Leona vs Alistar
Skill matchup
Build vs Alistar
Build adapted to this matchup
Recommended items for Leona: Locket of the Iron Solari, Knight's Vow, Bandlepipes, Plated Steelcaps, Celestial Opposition, Solstice Sleigh, Thornmail, Bramble Vest.
Starting items
Core build
Standard
Summoner spells
Anti CC
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 Leona
Tips to maximize your impact
- Engage at level 2
Look for an engage at level 2: with Zenith Blade (E) then Shield of Daybreak (Q), you root then stun your target.
- Only engage if your carry follows
Only engage if your carry can follow: Sunlight (passive) marks your targets for 1.5 seconds, and only your allies trigger it for extra damage.
- Activate Eclipse before engaging
Activate Eclipse (W) right before engaging: you gain armor, magic resist and damage reduction, extended if the explosion hits an enemy.
- R on a stunned target
Engage with Zenith Blade (E) and Shield of Daybreak (Q), then cast Solar Flare (R) on the stunned target: they can't leave the center, which stuns.
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 Leona matchups
Patch 16.21.1