10 Best Champions To Counter Elise In League of Legends

Elise is a deadly early-game jungler in League of Legends, known for her high burst damage, strong crowd control, and early-game dominance. With her Spider Form (R) and Venomous Bite (Q), she can execute enemies quickly, while Cocoon (E) provides a long-range stun that sets up easy kills. However, Elise struggles against champions who can outscale her, punish her early aggression, or counter her engage tools. In this article, we’ll cover the 10 best champions to counter Elise, explaining how each pick can shut down her snowball potential and keep her from taking over the game.

#10: Nunu & Willump

Nunu & Willump are a great counter to Elise due to their tankiness, sustain, and objective control. Elise excels at early-game ganking and burst damage, but Nunu can absorb her aggression with his high sustain from Consume (Q), making him difficult to kill. Additionally, Snowball Barrage (E) and Biggest Snowball Ever! (W) allow Nunu to disrupt Elise’s mobility, making it harder for her to land Cocoon (E) and execute her burst combo. Most importantly, Nunu’s Absolute Zero (R) can zone Elise out of fights and objectives, forcing her to either commit to a risky engage or retreat. Since Nunu has strong objective control with Consume (Q), he can contest Elise’s early-game pressure and out-secure her in jungle fights, making him a solid pick to counter her playstyle.

#9: Poppy

Poppy is a strong counter to Elise due to her crowd control, mobility denial, and tankiness. Elise relies on her Rappel (E) to engage and escape, but Poppy’s Steadfast Presence (W) completely blocks her aerial movement, making it impossible for her to use Rappel defensively. This forces Elise into dangerous situations where she cannot escape if a fight goes wrong. Additionally, Heroic Charge (E) can stun Elise against a wall, making her an easy target to burst down. Poppy’s Iron Ambassador (Passive) grants her extra durability in extended fights, allowing her to survive Elise’s early burst. Since Elise struggles against tanky champions who can deny her mobility and sustain through her early-game damage, Poppy is an excellent counter that shuts down her playmaking potential.

#8: Lillia

Lillia is a strong counter to Elise due to her superior mobility, scaling, and ability to avoid Elise’s burst damage. Elise thrives on quick all-ins and early-game pressure, but Lillia’s Dream-Laden Bough (Passive) allows her to kite Elise easily and sustain through trades. Her Watch Out! Eep! (W) provides strong poke damage, while Swirlseed (E) gives her the ability to slow Elise from a safe distance. Most importantly, Lilting Lullaby (R) can put Elise to sleep, preventing her from escaping with Rappel (E) and setting up easy kills for Lillia’s team. Since Elise falls off in the late game, Lillia can outscale her easily, making her a great pick for surviving the early game and dominating later fights.

#7: Jarvan IV

Jarvan IV is a strong counter to Elise because of his early-game presence, engage tools, and ability to lock her down. Elise thrives on quick skirmishes and escaping with Rappel (E), but Cataclysm (R) traps her inside, forcing her into a bad fight with no escape. Additionally, Dragon Strike (Q) + Demacian Standard (E) allows Jarvan to engage onto Elise and trade aggressively, preventing her from dictating the pace of jungle fights. Since Jarvan is naturally tankier and has strong AoE crowd control, he can survive Elise’s early burst while applying consistent pressure across the map. By matching her early aggression and denying her safe escapes, Jarvan IV makes it much harder for Elise to snowball and take control of the game.

#6: Gragas

Gragas is a strong counter to Elise due to his high durability, sustain, and crowd control. Elise relies on bursting down opponents quickly, but Gragas’s Drunken Rage (W) reduces incoming damage, allowing him to survive her early-game aggression. His Body Slam (E) can interrupt Elise’s engages, and if timed correctly, can prevent her from escaping with Rappel (E). Additionally, Explosive Cask (R) is a great tool for disrupting her positioning, either knocking her away from a fight or isolating her from her team. Since Gragas has great sustain with Happy Hour (Passive) and strong jungle clear speed, he can comfortably play defensively in the early game and outscale Elise into the mid and late game. By using his crowd control effectively, Gragas can completely shut down Elise’s ability to secure kills and snowball.

