Swain vs Smolder
Build vs Smolder
The champion's reference build, for lack of enough games in this matchup
Recommended items for Swain: Blackfire Torch, Rylai's Crystal Scepter, Zhonya's Hourglass, Plated Steelcaps, Liandry's Torment, Spirit Visage, Morellonomicon, Frozen Heart.
Starting items
Core build
Standard
Summoner spells
Anti CC
Other options
Power Spikes
Strength by game phase
Smolder's abilities
Passive, spells and ultimate
Hitting champions with Abilities and killing enemies with Super Scorcher Breath grants a stack of Dragon Practice. Stacks increase the damage of Smolders basic Abilities.
Cooldowns
Cooldowns by spell rank
| Level | Q | W | E | R |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 5.5s | 14s | 24s | – |
| 6 | 4.5s | 14s | 24s | 2m |
| 9 | 3.5s | 13s | 24s | 2m |
| 11 | 3.5s | 12s | 24s | 1m50 |
| 16 | 3.5s | 10s | 20s | 1m40 |
| 18 | 3.5s | 10s | 16s | 1m40 |
Playing as Swain
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.
Playing against Smolder
How to counter and exploit weaknesses
- Trade early
Take your trades early: his basic spells only gain damage with the Dragon Practice (passive) stacks he builds over the game.
- Save your CC for his flight
If you have hard CC, save it for Flap, Flap, Flap (E): it's his only way to escape, and hard CC interrupts his flight.
- Don't stay grouped
Don't stay grouped with your allies against him: empowered, Super Scorcher Breath (Q) also damages around its target and behind it.
- Leave the center of the breath
Get out of the center of MMOOOMMMM! (R): that's where the breath hits hardest and slows.
Other Swain matchups
Patch 16.21.1