Leona · Support
Leona Matchups and Counters
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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 covers Leona's matchups and how to adapt to them. Riot publishes no matchup statistics, so the matchups below come from the champions' own stats and kits: attack range, starting durability, crowd control and mobility. They describe an advantage on paper, not a measured result.
Strengths
- Crowd control: Shield of Daybreak applies a stun to set up kills.
- Sustain from Shield of Daybreak.
- Solar Flare hits several enemies: a strong team fight tool.
Weaknesses
- Low priority on gold and experience.
- Predictable if you always play it the same way: adapt your build to the enemy team.
Build cheat sheet
Pick the build that fits what you want to do this game.
- Against physical damageDefensiveRecommendedFor a lane or a team that hits with attacks: armor boots and an armor item in the core.
- Against magic damageDefensiveSituationalFor a team that kills with abilities: magic resist boots and a magic resist item in the core.
- Against healingDefensiveSituationalFor games against healers, life steal or regeneration: the anti-heal item goes into the core instead of waiting.
Builds
Against physical damage
When to use it
For a lane or a team that hits with attacks: armor boots and an armor item in the core.
Where it's played
Picked before the game: the main lane first, then the alternatives.
1100%- SupportMain100% of matches
Starting items
Core items
- 1Locket of the Iron Solari
- 2Knight's Vow
- 3Dead Man's Plate
Boots
Situational
Runes
Primary· Resolve
Secondary· Inspiration
Shards
Summoner spells
Flash
Ignite
Against magic damage
When to use it
For a team that kills with abilities: magic resist boots and a magic resist item in the core.
Where it's played
Picked before the game: the main lane first, then the alternatives.
1100%- SupportMain100% of matches
Starting items
Core items
- 1Locket of the Iron Solari
- 2Knight's Vow
- 3Kaenic Rookern
Boots
Situational
Runes
Primary· Resolve
Secondary· Inspiration
Shards
Summoner spells
- Flash
- Ignite
Against healing
When to use it
For games against healers, life steal or regeneration: the anti-heal item goes into the core instead of waiting.
Where it's played
Picked before the game: the main lane first, then the alternatives.
1100%- SupportMain100% of matches
Starting items
Core items
- 1Locket of the Iron Solari
- 2Knight's Vow
- 3Thornmail
Boots
Situational
Runes
Primary· Resolve
Secondary· Inspiration
Shards
Summoner spells
- Flash
- Ignite
Abilities
SunlightPassiveDamaging spells afflict enemies with Sunlight for 1.5 seconds. When allied Champions deal damage to those targets, they consume the Sunlight to deal additional magic damage.
QShield of Daybreak5s30/35/40/45/50 mpLeona uses her shield to perform her next basic attack, dealing bonus magic damage and stunning the target.- Cooldown
- 5
- Cost
- 30·35·40·45·50
- Range
- 100
WEclipse14/13/12/11/10s60 mpLeona raises her shield to gain Damage Reduction, Armor, and Magic Resist. When the duration first ends, if there are nearby enemies, she will deal magic damage to them and prolong the duration of the effect.- Cooldown
- 14·13·12·11·10
- Cost
- 60
- Range
- 450
EZenith Blade12/10.5/9/7.5/6s40/45/50/55/60 mpLeona projects a solar image of her sword, dealing magic damage to all enemies in a line. When the image fades, the last enemy champion struck will be briefly immobilized and Leona will dash to them.- Cooldown
- 12·10.5·9·7.5·6
- Cost
- 40·45·50·55·60
- Range
- 875
RSolar FlareUltimate90/75/60s100 mpLeona calls down a beam of solar energy, dealing damage to enemies in an area. Enemies in the center of the area are stunned, while enemies on the outside are slowed.- Cooldown
- 90·75·60
- Cost
- 100
- Range
- 1200
Strategy
1Good matchups
Leona does well against these:
- Yuumi: Leona starts with 646 health and 43 armour against Yuumi's 500 and 25: the early trades are already won on paper.
- Senna: Leona starts with 646 health and 43 armour against Senna's 530 and 25: the early trades are already won on paper.
- Renata Glasc: Leona starts with 646 health and 43 armour against Renata Glasc's 545 and 27: the early trades are already won on paper.
2Tough matchups
Leona struggles against these:
- Brand: Leona has to walk up to start a fight, and Sear (stun) stops that engage before it lands.
- Karma: Leona has to walk up to start a fight, and Focused Resolve (root) stops that engage before it lands.
- Nautilus: Leona has to walk up to start a fight, and Depth Charge (stun) stops that engage before it lands.
3Synergies
Leona works well alongside these, because their kits fit together:
4Adapting the build
The situational builds in this guide answer specific threats: Against physical damage, Against magic damage and Against healing.
5Playing against Leona
If you're on the other side, this is what to exploit:
- When Leona activates Eclipse, you have three seconds to get away from her before she deals damage.
- Only foes in the center of Solar Flare get stunned, so you can often avoid this if you're quick.
Tips
- Look at the enemy team before choosing your build: the situational builds below answer the most common threats.
- Good matchup: Yuumi. Play forward when you face them.
- Tough matchup: Brand. Play safer and wait for your team.
- Against teams with a lot of dive, save Zenith Blade for the first jump.
- Against slippery heroes, hold Shield of Daybreak until their escape is used.
Matchups
Strong against
Leona starts with 646 health and 43 armour against Yuumi's 500 and 25: the early trades are already won on paper.
Leona starts with 646 health and 43 armour against Senna's 530 and 25: the early trades are already won on paper.
Leona starts with 646 health and 43 armour against Renata Glasc's 545 and 27: the early trades are already won on paper.
Weak against
Leona has to walk up to start a fight, and Sear (stun) stops that engage before it lands.
Leona has to walk up to start a fight, and Focused Resolve (root) stops that engage before it lands.
Leona has to walk up to start a fight, and Depth Charge (stun) stops that engage before it lands.
Changelog
- Guide created for patch 16.19.1.
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