10 Best Champions To Counter Kai’Sa In League of Legends

Kai’Sa is one of the most versatile ADCs in League of Legends, capable of adapting her build to different situations while dishing out high burst damage. Her mobility with Killer Instinct and strong trading potential make her a dangerous pick in the bot lane. However, like every champion, she has weaknesses that the right counters can exploit. Whether you’re looking to shut her down in lane or prevent her from scaling into a late-game monster, this list covers the 10 best champions to counter Kai’Sa effectively.

#10: Sivir

Sivir is a strong counter to Kai’Sa due to her Spell Shield, which can block Kai’Sa’s Void Seeker (W) and other crowd control abilities that might set up an all-in. Her Ricochet (W) allows her to trade efficiently in lane, and her Boomerang Blade (Q) can poke Kai’Sa from a safe distance. Additionally, Sivir’s On The Hunt (R) provides mobility for her entire team, helping them reposition against Kai’Sa’s aggressive engages. Her wave-clear also makes it difficult for Kai’Sa to establish lane dominance.

#9: Xayah

Xayah is a great counter to Kai’Sa because of her strong self-peel and ability to punish aggressive plays. Her Featherstorm (R) makes her temporarily untargetable, allowing her to avoid Kai’Sa’s Killer Instinct (R) and any burst damage that follows. Additionally, her Bladecaller (E) provides powerful crowd control, making it risky for Kai’Sa to engage. Xayah also has a strong laning phase with her area-of-effect auto-attacks, allowing her to trade effectively and push Kai’Sa out of lane.

#8: Ashe

Ashe is an excellent counter to Kai’Sa due to her long-range poke, utility, and strong crowd control. Her Ranger’s Focus (Q) allows her to outtrade Kai’Sa in extended fights, while Volley (W) provides consistent harassment in lane. The real game-changer, however, is her Enchanted Crystal Arrow (R), which can initiate fights from a distance and lock down Kai’Sa before she gets a chance to reposition with Killer Instinct (R). Additionally, Ashe’s Hawkshot (E) helps track Kai’Sa’s movements, reducing her ability to make sneaky plays around the map.

#7: Jhin

Jhin is a solid counter to Kai’Sa because of his superior range, high burst damage, and strong zoning potential. His Dancing Grenade (Q) and Deadly Flourish (W) allow him to poke and control the lane, making it harder for Kai’Sa to farm safely. His Curtain Call (R) can snipe her from a distance, punishing her low mobility before she can engage or escape. Additionally, Jhin’s passive, Whisper, gives him critical damage on every fourth shot, making trades extremely dangerous for Kai’Sa if she gets caught out. Since Kai’Sa relies on getting in close for maximum damage, Jhin’s long-range abilities make it difficult for her to execute her usual playstyle effectively.

#6: Kog’Maw

Kog’Maw is a strong counter to Jhin because he excels in extended fights, while Jhin relies on short, high-damage bursts with his fourth shot. Kog’Maw’s Bio-Arcane Barrage (W) gives him an extended attack range, allowing him to safely poke and trade without getting caught in Jhin’s deadly auto-attack pattern. Additionally, Kog’Maw’s consistent on-hit damage scales extremely well into the late game, making it difficult for Jhin to keep up in sustained fights. Since Jhin lacks mobility outside of Deadly Flourish (W) and his passive movement speed boost, he struggles to escape Kog’Maw’s relentless damage output. If paired with an enchanter support like Lulu or Nami, Kog’Maw becomes even harder for Jhin to deal with, as he gets shields and healing to sustain through Jhin’s burst attempts.

#5: Varus

Varus is a strong counter to Kai’Sa because of his superior poke damage and crowd control. His Piercing Arrow (Q) allows him to harass Kai’Sa from a safe distance, making it difficult for her to trade back without committing to an all-in. Additionally, his Hail of Arrows (E) applies Grievous Wounds, reducing Kai’Sa’s healing from items like Immortal Shieldbow or Fleet Footwork, which she often relies on for sustain. His Chain of Corruption (R) is another key tool in this matchup, as it roots Kai’Sa in place, preventing her from using Killer Instinct (R) to reposition safely or escape an engage. Since Kai’Sa thrives in extended fights where she can stack her passive, Varus’s ability to burst her down quickly makes it difficult for her to play aggressively. Whether building lethality for poke or on-hit for sustained damage, Varus can effectively shut down Kai’Sa before she gets a chance to scale into the late game.

