Ambessa vs Irelia

Ambessa
vs
47.1%

over 1637 games

Irelia

Skill matchup

Heavy AD damageSplit pushSustained DPSHigh burst

Build vs Irelia

Build adapted to this matchup

Recommended items for Ambessa: Eclipse, Spear of Shojin, Death's Dance, Plated Steelcaps, Voltaic Cyclosword, Black Cleaver, Executioner's Calling, Endless Hunger.

Starting items

Doran's Blade
Health Potion

Core build

Eclipse
1
Spear of Shojin
2
Death's Dance
3

Standard

Boots of Swiftness
4vs Slow
Voltaic Cyclosword
5

Summoner spells

FlashDot66%
FlashTeleport27%

Anti CC

Mercury's Treads
4vs CC

Other options

Voltaic Cyclosword
Black Cleaver
Executioner's Calling
Endless Hunger
Bramble Vest
Profane Hydra
Maw of Malmortius
Bastionbreaker
Serpent's Fang
Mortal Reminder
Guardian Angel
Serrated Dirk
Axiom Arc
B. F. Sword
Chempunk Chainsword
Hubris
Sterak's Gage
Lord Dominik's Regards
Serylda's Grudge
Edge of Night
Thornmail
Umbral Glaive
Tiamat
Quicksilver Sash
Ravenous Hydra
Randuin's Omen
Frozen Heart
61.8% WR225 games
ResolveResolve
Grasp of the UndyingGrasp of the Undying
Shield BashShield Bash
Second WindSecond Wind
OvergrowthOvergrowth
InspirationInspiration
Magical FootwearMagical Footwear
Biscuit DeliveryBiscuit Delivery
Adaptive ForceAdaptive ForceHealth

Power Spikes

Strength by game phase

Irelia's abilities

Passive, spells and ultimate

Ionian Fervor (P)

When Irelia strikes enemies with spells she gains stacking bonus Attack Speed. At maximum stacks she also gains bonus damage on hit.

Cooldowns

Cooldowns by spell rank

LevelQWER
310s20s16s–
68s20s16s2m05
96s18s16s2m05
116s16s16s1m45
166s12s13s1m25
186s12s10s1m25

Playing as Ambessa

Tips to maximize your impact

  1. Weave an auto between spells

    Weave an auto between spells: Drakehound's Step (passive) empowers it and refunds energy, while your three basic spells cost 70 each.

  2. Hit with the edge of your sweep

    Hit with the edge of Cunning Sweep (Q): enemies caught by the edge take much more damage, and landing it readies Sundering Slam (Q).

  3. Short trades with your dash

    Take a short trade: Cunning Sweep (Q), an auto, then Lacerate (E) with a dash backward, which adds a strike at the end of the dash.

  4. Jump on their carry

    Cast Public Execution (R) toward the enemy carry: you blink to the farthest enemy champion in the line you choose, nothing can stop you, and you suppress them.

Playing against Irelia

How to counter and exploit weaknesses

  1. Stay away from low-health minions

    Don't stand near your low-health minions: Bladesurge (Q) resets when it kills, so she chains dashes from minion to minion until she reaches you.

  2. Dodge the line of her blades

    As soon as the first blade of Flawless Duet (E) lands, change direction: the stun only hits enemies caught between the two blades.

  3. Trade before her passive stacks

    Take your trades when Ionian Fervor (passive) isn't stacked: she builds stacks with her abilities, and at max stacks her autos deal more damage.

  4. Wait out her Defiant Dance

    Save your burst for after Defiant Dance (W): while charging, she takes much less damage, but she can't do anything else.

  5. Dodge her blade ult

    Dodge Vanguard's Edge (R): its blades make you Unsteady, which resets Bladesurge (Q) on you, and the cage they form damages and slows anyone who crosses it.

Patch 16.21.1