Matchup

Heavy CCStrong engageVery tankyDive threat

Build vs Skarner

Build adapted to this matchup

Starting items

Doran's Blade
Health Potion

Core build

Sundered Sky
1Bruiser
Spear of Shojin
2Bruiser
Death's Dance
3vs AD

Standard

Boots of Swiftness
4vs Slow
Black Cleaver
5vs Tank

Summoner spells

41453%
41244%

Anti AD

Plated Steelcaps
4vs AD
Guardian Angel
5vs AD

Anti AP

Mercury's Treads
4vs CC
Maw of Malmortius
5vs AP
Spirit Visage
vs AP

Anti Tank

Black Cleaver
5vs Tank
Voltaic Cyclosword
vs Tank
Serylda's Grudge
vs Tank
Serpent's Fang
vs Tank
Hubris
vs Tank

DPS

Eclipse
DPS
Endless Hunger
DPS
Stridebreaker
Bruiser

Other options

Sterak's Gage
Survival
100.0% WR3 games
PrecisionPrecision
ConquerorConqueror
TriumphTriumph
Legend: HasteLegend: Haste
Last StandLast Stand
ResolveResolve
RevitalizeRevitalize
Bone PlatingBone Plating
Adaptive ForceAdaptive ForceHealth Scaling

Power Spikes

Strength by game phase

Early (0-15)
Mid (15-30)
Late (30+)
AatroxAatrox
SkarnerSkarner
Neutral
Neutral
Neutral

Skarner's abilities

Passive, spells and ultimate

Threads of Vibration (P)

Skarner's Attacks, Shattered Earth, Upheaval, and Impale, apply Quaking. At max stacks of Quaking, enemies take max Health magic damage over its duration.

Cooldowns

Cooldowns by spell rank

LevelQWER
38s10s22s
65.5s10s22s2m
93s9s22s2m
113s8s22s1m45
163s6s20s1m30
183s6s18s1m30

Playing against Skarner

How to counter and exploit weaknesses

1

QSS cancels his R suppression — mandatory for carries.

2

Don't separate from your team: Skarner isolates targets who wander off with R.

3

His E is his only gap-close: if he misses it, he can't reach the carries.

4

Kite him as a team: Skarner is slow without his E and needs to get close for R.

Source: op.gg + LTL Engine · Patch 16.9.1 · May 9, 2026