Matchup

Heavy CCStrong engageVery tanky

Build vs Alistar

Build adapted to this matchup

Starting items

Doran's Shield
Health Potion

Core build

Trinity Force
1DPS
Frozen Heart
2vs AD
Spirit Visage
3vs AP

Standard

Ionian Boots of Lucidity
4CDR
Essence Reaver
5DPS

Summoner spells

61248%
4639%

Anti AD

Plated Steelcaps
4vs AD
Randuin's Omen
5vs AD
Dead Man's Plate
vs AD

Anti Heal

Thornmail
6vs Hybride

Anti AP

Mercury's Treads
4vs CC
Jak'Sho, The Protean
5vs Hybride
Force of Nature
vs AP

DPS

Essence Reaver
DPS
Sundered Sky
Bruiser

Other options

Sterak's Gage
Survival
100.0% WR2 games
PrecisionPrecision
Fleet FootworkFleet Footwork
TriumphTriumph
Legend: HasteLegend: Haste
Last StandLast Stand
ResolveResolve
UnflinchingUnflinching
Second WindSecond Wind
Ability HasteHealth ScalingHealth Scaling

Power Spikes

Strength by game phase

Early (0-15)
Mid (15-30)
Late (30+)
NasusNasus
AlistarAlistar
Careful
Careful
Aggressive

Alistar's abilities

Passive, spells and ultimate

Triumphant Roar (P)

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

LevelQWER
314s14s12s
612s14s12s2m
910s13s12s2m
1110s12s12s1m40
1610s10s11s1m20
1810s10s10s1m20

Playing against Alistar

How to counter and exploit weaknesses

1

Respect his level 2 (W+Q): it's one of the strongest engages in the game at that point. Stay at range.

2

His WQ combo has a long cooldown (~14s) — punish him aggressively after he uses it.

3

Alistar is useless if his ADC isn't there to follow up — provoke engages when the enemy ADC is busy farming.

4

His R reduces damage but not CC — keep CC-ing him even during his ult.

Source: op.gg + LTL Engine · Patch 16.9.1 · May 9, 2026