10 Best Champions To Counter Kindred In League of Legends

Kindred is a unique jungle champion in League of Legends, combining mobility, range, and scaling power to dominate fights and secure objectives. Their ability to kite, mark enemies for execution, and survive fatal damage with Lamb’s Respite (R) makes them a difficult opponent to deal with. However, Kindred has clear weaknesses that the right counter picks can exploit, such as being vulnerable to early invades, struggling against crowd control, and relying on positioning to be effective. Whether you’re looking for champions that can shut down their mobility, outscale them in fights, or punish their aggressive jungle playstyle, there are plenty of ways to counter Kindred. In this article, we’ll cover the 10 best champions to counter Kindred and how to neutralize their impact on the game.

#10: Gragas

Gragas is a strong counter to Kindred due to his tankiness, crowd control, and ability to disrupt their mobility and ultimate. Kindred relies on kiting and positioning, but Gragas’s Body Slam (E) allows him to close the gap and stun them, making it difficult for them to escape. His Explosive Cask (R) is one of the best tools against Kindred’s Lamb’s Respite (R), as it can knock them out of the healing zone, instantly removing their safety net and making them vulnerable to execution. Additionally, Gragas’s sustain from Happy Hour (Passive) and damage reduction from Drunken Rage (W) help him survive Kindred’s trades and extended fights. With his ability to engage, disengage, and completely disrupt Kindred’s game plan, Gragas is a great pick to shut them down.

#9: Udyr

Udyr is a strong counter to Kindred because of his tankiness, mobility, and ability to consistently apply pressure in fights. Kindred relies on kiting and mobility, but Udyr’s Blazing Stampede (E) provides a reliable stun, making it difficult for them to reposition or escape. His Iron Mantle (W) grants him shields and healing, allowing him to sustain through Kindred’s damage and extended skirmishes. Since Udyr is one of the fastest junglers in the game, he can invade early and pressure Kindred’s camps, denying them marks and slowing their scaling. Additionally, his persistent damage from Wilding Claw (Q) allows him to out-duel Kindred in close-range fights, where they struggle the most. With his strong early-game presence and ability to tank through fights, Udyr makes it difficult for Kindred to thrive.

#8: Trundle

Trundle is a strong counter to Kindred due to his ability to out-duel them, sustain through trades, and disrupt their positioning with crowd control. Kindred relies on kiting and mobility, but Trundle’s Pillar of Ice (E) slows and displaces them, making it harder for them to escape or fight effectively. His Chomp (Q) reduces their attack damage, weakening their ability to burst him down. Additionally, Frozen Domain (W) gives Trundle extra movement speed and healing, allowing him to stay on top of Kindred even as they try to kite. The biggest counter to Kindred is Subjugate (R), which steals their resistances, making them much squishier and easier to eliminate, even inside Lamb’s Respite (R). With his sustain, crowd control, and ability to outlast Kindred in fights, Trundle can make their life very difficult.

#7: Hecarim

Hecarim is a strong counter to Kindred due to his high mobility, tankiness, and ability to disrupt their positioning in fights. Kindred relies on kiting and ranged damage, but Hecarim’s Devastating Charge (E) allows him to quickly close the gap and knock them back, making it difficult for them to escape or reposition. His Spirit of Dread (W) provides healing in extended fights, allowing him to sustain through Kindred’s damage. The biggest advantage Hecarim has is Onslaught of Shadows (R), which can fear Kindred out of Lamb’s Respite (R), denying them their key survival tool and making them easy to burst down. With his strong engage, sustain, and ability to force Kindred into bad fights, Hecarim can completely shut down their game plan.

#6: Xin Zhao

Xin Zhao is a strong counter to Kindred due to his early-game aggression, strong dueling potential, and ability to disrupt their ranged attacks. Kindred relies on kiting melee champions, but Xin Zhao’s Audacious Charge (E) allows him to gap-close instantly and stick to them in fights. His Three Talon Strike (Q) provides a knock-up, making it harder for Kindred to reposition and escape. Additionally, Wind Becomes Lightning (W) slows Kindred, further limiting their mobility. The biggest advantage Xin Zhao has is Crescent Guard (R), which blocks all damage from enemies outside of its radius. This means that Kindred, who fights best at range, will struggle to deal meaningful damage while Xin Zhao is up close. With his strong early-game pressure and ability to force Kindred into melee combat, Xin Zhao makes their life difficult from the start.

#5: Jarvan IV

Jarvan IV is a strong counter to Kindred due to his ability to lock them down, burst them quickly, and disrupt their positioning. Kindred relies on mobility and kiting, but Jarvan’s Dragon Strike + Demacian Standard (Q + E) combo provides an easy way to engage and knock them up, preventing them from escaping. His Cataclysm (R) is one of the best counters to Lamb’s Respite (R) since it traps Kindred and their teammates inside, making it difficult for them to reposition or escape after their ultimate ends. Additionally, Jarvan’s early-game strength allows him to invade and pressure Kindred, denying them stacks on their Mark of the Kindred (Passive) and slowing their scaling. With his strong engage, burst damage, and ability to control Kindred’s movement, Jarvan IV makes it hard for them to carry the game.

#4: Rek’Sai

Rek’Sai is a strong counter to Kindred due to her ability to dominate early skirmishes, track Kindred easily, and shut them down with targeted crowd control. Kindred relies on mobility and kiting, but Rek’Sai’s Unburrow (W) provides a knock-up that disrupts their movement and prevents them from escaping. Since Rek’Sai’s Tremor Sense (Passive) detects enemies even in fog of war, she can easily track Kindred’s jungle pathing and set up invades to deny their Mark of the Kindred (Passive). Her Furious Bite (E) deals massive true damage, making her an excellent duelist who can burst down Kindred even inside Lamb’s Respite (R). With strong early-game pressure, burst damage, and crowd control, Rek’Sai can make it difficult for Kindred to scale and control the jungle effectively.

#3: Viego

Viego is a strong counter to Kindred because of his ability to outduel them, sustain through fights, and turn their own strengths against them. Kindred relies on kiting melee champions, but Viego’s Blade of the Ruined King (Q) provides strong healing and consistent damage, allowing him to survive extended fights. His Harrowed Path (E) gives him mobility to stick to Kindred, making it harder for them to escape. The biggest counter to Kindred comes from Heartbreaker (R), which allows Viego to execute low-health enemies—even inside Lamb’s Respite (R). If he kills Kindred, he can take their form and use their own abilities against their team. With his sustain, high damage output, and the ability to deny Kindred’s ultimate, Viego can completely turn the tide in fights and shut down their impact.

#2: Lee Sin

Lee Sin is a top-tier counter to Kindred due to his strong early-game presence, mobility, and ability to completely disrupt their ultimate. Kindred relies on scaling and kiting, but Lee Sin’s aggressive playstyle allows him to invade, pressure, and deny their Mark of the Kindred (Passive) before they can get rolling. His Sonic Wave/Resonating Strike (Q) lets him stick to Kindred even when they try to disengage, while Tempest/Cripple (E) slows them down, making kiting difficult. The biggest counter to Kindred is Dragon’s Rage (R), which can kick them out of Lamb’s Respite (R), instantly removing their safety net and allowing Lee Sin’s team to finish them off. With superior early-game pressure, dueling potential, and a hard counter to their ultimate, Lee Sin is one of the best champions to shut down Kindred.

#1: Elise

Elise is the best counter to Kindred due to her strong early-game pressure, burst damage, and ability to completely shut down their ultimate. Kindred relies on scaling and kiting, but Elise excels at early jungle invades and aggressive ganks, preventing Kindred from securing Mark of the Kindred (Passive) stacks and slowing their power spike. Her Cocoon (Human Form E) provides a long-range stun that makes it easy to lock Kindred down before they can react. Once Kindred drops Lamb’s Respite (R), Elise can use Rappel (Spider Form E) to wait out the duration of the ultimate, then drop down and execute them with Venomous Bite (Spider Form Q). Since Elise thrives in early skirmishes and Kindred struggles when behind, she is the perfect pick to deny their scaling and dominate the game.

Conclusion

Kindred can be a dangerous jungle champion with their mobility, ranged damage, and game-changing ultimate, but the right counters can shut them down and prevent them from scaling. Champions like Elise and Lee Sin excel at early aggression, denying Kindred’s jungle marks and preventing them from reaching their full potential. Tanks and disruptors like Jarvan IV and Gragas can lock them down and force them out of Lamb’s Respite (R), removing their key survival tool. Whether you prefer early-game invaders, crowd control-heavy champions, or high-burst duelists, there are plenty of ways to counter Kindred and limit their impact. By picking the right champion and playing aggressively, you can keep Kindred in check and make sure they never become a threat.