Naafiri vs Sylas
Skill matchup
Build vs Sylas
Build adapted to this matchup
Recommended items for Naafiri: Voltaic Cyclosword, Black Cleaver, Death's Dance, Ionian Boots of Lucidity, Axiom Arc, Hubris, Serylda's Grudge, Edge of Night.
Starting items
Core build
Standard
Summoner spells
Anti CC
Other options
Power Spikes
Strength by game phase
Sylas's abilities
Passive, spells and ultimate
After casting a spell, Sylas stores a charge of Petricite Burst. Sylas's basic attacks will expend a charge and whirl his energized chains around him dealing bonus magic damage to enemies hit. While Sylas has a charge of Petricite Burst, he gains attack speed.
Cooldowns
Cooldowns by spell rank
| Level | Q | W | E | R |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 10s | 12s | 13s | – |
| 6 | 8s | 12s | 13s | 1m20 |
| 9 | 6s | 10.5s | 13s | 1m20 |
| 11 | 6s | 9s | 13s | 55s |
| 16 | 6s | 6s | 11s | 30s |
| 18 | 6s | 6s | 9s | 30s |
Playing as Naafiri
Tips to maximize your impact
- Second dagger on a bleeding target
Recast Darkin Daggers (Q) on a target that's already bleeding: the second dagger deals the rest of the bleed plus damage based on their missing health, and heals you.
- Call your pack back to heal it
When your pack has taken hits, cast Eviscerate (E): your packmates come back to you at full health.
- Empower your pack before you engage
Cast The Call of the Pack (W) just before you engage: you're briefly untargetable, your pack grows, and you gain AD and move speed.
- Push, then look for an isolated target
Push your wave, then roam toward an isolated champion: with Hounds' Pursuit (R), you and your pack dash onto them, and a takedown lets you recast it.
Playing against Sylas
How to counter and exploit weaknesses
- Keep minions between his chain and you
Stay behind your minions after his Abscond (E): the Abduct (E) chain pulls him to the first enemy hit, and only that one takes the knock-up.
- Don't trust his low health
Don't go all-in just because his health is low: Kingslayer (W) heals him more as he loses health.
- Back off after each of his spells
Get out of his range as soon as he casts a spell: each spell charges Petricite Burst (passive), and his next auto hits around him with bonus magic damage.
- Fight when he can't steal from you
Take the fight when Hijack (R) is on cooldown: he then can't copy your ult and turn it against your team.
Other Naafiri matchups
Patch 16.21.1