#4: Ezreal

Ezreal is a solid counter to Kai’Sa due to his high mobility, long-range poke, and ability to kite effectively. His Mystic Shot (Q) allows him to constantly harass Kai’Sa from a distance, making it difficult for her to trade back without committing fully. His Arcane Shift (E) is his biggest advantage in this matchup, as it lets him reposition instantly and escape Kai’Sa’s Killer Instinct (R) or dodge her Void Seeker (W), preventing her from engaging or following up on damage. Since Kai’Sa relies on getting close for her auto-attacks and passive burst, Ezreal’s ability to kite and poke forces her to play reactively. Additionally, Ezreal’s build path often includes Crown of the Shattered Queen or Iceborn Gauntlet, giving him extra survivability against Kai’Sa’s burst damage. In the laning phase, Ezreal can safely farm and chip away at her health without exposing himself to her all-ins, making him one of the safest ADCs to play against her.

#3: Lucian

Lucian is a strong counter to Kai’Sa because of his aggressive early-game damage, mobility, and ability to win short trades. His Lightslinger passive allows him to deal quick bursts of damage after using abilities, making his Piercing Light (Q) and Ardent Blaze (W) excellent tools for poking and punishing Kai’Sa in lane. His Relentless Pursuit (E) gives him a strong escape option, allowing him to dodge Kai’Sa’s Void Seeker (W) and reposition if she engages with Killer Instinct (R). Since Kai’Sa needs time to scale and deal consistent damage over extended fights, Lucian’s ability to dash in, trade quickly, and disengage makes it difficult for her to retaliate effectively. Additionally, Lucian can take advantage of aggressive supports like Nautilus or Leona to force fights early and deny Kai’Sa the farm she needs to reach her power spikes. If Lucian gets ahead, he can snowball the lane and keep Kai’Sa from scaling into a major threat.

#2: Draven

Draven is one of the best counters to Kai’Sa because of his high early-game damage, strong lane dominance, and ability to capitalize on aggressive trades. His Spinning Axes (Q) give him some of the highest burst damage among ADCs, allowing him to outtrade Kai’Sa in almost any 1v1 fight. Since Kai’Sa needs time to scale and relies on evolving her abilities, Draven can shut her down early by applying constant pressure. His Stand Aside (E) also disrupts Kai’Sa’s movement, making it harder for her to reposition or escape once engaged. Additionally, his League of Draven passive rewards him with extra gold for kills, allowing him to snowball quickly and dominate the lane. If Draven gets an early lead, he can keep Kai’Sa behind, making it difficult for her to reach her late-game power spikes. His high damage output and aggressive playstyle make him a nightmare matchup for Kai’Sa, as she struggles to match his strength in the laning phase.

#1: Caitlyn

Caitlyn is the best counter to Kai’Sa because of her superior range, strong lane control, and zoning abilities. With her 650 attack range, Caitlyn can poke and harass Kai’Sa from a safe distance, making it difficult for her to farm and trade effectively. Her Headshot passive and Piltover Peacemaker (Q) allow her to chip away at Kai’Sa’s health before she even gets close enough to fight back. Additionally, Caitlyn’s Yordle Snap Trap (W) can zone Kai’Sa away from farm and objectives, limiting her ability to engage without risking taking heavy damage.

Caitlyn’s 90 Caliber Net (E) is a key tool against Kai’Sa’s aggressive playstyle, allowing her to create space and escape Kai’Sa’s all-in attempts. If Kai’Sa tries to engage with her Killer Instinct (R), Caitlyn can instantly trap her, slow her with E, or simply disengage, preventing Kai’Sa from taking favorable trades. Since Kai’Sa relies on hitting her Passive stacks to deal burst damage, Caitlyn’s range and disengage tools make it incredibly hard for her to do so.

Furthermore, Caitlyn’s ability to control lane priority and push waves quickly can force Kai’Sa under turret, where she struggles to last-hit effectively. This delays her item spikes and evolution upgrades, making her less effective in the mid-game. Overall, Caitlyn’s early-game pressure, range advantage, and crowd control tools make her the best champion to keep Kai’Sa in check and prevent her from snowballing.

Conclusion

Countering Kai’Sa requires champions that can outrange her, out-trade her in lane, or punish her all-in attempts. Whether it’s Caitlyn and Varus using their superior range, Lucian and Draven dominating early trades, or Ezreal and Sivir playing safe while poking her down, each champion on this list has tools to keep Kai’Sa from scaling into a late-game threat. The key to shutting her down is denying farm, forcing unfavorable trades, and preventing her from safely using her Passive and Killer Instinct (R) to dive in for kills. If you pick the right counter and play to your champion’s strengths, you can keep Kai’Sa under pressure and stop her from carrying the game.