Best Counters to Play Against Sylas in League of Legends
Sylas is one of the most flexible champions in League of Legends. He can be played mid, jungle, top, and even bot lane in certain situations. His kit allows him to chain dashes, heal massive amounts of health, and steal enemy ultimates to use against them.
If your team relies on powerful ultimates like Malphite's Unstoppable Force or Karthus' Requiem, Sylas can quickly turn your win condition into his own.
The good news? Sylas has several exploitable weaknesses. He is short-ranged, heavily dependent on landing skill shots, and struggles against poke-heavy champions.
This guide covers the best counters to Sylas in every role and explains how to play around his ultimate-stealing mechanic.
Quick Counter Picks
Mid Lane
- Cassiopeia
- Lissandra
- Vel'Koz
- Pantheon
- Kassadin
Top Lane
- Trundle
- Kayle
- Cassiopeia
Jungle
- Morgana
- Naafiri
Champions to Avoid
Avoid picking champions with game-changing ultimates that Sylas can steal:
- Malphite
- Kennen
- Master Yi
- Karthus
- Veigar
Best Overall Counter: Cassiopeia
She offers sustained DPS, long-range poke, and excellent crowd control that prevents Sylas from engaging effectively.
Why Sylas Is Difficult to Deal With
Three key abilities make Sylas frustrating to face.
Hijack (R)
Sylas can steal enemy ultimates and use them himself. Against the wrong composition, he effectively gains access to multiple game-winning abilities.
Kingslayer (W)
His W provides significant healing, especially against low-health targets. This allows him to survive all-ins and outlast opponents in extended fights.
Abscond / Abduct (E)
Sylas has strong mobility thanks to his double-dash. He can quickly engage, land crowd control, and escape unfavorable situations.
Combined with excellent AP scaling, these tools make him a dangerous skirmisher and assassin.
However, Sylas is still reliant on getting close to his target and landing skill shots. If you can maintain distance and avoid his abilities, his effectiveness drops dramatically.
Best Mid Lane Counters to Sylas
Cassiopeia
Cassiopeia is arguably Sylas's hardest counter.
Her sustained damage from Twin Fang overwhelms him in extended fights, while Miasma prevents him from using his mobility effectively. Petrifying Gaze also punishes every aggressive engage attempt.
An added bonus is that her ultimate is difficult for Sylas to use efficiently.
How to Play the Matchup
- Constantly pressure with Noxious Blast.
- Maintain maximum range.
- Save your ultimate for his second dash.
- Prevent him from reaching melee range.
Lissandra
Point-and-click crowd control is one of Sylas's biggest weaknesses.
Frozen Tomb can either lock Sylas down or protect Lissandra during his engage. Her crowd-control chain makes jungle ganks extremely effective.
How to Play the Matchup
- Abuse your range advantage early.
- Coordinate with your jungler after level six.
- Use your ultimate defensively when Sylas dives.
Vel'Koz
Long-range poke is Sylas's worst nightmare.
Vel'Koz can consistently damage him from outside his engage range and force him into unfavorable trades.
How to Play the Matchup
- Spam Q and E from maximum range.
- Keep vision to avoid surprise engages.
- Force Sylas to burn Flash before committing.
Pantheon
Pantheon's point-and-click stun gives Sylas very little room to outplay.
His early-game damage and roaming potential allow him to pressure Sylas before he can scale.
How to Play the Matchup
- Look for aggressive trades at level 3.
- Use your stun immediately when Sylas engages.
- Roam after level 6 to impact side lanes.
Kassadin
Although the early lane can be difficult, Kassadin eventually outscales Sylas.
His mobility and magic damage shield make it increasingly difficult for Sylas to find favorable trades.
How to Play the Matchup
- Farm safely until level 6.
- Avoid unnecessary skirmishes early.
- Use Riftwalk aggressively once you gain mobility advantage.
Best Top Lane Counters to Sylas
Trundle
Trundle dominates melee matchups through superior sustain and stat-stealing.
Subjugate is particularly effective because it steals resistances directly from Sylas.
How to Play the Matchup
- Force extended trades.
- Use your sustain advantage.
- Punish every melee engage.
Kayle
Kayle struggles early but completely outscales Sylas later in the game.
Her range, DPS, and ultimate make teamfights difficult for Sylas to navigate.
How to Play the Matchup
- Prioritize safe farming.
- Avoid unnecessary deaths.
- Scale toward your late-game power spikes.
Cassiopeia
Cassiopeia remains one of the strongest Sylas counters regardless of lane.
Her consistent damage output and anti-mobility tools make the matchup difficult from start to finish.
Best Jungle Counters to Sylas
Morgana
Dark Binding can completely shut down Sylas during ganks and skirmishes.
Her crowd control creates easy kill opportunities for teammates.
How to Play the Matchup
- Invade aggressively early.
- Punish every attempted engage.
- Control objectives with superior zoning.
Naafiri
Naafiri excels in early jungle skirmishes and can out-duel Sylas before he becomes a threat.
How to Play the Matchup
- Contest Scuttle Crabs.
- Force early fights.
- Abuse your stronger early-game damage.
Tips for Beating Sylas
Dodge His Q
Sylas relies heavily on Chain Lash for damage.
Move sideways rather than backward whenever possible to avoid the explosion.
Use Minions Against His E
The second part of Abscond / Abduct requires a direct champion hit.
Position behind minions to make engages more difficult.
Buy Anti-Heal
His Kingslayer healing can completely swing fights.
Strong anti-heal options include:
- Executioner's Calling
- Mortal Reminder
- Morellonomicon
Avoid Giving Him Valuable Ultimates
Champions with utility-focused ultimates tend to be much safer against Sylas.
Examples include:
- Soraka
- Janna
- Lulu
Fight in Open Areas
Sylas thrives in tight spaces where mobility is easier to utilize.
Open terrain makes it harder for him to find effective angles.
Common Mistakes Against Sylas
Drafting Stealable Ultimates
Champions like Malphite, Karthus, and Veigar often give Sylas tremendous value.
Standing Still
His combo becomes far easier to land when targets stop moving.
Skipping Anti-Heal
Ignoring healing reduction allows Sylas to win extended fights.
Taking Isolated Side-Lane Duels
Sylas excels at prolonged 1v1 encounters.
Ignoring His Roams
Once level 6 arrives, Sylas becomes extremely dangerous across the map.
Recommended Items Against Sylas
Mages
- Banshee's Veil
- Zhonya's Hourglass
- Morellonomicon
Tanks
- Bramble Vest
- Thornmail
- Frozen Heart
ADCs and Squishy Carries
- Mercury's Treads
- Mortal Reminder
Frequently Asked Questions
Who Is the Best Counter to Sylas?
Cassiopeia is generally considered the strongest overall counter thanks to her range, sustained damage, and anti-mobility tools.
Can You Stop Sylas From Stealing Your Ultimate?
Not directly. However, you can reduce the impact by choosing champions whose ultimates provide limited value when stolen.
How Do You Beat Sylas as a Melee Champion?
Champions such as Trundle, Pantheon, and Renekton can win short trades through superior early-game strength and sustain.
What Lane Is Sylas Weakest In?
Sylas tends to struggle most against ranged poke champions in top lane and against Cassiopeia in mid lane.
Final Words
Sylas can be intimidating because of his mobility, sustain, and ability to steal ultimates. However, he remains vulnerable to poke, crowd control, and anti-heal effects.
If you pick champions with range, avoid giving him powerful ultimates, and punish his aggressive engages, Sylas becomes much easier to handle.
Read Next:
