Matchup

Jax
Jax
50%
50%

vs

47.9%

over 194 games

Swain
Swain
18%
82%
Heavy AP damageHigh sustainSustained DPSHeavy CC

Skill matchup

Build vs Swain

Build adapted to this matchup

Starting items

Doran's Shield
Health Potion

Core build

Trinity Force
1DPS
Sundered Sky
2Bruiser
Wit's End
3vs AP

Standard

Boots of Swiftness
4vs Slow
Dusk and Dawn
5Mage tank

Summoner spells

41469%
41226%

Anti AD

Plated Steelcaps
4vs AD
Zhonya's Hourglass
5vs AD
Death's Dance
vs AD
Frozen Heart
vs AD
Guardian Angel
vs AD

Anti Heal

Chempunk Chainsword
6vs Heal

Anti AP

Mercury's Treads
4vs CC
Maw of Malmortius
5vs AP
Abyssal Mask
vs AP

DPS

Dusk and Dawn
Mage tank
Blade of The Ruined King
DPS
Hextech Gunblade
Mage
Riftmaker
Mage tank
Hextech Rocketbelt
Mage tank
Nashor's Tooth
DPS
Stridebreaker
Bruiser
Spear of Shojin
Bruiser
Hullbreaker
Bruiser
Titanic Hydra
Bruiser
Navori Flickerblade
DPS

Other options

Sterak's Gage
Survival
Zeke's Convergence
Tank
Dark Seal
Bramble Vest
Oblivion Orb
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
SwainSwain
Careful
Careful
Aggressive

Swain's abilities

Passive, spells and ultimate

Ravenous Flock (P)

Swain's ravens collect Soul Fragments that heal him and permanently increase his maximum health.

Cooldowns

Cooldowns by spell rank

LevelQWER
37s22s12s
65s22s12s2m
93s21s12s2m
113s20s12s2m
163s18s11s2m
183s18s10s2m

Playing against Swain

How to counter and exploit weaknesses

1

Stay out of his R drain range — if you can't burst him, back off and wait for R to expire.

2

His E root triggers on the RETURN: dodge the returning projectile, not the outgoing one.

3

Grievous Wounds reduces his R drain and passive heals — buy it early.

4

Swain is vulnerable to long-range champions who can poke him without entering his drain zone.

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