Galio vs Alistar
Build vs Alistar
The champion's reference build, for lack of enough games in this matchup
Recommended items for Galio: Hextech Rocketbelt, Imperial Mandate, Zhonya's Hourglass, Mercury's Treads, Hollow Radiance, Thornmail, Rabadon's Deathcap, Void Staff.
Starting items
Core build
Standard
Other options
Power Spikes
Strength by game phase
Alistar's abilities
Passive, spells and ultimate
Alistar charges his roar by stunning or displacing enemy champions or when nearby enemies die. When fully charged he heals himself all nearby allied champions.
Cooldowns
Cooldowns by spell rank
| Level | Q | W | E | R |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 14s | 14s | 12s | – |
| 6 | 12s | 14s | 12s | 2m |
| 9 | 10s | 13s | 12s | 2m |
| 11 | 10s | 12s | 12s | 1m40 |
| 16 | 10s | 10s | 11s | 1m20 |
| 18 | 10s | 10s | 10s | 1m20 |
Playing as Galio
Tips to maximize your impact
- Land your tornado during the taunt
Engage with Justice Punch (E), release Shield of Durand (W), then place Winds of War (Q) during the taunt: the tornado deals damage based on max health.
- Recharge your shield before a trade
Against a magic-damage opponent, don't take free hits before a trade: after a few seconds without taking damage, Shield of Durand (W) gives you a magic shield.
- Charge your taunt
Charge Shield of Durand (W) before releasing it, after a Flash if needed: a longer charge means a longer taunt, more damage and a wider area.
- Fly into fights
Watch the map and join fights with Hero's Entrance (R): your allies in the area get a magic shield, and your landing knocks enemies into the air.
Playing against Alistar
How to counter and exploit weaknesses
- Trade after his Headbutt
Take a trade right after his Headbutt (W): without it, he can't engage from range, and its cooldown is 14 to 10 seconds.
- Watch who can follow him
Back off when his carry is close enough to follow him, and play hard when they're far away: an Alistar engage only kills if someone follows up.
- Respect his level 2
Once he hits level 2, stay out of Headbutt (W) range: combined with Pulverize (Q), he knocks you into the air as soon as he arrives.
- Save your CC for after his R
If you have CC, save it for after Unbreakable Will (R): the spell removes the CC on him when cast, but doesn't protect him from what comes next.
Other Galio matchups
Patch 16.21.1