Locke vs Kayle
You are stronger early. Look to snowball before your opponent scales.
Build vs Kayle
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
Core build
Standard
Summoner spells
Anti CC
Other options
Power Spikes
Strength by game phase
Kayle's abilities
Passive, spells and ultimate
Kayle's attacks are empowered by the heavens as she levels up and spends skill points. Her wings are lit aflame as she progressively gains Attack Speed, Move Speed, Attack Range, and waves of fire on her attacks.
Cooldowns
Cooldowns by spell rank
| Level | Q | W | E | R |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 12s | 15s | 8s | – |
| 6 | 10s | 15s | 8s | 2m40 |
| 9 | 8s | 15s | 8s | 2m40 |
| 11 | 8s | 15s | 8s | 2m |
| 16 | 8s | 15s | 7s | 1m20 |
| 18 | 8s | 15s | 6s | 1m20 |
Playing as Locke
Tips to maximize your impact
- 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.
- Finish them with autos
Finish off wounded targets with autos: Silver Stake (passive) adds magic damage that grows with their missing health.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 Kayle
How to counter and exploit weaknesses
- Trade early
Take your trades early: at first, her attack range is a melee champion's, and Divine Ascent (passive) only extends it as she levels up.
- Freeze and starve her of levels
Freeze the wave near your tower to keep her off minions: each level empowers her autos through Divine Ascent (passive).
- CC during her R, damage after
During Divine Judgment (R), hold your damage but use any CC you have: the target can't take damage, but can still be slowed or stunned.
- Force early objectives
Force objectives and teamfights early on: Kayle gains power with every level, so every minute of the game plays in her favor.
Other Locke matchups
Patch 16.21.1