Matchup

Heavy AD damageSustained DPSHeavy poke

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

Build vs Smolder

Build adapted to this matchup

Starting items

Doran's Shield
Health Potion

Core build

Heartsteel
1Survival
Unending Despair
2vs AD
Spirit Visage
3vs AP

Standard

Boots of Swiftness
4vs Slow
Warmog's Armor
5Survival

Summoner spells

61260%
41223%

Anti AD

Plated Steelcaps
4vs AD
Thornmail
5vs Hybride
Randuin's Omen
vs AD
Dead Man's Plate
vs AD

Anti AP

Mercury's Treads
4vs CC
Jak'Sho, The Protean
5vs Hybride
Force of Nature
vs AP

DPS

Titanic Hydra
Bruiser

Other options

Warmog's Armor
Survival
Overlord's Bloodmail
HP
100.0% WR3 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
SmolderSmolder
Favorable
Favorable
Passive

Smolder's abilities

Passive, spells and ultimate

Dragon Practice (P)

Hitting champions with Abilities and killing enemies with Super Scorcher Breath grants a stack of Dragon Practice. Stacks increase the damage of Smolders basic Abilities.

Cooldowns

Cooldowns by spell rank

LevelQWER
35.5s14s24s
64.5s14s24s2m
93.5s13s24s2m
113.5s12s24s1m50
163.5s10s20s1m40
183.5s10s16s1m40

Playing against Smolder

How to counter and exploit weaknesses

1

Punish Smolder in the early game: he's very weak before his stacks and items. Force fights early.

2

Don't let the game go long: Smolder at 225 stacks is one of the strongest late game ADCs.

3

His R is global but has a delay: move laterally to dodge it.

4

He's immobile with no escape: assassins and engages punish him easily.

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