Kled vs Illaoi
Skill matchup
You are stronger early. Look to snowball before your opponent scales.
Build vs Illaoi
Build adapted to this matchup
Recommended items for Kled: Titanic Hydra, Black Cleaver, Overlord's Bloodmail, Plated Steelcaps, Executioner's Calling, Hullbreaker, Eclipse, Mortal Reminder.
Starting items
Core build
Standard
Summoner spells
Anti CC
Other options
Power Spikes
Strength by game phase
Illaoi's abilities
Passive, spells and ultimate
Illaoi and the Vessels she creates spawn Tentacles on nearby impassible terrain. Tentacles swing at spirits, Vessels, and victims of Illaoi's Harsh lesson. Tentacles deal physical damage to enemies hit, and will heal Illaoi if they damage a champion.
Cooldowns
Cooldowns by spell rank
| Level | Q | W | E | R |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 10s | 4s | 16s | – |
| 6 | 8s | 4s | 16s | 2m |
| 9 | 6s | 4s | 16s | 2m |
| 11 | 6s | 4s | 16s | 1m35 |
| 16 | 6s | 4s | 14s | 1m10 |
| 18 | 6s | 4s | 12s | 1m10 |
Playing as Kled
Tips to maximize your impact
- Take aggressive trades
Take aggressive trades: Skaarl, the Cowardly Lizard (passive) takes damage for you, and once dismounted, you still have your own health.
- Stay near your hooked target
After Bear Trap on a Rope (Q), stay near your target: after a short moment, you yank the trap out, which damages, pulls and slows them.
- Fight to remount
When dismounted, keep hitting enemies: Skaarl, the Cowardly Lizard (passive) regains courage during the fight and puts you back in the saddle once the gauge is full.
- Charge from long range with your R
Engage from long range with Chaaaaaaaarge!!! (R): the longer the run, the harder Skaarl hits the first champion in the way, and your trail speeds up your allies.
Playing against Illaoi
How to counter and exploit weaknesses
- Dodge her E
Dodge Test of Spirit (E): if it hits, you take part of the damage dealt to your spirit, and if the spirit dies, you're slowed and marked for her tentacles.
- Hit her if she pulls your spirit
If Test of Spirit (E) pulls out your spirit, attack Illaoi instead of running: damaging her shortens the spirit, and moving too far from it marks you for her tentacles.
- Pull her away from walls
Take your trades away from walls: Prophet of an Elder God (passive) spawns her tentacles on nearby terrain, and each tentacle that hits you heals her.
- Ask for ganks
Ask for ganks: Harsh Lesson (W) only makes her leap toward an enemy, so she has no dash to escape, and no stun.
- Back off during her ult
Don't fight during Leap of Faith (R): each champion hit spawns a tentacle, and while it lasts, they're untargetable and slam faster.
Other Kled matchups
Patch 16.21.1