8 Best Champions to Counter Briar in League of Legends

8 Best Champions to Counter Briar in League of Legends

Briar is an aggressive, self-healing jungler who thrives on diving into fights, dealing massive sustained damage, and regenerating health through her passive. With her Blood Frenzy (W) and ultimate, Certain Death (R), she locks onto enemies and becomes unstoppable, making her a serious threat in skirmishes. However, Briar struggles against champions who can kite her, out-sustain her healing, or lock her down with crowd control before she can fully commit to fights.

To effectively counter Briar, you need champions who can either disengage, burst her down before she sustains through fights, or apply healing reduction to weaken her lifesteal. Whether you’re playing jungle, mid, or top, the right champion can shut down Briar’s aggressive playstyle and prevent her from dominating fights.

In this article, we’ll go over the 8 best champions to counter Briar, explaining how each pick can exploit her weaknesses and limit her effectiveness in-game.

#8: Shen

Shen is a great counter to Briar because his defensive tools, strong crowd control, and global presence make it difficult for her to execute her all-in playstyle effectively. Briar relies on diving onto enemies with Blood Frenzy (W) and regenerating health through damage, but Shen’s Spirit’s Refuge (W) blocks her auto-attacks, significantly reducing her healing and damage output in fights.

Additionally, Shen’s Shadow Dash (E) provides a taunt, forcing Briar to attack him instead of her intended target, disrupting her damage flow and allowing teammates to reposition. Since Briar lacks a reliable escape once she commits to fights, Shen’s early-game durability and ability to absorb damage with Ki Barrier (Passive) allow him to outlast her engages. In team fights, Shen’s Stand United (R) enables him to protect squishy allies, preventing Briar from securing easy kills.

The key to beating Briar as Shen is to time W to block her auto-attacks, use E to control her aggression, and use R to protect teammates when she dives in. Building Bramble Vest for Grievous Wounds or Sunfire Aegis for tankiness and AoE damage makes Shen even more effective. With strong durability, defensive tools, and the ability to shut down Briar’s healing, Shen is one of the best champions to counter her in League of Legends.

#7: Taliyah

Taliyah is a great counter to Briar because her ability to punish dashes, control space, and kite melee champions makes it extremely difficult for Briar to engage effectively. Briar relies on using her Blood Frenzy (W) to dive in and sustain through fights, but Taliyah’s Unraveled Earth (E) stuns her when she dashes, completely disrupting her engage and making her an easy target for follow-up damage.

Additionally, Taliyah’s Threaded Volley (Q) provides consistent poke, making it difficult for Briar to safely enter fights without losing a chunk of her health. Since Briar has no ranged abilities and lacks strong mobility after her initial engage, Taliyah can continuously kite her using Seismic Shove (W) to reposition her away from key targets. If Briar overcommits, Taliyah’s Weaver’s Wall (R) can split fights or block her escape route, ensuring she gets punished for diving too deep.

The key to beating Briar as Taliyah is to position well, land E whenever she tries to dash, and use W to keep her away from your team. Building Liandry’s Anguish for sustained burn damage or Zhonya’s Hourglass for self-peel makes Taliyah even stronger. With superior crowd control, zoning tools, and the ability to completely stop Briar’s engages, Taliyah is one of the best champions to counter her in League of Legends.

#6: Zac

Zac is a great counter to Briar because his high sustain, crowd control, and disruptive engages make it extremely difficult for her to execute her all-in playstyle. Briar thrives on extended fights where she can regenerate health through her attacks, but Zac’s passive, Cell Division, allows him to survive her burst and outlast her healing.

Additionally, Zac’s Elastic Slingshot (E) gives him a powerful engage tool that allows him to dictate fights, preventing Briar from controlling engagements. Since Briar lacks mobility after her initial dash, Zac’s crowd control from Stretching Strikes (Q) and Let’s Bounce! (R) can lock her down, giving his team time to burst her before she can heal. His AoE damage and sustain from blobs make it difficult for Briar to win extended fights, as he can constantly heal while disrupting her positioning.

The key to beating Briar as Zac is to engage first, use your CC to lock her down, and absorb her damage while your team takes her out. Building Thornmail for anti-healing or Jak’Sho, The Protean for extra durability makes Zac even more effective. With high sustain, strong CC, and the ability to punish Briar’s reckless dives, Zac is one of the best champions to counter her in League of Legends.

#5: Ivern

Ivern is a strong counter to Briar because his shields, crowd control, and ability to keep teammates safe make it nearly impossible for Briar to secure kills. Briar thrives on diving into fights with Blood Frenzy (W) and regenerating health through damage, but Ivern’s Triggerseed (E) provides shields and slows, reducing her damage output and making it harder for her to stick to priority targets.

Additionally, Ivern’s Rootcaller (Q) allows his team to reposition while keeping Briar locked down, preventing her from freely engaging. Since Briar struggles against crowd control, Daisy (R) serves as another strong tool to knock her up and disrupt her all-in, forcing her into bad trades. Ivern’s ability to buff his teammates with shields and heals means Briar’s extended fights work against her, as she won’t be able to sustain through the extra survivability he provides.

The key to beating Briar as Ivern is to use Q and R to interrupt her engages, shield allies to reduce her damage, and slow her down with E to prevent her from sticking to targets. Building Moonstone Renewer for extra healing or Redemption for AoE support makes Ivern even stronger. With excellent peel, defensive tools, and the ability to completely shut down Briar’s aggressive playstyle, Ivern is one of the best champions to counter her in League of Legends.

