Understanding Illaoi
Mastering the art of countering Illaoi, the Kraken Priestess, is essential for any League of Legends player aiming to dominate the top lane. With her daunting presence, remarkable sustain, and exceptional zoning capabilities, Illaoi can easily wreak havoc and leave a trail of destruction if left unchecked. But fear not, summoners! As an expert on League of Legends strategy, I’m here to equip you with the knowledge and tools necessary to turn the tide against this powerful juggernaut. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll delve into the intricacies of Illaoi’s abilities, reveal invaluable tips to counter her in the Rift, and showcase champions that can stand their ground against the Kraken Priestess. Moreover, we’ll discuss itemization options and strategies that can make all the difference in your quest for victory. So, strap in and prepare to dive deep into the world of Illaoi counters, and together, we’ll help you rise above the challenge and crush your foes in the top lane!
Abilities
- Passive – Prophet of an Elder God: Illaoi spawns tentacles on nearby terrain that aid her in battle.
- Q – Tentacle Smash: Illaoi commands her tentacles to smash down, dealing damage and healing her.
- W – Harsh Lesson: Illaoi leaps to a target, commanding all nearby tentacles to attack it.
- E – Test of Spirit: Illaoi pulls the spirit of an enemy champion, allowing her and her tentacles to damage it.
- R – Leap of Faith: Illaoi leaps into the air, summoning tentacles and empowering her abilities.
Tips to Counter Illaoi
As a Challenger level player, I have faced numerous Illaoi players and learned some effective strategies to overcome her unique playstyle. In this section, I will share these valuable insights with you, so you can successfully counter Illaoi and triumph in the top lane.
Master the Art of Positioning
Lane Positioning
Effective positioning in the lane is critical when playing against Illaoi. It’s crucial to avoid standing near walls or terrain, as this is where her tentacles will spawn due to her passive, Prophet of an Elder God. By maintaining a safe distance from the tentacles, you can minimize the damage and healing she receives from her Q, Tentacle Smash, and make it harder for her to land her E, Test of Spirit.
Teamfight Positioning
In teamfights, it’s essential to keep track of Illaoi’s positioning and be aware of her potential to engage with her R, Leap of Faith. Focus on staying out of her ultimate range, and try to engage her when her abilities are on cooldown. Spread out and avoid clumping together, as this makes it easier for her to hit multiple targets with her tentacles and deal devastating damage.
Exploit her Cooldowns and Abilities
Baiting and Disengaging
One of the most effective strategies against Illaoi is baiting her abilities, especially her E, Test of Spirit, and R, Leap of Faith, then disengaging once she uses them. Her E has a lengthy cooldown, so it’s vital to capitalize on this window to trade or engage. Similarly, after baiting her ultimate, disengage and wait for the tentacles to disappear before re-engaging to minimize her damage output.
Dodging Tentacles and Destroying Them
Focus on dodging her tentacles whenever possible. The more you avoid her tentacle attacks, the less healing and damage she can deal. It’s also important to destroy her tentacles when it’s safe to do so. Keep in mind that she receives a brief movement speed bonus when you destroy a tentacle, so be prepared to disengage if necessary.
Interrupting Harsh Lesson
Save your crowd control abilities to interrupt Illaoi’s W, Harsh Lesson. Interrupting her W can prevent her from closing the gap and commanding her tentacles to attack you, reducing her damage output and healing potential.
Implement Vision and Map Control
Lane Control
Control the minion wave in your favor by freezing it near your turret or slow pushing it to create pressure. By maintaining lane control, you can force Illaoi to overextend, making her more vulnerable to ganks and exposing her to potential engages when her abilities are on cooldown.
Warding and Denying Vision
Place wards in the river, enemy jungle, and tri-bush to keep track of Illaoi’s movements and potential roams. Deny her vision by using Control Wards and Sweeping Lens to set up ambushes, counter her roams, or coordinate ganks with your jungler. Utilize vision control to restrict Illaoi’s map presence and minimize her impact on the game.
By implementing these expert strategies, you’ll be well on your way to effectively countering Illaoi and asserting dominance in the top lane. Remember that practice makes perfect, so continue refining your skills and adapting to different situations, and you’ll soon find success against even the most formidable Illaoi players.
Top 5 Champions to Counter Illaoi
These champion picks are strong against Illaoi at various stages of the game, and they have been selected based on their high win rate matchups against Illaoi in World Platinum+ games. Utilizing their unique strengths and playstyles, these champions can exploit Illaoi’s weaknesses and secure victories in the top lane.
Teemo – 55.69% WR
Early Game Poke and Zone Control
Teemo excels at poking down and zoning out Illaoi, thanks to his Q, Blinding Dart, and E, Toxic Shot. Teemo’s Blinding Dart blinds Illaoi, rendering her basic attacks useless and mitigating her damage output. Additionally, his E applies a damage-over-time poison effect that whittles down her health, making it challenging for her to sustain through extended trades.
