Neeko · Support
Neeko 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
Neeko belongs to Riot's Mage and Support classes and is played mainly as Support (100% of the public matches we measured). It attacks from range (550 units) and uses mana. In this guide you play it as Support: your job is to win the bottom lane with your marksman, control vision and enable your carries. The kit brings crowd control (root) with Tangle-Barbs and mobility with Pop Blossom. Its ultimate is Pop Blossom. Riot rates it 1/10 in attack, 9/10 in magic, 1/10 in defense and 5/10 in difficulty.
Strengths
- High magic damage: Riot rates it 9/10 in magic.
- Crowd control: Tangle-Barbs applies a root to set up kills.
- Mobility: Pop Blossom lets you reposition, engage or escape.
- Pop Blossom hits several enemies: a strong team fight tool.
Weaknesses
- Fragile: Riot rates it 1/10 in defense.
- Mana-hungry early: spamming abilities leaves you empty before the fight.
Build cheat sheet
Pick the build that fits what you want to do this game.
- Standard buildBalancedRecommendedThe default path: Moonstone Renewer, Echoes of Helia and Imperial Mandate give the health, ability power and mana regeneration 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 health, magic resist and armor through Locket of the Iron Solari, Hollow Radiance and Knight's Vow. Choose it against dive, assassins or a lane you can't win.
- Utility buildUtilitySituationalBuilt to protect your team: Mikael's Blessing, Shurelya's Battlesong and Moonstone Renewer. Choose it when your carries need peel more than they need your damage.
Builds
Standard build
When to use it
The default path: Moonstone Renewer, Echoes of Helia and Imperial Mandate give the health, ability power and mana regeneration 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.
21100%- SupportMain100% of matches
- MidPriority 2
Starting items
Core items
- 1Moonstone Renewer
- 2Echoes of Helia
- 3Imperial Mandate
Boots
Situational
Runes
Primary· Sorcery
Secondary· Resolve
Shards
Summoner spells
Flash
Exhaust
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.
21100%- SupportMain100% of matches
- MidPriority 2
Starting items
Core items
- 1Shadowflame
- 2Void Staff
- 3Bloodletter's Curse
Boots
Situational
Runes
Primary· Sorcery
Secondary· Inspiration
Shards
Summoner spells
- Flash
Ignite
Defensive build
When to use it
Keeps enough damage while adding health, magic resist and armor through Locket of the Iron Solari, Hollow Radiance and Knight's Vow. 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.
21100%- SupportMain100% of matches
- MidPriority 2
Starting items
Core items
- 1Locket of the Iron Solari
- 2Hollow Radiance
- 3Knight's Vow
Boots
Situational
Runes
Primary· Resolve
Secondary· Inspiration
Shards
Summoner spells
- Flash
- Exhaust
Utility build
When to use it
Built to protect your team: Mikael's Blessing, Shurelya's Battlesong and Moonstone Renewer. Choose it when your carries need peel more than they need your damage.
Where it's played
Picked before the game: the main lane first, then the alternatives.
21100%- SupportMain100% of matches
- MidPriority 2
Starting items
Core items
- 1Mikael's Blessing
- 2Shurelya's Battlesong
- 3Moonstone Renewer
Boots
Situational
Runes
Primary· Resolve
Secondary· Inspiration
Shards
Summoner spells
- Flash
- Exhaust
Abilities
Inherent GlamourPassiveNeeko can look like an ally champion or as other units on the map. Receiving immobilizing crowd control, casting damaging spells, damaging enemy towers as a non-champion, or your disguise taking damage equal to its healthbar breaks the disguise.
QBlooming Burst9/8.5/8/7.5/7s50/60/70/80/90 mpNeeko throws a seed dealing magic damage. The seed blooms again on hitting champions or killing units.- Cooldown
- 9·8.5·8·7.5·7
- Cost
- 50·60·70·80·90
- Range
- 800
WShapesplitter16/15/14/13/12sNeeko passively deals bonus magic damage every third attack, briefly increasing her move speed. Neeko can activate to send a clone in a direction and recast to change the direction of the clone.- Cooldown
- 16·15·14·13·12
- Range
- 900
ETangle-Barbs12/11.5/11/10.5/10s60/65/70/75/80 mpNeeko slings a tangle that damages and roots everything it passes through. If the tangle kills an enemy or passes through a champion, it becomes larger, faster, and roots for longer.- Cooldown
- 12·11.5·11·10.5·10
- Cost
- 60·65·70·75·80
- Range
- 1000
RPop BlossomUltimate120/105/90s100 mpAfter a short preparation, Neeko leaps into the air, knocking up all nearby enemies. Upon landing, nearby enemies are damaged and stunned. The preparation is hidden if Neeko is disguised.- Cooldown
- 120·105·90
- Cost
- 100
- Range
- 600
Strategy
1Early game
Your lane is about your marksman: trade when the enemy walks up to last hit, and ward the river before dragon spawns. Complete your support quest to unlock wards. Trade when the enemy marksman goes for a last hit: they have to choose between the gold and the damage.
- Early items: Kindlegem and Bandleglass Mirror.
2Mid game
In the mid game, move with your jungler to ward and clear vision around dragons and towers. You're the one who decides where fights happen. Your spikes are level 6, when Pop Blossom comes online, and each completed item: Moonstone Renewer first, then Echoes of Helia.
- Core items: Moonstone Renewer, Echoes of Helia and Imperial Mandate.
3Late game
Late, vision wins games: ward before Baron or Elder, never alone, and stay close to your carries.
- Late items: Zhonya's Hourglass and Banshee's Veil.
4Team fights
Protect whoever the enemy dives: Tangle-Barbs on the diver is worth more than any damage you could deal. Use Pop Blossom where it hits the most enemies or catches the key target.
5Playing against Neeko
Riot's own advice for facing this champion:
- Standing behind minions against Neeko is very dangerous as Tangle-Barbs become stronger.
- Pop Blossom's warning visuals are invisible if Neeko is disguised.
Tips
- You can set her passive to use hotkeys in the options menu. The default is Shift+F1~F5
- Try to use Inherent Glamour sparingly, ineffective uses will put enemies on the alert.
- Save Tangle-Barbs to answer the enemy engage when you're behind, and to start fights when you're ahead.
- Buy a Control Ward every time you go back: it's the cheapest way to win vision.
- After the laning phase, move with your jungler — two players warding are much safer than one.
- Plan fights around Pop Blossom: without it, Neeko is far less threatening.
Matchups
Strong against
Neeko attacks from 550 units and Alistar from 125: every trade in lane happens at a distance they cannot answer.
Neeko attacks from 550 units and Blitzcrank from 125: every trade in lane happens at a distance they cannot answer.
Neeko attacks from 550 units and Braum from 125: every trade in lane happens at a distance they cannot answer.
Weak against
Crescendo (stun) lets Sona pin Neeko down before Pop Blossom gets them out.
Ultra Mega Fire Kick (knock-up) lets Milio pin Neeko down before Pop Blossom gets them out.
Last Embrace (root) lets Senna pin Neeko down before Pop Blossom gets them out.
Changelog
- Guide created for patch 16.19.1.
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