League of Legends Anivia Guide: Best Build, Runes & Combos

Anivia is one of the most powerful control mages in League of Legends, known for her incredible zoning, burst damage, and team fight control. With her ability to wall off enemies, slow entire teams, and dish out heavy damage while staying safe, she’s a strong pick for mid lane players who enjoy strategic play. In this guide, we’ll break down everything you need to know about mastering Anivia — from her best runes and item build to skill combos and game-winning tips. Whether you’re new to the Cryophoenix or looking to refine your gameplay, this guide will help you unlock her full potential.

Anivia Abilities Overview in League of Legends

Anivia’s passive, Rebirth, allows her to transform into an egg upon taking lethal damage, giving her a chance to revive if the egg survives for a few seconds. Her Q, Flash Frost, sends out a chilling projectile that slows enemies and stuns them when reactivated or upon reaching its max range. Her W, Crystallize, creates an impassable wall of ice to block enemy movement or trap targets. Anivia’s E, Frostbite, deals bonus magic damage and doubles it if the target was recently hit by Q or R. Her ultimate, Glacial Storm, creates a large icy area that slows and damages enemies over time. If they stay in it long enough, they become chilled — setting them up for a devastating Frostbite. Mastering her crowd control timing and zoning makes Anivia incredibly hard to deal with in both lane and team fights.

How To Play Anivia In League of Legends

Best Summoner Spells for Anivia in League of Legends

For Anivia, the most optimal summoner spell setup is Flash + Teleport. Flash is crucial for repositioning, escaping sticky situations, or landing a surprise combo with Q and E. Anivia lacks mobility, so Flash is non-negotiable. Teleport helps her cover the map better, especially during the mid to late game where wave management and objective control become key. If you’re in a matchup where kill pressure is high or your team needs lane dominance, you can swap Teleport for Ignite to secure early kills. However, for most standard games, Flash + Teleport offers the best balance of safety, map control, and late-game scaling.

Best Runes for Anivia in League of Legends

The best rune setup for Anivia is built around Electrocute from the Domination tree, giving her explosive burst potential. Start with Electrocute for bonus damage when landing a full combo. Take Cheap Shot to deal more damage to enemies impaired by her stun or slow, Eyeball Collection for scaling AP, and Ultimate Hunter to reduce the cooldown on her powerful R. For the secondary tree, go Sorcery with Manaflow Band to manage her high mana costs and Transcendence for cooldown reduction. This setup boosts Anivia’s burst, mana sustain, and cooldowns, making her incredibly deadly once she hits level 6.

Best Build for Anivia in League of Legends

The best build for Anivia in League of Legends focuses on ability power, mana sustain, and cooldown reduction to maximize her burst and team fight control. Start with Tear of the Goddess to stack mana early, then rush Rod of Ages for health, AP, and sustain. After that, upgrade Tear into Archangel’s Staff for bonus AP and a powerful shield. Pick up Liandry’s Torment for damage-over-time and tank shredding, especially effective with her AoE ultimate. Follow up with Zhonya’s Hourglass for survivability and playmaking potential in risky fights. Finish with Rabadon’s Deathcap or Void Staff depending on whether you need pure damage or magic penetration. This build makes Anivia tanky, dangerous, and hard to shut down in extended fights.

Best Combos to Learn for Anivia in League of Legends

The most reliable combo to master on Anivia is Q + E. Cast Flash Frost (Q) to stun the enemy, then quickly follow up with Frostbite (E) for double damage. Once you unlock Glacial Storm (R), start team fights by placing R under enemies, immediately cast E while they’re slowed, then throw Q for a stun and another empowered E. For tight situations, use R + Q + E for zone control and burst. If someone dives on you, drop R at your feet, throw Q through them for a stun, and hit E while they’re still chilled. Mastering these combos lets you burst squishies, zone enemies, and dominate team fights with precision.

Conclusion

Anivia is a powerful control mage that can dominate team fights and shut down aggressive enemies with the right setup. By understanding her abilities, mastering her key combos, and choosing the best runes, items, and summoner spells, you can make her a nightmare to deal with in any lane. Whether you’re zoning enemies with her ultimate or bursting down squishies with Frostbite, playing Anivia well rewards smart positioning, timing, and game sense. With practice and the right build, you’ll turn the Cryophoenix into a force that controls the battlefield and carries your team to victory.