How to beat Akali

Common role: Mid

An AP assassin who vanishes in her smoke shroud and bursts squishies down.

What makes Akali dangerous

Akali drops a smoke shroud (W) that makes her untargetable and hard to lock, dashes in and out with her E and ultimate, and deals heavy AP burst with energy-fueled combos. She's a slippery assassin who dives the backline and is very forgiving to reposition after a failed engage.

How to play against Akali

• 1She can't be targeted inside her shroud, but AoE and area damage still hit her. Drop zoning/AoE on the smoke instead of trying to click her.
• 2She uses energy — bait her combo and she runs dry, losing her dashes and burst. Trade in her low-energy windows.
• 3Her second E recast only works if the first E hit you. Sidestep her E dagger and she can't dash back in for the follow-up.
• 4A Zhonya's, hard CC, or grouping shuts her down. Don't let her isolate a lone carry — peel and she can't commit safely.

Weaknesses to exploit

• ✓Energy-starved if she wastes her combo.
• ✓AoE damage ignores her shroud untargetability.
• ✓Squishy — hard CC and burst delete her.
• ✓Her E recast needs the first E to land.

Abilities & how to counter them

What each of Akali's abilities does — and how to play around it.

• P
  Assassin's Mark

  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.

• Q
  Five Point Strike

  Akali throws out five kunai, dealing damage based on her bonus Attack Damage and Ability Power and slowing.

• W
  Twilight Shroud

  Akali drops a cover of smoke and briefly gains Move Speed. While inside the shroud, Akali becomes invisible and unable to be selected by enemy spells and attacks. Attacking or using abilities will briefly reveal her.

  Strong: a smoke shroud makes her untargetable to reposition and dodge. Weak: AoE and area damage still hit her inside it — drop zoning on the smoke.

• E
  Shuriken Flip

  Flip backward and fire a shuriken forward, dealing magic damage. The first enemy or smoke cloud hit is marked. Re-cast to dash to the marked target, dealing additional damage.

  Strong: a dagger that lets her recast E to dash back in. Weak: the recast needs the first E to hit — sidestep it and she can't follow up.

• R
  Perfect Execution

  Akali leaps in a direction, damaging enemies she strikes. Re-cast: Akali dashes in a direction, executing all enemies she strikes.

  Strong: two dashes for a burst execute and repositioning. Weak: she uses energy — bait her combo and she runs dry, losing her dashes.

Itemization

Akali is AP burst. Magic resist (Mercury's Treads, an MR item) and a Zhonya's/Banshee's answer her, and AoE zoning beats her shroud. AD assassins with a Hexdrinker/Maw duel her well.

This guide covers Akali's core kit and playstyle — advice that holds up across patches.