Matchup

Heavy CCStrong engageVery tanky

Build vs Alistar

Build adapted to this matchup

Starting items

Doran's Shield
Health Potion

Core build

Hollow Radiance
1vs AP
Unending Despair
2vs AD
Jak'Sho, The Protean
3vs Hybride

Standard

Boots of Swiftness
4vs Slow
Thornmail
5vs Hybride

Summoner spells

41284%
41411%

Anti AD

Plated Steelcaps
4vs AD
Thornmail
5vs Hybride
Sunfire Aegis
vs AD
Randuin's Omen
vs AD

Anti CC

Mercury's Treads
4vs CC

DPS

Titanic Hydra
Bruiser

Other options

Heartsteel
Survival
Overlord's Bloodmail
HP
100.0% WR2 games
ResolveResolve
Grasp of the UndyingGrasp of the Undying
DemolishDemolish
ConditioningConditioning
OvergrowthOvergrowth
InspirationInspiration
Cash BackCash Back
Approach VelocityApproach Velocity
Attack SpeedAdaptive ForceHealth Scaling

Power Spikes

Strength by game phase

Early (0-15)
Mid (15-30)
Late (30+)
SionSion
AlistarAlistar
Neutral
Neutral
Neutral

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