Hecarim vs Aatrox
Skill matchup
You are stronger early. Look to snowball before your opponent scales.
Build vs Aatrox
Build adapted to this matchup
Recommended items for Hecarim: Spear of Shojin, Black Cleaver, Death's Dance, Ionian Boots of Lucidity, Endless Hunger, Hubris, Axiom Arc, Maw of Malmortius.
Starting items
Core build
Standard
Summoner spells
Anti CC
Other options
Power Spikes
Strength by game phase
Aatrox's abilities
Passive, spells and ultimate
Periodically, Aatrox's next basic attack deals bonus magic damage and heals him, based on the target's max health.
Cooldowns
Cooldowns by spell rank
| Level | Q | W | E | R |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 14s | 18s | 9s | – |
| 6 | 10s | 18s | 9s | 2m |
| 9 | 6s | 16.5s | 9s | 2m |
| 11 | 6s | 15s | 9s | 1m40 |
| 16 | 6s | 12s | 7s | 1m20 |
| 18 | 6s | 12s | 5s | 1m20 |
Playing as Hecarim
Tips to maximize your impact
- Charge from far away
Cast Devastating Charge (E) far from your target: the longer the run, the farther the knockback and the harder the hit, and Warpath (passive) turns your bonus move speed into AD.
- Engage from range with your R
Cast Onslaught of Shadows (R) from range: the fear from the shockwave, at the end of the dash, lasts longer after a long run.
- Recast Rampage without waiting
In teamfights, recast Rampage (Q) as soon as it's back: each cast that hits adds a stack, which lowers its cooldown and raises its damage.
- Activate your W in the thick of it
Activate Spirit of Dread (W) in the middle of the enemies: you gain armor and magic resist, and heal for part of the damage you and your team deal to them.
Playing against Aatrox
How to counter and exploit weaknesses
- Avoid the edge of his blade
Stick to him or step out of range when he casts The Darkin Blade (Q): only the edge, at the end of each swing, knocks you into the air and deals full damage.
- Get out of his chains fast
Leave the Infernal Chains (W) zone before it closes, with a dash if you have one: otherwise you get pulled back to the impact point and take the damage again.
- Trade after his blade
Take a trade right after the three swings of The Darkin Blade (Q): it's his only knock-up, with a 14 to 6 second cooldown depending on rank.
- Short trades
Take short trades: Umbral Dash (E) heals him for part of all the damage he deals to champions, so a long trade favors him.
- Respect his level 6
Once he hits level 6, back off when he casts World Ender (R): he gains AD and increased healing, and every takedown extends its duration.
Other Hecarim matchups
Patch 16.21.1