Anivia · Mid
Anivia Guide
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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
Anivia belongs to Riot's Mage class and is played mainly as Mid (100% of the public matches we measured). It attacks from range (600 units) and uses mana. In this guide you play it as Mid: your job is to win the central lane, roam to the side lanes and control the river. The kit brings crowd control (stun) with Flash Frost. Its ultimate is Glacial Storm. Riot rates it 1/10 in attack, 10/10 in magic, 4/10 in defense and 10/10 in difficulty.
Strengths
- High magic damage: Riot rates it 10/10 in magic.
- Crowd control: Flash Frost applies a stun to set up kills.
- Long attack range (600) for safe trades in lane.
Weaknesses
- No dash or blink in the kit: vulnerable to ganks without vision.
- Mana-hungry early: spamming abilities leaves you empty before the fight.
- Hard to master: Riot rates its difficulty 10/10.
Build cheat sheet
Pick the build that fits what you want to do this game.
- Standard buildBalancedRecommendedThe default path: Cryptbloom, Archangel's Staff and Blackfire Torch give the ability power, magic penetration and ability haste this class relies on. Pick it when you have no reason to adapt. Built from Riot's item tags and the champion's class; Riot publishes no build statistics.
- Burst buildOffensiveAdvancedAll-in on damage: Shadowflame, Void Staff and Bloodletter's Curse stack ability power, magic penetration and health. Choose it when you're ahead or the enemy team is fragile — it gives up safety for kill pressure.
- Defensive buildDefensiveSituationalKeeps enough damage while adding armor, ability power and magic resist through Zhonya's Hourglass, Banshee's Veil and Dusk and Dawn. Choose it against dive, assassins or a lane you can't win.
Builds
Standard build
When to use it
The default path: Cryptbloom, Archangel's Staff and Blackfire Torch give the ability power, magic penetration and ability haste this class relies on. Pick it when you have no reason to adapt. Built from Riot's item tags and the champion's class; Riot publishes no build statistics.
Where it's played
Picked before the game: the main lane first, then the alternatives.
1100%- MidMain100% of matches
Starting items
Core items
- 1Cryptbloom
- 2Archangel's Staff
- 3Blackfire Torch
Boots
Situational
Runes
Primary· Sorcery
Secondary· Inspiration
Shards
Summoner spells
Flash
Ignite
Burst build
When to use it
All-in on damage: Shadowflame, Void Staff and Bloodletter's Curse stack ability power, magic penetration and health. 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.
1100%- MidMain100% of matches
Starting items
Core items
- 1Shadowflame
- 2Void Staff
- 3Bloodletter's Curse
Boots
Situational
Runes
Primary· Domination
Secondary· Sorcery
Shards
Summoner spells
- Flash
- Ignite
Defensive build
When to use it
Keeps enough damage while adding armor, ability power and magic resist through Zhonya's Hourglass, Banshee's Veil and Dusk and Dawn. Choose it against dive, assassins or a lane you can't win.
Where it's played
Picked before the game: the main lane first, then the alternatives.
1100%- MidMain100% of matches
Starting items
Core items
- 1Zhonya's Hourglass
- 2Banshee's Veil
- 3Dusk and Dawn
Boots
Situational
Runes
Primary· Sorcery
Secondary· Resolve
Shards
Summoner spells
- Flash
Teleport
Abilities
RebirthPassiveUpon taking fatal damage, Anivia reverts to an egg and is reborn with full health.
QFlash Frost11/10/9/8/7s80/85/90/95/100 mpAnivia brings her wings together and summons a sphere of ice that flies towards her opponents, chilling and damaging anyone in its path. When the sphere explodes it does moderate damage in a radius, stunning anyone in the area.- Cooldown
- 11·10·9·8·7
- Cost
- 80·85·90·95·100
- Range
- 1075
WCrystallize17s70 mpAnivia condenses the moisture in the air into an impassable wall of ice to block all movement. The wall only lasts a short duration before it melts.- Cooldown
- 17
- Cost
- 70
- Range
- 1000
EFrostbite4s50 mpWith a flap of her wings, Anivia blasts a freezing gust of wind at her target, dealing damage. If the target was recently hit by Flash Frost or damaged by a fully formed Glacial Storm, the damage they take is doubled.- Cooldown
- 4
- Cost
- 50
- Range
- 650
RGlacial StormUltimate4/3/2s60 mpAnivia summons a driving rain of ice and hail to damage her enemies and slow their advance.- Cooldown
- 4·3·2
- Cost
- 60
- Range
- 750
Strategy
1Early game
Mid is the shortest lane: trades are fast and the enemy jungler is always close. Push the wave when you can, so you are first to the river when a skirmish starts. Trade when the enemy uses an ability on the wave: that's the moment they can't answer.
- Early items: Blighting Jewel and Fiendish Codex.
2Mid game
With Cryptbloom, your job is to move: push mid, then help side lanes and dragons and towers. The first team to arrive usually wins the fight. Your spikes are level 6, when Glacial Storm comes online, and each completed item: Cryptbloom first, then Archangel's Staff.
- Core items: Cryptbloom, Archangel's Staff and Blackfire Torch.
3Late game
Late, one mistake decides the game: never walk into fog alone and let your tanks show first.
- Late items: Zhonya's Hourglass and Banshee's Veil.
4Team fights
Use Glacial Storm where it changes the fight, not where it's safe, and keep your distance until the enemy uses their engage.
5Playing against Anivia
Riot's own advice for facing this champion:
- Try to gank Anivia when she's laning. With multiple people, it is easier to ensure that her egg dies.
- If you're playing a ranged champion, stay far enough away from Anivia so you can dodge Flash Frost more easily.
- Try to fight Anivia in the lanes. In the jungle she can block pathways with lower ranks of Crystallize.
Tips
- Timing Flash Frost with Frostbite can lead to devastating combinations.
- Anivia is extremely reliant on Mana for Glacial Storm. Try getting items with Mana or going for a Crest of the Ancient Golem buff on Summoner's Rift.
- It can be very difficult for enemy champions to kill her egg early in game. Seize the advantage by playing aggressively.
- Cryptbloom is your first real spike: after buying it, look for a play on a side lane.
- Before you roam, push the wave: you lose less and the enemy has to choose between following or farming.
- Your level 6 with Glacial Storm is a big spike: look for the first kill right when you hit it.
Matchups
Strong against
Anivia attacks from 600 units and Akali from 125: every trade in lane happens at a distance they cannot answer.
Anivia attacks from 600 units and Katarina from 125: every trade in lane happens at a distance they cannot answer.
Anivia attacks from 600 units and Locke from 125: every trade in lane happens at a distance they cannot answer.
Weak against
Call of the Void silences Anivia, whose damage comes from abilities.
Decisive Strike silences Anivia, whose damage comes from abilities.
Feral Scream silences Anivia, whose damage comes from abilities.
Changelog
- Guide created for patch 16.19.1.
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