Stats:
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80 Ability Power
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600 Mana
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20 Ability Haste
Effects:
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Blazeful: Damaging abilities burn enemies for 3 seconds (damage scales with total Ability Power — needs confirmation).
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For each enemy champion, epic monster, or large monster affected by the burn, you gain 4% Ability Power (stacks).
Best for:
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Burst damage and quick fights
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Increasing your Ability Power during teamfights or jungle clears
When Liandry’s Torment Is Better
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You’re facing tanky champions with big health pools (like tanks or bruisers).
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You prefer to fight longer teamfights where you can stack that Suffering damage over time.
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You want extra survivability with the 300 Health boost.
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Your playstyle focuses on sustained damage from abilities rather than quick bursts.
Pros:
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Great for prolonged fights
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Provides health for durability
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Damage scales well over time
Cons:
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More expensive (3000 gold)
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Less immediate burst damage
When Blackfire Torch Is Better
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You want higher Ability Power right away (80 AP vs 60 AP).
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You need more mana and Ability Haste to spam abilities more often.
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Your fights tend to be shorter and you want to burn down enemies quickly.
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You’re jungling or fighting multiple enemies to stack the Ability Power bonus faster.
Pros:
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Cheaper (2800 gold)
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Gives quick burst potential
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Mana and Ability Haste help with ability spamming
Cons:
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Less health, so less durability
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Burn damage duration is shorter
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Stacking AP depends on hitting multiple targets
Final Thoughts
From my experience, which item is better really depends on your champion and the enemy team. For example, I main Vladimir, and in almost every situation, I pick Liandry’s Torment. Over time, it just does more damage and fits my playstyle better.
At the end of the day, it’s about what works best for you and your champion. Both items have their strengths, so try them out and see what fits your game.
