TLDR Singed is in a worse position due to item changes and shorter game duration. There are a lot of viable item paths and runes for Singed, but the chaotic situation suggests that there is no optimal way to play Singed in pre-season. It also, once again, manifests Riot’s bias against Singed in favour of popular big-boob flashy champions.

Context

I was a D3 Singed one-trick 2 seasons ago. I’ve recently started playing rank, encountering players from gold to low plat elo. I just want to organise the information we have on reddit for the interest of Singed mains.

Item changes in pre-season have been unfavourable against Singed, as the game duration is now shorter with so much burst damage available in early-mid game. Meanwhile, Singed’s first two items have become more expensive (i.e. increased from 5700 g to 6400 g, unless your second item is Imperial Mandate). This explains the drop of winrate from 50 % to 48% across silver to diamond elo in the latest 10.25 patch according to Champion.gg.

Runes

It's just about personal preference at this stage since none of the runes are optimal.

• Conqueror - Useful only if you engage in a long trade/fight. This rune remains popular in diamond (Socialist Singed's favourite).

• Fleet Footwork - A bit of sustain and speed. May be helpful in a hard lane. This rune is spotted in diamond .

• Predator - Useful only if you constantly use the active to roam. May be useful in lane if you have an early lead.

• Dark Harvest - Useful only if you could stack. Weak in early game, good in later teamfight. This rune remains popular in diamond (Minishcap1's favourite).

• Phase Rush - Useful only if you are against champions with slow (e.g. Nasus and Darius). But then, you could do the same job with other runes if you are skillful enough.

• Aftershock - A bit of tankiness and damage during short trades. It has short CD. This rune is spotted in diamond .

• Unsealed spellbook - For utility and creativity. This rune is spotted in diamond .

• Nimbus Cloak - Celerity/Transcendence - Scorch (Gathering Storm is for AP Singed).

• Taste of Blood - Ravenous Hunter

• Triumph/Presence of Mind - Legend: Tenacity - Last Stand (it is harder to trigger Coup de Grace).

Items

According to op.gg, the common item paths in both low and high elo are as follows:

• Rush Rylai's, then Mythic (e.g. Imperial Mandate/Riftwalker)

• Rush Mythic, skip Rylai and go for Demonic Embrace

• For AP Singed, most players rush Protobelt (instead of Night Harvester), then Hourglass/Morellos.

• For Ambulance Singed, it's Moonstone, then Rylai’s/ Redemption/ Staff of flowing water (thx to u/moody_P)

• Not gonna talk about Tank Singed, since there are too many viable varieties.

Some comments on item changes:

• While Singed is undoubtedly stronger with 4th/5th item, game generally ends when you finish your 2nd/3rd item. The implication of item change is that you reach your peak later, and you are punished harder for making bad decisions/losing in laning phase.

• Rylai's - It was compulsory to rush this core item, but now it's a personal choice. This is because Riftwalker and Demonic Embrace provide stronger stats in terms of damage and survivability.

• Night Harvester - It is theoretically a good item, but there are alternatives such as Protobelt, Cosmic Drive, Dead Man's and Force of Nature. Again, it's a personal choice.

• Imperial Mandate - It is a strong 2nd item due to its cheap cost and teamfight utility. Note that when you buy your 2nd item, it is also the time where teamfight is likely to start. Again, it’s a personal choice.

• Liandry’s Anguish - The old Liandry’s Torment is effectively replaced by both Riftwalker and Demonic Embrace. The new item provides better damage stats but it fails to offer tankiness, in which Singed desperately needs in the era of chaos.