Matchup

Heavy AD damageSustained DPS

You are stronger late game — farm safe and avoid early trades.

Build vs Kalista

Build adapted to this matchup

Starting items

Health Potion
x2

Core build

Bandlepipes
1vs Hybride
Locket of the Iron Solari
2HP
Knight's Vow
3vs AD

Standard

Boots of Swiftness
4vs Slow
Solstice Sleigh
5HP

Summoner spells

3440%
4740%

Anti AD

Plated Steelcaps
4vs AD
Thornmail
5vs Hybride
Frozen Heart
vs AD

Anti CC

Mercury's Treads
4vs CC

Other options

Solstice Sleigh
HP
Protoplasm Harness
Survival
100.0% WR1 games
ResolveResolve
GuardianGuardian
Font of LifeFont of Life
Bone PlatingBone Plating
UnflinchingUnflinching
InspirationInspiration
Biscuit DeliveryBiscuit Delivery
Cosmic InsightCosmic Insight
Attack SpeedHealth ScalingHealth Scaling

Power Spikes

Strength by game phase

Early (0-15)
Mid (15-30)
Late (30+)
BraumBraum
KalistaKalista
Favorable
Favorable
Passive

Kalista's abilities

Passive, spells and ultimate

Martial Poise (P)

Enter a movement command while winding up Kalista's basic attack or Pierce to lunge a short distance when she launches her attack.

Cooldowns

Cooldowns by spell rank

LevelQWER
39s30s0s
69s30s0s2m40
99s30s0s2m40
119s30s0s2m20
169s30s0s2m
189s30s0s2m

Playing against Kalista

How to counter and exploit weaknesses

1

Kalista depends on her bound support — if the support is eliminated, she loses her R and a lot of utility.

2

Slows are devastating against Kalista: her passive dash scales with movement speed. Slow = tiny hops.

3

Burst champions are effective: if she can't auto to dash, she's very vulnerable.

4

Grievous Wounds isn't as important as against other ADCs — focus on CC and burst instead.

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