#4: Nocturne

Nocturne is a strong counter to Briar because his spell shield, dueling power, and ability to isolate targets make it difficult for her to execute her all-in strategy effectively. Briar relies on diving in with Blood Frenzy (W) and healing through her auto-attacks, but Nocturne’s Shroud of Darkness (W) can block her CC, preventing her from locking him down or healing as much.

Additionally, Nocturne’s Duskbringer (Q) increases his movement speed and damage, allowing him to kite Briar effectively and force unfavorable trades. Since Briar commits fully to fights and lacks an easy escape, Nocturne’s Paranoia (R) isolates her from her team, making it easier to burst her down before she can sustain through the fight. If Briar gets ahead, Nocturne can counter her engages by turning the fight onto her backline instead, forcing her into difficult team fight decisions.

The key to beating Briar as Nocturne is to use W to block her initial CC, use Q to kite her, and capitalize on her lack of escapes with R. Building Stridebreaker for extra mobility or Eclipse for dueling power makes Nocturne even stronger. With spell-blocking abilities, strong burst damage, and the ability to punish Briar’s overcommits, Nocturne is one of the best champions to counter her in League of Legends.

#3: Jax

Jax is a perfect counter to Briar because his dodge mechanics, scaling power, and ability to punish melee champions make it incredibly difficult for her to win extended fights. Briar relies on auto-attacks to sustain through Blood Frenzy (W) and deal consistent damage, but Jax’s Counter Strike (E) completely negates her auto-attacks, making her helpless in a duel.

Additionally, Jax’s high mobility with Leap Strike (Q) allows him to reposition easily, preventing Briar from sticking to him for long trades. Since Briar lacks an escape once she commits, Jax can punish her aggression by scaling into a stronger duelist, eventually outdamaging and out-sustaining her. His Grandmaster’s Might (R) provides extra tankiness, allowing him to survive Briar’s burst while returning even more damage in trades.

The key to beating Briar as Jax is to time E to avoid her burst, use Q to kite her engages, and scale into a powerful late-game duelist. Building Blade of the Ruined King for anti-tank damage or Divine Sunderer for sustain makes Jax even stronger. With strong dueling, auto-attack negation, and excellent scaling, Jax is one of the best champions to counter Briar in League of Legends.

#2: Volibear

Volibear is a fantastic counter to Briar because his early-game strength, self-healing, and ability to disrupt her all-in fights make it difficult for her to gain an advantage. Briar thrives in extended skirmishes where she can sustain through damage, but Volibear’s Frenzied Maul (W) provides strong healing and allows him to win extended fights by out-sustaining her.

Additionally, Volibear’s Thunder Claws (Q) grants him a stun, which interrupts Briar’s engage and gives him time to reposition or counter-attack. Since Briar lacks a reliable escape, Volibear’s Sky Splitter (E) slows her and deals magic damage, making it easier for him to kite and trade effectively. In fights, Stormbringer (R) allows him to disable turrets, making it harder for Briar to safely engage under towers or escape dangerous situations.

The key to beating Briar as Volibear is to use Q to stun her when she engages, W to sustain through fights, and E to slow her down and prevent her from sticking to you. Building Thornmail for Grievous Wounds or Jak’Sho, The Protean for extra durability makes Volibear even stronger. With strong dueling power, sustain, and the ability to shut down Briar’s engages, Volibear is one of the best champions to counter her in League of Legends.

#1: Poppy

Poppy is the best counter to Briar because her anti-dash mechanics, crowd control, and tankiness make it nearly impossible for Briar to execute her all-in playstyle. Briar relies on diving in with Blood Frenzy (W) and sticking to her targets, but Poppy’s Steadfast Presence (W) completely blocks her dash, preventing her from engaging or escaping.

Additionally, Poppy’s Heroic Charge (E) allows her to slam Briar into a wall, stunning her and setting up easy follow-up damage. Since Briar has no way to cancel her ultimate once cast, Poppy’s Keeper’s Verdict (R) can be used to knock her away mid-fight, completely resetting the battle and leaving Briar isolated. Poppy’s natural tankiness and shield from Iron Ambassador (Passive) make her exceptionally durable, allowing her to withstand Briar’s damage and trade favorably.

The key to beating Briar as Poppy is to use W to stop her from engaging, E to punish her poor positioning, and R to knock her out of fights when she overcommits. Building Thornmail for anti-healing or Sunfire Aegis for sustained tankiness makes Poppy even stronger. With the best tools to stop Briar’s engages, powerful CC, and the ability to completely disrupt her game plan, Poppy is the best champion to counter Briar in League of Legends.

Conclusion

Briar is a highly aggressive, self-sustaining champion who thrives on extended fights and all-in engages, but she struggles against crowd control, anti-dash mechanics, and champions who can out-sustain or outduel her. Poppy and Taliyah completely shut down her engages, making it nearly impossible for her to play aggressively. Jax and Volibear outlast her in duels, denying her sustain and forcing her into unfavorable trades. Nocturne and Shen can absorb her aggression while punishing her overcommits, while Zac and Ivern disrupt her in team fights, preventing her from securing kills.

The key to shutting down Briar is to deny her mobility, apply healing reduction, and force her into bad engagements where she can’t sustain through fights. By picking one of these eight counters, you can neutralize Briar’s strengths, take control of the game, and prevent her from snowballing in League of Legends.