Ziggs vs Akali
Skill matchup
Build vs Akali
Build adapted to this matchup
Recommended items for Ziggs: Luden's Echo, Shadowflame, Rabadon's Deathcap, Sorcerer's Shoes, Zhonya's Hourglass, Liandry's Torment, Blackfire Torch, Void Staff.
Starting items
Core build
Standard
Summoner spells
Anti CC
Other options
Power Spikes
Strength by game phase
Akali's abilities
Passive, spells and ultimate
Dealing spell damage to a champion creates a ring of energy around them. Exiting that ring empowers Akali's next Attack with bonus range and damage.
Cooldowns
Cooldowns by spell rank
| Level | Q | W | E | R |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 1.5s | 20s | 16s | – |
| 6 | 1.5s | 20s | 16s | 2m |
| 9 | 1.5s | 19s | 16s | 2m |
| 11 | 1.5s | 18s | 16s | 1m30 |
| 16 | 1.5s | 16s | 13s | 1m |
| 18 | 1.5s | 16s | 10s | 1m |
Playing as Ziggs
Tips to maximize your impact
- Poke with Bouncing Bomb
Poke with Bouncing Bomb (Q): its cooldown drops from 6 to 4 seconds, and a target slowed by Hexplosive Minefield (E) has a hard time dodging it.
- Launch yourself with your charge
Cast Satchel Charge (W) at your feet to escape or chase, even over a wall: the blast knocks you away without damaging you, and knocks back nearby enemies too.
- Join distant fights with your ult
Cast Mega Inferno Bomb (R) on a distant fight or a fleeing target: it reaches 5000 range, and the center of the blast deals more damage than the edge.
- Finish towers with your charge
Siege towers from range, then cast Satchel Charge (W) on a tower that's almost down: below a health threshold, it's destroyed instantly.
Playing against Akali
How to counter and exploit weaknesses
- Trade after her smoke
Take a trade once Twilight Shroud (W) is used: she can't vanish again until its 20 to 16 second cooldown is over.
- Play hard before she hits 6
Play hard before she hits level 6: without Perfect Execution (R), her only spell to get back on you is Shuriken Flip (E), on a 16 to 10 second cooldown.
- Fire into her smoke
If you have AoE spells or skillshots, throw them into the Twilight Shroud (W) smoke: they hit her even while she's invisible, whereas targeted spells can't be cast on her.
- Punish her when she's low on energy
Take a trade when she has just cast Five Point Strike (Q) several times: each cast costs 110 to 70 energy depending on rank, from a base pool of 200.
- Hit her between her two dashes
Hit her right after the first dash of Perfect Execution (R): she has to wait a moment before she can cast the second.
Other Ziggs matchups
Patch 16.21.1