Swain vs Akali

Not enough games

Heavy AP damageHigh burstDive threatSplit push

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

Build vs Akali

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

Starting items

—

x2—

Core build

1—

2—

3—

Standard

4vs Slow

5—

Summoner spells

35%

26%

Other options

—

Precision

Conqueror

Presence of Mind

Legend: Haste

Last Stand

Resolve

Conditioning

Overgrowth

Strength by game phase

Passive, spells and ultimate

Assassin's Mark (P)

Dealing spell damage to a champion creates a ring of energy around them. Exiting that ring empowers Akali's next Attack with bonus range and damage.

Cooldowns by spell rank

Level	Q	W	E	R
3	1.5s	20s	16s	–
6	1.5s	20s	16s	2m
9	1.5s	19s	16s	2m
11	1.5s	18s	16s	1m30
16	1.5s	16s	13s	1m
18	1.5s	16s	10s	1m

Tips to maximize your impact

Aim Nevermove past your target
Cast Nevermove (E) past your target: it only roots on the way back, as it returns to you. Then recast it to pull rooted champions to you.
Poke through the wave
Poke with Death's Hand (Q) even behind minions: its bolts pierce enemies, and its cooldown drops from 7 to 3 seconds.
Collect Soul Fragments
Hit champions with Vision of Empire (W) and pull them with Nevermove (E): each Ravenous Flock (passive) Soul Fragment heals you and raises your max health.
Stay close during your ult
During Demonic Ascension (R), stay close to enemy champions: the drain extends your form, and a takedown refills your Demonic Energy.
Support distant fights with your eye
Cast Vision of Empire (W) on a fight breaking out elsewhere: its range is 5500 to 7500, and a busy or rooted enemy struggles to dodge the hit 1.5 seconds later.

How to counter and exploit weaknesses

Trade after her smoke
Take a trade once Twilight Shroud (W) is used: she can't vanish again until its 20 to 16 second cooldown is over.
Play hard before she hits 6
Play hard before she hits level 6: without Perfect Execution (R), her only spell to get back on you is Shuriken Flip (E), on a 16 to 10 second cooldown.
Fire into her smoke
If you have AoE spells or skillshots, throw them into the Twilight Shroud (W) smoke: they hit her even while she's invisible, whereas targeted spells can't be cast on her.
Punish her when she's low on energy
Take a trade when she has just cast Five Point Strike (Q) several times: each cast costs 110 to 70 energy depending on rank, from a base pool of 200.
Hit her between her two dashes
Hit her right after the first dash of Perfect Execution (R): she has to wait a moment before she can cast the second.

Patch 16.21.1