Sylas vs Swain
Skill matchup
Build vs Swain
The champion's reference build, for lack of enough games in this matchup
Recommended items for Sylas: Hextech Rocketbelt, Riftmaker, Zhonya's Hourglass, Ionian Boots of Lucidity, Rod of Ages, Oblivion Orb, Dark Seal, Spirit Visage.
Starting items
Core build
Standard
Summoner spells
Anti CC
Other options
Power Spikes
Strength by game phase
Swain's abilities
Passive, spells and ultimate
Swain's ravens collect Soul Fragments that heal him and permanently increase his maximum health.
Cooldowns
Cooldowns by spell rank
| Level | Q | W | E | R |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 7s | 20s | 12s | – |
| 6 | 5s | 20s | 12s | 2m |
| 9 | 3s | 19s | 12s | 2m |
| 11 | 3s | 18s | 12s | 2m |
| 16 | 3s | 16s | 11s | 2m |
| 18 | 3s | 16s | 10s | 2m |
Playing as Sylas
Tips to maximize your impact
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 Swain
How to counter and exploit weaknesses
- Dodge Nevermove on its return
Get out of the Nevermove (E) path as it comes back: it only roots on its return to Swain, then he can pull each rooted champion to him.
- Leave the area of his eye
Leave the area as soon as Vision of Empire (W) appears: it strikes and slows 1.5 seconds later, and each champion hit gives him a Soul Fragment.
- Keep your distance during his ult
During Demonic Ascension (R), back off and hit from range if you can: he only drains nearby enemies, and his form ends when he stops draining.
- Cut his healing during his ult
If you have Grievous Wounds, apply it during Demonic Ascension (R): the drain heals him every second, and that healing keeps him alive.
Other Sylas matchups
Patch 16.21.1