Assassin
Beginner Rule
Don't chase Akali into her shroud.
Akali is a mobile assassin who excels at short trades before committing to all-ins. She wants to use Twilight Shroud (W) — her smoke cloud ability — to avoid damage while repositioning for another attack. Many beginners lose by chasing Akali into her shroud or underestimating her burst after Level 6.
Level 3 – Gains access to full trading tools.
Level 6 – Unlocks deadly all-in potential with ultimate.
First Item – Burst damage becomes much harder to survive.
Shroud hiding her position
Level 6 all-ins
Multiple dashes
Extended chases
QWhat it does
Throws five kunai in a cone dealing damage and slowing. Also enables her passive ring.
How to play against
Stand just outside the cone. The slow sets up her Q-passive-auto combo. Backing up after Q denies the empowered auto follow-up.
WWhat it does
Drops a smoke shroud and turns invisible inside it. Gains Move Speed. Cannot be targeted while invisible.
How to play against
Do NOT walk into the shroud chasing her. She can't be targeted inside it. Wait at the edge — she'll come out to attack.
EWhat it does
Flips backward and throws a shuriken forward marking the first enemy hit or smoke cloud. Dashes to the mark on recast.
How to play against
The mark lets her teleport to you — move unpredictably after the shuriken hits so the mark lands somewhere inconvenient for her.
RWhat it does
Two-part dash. First cast leaps in a direction. Second cast dashes again and executes enemies it strikes.
How to play against
The second cast executes — disengage below 30% HP. She'll hold the first cast to get close, then execute with the second.
E → E2 → Q → Auto
Core trading combo.
R1 → E → E2 → Q → R2
Full assassination combo.
Q → Passive Auto → Back Away
Common short trade pattern.
Assassin's Mark: dealing spell damage creates a ring of energy around the target. When Akali exits that ring her next auto gains extended range and bonus damage. She'll exit your hitbox to proc this — back away to force her to follow.
