Smolder vs Kalista
You are stronger late game. Farm safe and avoid early trades.
Build vs Kalista
The champion's reference build, for lack of enough games in this matchup
Recommended items for Smolder: Essence Reaver, Black Cleaver, Spear of Shojin, Plated Steelcaps, Rapid Firecannon, Infinity Edge, Lord Dominik's Regards, Guardian Angel.
Starting items
Core build
Standard
Summoner spells
Anti CC
Other options
Power Spikes
Strength by game phase
Kalista's abilities
Passive, spells and ultimate
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
| Level | Q | W | E | R |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 9s | 30s | 0s | – |
| 6 | 9s | 30s | 0s | 2m40 |
| 9 | 9s | 30s | 0s | 2m40 |
| 11 | 9s | 30s | 0s | 2m20 |
| 16 | 9s | 30s | 0s | 2m |
| 18 | 9s | 30s | 0s | 2m |
Playing as Smolder
Tips to maximize your impact
- Last-hit minions with your fireball
Last-hit minions with Super Scorcher Breath (Q): each kill with the spell gives you a Dragon Practice (passive) stack, which empowers your basic spells.
- Poke with your sneeze
Poke with Achooo! (W): the sneeze slows, explodes on champions hit, and each champion hit gives you a Dragon Practice stack.
- Aim for the final tier
Build enough stacks for the final tier of Super Scorcher Breath (Q): it burns its target, and kills a champion who drops below a health threshold.
- Take flight to escape
Escape or reposition with Flap, Flap, Flap (E): you fly over obstacles, bombarding the enemy with the lowest health.
- Call your mom from far away
Cast MMOOOMMMM! (R) to finish or slow from far away: the center of the breath hits harder and slows, and if it hits you, your mom heals you.
Playing against Kalista
How to counter and exploit weaknesses
- Back off so her spears drop
After a trade, back off until her spears fall out: they stay stuck for 4 seconds, and Rend (E) deals more damage for each extra spear.
- Hit her as her auto starts
Cast your spells as she starts an auto: she can't cancel the animation, and Martial Poise (passive) only makes her hop once the shot is out.
- Focus her Oathsworn
Focus her Oathsworn when you can: without them, Fate's Call (R) has no one to throw, and Sentinel (W) loses its bonus damage.
- Spread out when her ally is in stasis
When Fate's Call (R) pulls in her Oathsworn, spread out: they can launch within 4 seconds, stop at the first champion hit and knock back nearby enemies.
Other Smolder matchups
Patch 16.21.1