Swain vs Talon
Build vs Talon
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
Talon's abilities
Passive, spells and ultimate
Talon's spells Wound champions and large monsters, stacking up to 3 times. When Talon attacks a champion with 3 stacks of Wound, they bleed for heavy damage over time.
Cooldowns
Cooldowns by spell rank
| Level | Q | W | E | R |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 8s | 9s | 0s | – |
| 6 | 7s | 9s | 0s | 1m40 |
| 9 | 6s | 8.5s | 0s | 1m40 |
| 11 | 6s | 8s | 0s | 1m20 |
| 16 | 6s | 7s | 0s | 1m |
| 18 | 6s | 7s | 0s | 1m |
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 Talon
How to counter and exploit weaknesses
- Dodge his blades on the return
Get out of the path of Rake (W), especially on the return: the returning blades slow you, and each spell that hits brings you closer to Blade's End (passive).
- Push to keep him in lane
Push your wave whenever you can: he then has to stay and farm instead of roaming by vaulting walls with Assassin's Path (E).
- Engage when his ult is on cooldown
If you can engage, go for him while Shadow Assault (R) is on cooldown: it's his main way out of a fight, and it comes back in 100 to 60 seconds.
- Ping as soon as he disappears
Ping your team as soon as he leaves your vision, and ward the paths behind walls: Assassin's Path (E) lets him vault walls to roam through the jungle.
Other Swain matchups
Patch 16.21.1