Poppy vs Ambessa

Poppy
vs
40.3%

over 67 games

Ambessa

Hard matchup

Heavy AD damageDive threatHigh burstSustained DPS

Build vs Ambessa

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

Recommended items for Poppy: Tear of the Goddess, Sundered Sky, Fimbulwinter, Plated Steelcaps, Bramble Vest, Sunfire Aegis, Thornmail, Iceborn Gauntlet.

Starting items

Doran's Shield
Health Potion

Core build

Tear of the Goddess
1
Sundered Sky
2
Fimbulwinter
3

Standard

Boots of Swiftness
4vs Slow
Bramble Vest
5

Summoner spells

FlashTeleport72%
FlashDot27%

Anti CC

Mercury's Treads
4vs CC

Other options

Bramble Vest
Sunfire Aegis
Thornmail
Iceborn Gauntlet
Spirit Visage
Eclipse
Kaenic Rookern
Randuin's Omen
Jak'Sho, The Protean
Unending Despair
Hollow Radiance
Heartsteel
Winter's Approach
Dead Man's Plate
Trinity Force
Force of Nature
ResolveResolve
Grasp of the UndyingGrasp of the Undying
Shield BashShield Bash
Second WindSecond Wind
OvergrowthOvergrowth
PrecisionPrecision
Presence of MindPresence of Mind
Last StandLast Stand
Adaptive ForceAdaptive ForceHealth

Power Spikes

Strength by game phase

Ambessa's abilities

Passive, spells and ultimate

Drakehound's Step (P)

Entering an attack or movement command while casting an ability will cause Ambessa to dash a short distance once the ability is cast, granting her next attack bonus range, damage, and attack speed, and refunding energy.

Cooldowns

Cooldowns by spell rank

LevelQWER
314s18s13s–
612s18s13s2m10
910s17s13s2m10
1110s16s13s1m55
1610s14s11s1m40
1810s14s9s1m40

Playing as Poppy

Tips to maximize your impact

  1. Pin your target against a wall

    Position so that Heroic Charge (E) slams your target into a wall: they're then stunned and take bonus damage.

  2. Keep them in your zone

    Keep your target in the Hammer Shock (Q) zone: the zone slows them, then explodes and deals the same damage a second time.

  3. Pick up your buckler

    After a trade, pick up the Iron Ambassador (passive) buckler that bounced off your target: it gives you a temporary shield.

  4. Stop their dashes

    Cast Steadfast Presence (W) when an enemy is about to dash onto you or your carry: the field stops dashes around you, and the stopped enemy is slowed and grounded.

  5. Send a diver far away

    Charge Keeper's Verdict (R) to send away a diver or isolate their carry: the target is knocked back toward their Nexus, farther the longer you charge.

Playing against Ambessa

How to counter and exploit weaknesses

  1. Wait until her spells are down

    Take a trade once her spells are down: Drakehound's Step (passive) only gives her a dash when she casts an ability, and her basic spells cost 70 energy.

  2. Don't hit into her guard

    Stop hitting her when she casts Repudiation (W): if she blocks damage from a champion, her ground slam hurts much more.

  3. Respect her level 6

    Once she hits level 6, don't isolate yourself at the back of your team: Public Execution (R) lets her blink to the farthest enemy in the line, and it can't be stopped.

Patch 16.21.1