Smolder vs Sylas
Skill matchup
You are stronger late game. Farm safe and avoid early trades.
Build vs Sylas
Build adapted to this matchup
Recommended items for Smolder: Essence Reaver, Black Cleaver, Spear of Shojin, Ionian Boots of Lucidity, Rapid Firecannon, Infinity Edge, Mortal Reminder, B. F. Sword.
Starting items
Core build
Standard
Summoner spells
Anti CC
Other options
Power Spikes
Strength by game phase
Sylas's abilities
Passive, spells and ultimate
After casting a spell, Sylas stores a charge of Petricite Burst. Sylas's basic attacks will expend a charge and whirl his energized chains around him dealing bonus magic damage to enemies hit. While Sylas has a charge of Petricite Burst, he gains attack speed.
Cooldowns
Cooldowns by spell rank
| Level | Q | W | E | R |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 10s | 12s | 13s | – |
| 6 | 8s | 12s | 13s | 1m20 |
| 9 | 6s | 10.5s | 13s | 1m20 |
| 11 | 6s | 9s | 13s | 55s |
| 16 | 6s | 6s | 11s | 30s |
| 18 | 6s | 6s | 9s | 30s |
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 Sylas
How to counter and exploit weaknesses
- Keep minions between his chain and you
Stay behind your minions after his Abscond (E): the Abduct (E) chain pulls him to the first enemy hit, and only that one takes the knock-up.
- Don't trust his low health
Don't go all-in just because his health is low: Kingslayer (W) heals him more as he loses health.
- Back off after each of his spells
Get out of his range as soon as he casts a spell: each spell charges Petricite Burst (passive), and his next auto hits around him with bonus magic damage.
- Fight when he can't steal from you
Take the fight when Hijack (R) is on cooldown: he then can't copy your ult and turn it against your team.
Other Smolder matchups
Patch 16.21.1