Matchup

Jax
Jax
50%
50%

vs

47.2%

over 1308 games

Akali
Akali
38%
62%
High burstHeavy AP damageDive threatSplit push

Skill matchup

Build vs Akali

Build adapted to this matchup

Starting items

Doran's Shield
Health Potion

Core build

Dusk and Dawn
1Mage tank
Hextech Rocketbelt
2Mage tank
Zhonya's Hourglass
3vs AD

Standard

Boots of Swiftness
4vs Slow
Trinity Force
5DPS

Summoner spells

41458%
41236%

Anti AD

Plated Steelcaps
4vs AD
Death's Dance
5vs AD
Randuin's Omen
vs AD
Frozen Heart
vs AD
Guardian Angel
vs AD

Anti AP

Mercury's Treads
4vs CC
Wit's End
5vs AP
Maw of Malmortius
vs AP
Kaenic Rookern
vs AP
Force of Nature
vs AP
Abyssal Mask
vs AP
Hollow Radiance
vs AP

Anti Tank

Shadowflame
5vs Tank

DPS

Trinity Force
DPS
Sundered Sky
Bruiser
Hextech Gunblade
Mage
Riftmaker
Mage tank
Blade of The Ruined King
DPS
Nashor's Tooth
DPS
Stridebreaker
Bruiser
Ravenous Hydra
DPS
Hullbreaker
Bruiser
Spear of Shojin
Bruiser
Titanic Hydra
Bruiser
Statikk Shiv
DPS

Other options

Sterak's Gage
Survival
Dark Seal
Zeke's Convergence
Tank
83.3% WR6 games
PrecisionPrecision
Lethal TempoLethal Tempo
TriumphTriumph
Legend: AlacrityLegend: Alacrity
Last StandLast Stand
ResolveResolve
UnflinchingUnflinching
Bone PlatingBone Plating
Attack SpeedAdaptive ForceHealth Scaling

Power Spikes

Strength by game phase

Early (0-15)
Mid (15-30)
Late (30+)
JaxJax
AkaliAkali
Passive
Neutral
Aggressive

Akali's abilities

Passive, spells and ultimate

Assassin's Mark (P)

Dealing spell damage to a champion creates a ring of energy around them. Exiting that ring empowers Akali's next Attack with bonus range and damage.

Cooldowns

Cooldowns by spell rank

LevelQWER
31.5s20s16s
61.5s20s16s2m
91.5s19s16s2m
111.5s18s16s1m30
161.5s16s13s1m
181.5s16s10s1m

Playing against Akali

How to counter and exploit weaknesses

1

Her W (Shroud) has a long cooldown (20s) — once she uses it, engage because she has no protection left.

2

AoE abilities and untargeted CC (skillshots) are effective in her shroud since they don't require vision.

3

Akali is very weak before level 6 and before her first item — punish her in lane with poke.

4

She's vulnerable between her two R charges — if she uses R1 to engage, she has to wait before R2.

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