Locke vs Irelia

Locke
vs
Not enough games
Irelia
Heavy AD damageSplit pushSustained DPSHigh burst

You are stronger early. Look to snowball before your opponent scales.

Build vs Irelia

The champion's reference build, for lack of enough games in this matchup

Recommended items for Locke: Lich Bane, Shadowflame, Zhonya's Hourglass, Sorcerer's Shoes, Rabadon's Deathcap, Void Staff, Banshee's Veil, Stormsurge.

Starting items

Scorchclaw Pup
Health Potion

Core build

Lich Bane
1
Shadowflame
2
Zhonya's Hourglass
3

Standard

Sorcerer's Shoes
4Magic pen
Rabadon's Deathcap
5

Anti CC

Mercury's Treads
4vs CC

Other options

Rabadon's Deathcap
Void Staff
Banshee's Veil
Stormsurge

Power Spikes

Strength by game phase

Irelia's abilities

Passive, spells and ultimate

Ionian Fervor (P)

When Irelia strikes enemies with spells she gains stacking bonus Attack Speed. At maximum stacks she also gains bonus damage on hit.

Cooldowns

Cooldowns by spell rank

LevelQWER
310s20s16s–
68s20s16s2m05
96s18s16s2m05
116s16s16s1m45
166s12s13s1m25
186s12s10s1m25

Playing as Locke

Tips to maximize your impact

  1. Nails first, then Pursuit

    Cast Ritual Nails (Q) before Ashen Pursuit (E): your hits consume the nails stuck in the target, and each extra nail adds damage.

  2. Finish them with autos

    Finish off wounded targets with autos: Silver Stake (passive) adds magic damage that grows with their missing health.

  3. Activate W as the trade starts

    Activate Soul Ignition (W) at the start of a trade: it costs you health, but at the end, you heal back part of the last damage taken, plus more based on your missing health.

  4. Save E for a kill or a gank

    Save Ashen Pursuit (E) for a sure kill or to escape a gank: it's your only instant movement, it has a 10-second cooldown, and only a takedown resets it.

  5. Save Purgatory to finish

    Save Purgatory (R) to finish: it seals marked enemies below a health threshold, and when you pick up the artifact, each sealed champion raises that threshold for good.

Playing against Irelia

How to counter and exploit weaknesses

  1. Stay away from low-health minions

    Don't stand near your low-health minions: Bladesurge (Q) resets when it kills, so she chains dashes from minion to minion until she reaches you.

  2. Dodge the line of her blades

    As soon as the first blade of Flawless Duet (E) lands, change direction: the stun only hits enemies caught between the two blades.

  3. Trade before her passive stacks

    Take your trades when Ionian Fervor (passive) isn't stacked: she builds stacks with her abilities, and at max stacks her autos deal more damage.

  4. Wait out her Defiant Dance

    Save your burst for after Defiant Dance (W): while charging, she takes much less damage, but she can't do anything else.

  5. Dodge her blade ult

    Dodge Vanguard's Edge (R): its blades make you Unsteady, which resets Bladesurge (Q) on you, and the cage they form damages and slows anyone who crosses it.

Patch 16.21.1