Akshan · Mid

Akshan Aggressive Guide

OffensiveData-drivenMediumPatch 16.19.1

9.3KUpdated 19 hours ago

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This guide is assembled by the site from match data and the game's own information — nobody wrote it by hand. Official and community guides appear alongside it when they exist.

Overview

This guide is about playing Akshan aggressively. Aggressive mid means shoving the wave, taking the river first and looking for kills in the side lanes with your jungler. Your spikes are level 6, when Comeuppance comes online, and each completed item: Stormrazor first, then Yun Tal Wildarrows.

Strengths

Long attack range (500) for safe trades in lane.
Mobility: Heroic Swing lets you reposition, engage or escape.
Sustain from Dirty Fighting.

Weaknesses

Every death while playing aggressively hands the tempo back to the enemy.
The enemy jungle and supports will target you for ganks.

Build cheat sheet

Pick the build that fits what you want to do this game.

Crit buildOffensiveRecommendedAll-in on damage: Lord Dominik's Regards, The Collector and Infinity Edge stack attack damage, critical strike and armor penetration. Choose it when you're ahead or the enemy team is fragile — it gives up safety for kill pressure.
Against physical damageDefensiveSituationalFor a lane or a team that hits with attacks: armor boots and an armor item in the core.

Builds

Crit build

OffensiveRecommended

Open build

When to use it

All-in on damage: Lord Dominik's Regards, The Collector and Infinity Edge stack attack damage, critical strike and armor penetration. Choose it when you're ahead or the enemy team is fragile — it gives up safety for kill pressure.

Where it's played

Picked before the game: the main lane first, then the alternatives.

Summoner's RiftRed side · bottom leftBlue side · top right

MidMain100% of matches

Starting items

Doran's BladeHealth Potion

Core items

1Lord Dominik's Regards
2The Collector
3Infinity Edge

Boots

Berserker's Greaves

Situational

Death's DanceAgainst heavy physical damage.Mercurial ScimitarAgainst heavy magic damage.Guardian AngelAgainst burst and assassins.

Runes

Primary· Precision

Secondary· Domination

Shards

Summoner spells

Flash
Ignite

Abilities

Dirty FightingPassiveEvery three hits from Akshan's Attacks and Abilities deals bonus damage and grants him a Shield if the target was a champion. When Akshan Attacks, he fires an additional Attack for reduced damage. If he cancels the additional Attack, he instead gains Move Speed.
QAvengerang9/8/7/6/5s60/65/70/75/80 mpAkshan throws a boomerang that deals damage going out and coming back, extending its range each time it hits an enemy.
Cooldown
9·8·7·6·5
Cost
60·65·70·75·80
Range
850
WGoing Rogue18/14/10/6/2s40/30/20/10/0 mpAkshan passively marks enemy champions as Scoundrels when they kill his ally champions. If Akshan kills a Scoundrel, he resurrects the allies they killed, gains bonus gold, and clears all marks. When activated, Akshan enters camouflage and gains Move Speed and Mana Regen while moving towards Scoundrels. Akshan loses the camouflage quickly while he is not in brush or near terrain.
Cooldown
18·14·10·6·2
Cost
40·30·20·10·0
Range
5500
EHeroic Swing18/16.5/15/13.5/12s70 mpAkshan fires a grappling hook into terrain then swings around it, repeatedly firing at the nearest enemy while swinging. He can jump off early or gets knocked off when colliding with champions or terrain.
Cooldown
18·16.5·15·13.5·12
Cost
70
Range
800
Basic ability — moves you. Keep it to escape unless the kill is certain.
RComeuppanceUltimate100/85/70s100 mpAkshan locks onto an enemy champion and starts storing bullets. When released, he fires all stored bullets, dealing damage based on missing health to the first champion, minion, or structure hit.
Cooldown
100·85·70
Cost
100
Range
2500
Ultimate. Plan your fights around its cooldown.

Strategy

1When to fight

Your spikes are level 6, when Comeuppance comes online, and each completed item: Stormrazor first, then Yun Tal Wildarrows. Aggressive mid means shoving the wave, taking the river first and looking for kills in the side lanes with your jungler.

2Picking your targets

Use Comeuppance where it changes the fight, not where it's safe, and keep your distance until the enemy uses their engage. The best target is the one your team can reach and kill before the enemy answers, not always the most valuable one.

3Snowballing a lead

After a won fight, take dragons and towers before anything else: that's what turns kills into a lead the enemy can't erase. Early, prioritise the river: being first to a skirmish or to the first dragon is worth more than a few extra minions.

4When to back off

Safe mid means farming under your tower, waiting for your items and only following your jungler when the enemy jungler is seen elsewhere. If your key abilities are on cooldown or the enemy is missing from the map, the aggressive play is to wait.

Tips

Fight on your spikes: right after Stormrazor, look for the next fight instead of farming.
Look for kills when Comeuppance is ready and the enemy's key ability is not.
Track the enemy's key cooldowns and attack right after they use them.
Turn every kill into dragons and towers: a kill without an objective is a wasted lead.
Push your lane before you roam so the aggression doesn't cost you resources.

Matchups

Strong against

Akali
Akshan attacks from 500 units and Akali from 125: every trade in lane happens at a distance they cannot answer.
Katarina
Akshan attacks from 500 units and Katarina from 125: every trade in lane happens at a distance they cannot answer.
Locke
Akshan attacks from 500 units and Locke from 125: every trade in lane happens at a distance they cannot answer.