#5: Zac

Zac is a great counter to Elise due to his tankiness, sustain, and disruptive crowd control. Elise excels at early-game burst damage and quick skirmishes, but Zac’s Cell Division (Passive) gives him a second chance in fights, making it much harder for Elise to secure kills. His Elastic Slingshot (E) allows him to engage from long range, making it difficult for Elise to predict and react. Additionally, Let’s Bounce! (R) disrupts team fights and prevents Elise from easily diving into the backline. Since Zac has strong sustain with his passive blobs and scales well into the mid and late game, he can outlast Elise’s early pressure and become a frontline threat. By playing defensively early and utilizing his high mobility, Zac can effectively shut down Elise’s aggressive playstyle and turn the game in his team’s favor.

#4: Maokai

Maokai is a strong counter to Elise because of his durability, crowd control, and ability to shut down her engages. Elise relies on burst damage and mobility, but Maokai’s Sap Magic (Passive) provides consistent healing, allowing him to out-sustain her in fights. His Twisted Advance (W) is a point-and-click root, which can lock Elise down even if she tries to escape with Rappel (E). Additionally, Bramble Smash (Q) can knock her back, disrupting her combos and preventing her from executing her all-ins effectively. Nature’s Grasp (R) provides long-range crowd control, making it harder for Elise to navigate fights and secure picks. Since Maokai is a tank with strong jungle sustain and late-game utility, he naturally outscales Elise and prevents her from snowballing, making him an excellent choice to counter her.

#3: Amumu

Amumu is a strong counter to Elise because of his tankiness, crowd control, and ability to lock her down in fights. Elise relies on her Rappel (E) to escape bad situations, but Amumu’s Curse of the Sad Mummy (R) is an AoE stun that can prevent her from escaping or engaging effectively. His Bandage Toss (Q) allows him to initiate fights and chase Elise down, making it difficult for her to play evasively. Additionally, Tantrum (E) reduces incoming damage, helping Amumu survive Elise’s burst-heavy playstyle. Since Amumu’s abilities deal AoE magic damage, he can match Elise’s jungle clear speed and become a strong frontline presence in team fights. By building tanky and using his crowd control wisely, Amumu can completely shut down Elise’s mobility and burst potential.

#2: Rammus

Rammus is one of the best counters to Elise due to his high armor, strong crowd control, and ability to punish auto-attack-based champions. While Elise relies on burst damage and mobility, Rammus’s Defensive Ball Curl (W) provides massive armor and magic resist, allowing him to survive her all-ins and return damage whenever she attacks. His Frenzying Taunt (E) forces Elise to fight on his terms, preventing her from escaping with Rappel (E) or disengaging from bad fights. Additionally, Powerball (Q) gives Rammus a strong engage tool, making it easy to chase down Elise or counter-gank her aggressive early plays. Since Rammus naturally builds tank items that counter AP assassins, he can shut down Elise’s damage output and make her much less effective in fights.

#1: Sejuani

Sejuani is the best counter to Elise because of her tankiness, crowd control, and ability to punish Elise’s aggressive playstyle. Elise relies on early-game burst damage and mobility, but Sejuani’s Arctic Assault (Q) allows her to disrupt Elise’s engages and escape attempts. Her Permafrost (E) provides consistent stuns, making it extremely difficult for Elise to play evasively. Most importantly, Glacial Prison (R) is a long-range stun that can lock Elise down, preventing her from using Rappel (E) to escape dangerous situations. Since Sejuani naturally builds tanky items and scales well into the late game, she can outlast Elise’s early-game dominance and become a much bigger threat in team fights. With superior crowd control and durability, Sejuani completely shuts down Elise’s ability to snowball and take over the game.

Conclusion

Elise is a strong early-game jungler who relies on burst damage, mobility, and aggressive ganks to snowball games, but she struggles against champions who can withstand her damage, lock her down, or outscale her. Picks like Sejuani, Rammus, and Amumu counter her by using hard crowd control and tankiness, making it difficult for her to secure kills and escape with Rappel (E). Champions like Maokai, Zac, and Gragas can absorb her early aggression while disrupting her engages, while Jarvan IV and Poppy deny her mobility and force her into bad fights. The key to beating Elise is surviving her early pressure, punishing her failed ganks, and outscaling her into the mid and late game. With the right champion and strategy, you can shut down Elise and prevent her from taking control of the match.