Sylas vs Smolder

Sylas
vs
Not enough games
Smolder
Heavy AD damageHigh burstHeavy pokeSustained DPS

Build vs Smolder

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

Recommended items for Sylas: Hextech Rocketbelt, Riftmaker, Zhonya's Hourglass, Sorcerer's Shoes, Shadowflame, Dark Seal, Seeker's Armguard, Lich Bane.

Starting items

Doran's Ring
Health Potion
x2

Core build

Hextech Rocketbelt
1
Riftmaker
2
Zhonya's Hourglass
3

Standard

Sorcerer's Shoes
4Magic pen
Shadowflame
5

Summoner spells

FlashDot68%
FlashTeleport32%

Anti CC

Mercury's Treads
4vs CC

Other options

Shadowflame
Dark Seal
Seeker's Armguard
Lich Bane
Stormsurge
Rabadon's Deathcap
Cosmic Drive
Banshee's Veil
PrecisionPrecision
ConquerorConqueror
Presence of MindPresence of Mind
Legend: HasteLegend: Haste
Last StandLast Stand
ResolveResolve
UnflinchingUnflinching
Second WindSecond Wind
Adaptive ForceAdaptive ForceHealth Scaling

Power Spikes

Strength by game phase

Smolder's abilities

Passive, spells and ultimate

Dragon Practice (P)

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

LevelQWER
35.5s14s24s–
64.5s14s24s2m
93.5s13s24s2m
113.5s12s24s1m50
163.5s10s20s1m40
183.5s10s16s1m40

Playing as Sylas

Tips to maximize your impact

  1. An auto after each spell

    Weave an auto after each spell: Petricite Burst (passive) turns it into a chain swing around you, with bonus magic damage.

  2. Save Kingslayer for low health

    Save Kingslayer (W) to finish or to save yourself when your health drops: its healing grows with your missing health.

  3. Abscond, then throw your chain

    To engage, cast Abscond (E), then recast within 3.5 seconds: Abduct (E) pulls you to the first enemy hit and knocks them into the air.

  4. Steal the ult that decides the fight

    Cast Hijack (R) on the enemy whose ult can turn a teamfight: you keep a copy of it, cast with your own stats.

Playing against Smolder

How to counter and exploit weaknesses

  1. Trade early

    Take your trades early: his basic spells only gain damage with the Dragon Practice (passive) stacks he builds over the game.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. Leave the center of the breath

    Get out of the center of MMOOOMMMM! (R): that's where the breath hits hardest and slows.

Patch 16.21.1