Sylas · Mid
Sylas Laning 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
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. Early, prioritise the river: being first to a skirmish or to the first dragon is worth more than a few extra minions.
Strengths
- Sustain from Kingslayer.
- High magic damage: Riot rates it 8/10 in magic.
- Mobility: Kingslayer lets you reposition, engage or escape.
Weaknesses
- Melee range: ranged opponents can poke it in lane.
- 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.
- Lane buildBalancedRecommendedHow to open: starting items, then the components of Cryptbloom on your first backs, and boots when the lane allows.
- Standard buildBalancedAdvancedThe 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.
Builds
Lane build
When to use it
How to open: starting items, then the components of Cryptbloom on your first backs, and boots when the lane allows.
Where it's played
Picked before the game: the main lane first, then the alternatives.
3240%160%- MidMain60% of matches
- JunglePriority 240% of matches
- TopPriority 3
Starting items
Early game
Core items
- 1Cryptbloom
Boots
Runes
Primary· Sorcery
Secondary· Inspiration
Shards
Summoner spells
Flash
Ignite
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.
3240%160%- MidMain60% of matches
- JunglePriority 240% of matches
- TopPriority 3
Starting items
Core items
- 1Cryptbloom
- 2Archangel's Staff
- 3Blackfire Torch
Boots
Situational
Runes
Primary· Sorcery
Secondary· Inspiration
Shards
Summoner spells
- Flash
- Ignite
Abilities
Petricite BurstPassiveAfter casting a spell, Sylas stores a charge of Petricite Burst. Sylas's basic attacks will expend a charge and whirl his energized chains around him dealing bonus magic damage to enemies hit. While Sylas has a charge of Petricite Burst, he gains attack speed.
QChain Lash10/9/8/7/6s55 mpSylas lashes his chains out, intersecting at his targeted location dealing damage to and slowing enemies. After a delay, magical energy explodes from the intersection point dealing damage.- Cooldown
- 10·9·8·7·6
- Cost
- 55
- Range
- 775
WKingslayer12/10.5/9/7.5/6s50/60/70/80/90 mpSylas lunges at an enemy with magical force dealing damage and healing himself against enemy champions.- Cooldown
- 12·10.5·9·7.5·6
- Cost
- 50·60·70·80·90
- Range
- 400
EAbscond / Abduct13/12/11/10/9s65 mpSylas dashes to a location. Sylas can recast the ability to throw his chains out, pulling himself to an enemy he hits.- Cooldown
- 13·12·11·10·9
- Cost
- 65
- Range
- 400
RHijackUltimate80/55/30s75 mpSylas steals the enemy's ultimate ability and can cast it freely.- Cooldown
- 80·55·30
- Cost
- 75
- Range
- 950
Strategy
1Starting and early items
The first items decide how comfortable the lane is. The lane build below lists them with what each one gives you.
- Key early items: Blighting Jewel and Fiendish Codex.
2Trading
Trade when the enemy uses an ability on the wave: that's the moment they can't answer. The kit brings mobility with Kingslayer and sustain with Kingslayer.
3Wave management
Freeze the wave near your tower when you're weaker, slow push before a back and crash the wave when you want to roam or take a plate.
4Early objectives
Early, prioritise the river: being first to a skirmish or to the first dragon is worth more than a few extra minions. Your spikes are level 6, when Hijack comes online, and each completed item: Cryptbloom first, then Archangel's Staff.
Tips
- Trade when the enemy uses an ability on the wave: that's the moment they can't answer.
- Blighting Jewel is your first purchase that changes the lane: get it early.
- Keep Kingslayer ready when the enemy's gankers are missing.
- Wait for you or your enemy to reach low health before using Kingslayer for maximum effect.
- Early, prioritise the river: being first to a skirmish or to the first dragon is worth more than a few extra minions.
Matchups
Strong against
Kingslayer lets Sylas reach Orianna, who has no escape in the kit.
Kingslayer lets Sylas reach Syndra, who has no escape in the kit.
Kingslayer lets Sylas reach Malzahar, who has no escape in the kit.
Weak against
Gravity Field (stun) lets Viktor pin Sylas down before Kingslayer gets them out.
Solar Snare (root) lets Mel pin Sylas down before Kingslayer gets them out.
Petrifying Gaze (stun) lets Cassiopeia pin Sylas down before Kingslayer gets them out.
Changelog
- Guide created for patch 16.19.1.
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