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

Doran's Shield
Health Potion

Core build

Warmog's Armor
1Survival
Thornmail
2vs Hybride
Spirit Visage
3vs AP

Standard

Boots of Swiftness
4vs Slow
Heartsteel
5Survival

Summoner spells

41245%
61235%

Anti AD

Plated Steelcaps
4vs AD
Frozen Heart
5vs AD
Dead Man's Plate
vs AD
Randuin's Omen
vs AD

Anti CC

Mercury's Treads
4vs CC

DPS

Titanic Hydra
Bruiser

Other options

Heartsteel
Survival
Overlord's Bloodmail
HP
100.0% WR1 games
ResolveResolve
Grasp of the UndyingGrasp of the Undying
DemolishDemolish
Second WindSecond Wind
OvergrowthOvergrowth
InspirationInspiration
Magical FootwearMagical Footwear
Approach VelocityApproach Velocity
Attack SpeedHealth ScalingHealth Scaling

Power Spikes

Strength by game phase

Early (0-15)
Mid (15-30)
Late (30+)
DrMundoDr. Mundo
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