Volibear vs Sylas
Skill matchup
Build vs Sylas
Build adapted to this matchup
Recommended items for Volibear: Dusk and Dawn, Navori Flickerblade, Spirit Visage, Mercury's Treads, Statikk Shiv, Hextech Gunblade, Bramble Vest, Thornmail.
Starting items
Core build
Standard
Summoner spells
Other options
Power Spikes
Strength by game phase
Sylas's abilities
Passive, spells and ultimate
After casting a spell, Sylas stores a charge of Petricite Burst. Sylas's basic attacks will expend a charge and whirl his energized chains around him dealing bonus magic damage to enemies hit. While Sylas has a charge of Petricite Burst, he gains attack speed.
Cooldowns
Cooldowns by spell rank
| Level | Q | W | E | R |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 10s | 12s | 13s | – |
| 6 | 8s | 12s | 13s | 1m20 |
| 9 | 6s | 10.5s | 13s | 1m20 |
| 11 | 6s | 9s | 13s | 55s |
| 16 | 6s | 6s | 11s | 30s |
| 18 | 6s | 6s | 9s | 30s |
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 Sylas
How to counter and exploit weaknesses
- Keep minions between his chain and you
Stay behind your minions after his Abscond (E): the Abduct (E) chain pulls him to the first enemy hit, and only that one takes the knock-up.
- Don't trust his low health
Don't go all-in just because his health is low: Kingslayer (W) heals him more as he loses health.
- Back off after each of his spells
Get out of his range as soon as he casts a spell: each spell charges Petricite Burst (passive), and his next auto hits around him with bonus magic damage.
- Fight when he can't steal from you
Take the fight when Hijack (R) is on cooldown: he then can't copy your ult and turn it against your team.
Other Volibear matchups
Patch 16.21.1