Ambessa vs Sylas
Skill matchup
Build vs Sylas
Build adapted to this matchup
Recommended items for Ambessa: Eclipse, Spear of Shojin, Death's Dance, Mercury's Treads, Voltaic Cyclosword, Executioner's Calling, Maw of Malmortius, Black Cleaver.
Starting items
Core build
Standard
Summoner spells
Other options
Power Spikes
Strength by game phase
Sylas's abilities
Passive, spells and ultimate
After casting a spell, Sylas stores a charge of Petricite Burst. Sylas's basic attacks will expend a charge and whirl his energized chains around him dealing bonus magic damage to enemies hit. While Sylas has a charge of Petricite Burst, he gains attack speed.
Cooldowns
Cooldowns by spell rank
| Level | Q | W | E | R |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 10s | 12s | 13s | – |
| 6 | 8s | 12s | 13s | 1m20 |
| 9 | 6s | 10.5s | 13s | 1m20 |
| 11 | 6s | 9s | 13s | 55s |
| 16 | 6s | 6s | 11s | 30s |
| 18 | 6s | 6s | 9s | 30s |
Playing as Ambessa
Tips to maximize your impact
- 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.
- 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).
- 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.
- 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 Sylas
How to counter and exploit weaknesses
- Keep minions between his chain and you
Stay behind your minions after his Abscond (E): the Abduct (E) chain pulls him to the first enemy hit, and only that one takes the knock-up.
- Don't trust his low health
Don't go all-in just because his health is low: Kingslayer (W) heals him more as he loses health.
- Back off after each of his spells
Get out of his range as soon as he casts a spell: each spell charges Petricite Burst (passive), and his next auto hits around him with bonus magic damage.
- Fight when he can't steal from you
Take the fight when Hijack (R) is on cooldown: he then can't copy your ult and turn it against your team.
Other Ambessa matchups
Patch 16.21.1