Vision Control and Disrupting Engages
Teemo’s R, Noxious Trap, provides a combination of vision control and zoning. These traps can be used to ward brushes, spot enemy movements, and limit Illaoi’s ability to engage or disengage effectively. The slow effect from the traps also makes it difficult for Illaoi to close the gap or escape after engaging, providing more opportunities for Teemo and his team to capitalize on her missteps.
Kayle – 54.53% WR
Scaling and Range Advantage
Kayle’s greatest strength against Illaoi is her ability to scale and out-range her opponent. As Kayle gains levels, she evolves and gains new abilities, eventually transitioning into a ranged champion with her E, Radiant Blast. This transformation allows her to poke and trade from a safe distance, reducing the risk of being caught by Illaoi’s E, Test of Spirit, and R, Leap of Faith.
Invulnerability and Disengage
Kayle’s R, Divine Judgement, grants her or a target ally temporary invulnerability, making it an excellent tool to counter Illaoi’s burst damage during her ultimate. This ability can also be used to disengage from unfavorable situations and potentially turn the fight in your favor.
Gwen – 54.45% WR
Mobility and Sustain
Gwen’s mobility and sustain make her a formidable opponent against Illaoi. Her Q, Snip Snip!, provides ranged poke and wave clear, while her E, Skip ‘n Slash, allows her to dodge Illaoi’s skill shots and reposition for favorable trades. Gwen’s passive, Thousand Cuts, grants her innate healing, allowing her to sustain through extended trades against Illaoi.
Damage Mitigation and All-in Potential
Gwen’s W, Hallowed Mist, creates a zone that grants her bonus armor and magic resist, as well as immunity to crowd control from enemies outside the mist. This ability can mitigate some of Illaoi’s damage and crowd control, enabling Gwen to engage in all-ins and come out ahead.
Yorick – 54.01% WR
Split Pushing and Objective Control
Yorick’s ability to split push and control objectives poses a significant threat to Illaoi. With his Q, Last Rites, and his ultimate, Eulogy of the Isles, Yorick can summon powerful minions and a monstrous ally to push lanes and take objectives rapidly. This strategy forces Illaoi to choose between defending her turret or joining her team, leaving her vulnerable to being outmaneuvered.
Dueling and Trapping
Yorick’s W, Dark Procession, creates a ring of spectral minions that can trap Illaoi and limit her ability to move or escape. This ability is particularly effective when Illaoi has used her E, Test of Spirit, and R, Leap of Faith, as it limits her options for follow-up engages or disengages. Moreover, Yorick’s Q, Last Rites, and passive, Shepherd of Souls, enable him to deal significant damage in duels, making him a formidable opponent for Illaoi in the top lane.
Mordekaiser – 53.85% WR
Isolation and Dueling Potential
Mordekaiser’s R, Realm of Death, is a powerful tool for isolating and dueling Illaoi. By casting his ultimate on her, Mordekaiser transports both himself and Illaoi to the Death Realm, removing her from the teamfight and disabling her tentacles spawned by her passive, Prophet of an Elder God. This significantly reduces Illaoi’s damage output and healing, providing Mordekaiser with a significant advantage in the duel.
Sustain and Shielding
Mordekaiser’s passive, Darkness Rise, and W, Indestructible, grant him exceptional sustain and shielding capabilities. His passive deals continuous magic damage to nearby enemies and grants him bonus movement speed, making it difficult for Illaoi to engage or disengage effectively. Meanwhile, his W generates a shield based on the damage he deals, allowing him to absorb some of Illaoi’s burst damage and outlast her in trades.
By mastering these champion picks and their unique playstyles, you can effectively counter Illaoi and secure victories in the top lane. Remember that success comes with practice, so continue refining your skills with these champions and adapting to various in-game situations to dominate even the most skilled Illaoi players.
Items to Counter Illaoi
When facing Illaoi, it’s essential to optimize your item build to effectively counter her unique playstyle and abilities. As a Challenger player, I recommend incorporating the following items to mitigate her damage, healing, and overall impact in the game.
Grievous Wounds Items
Executioner’s Calling and Mortal Reminder
Building an Executioner’s Calling is an excellent way to apply Grievous Wounds to Illaoi, reducing her healing from her tentacle attacks and other sources. This item can be upgraded to Mortal Reminder later in the game to enhance the Grievous Wounds effect and provide additional armor penetration, further increasing your damage output against her.
Bramble Vest and Thornmail
For tankier champions or those who prefer to build armor, a Bramble Vest is a suitable alternative to Executioner’s Calling. It applies Grievous Wounds when Illaoi deals physical damage with basic attacks. Upgrading Bramble Vest to Thornmail not only increases the Grievous Wounds effect but also provides bonus armor and a passive that reduces the attack speed of enemies who attack you, making it even more challenging for Illaoi to deal damage and heal effectively.
