Sion counters (Top)

Common role: Top

The best counter to Sion in Top is Singed: 57.7% win rate over 465 ranked games on patch 26.21.

An unstoppable tank who charges across the map to knock up your whole team.

What makes Sion dangerous

Sion charges up a knock-up stun (Q), a shield-slam (W), and his ultimate is an unstoppable charge across the map that knocks up and stuns everyone he crashes into. On death his passive lets him keep fighting as a raging zombie. He's a hard-engage frontline that starts fights from screens away.

How to counter Sion

• 1Dodge his charged Q — the longer he charges, the longer the stun. Sidestep it and interrupt him if you can.
• 2His ultimate is a wide unstoppable charge — sidestep to the flank so he can't line it up on your team, and it can be steered but not stopped.
• 3On death he becomes a temporary zombie — don't waste focus on the passive form; back off and let it expire.
• 4Low personal damage as a tank — % health and magic damage beat his armor, and kiting avoids his short-range slam.

What are Sion's weaknesses?

• ✓Charged Q and ult are dodgeable/steerable-only.
• ✓Low damage outside his combo — a peel/engage tank.
• ✓% health and magic damage beat his armor.
• ✓Zombie passive is temporary — don't feed it focus.

Abilities & how to counter them

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

• P
  Glory in Death

  After being killed, Sion will temporarily reanimate with rapidly decaying Health. His attacks become very rapid, heal him, and deal bonus damage based on his target's maximum Health.

• Q
  Decimating Smash

  Sion charges a powerful swing in an area in front of himself that will deal damage to enemies when released. If he charges for enough time, enemies hit by the swing will also be knocked up and stunned.

  Strong: a charged knock-up stun — the longer the charge, the longer the stun. Weak: dodge it and interrupt the charge if you can.

• W
  Soul Furnace

  Sion shields himself and can reactivate after 3 seconds to deal Magic Damage to enemies nearby. When Sion kills enemies, he passively gains maximum Health.

• E
  Roar of the Slayer

  Sion fires a short range shockwave that damages and slows and reduces the Armor of the first enemy hit. If the shockwave hits a minion or monster, it will be knocked back, damaging, slowing, and reducing the Armor of all enemies that it passes through.

• R
  Unstoppable Onslaught

  Sion charges in a direction, ramping up speed over time. He can steer his charge slightly with the mouse cursor location. When he collides with an enemy he deals damage and knocks them up based on the distance he has charged.

  Strong: an unstoppable map-wide charge that knocks up and stuns whoever he hits. Weak: sidestep to the flank — it can be steered but not stopped, so don't line up in front of it.

Itemization

Sion is a hard-engage tank. Play % health and magic damage, dodge his charged Q and steer clear of his ult's line, and don't waste damage on his death passive. Kite and focus his carries.

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