Champions

[Kaden]

IE isn't very good on Garen. He gets neither utility nor survivability out of the item and he needs to itemize for both.

If you're stomping and have a stupid amount of gold, then sure, go for it. You're going to get a lot more out of staying alive long enough for a second use of your skills than you will from increasing the damage of the first use.

Sunfire is a good item, especially for Garen. Multiplicative stats are insanely good and the damage stacks up when you can stay alive (which Garen can do with said stats and his W active). It also gives him a source of magic damage which, though minor, is helpful since he's all physical.

Brutalizer is an amazing armor for Garen, especially early on. My suggestion, Mal, would be to stick one (or both) of the Doran's Blades and rush a brutalizer instead. You do miss out on the extra HP, but that's about it. Garen gets very little out of lifesteal as a stat and the damage is a wash because you're buying Longswords.

I like CDR boots on Garen most of the time because CDR is an insanely good stat on him. Merc's are still a really good choice (they always are for a bruiser) but CC is trickier on Garen since his E still does damage even if he's stunned during it. That's a judgment thing, mostly. I'd suggest running MS quints instead of boots3.

But yeah, I really don't recommend IE. At least not until you've gotten at least two, completed, defensive items. It's kind of a trap for Garen.