Matchup

High burstHeavy AP damageDive threatSplit push

You are stronger early — look to snowball before your opponent scales.

Build vs Akali

Build adapted to this matchup

Starting items

Scorchclaw Pup
Health Potion

Core build

Kraken Slayer
1DPS
Blade of The Ruined King
2DPS
Death's Dance
3vs AD

Standard

Boots of Swiftness
4vs Slow
Stridebreaker
5Bruiser

Anti AD

Plated Steelcaps
4vs AD
Jak'Sho, The Protean
5vs Hybride
Guardian Angel
vs AD

Anti AP

Mercury's Treads
4vs CC
Wit's End
5vs AP

Anti Tank

Terminus
5vs Tank

DPS

Stridebreaker
Bruiser
100.0% WR1 games
PrecisionPrecision
ConquerorConqueror
TriumphTriumph
Legend: AlacrityLegend: Alacrity
Coup de GraceCoup de Grace
InspirationInspiration
Magical FootwearMagical Footwear
Cosmic InsightCosmic Insight
Adaptive ForceAdaptive ForceHealth Scaling

Power Spikes

Strength by game phase

Early (0-15)
Mid (15-30)
Late (30+)
BelvethBelveth
AkaliAkali
Favorable
Neutral
Neutral

Akali's abilities

Passive, spells and ultimate

Assassin's Mark (P)

Dealing spell damage to a champion creates a ring of energy around them. Exiting that ring empowers Akali's next Attack with bonus range and damage.

Cooldowns

Cooldowns by spell rank

LevelQWER
31.5s20s16s
61.5s20s16s2m
91.5s19s16s2m
111.5s18s16s1m30
161.5s16s13s1m
181.5s16s10s1m

Playing against Akali

How to counter and exploit weaknesses

1

Her W (Shroud) has a long cooldown (20s) — once she uses it, engage because she has no protection left.

2

AoE abilities and untargeted CC (skillshots) are effective in her shroud since they don't require vision.

3

Akali is very weak before level 6 and before her first item — punish her in lane with poke.

4

She's vulnerable between her two R charges — if she uses R1 to engage, she has to wait before R2.

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