How to beat Samira

Common role: ADC

An all-in marksman who dashes through fights and unleashes a lifesteal blade storm.

What makes Samira dangerous

Samira builds a style meter with varied attacks, dashes through enemies (E) resetting on takedowns, blocks projectiles with her W, and her ultimate is a spinning AoE blade storm that shreds a grouped team while healing her. She thrives in chaotic all-ins and snowballs out of control if she gets going.

How to play against Samira

• 1Her W blocks projectiles briefly — don't throw key skillshots into it. Bait it, then commit.
• 2Her ultimate needs full style stacks and enemies in range — hard CC her before she can spin, and don't clump for the AoE.
• 3Punish her early — Samira is a weak, all-in-reliant laner before items. Poke her out and deny the snowball.
• 4She dives melee-range on her carry pattern. Hard CC and Grievous Wounds (against her ult lifesteal) shut her down.

Weaknesses to exploit

• ✓Weak, all-in-reliant early game.
• ✓W only blocks projectiles briefly.
• ✓Ult needs stacks and grouped enemies — CC and spread deny it.
• ✓Melee-range and squishy; hard CC punishes her.

Abilities & how to counter them

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

• P
  Daredevil Impulse

  Samira builds a combo by hitting attacks or abilities unique from the previous hit. Samira's attacks in melee range deal additional magic damage. Samira's attacks against enemies affected by Immobilizing effects will dash her to her attack range. If the enemy is Knocked Up, she also keeps them Knocked Up briefly.

• Q
  Flair

  Samira fires a shot or swings her sword, dealing damage. If cast during Wild Rush, strike all enemies in her path upon completion.

• W
  Blade Whirl

  Samira slashes around her, damaging enemies and destroying enemy missiles.

  Strong: briefly blocks all projectiles around her. Weak: don't throw key skillshots into it — bait it, then commit.

• E
  Wild Rush

  Samira dashes through an enemy (including structures), slashing enemies she passes through and gaining Attack Speed. Killing an enemy champion refreshes this ability's cooldown.

• R
  Inferno Trigger

  Samira unleashes a torrent of shots from her weapons, wildly shooting all enemies surrounding her.

  Strong: a spinning AoE blade storm that shreds a grouped team while healing her. Weak: hard CC before she spins and don't clump; Grievous Wounds cuts the lifesteal.

Itemization

Samira is an all-in crit marksman with ult lifesteal. Hard CC before her ult, Grievous Wounds against her healing, and Exhaust in fights. Punish her weak early game and don't clump for her spin.

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