Pantheon has a fixed order for maximizing skills: We always maximize the Q first, then the W and finally the E. Starting with W gives us the strongest level 1 for the lane.

Pantheon can collect up to 5 stacks on his passive with autoattacks and abilities. If he then uses an ability, it is boosted and the stacks are used up. Let’s take a closer look at how best to use the boosted abilities.

Pantheon can charge and throw his Q, the so-called ThrowQ, or simply tap it briefly, the TapQ. In 95% of cases, we will use the TapQ, as the cooldown is significantly shorter and the damage to enemies behind the first target hit is not reduced.

The best boosted ability is W, as in this case our next autoattack will be a triple hit that gives us back 3 stacks directly. The boosted W also results in the most important combo: Boosted W -> Triple Hit -> TapQ -> Autoattack -> Boosted E.

The E gives us damage immunity against all targets that our shield is aimed at. You can end the E early to perform the shield bash directly, but this is only useful in a few cases if you want to burst a target as quickly as possible. With the boosted E, we gain movement speed and resistances after the ability ends. This is why the standard combo is so effective: we set our burst, use the E to avoid taking damage and then simply run away with the buff.

In some trades, however, there is no danger, in which case we don’t need to boost the E and prefer to keep it as a safety net. In this case, the combo looks like this: Boosted W -> Triple Hit -> TapQ -> Autoattacks until Q is ready again -> TapQ or ThrowQ, depending on how far away the opponent is.

If we don’t have the full 5 stacks before a fight, it’s not too bad. There are several ways to build stacks quickly. If we use our ult, we automatically get 5 stacks after landing. We can also charge our passives while moving or in the bush with TapQs deployed in the air, as these cost little mana, or simply collect the stacks with autoattacks on minions.

If we start a fight with 3 or 4 stacks, there are other optimal combos. With 3 stacks the order is W -> Autoattacks -> Boosted TapQ, with 4 stacks W -> Boosted TapQ -> Autoattacks.

The order of the abilities is particularly important because we want to use up our 5 stacks as quickly as possible in order to recharge them immediately. If we are close to 5 stacks, we should not waste the only available ability, but fill up the 5 stacks with autoattacks before we use a boosted ability.

Our boosted W gives us more damage through Press the Attack (Focused Attack) than the boosted Q and allows us to get stacks back faster. This is why we prioritize the W over the Q, although the Q is still often used more due to its shorter cooldown.

The E remains a defensive tool in most cases. If our goal is to block an important ability of the opponent, we prefer to strengthen another ability rather than the E.

A simple rule is: If we can threaten the opponent, we boost the Q or W for more damage. If the opponent can threaten us, we boost the E for more survivability.

If the opponent has less than 20% health, our Q hits critically. In this case, we always prioritize a boosted Q to get as much damage out of it as possible.