Swain vs Thresh

Swain
vs
Not enough games
Thresh
Heavy CCHeavy AP damageCountered by spell shieldStrong engage

Build vs Thresh

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, Mercury's Treads, Liandry's Torment, Spirit Visage, Morellonomicon, Frozen Heart.

Starting items

Doran's Ring
Health Potion
x2

Core build

Blackfire Torch
1
Rylai's Crystal Scepter
2
Zhonya's Hourglass
3

Standard

Boots of Swiftness
4vs Slow
Liandry's Torment
5

Summoner spells

FlashDot100%

Other options

Liandry's Torment
Spirit Visage
Morellonomicon
Frozen Heart
Randuin's Omen
PrecisionPrecision
ConquerorConqueror
Presence of MindPresence of Mind
Legend: HasteLegend: Haste
Last StandLast Stand
ResolveResolve
ConditioningConditioning
OvergrowthOvergrowth
Adaptive ForceAdaptive ForceHealth Scaling

Power Spikes

Strength by game phase

Thresh's abilities

Passive, spells and ultimate

Damnation (P)

Thresh can harvest the souls of enemies that die near him, permanently granting him Armor and Ability Power.

Cooldowns

Cooldowns by spell rank

LevelQWER
319s21s13s–
614s21s13s2m
99s20s13s2m
119s19s13s1m40
169s17s11.5s1m20
189s17s10s1m20

Playing as Swain

Tips to maximize your impact

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. 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 Thresh

How to counter and exploit weaknesses

  1. Stay behind your minions

    Keep minions between you and Thresh: Death Sentence (Q) stuns and pulls the first unit hit, so one minion is enough to block it.

  2. Step up after a missed hook

    Step up when Death Sentence (Q) misses you: he keeps its full cooldown, 19 to 9 seconds, which only goes down if the hook lands.

  3. Don't give him free autos

    Don't stay in his range for no reason: Flay (E) charges his autos between hits, and a charged auto hits hard early on.

  4. Beware the first wall of his box

    Avoid being the first to break a wall of The Box (R): that one slows and deals full damage. After that, the remaining walls deal no damage.

Patch 16.21.1