Volibear vs Irelia
Skill matchup
Build vs Irelia
Build adapted to this matchup
Recommended items for Volibear: Dusk and Dawn, Navori Flickerblade, Spirit Visage, Plated Steelcaps, Statikk Shiv, Hextech Gunblade, Thornmail, Bramble Vest.
Starting items
Core build
Standard
Summoner spells
Anti CC
Other options
Power Spikes
Strength by game phase
Irelia's abilities
Passive, spells and ultimate
When Irelia strikes enemies with spells she gains stacking bonus Attack Speed. At maximum stacks she also gains bonus damage on hit.
Cooldowns
Cooldowns by spell rank
| Level | Q | W | E | R |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 10s | 20s | 16s | – |
| 6 | 8s | 20s | 16s | 2m05 |
| 9 | 6s | 18s | 16s | 2m05 |
| 11 | 6s | 16s | 16s | 1m45 |
| 16 | 6s | 12s | 13s | 1m25 |
| 18 | 6s | 12s | 10s | 1m25 |
Playing as Volibear
Tips to maximize your impact
- Charge in, then stun
Cast Thundering Smash (Q) to charge at your target: your speed doubles when heading toward a champion, and your next auto stuns them.
- Two Frenzied Mauls on one target
Hit the same target twice with Frenzied Maul (W): the second hit, on the marked target, hits harder and heals you based on your missing health.
- Stay under your lightning
Cast Sky Splitter (E) where you're fighting and stay in the zone: when the lightning strikes, you gain a shield, and enemies hit are slowed.
- Dive the tower with your ult
To dive under a tower, cast Stormbringer (R) near it: on landing, you disable it for a few seconds, and you gain bonus health.
Playing against Irelia
How to counter and exploit weaknesses
- Stay away from low-health minions
Don't stand near your low-health minions: Bladesurge (Q) resets when it kills, so she chains dashes from minion to minion until she reaches you.
- Dodge the line of her blades
As soon as the first blade of Flawless Duet (E) lands, change direction: the stun only hits enemies caught between the two blades.
- Trade before her passive stacks
Take your trades when Ionian Fervor (passive) isn't stacked: she builds stacks with her abilities, and at max stacks her autos deal more damage.
- Wait out her Defiant Dance
Save your burst for after Defiant Dance (W): while charging, she takes much less damage, but she can't do anything else.
- Dodge her blade ult
Dodge Vanguard's Edge (R): its blades make you Unsteady, which resets Bladesurge (Q) on you, and the cage they form damages and slows anyone who crosses it.
Other Volibear matchups
Patch 16.21.1