Skarner vs Ambessa

Skarner
vs
Not enough games
Ambessa
Heavy AD damageDive threatHigh burstSustained DPS

You are stronger late game. Farm safe and avoid early trades.

Build vs Ambessa

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

Recommended items for Skarner: Heartsteel, Unending Despair, Spirit Visage, Plated Steelcaps, Jak'Sho, The Protean, Thornmail, Randuin's Omen, Overlord's Bloodmail.

Starting items

Mosstomper Seedling
Health Potion

Core build

Heartsteel
1
Unending Despair
2
Spirit Visage
3

Standard

Boots of Swiftness
4vs Slow
Jak'Sho, The Protean
5

Anti CC

Mercury's Treads
4vs CC

Other options

Jak'Sho, The Protean
Thornmail
Randuin's Omen
Overlord's Bloodmail

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 Skarner

Tips to maximize your impact

  1. Rip out your boulder before the fight

    Cast Shattered Earth (Q) before the fight: your next 3 autos gain attack speed, and the last one slows and deals bonus damage based on the target's max health.

  2. Gank through walls

    Gank with Ixtal's Impact (E) through walls: you drag the first champion you hit to the end of the charge, and if they hit a wall, they're stunned.

  3. Seismic Bastion in melee range

    Cast Seismic Bastion (W) as you get into melee range: you gain a shield, and the earthquake damages and slows nearby enemies.

  4. Drag their carry into your team

    Cast Impale (R) on their carry and drag them toward your team: you suppress up to 3 champions hit and drag them with you.

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.

Other Skarner matchups

Patch 16.21.1