Matchup

Heavy AD damageSustained DPS

You are stronger late game — farm safe and avoid early trades.

Build vs Kalista

Build adapted to this matchup

Starting items

Doran's Shield
Health Potion

Core build

Thornmail
1vs Hybride
Sunfire Aegis
2vs AD
Jak'Sho, The Protean
3vs Hybride

Standard

Boots of Swiftness
4vs Slow
Frozen Heart
5vs AD

Summoner spells

41290%
4146%

Anti AD

Plated Steelcaps
4vs AD
Frozen Heart
5vs AD
Unending Despair
vs AD
Randuin's Omen
vs AD

Anti AP

Mercury's Treads
4vs CC
Kaenic Rookern
5vs AP
Hollow Radiance
vs AP

Other options

Protoplasm Harness
Survival
Fimbulwinter
Survival
100.0% WR2 games
ResolveResolve
Grasp of the UndyingGrasp of the Undying
DemolishDemolish
Bone PlatingBone Plating
OvergrowthOvergrowth
InspirationInspiration
Magical FootwearMagical Footwear
Biscuit DeliveryBiscuit Delivery
Attack SpeedHealth ScalingHealth Scaling

Power Spikes

Strength by game phase

Early (0-15)
Mid (15-30)
Late (30+)
OrnnOrnn
KalistaKalista
Favorable
Favorable
Passive

Kalista's abilities

Passive, spells and ultimate

Martial Poise (P)

Enter a movement command while winding up Kalista's basic attack or Pierce to lunge a short distance when she launches her attack.

Cooldowns

Cooldowns by spell rank

LevelQWER
39s30s0s
69s30s0s2m40
99s30s0s2m40
119s30s0s2m20
169s30s0s2m
189s30s0s2m

Playing against Kalista

How to counter and exploit weaknesses

1

Kalista depends on her bound support — if the support is eliminated, she loses her R and a lot of utility.

2

Slows are devastating against Kalista: her passive dash scales with movement speed. Slow = tiny hops.

3

Burst champions are effective: if she can't auto to dash, she's very vulnerable.

4

Grievous Wounds isn't as important as against other ADCs — focus on CC and burst instead.

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