SPatch 17.9
Bruiser Ryze
BruiserFast 9AP carry
Core Units

Ryze
7-cost · Carry

Wukong
4-cost · Frontline

Lissandra
4-cost · Carry

Taric
4-cost · Frontline

Kindred
5-cost · Carry

Yunara
4-cost · Carry

Kennen
3-cost · Carry

Kobuko & Yuumi
3-cost · Utility

Sejuani
3-cost · Frontline

Ashe
2-cost · Carry
Item Priority
Ryze wants Jeweled Gauntlet, Morellonomicon and Void Staff, pure magic penetration and crit AP, since his ability hits multiple enemies and scales hard off ability power. Lissandra mirrors a similar build with Adaptive Helm, Morellonomicon and Void Staff so your component items stay flexible between the two. Wukong and Taric both go tank, with Gargoyle Stoneplate core on both, Sunfire Cape and Warmog's Armor on Wukong, and Steadfast Heart and Sunfire Cape on Taric.
Augment Priority
Prioritise pure econ and levelling augments before stage 4. This comp lives and dies by whether you hit 9, so anything that accelerates that (bonus experience, cheaper level ups, extra gold) outvalues almost any combat augment early. Once you're past level 9, pivot to AP or spell damage augments that buff Ryze directly.
Flex Slots and Early Placeholders
Kindred and Yunara can be swapped out depending on your lobby, since they are flexible damage rather than fixed picks. Ashe, Sejuani, Kobuko and Yuumi, and Kennen are all cheap enough to hold items early while you wait on Ryze.
Want to actually climb with this?
The free breakdown gets you started. The guide gets you to gold-plus.
This page covers the Bruiser Ryze fundamentals. The full e-guide covers every transition, contested-lobby adjustment, and augment line piloting decision that separates a 4th from a 1st — the stuff that doesn't fit in a free writeup.
See what's in the guide