Mobility and Disengage Items
Boots of Swiftness and Mercury’s Treads
Investing in Boots of Swiftness or Mercury’s Treads can greatly improve your mobility and disengage potential against Illaoi. Boots of Swiftness provide a significant movement speed bonus and reduce the effectiveness of slows, making it more difficult for Illaoi to land her E, Test of Spirit, and engage with her R, Leap of Faith. Mercury’s Treads grant tenacity, which reduces the duration of crowd control effects, helping you escape Illaoi’s clutches and reposition more effectively in fights.
Quicksilver Sash and Mercurial Scimitar
Quicksilver Sash is an excellent item for removing crowd control effects and providing a brief burst of movement speed, allowing you to quickly disengage from Illaoi’s grasp. Upgrading to Mercurial Scimitar later in the game adds bonus attack damage and life steal, further enhancing your damage output and sustain in fights against her.
Kiting and Dueling Items
Blade of the Ruined King
Blade of the Ruined King is an exceptional item for champions who want to kite and duel Illaoi effectively. Its passive deals bonus on-hit physical damage based on the target’s current health, while its active steals movement speed from the target, allowing you to kite her more efficiently or chase her down when she attempts to disengage.
Black Cleaver
Black Cleaver is a versatile item that provides bonus health, attack damage, and cooldown reduction. Its passive armor shred allows you to deal more damage to Illaoi, while the bonus movement speed from its Rage passive helps you chase or disengage from her more effectively.
By incorporating these items into your build, you can significantly reduce Illaoi’s impact in the game and increase your chances of victory. Adapt your itemization based on the specific champion you’re playing and the state of the game, and you’ll be well-equipped to counter Illaoi and dominate the top lane.
Strategies to Outplay Illaoi
Successfully outplaying Illaoi involves a combination of smart positioning, dodging her skill shots, and exploiting her weaknesses. By implementing the following strategies, you can gain an advantage against Illaoi and dominate the top lane.
Positioning and Wave Management
Maintain Distance and Avoid Tentacles
Keeping a safe distance from Illaoi’s tentacles is crucial to mitigating her damage and sustain. Her tentacles deal significant damage and heal her with each slam, so avoid standing near them and giving her opportunities to capitalize on your mispositioning. Be mindful of your surroundings and use your champion’s mobility to reposition if necessary.
Control the Minion Wave
Proper wave management can significantly impact your ability to counter Illaoi. Try to keep the minion wave close to your turret, which makes it more challenging for her to engage without overextending. Freezing the wave near your turret can also force her to step forward, leaving her vulnerable to ganks from your jungler.
Dodging Key Abilities
Side-Stepping Her Q and E
Dodging Illaoi’s Q, Tentacle Smash, and E, Test of Spirit, is crucial to reducing her damage output and avoiding extended trades. Pay attention to her animations and be prepared to side-step or use your champion’s mobility to dodge these skill shots. Quick reflexes and anticipation can make all the difference in avoiding these crucial abilities.
Disengage During Her Ultimate
When Illaoi casts her R, Leap of Faith, she spawns additional tentacles and gains a powerful damage and healing steroid. It’s vital to disengage during her ultimate to avoid being overwhelmed by her damage output. Use your champion’s mobility, crowd control, or disengage tools to create distance and wait for her ultimate to expire before re-engaging.
Exploiting Illaoi’s Weaknesses
Capitalize on Her Lack of Mobility
Illaoi has limited mobility, making her susceptible to ganks, crowd control, and kiting. Use your champion’s mobility, crowd control abilities, and ranged attacks to exploit her lack of mobility and create favorable trades. Communicate with your team to coordinate ganks and chain crowd control abilities to shut her down.
Punish Her Downtime
Illaoi relies heavily on her abilities to deal damage and sustain in fights. When her abilities are on cooldown, she becomes much more vulnerable. Identify these windows of opportunity and engage when she’s unable to retaliate effectively.
Conclusion
Countering Illaoi requires a combination of champion selection, itemization, and strategic play. By understanding her abilities, choosing the right champions, and employing the tips provided in this guide, you’ll be better equipped to shut down Illaoi and secure victory in League of Legends!
FAQs
- Can I counter Illaoi with ranged champions?
Yes, ranged champions with good kiting abilities can effectively poke and harass Illaoi while avoiding her tentacles. However, positioning is crucial to avoid her E, Test of Spirit, and R, Leap of Faith.
- Is it essential to destroy Illaoi’s tentacles?
While not always necessary, destroying her tentacles when it’s safe to do so can significantly hinder her abilities and zoning potential.
- *How important is Grievous Wounds against Illaoi?*
Applying Grievous Wounds to Illaoi is essential, as it reduces her healing from her Q, Tentacle Smash, and Conqueror rune, making it harder for her to sustain in fights.
- Should I focus on dodging Illaoi’s abilities or attacking her in a fight?
Both are important. Prioritize dodging Illaoi’s abilities, especially her tentacles, while attacking her when it’s safe to do so. This will minimize her damage output and healing potential.
- When should I engage or disengage against Illaoi?
Engage when her key abilities, E (Test of Spirit) and R (Leap of Faith), are on cooldown, and disengage when she uses them. Bait out her abilities and capitalize on the window of opportunity to deal damage or secure kills.