How to beat Illaoi

Common role: Top

The best counter to Illaoi in Top is Anivia: 63.8% win rate over 131 ranked games on patch 26.17.

A tanky bruiser who spawns tentacles and rips your soul out for massive AoE damage.

What makes Illaoi dangerous

Illaoi slams tentacles for heavy damage and self-healing, and her E rips a spirit out of a champion — if you don't run away, every tentacle hit also damages you and everyone nearby. In a confined space or a bad fight, she can wipe multiple champions at once with her ultimate's tentacle storm.

How to play against Illaoi

• 1Run from her E spirit. If she pulls your soul, walk away from her tentacles — standing near them lets her free-hit you and your allies.
• 2Don't fight her in the tentacle field or in tight jungle corridors. Dodge her Q slam (a telegraphed skillshot) and space away from her tentacles.
• 3Never group up when her ultimate is up — it spawns a storm of tentacles. Spread out and she can't hit multiple targets.
• 4She's immobile with no gap-closer. Kite her, poke her from range, and don't let her drag you into an extended melee brawl.

Weaknesses to exploit

• ✓No mobility — very kiteable.
• ✓Weak if you leave her E spirit's tentacle range.
• ✓Grievous Wounds cuts her heavy self-healing.
• ✓Struggles against ranged pokes and disengage.

Abilities & how to counter them

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

• P
  Prophet of an Elder God

  Illaoi and the Vessels she creates spawn Tentacles on nearby impassible terrain. Tentacles swing at spirits, Vessels, and victims of Illaoi's Harsh lesson. Tentacles deal physical damage to enemies hit, and will heal Illaoi if they damage a champion.

• Q
  Tentacle Smash

  Increases the damage dealt by Tentacles. When activated, Illaoi smashes down a Tentacle that deals physical damage.

  Strong: a heavy tentacle slam that heals her. Weak: a telegraphed skillshot — dodge it and space away from her tentacles.

• W
  Harsh Lesson

  Illaoi leaps to her target, dealing physical damage and causing nearby Tentacles to also swing at the target.

• E
  Test of Spirit

  Illaoi rips the spirit from a foe's body, forcing it to stand before her. Spirits echo a percentage of the damage they take to the original target. If killed, or if the target gets too far from the spirit, the target will become a Vessel and begin spawning Tentacles.

  Strong: rips your spirit out — every tentacle hit then damages you and nearby allies. Weak: walk away from her tentacles once your soul is pulled to deny the free damage.

• R
  Leap of Faith

  Illaoi smashes her idol into the ground, dealing physical damage to nearby enemies. A Tentacle spawns for each enemy champion hit.

  Strong: spawns a storm of tentacles that can wipe a grouped team. Weak: spread out and she can't hit multiple targets.

Itemization

Illaoi is AD with massive healing. Grievous Wounds (Bramble Vest, Executioner's) is mandatory, plus armor and movement to kite her tentacles. The best counter is simply not fighting inside her tentacle field.

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