10 Best Champions To Counter Leona In League of Legends

Leona is one of the most dominant engage supports in League of Legends, known for her tankiness, crowd control, and ability to lock down enemies with Shield of Daybreak (Q), Zenith Blade (E), and Solar Flare (R). Her aggressive playstyle makes her a nightmare for squishy champions, as she can easily set up kills for her team. However, Leona has clear weaknesses that the right champions can exploit, such as her lack of disengage, reliance on all-ins, and vulnerability to poke-heavy or anti-CC champions. Whether you prefer enchanters that can neutralize her engages, tanks that can withstand her crowd control, or poke champions that can harass her from a distance, there are plenty of ways to counter Leona. In this article, we’ll go over the 10 best champions to counter Leona and how to shut down her impact in the game.

#10: Nami

Nami is a strong counter to Leona due to her ability to poke, disengage, and heal through trades. Leona relies on aggressive all-ins, but Nami’s Aqua Prison (Q) can stop her engage mid-air, preventing her from locking down a target. Additionally, Ebb and Flow (W) allows Nami to sustain through Leona’s damage, making it harder for her to secure kills in lane. The biggest counter to Leona is Tidal Wave (R), which provides a massive knock-up and slow, making it difficult for Leona to stay in the fight after engaging. Since Nami excels at disengaging and empowering her ADC with Tidecaller’s Blessing (E), she makes it difficult for Leona to execute her usual aggressive playstyle, forcing her into a passive position where she struggles to make an impact.

#9: Braum

Braum is a strong counter to Leona due to his ability to block her engages, peel for his team, and outlast her in extended fights. Leona relies on Zenith Blade (E) to initiate fights, but Braum can immediately counter her with Winter’s Bite (Q) to slow her down and Stand Behind Me (W) to shield his ADC. His Unbreakable (E) is one of the best tools against Leona, as it completely negates her Solar Flare (R) and reduces incoming damage from her abilities and auto attacks. Additionally, Glacial Fissure (R) provides a powerful disengage tool that knocks Leona up and makes it difficult for her team to follow up on her engages. Since Braum thrives in extended fights and offers strong defensive tools, he makes it much harder for Leona to lock down key targets and control the lane.

#8: Soraka

Soraka is a strong counter to Leona due to her ability to sustain through trades, deny Leona’s kill pressure, and punish her engages. Leona thrives on all-ins, but Soraka’s Astral Infusion (W) can quickly heal her ADC, negating the damage from Leona’s Shield of Daybreak (Q) and Zenith Blade (E) combo. Additionally, Equinox (E) is a key ability in this matchup, as it silences Leona when she engages and can even root her if she stays inside the zone, preventing her from continuing her crowd control chain. Wish (R) provides a global heal, making it even harder for Leona’s team to secure kills after an engage. Since Soraka excels at playing safe and sustaining her team, she forces Leona into an awkward position where her all-ins become ineffective, limiting her impact in the game.

#7: Sona

Sona is a strong counter to Leona due to her consistent poke, sustain, and ability to punish Leona’s all-ins. Leona relies on engaging with Zenith Blade (E), but Sona can poke her down with Hymn of Valor (Q) before she gets a chance to engage, making her initiation riskier. Additionally, Aria of Perseverance (W) provides constant healing and shields, helping her ADC survive Leona’s crowd control and burst damage. The biggest counter to Leona is Crescendo (R), which can instantly turn the fight by stunning Leona and her team when they try to engage. Since Sona scales incredibly well into the late game and thrives in extended fights, she can keep her team healthy and control the pace of the lane, making it difficult for Leona to find clean engages.

#6: Taric

Taric is a strong counter to Leona due to his durability, crowd control, and ability to completely negate her all-ins. Since Leona relies on locking down a target with Shield of Daybreak (Q) and Zenith Blade (E), Taric can preemptively cast Bastion (W) on his ADC, ensuring that his Dazzle (E) stuns Leona as soon as she engages. This prevents her from following up with further crowd control and makes her initiation much riskier. Additionally, Cosmic Radiance (R) is one of the best counters to Leona’s Solar Flare (R), as it grants invulnerability to his team, making it impossible for Leona to secure kills after engaging. Since Taric excels in extended fights and provides sustain through Starlight’s Touch (Q), he forces Leona into a passive playstyle where she struggles to find successful engages.

#5: Lulu

Lulu is a strong counter to Leona due to her ability to shut down engages, provide shields, and neutralize all-in attempts. Since Leona relies on diving onto priority targets, Lulu’s Whimsy (W) can instantly polymorph her as she engages, preventing her from using Shield of Daybreak (Q) and disrupting her crowd control chain. Additionally, Help, Pix! (E) provides a shield that helps absorb Leona’s burst, while Glitterlance (Q) slows her and makes it harder for her to chase down targets. The biggest counter to Leona is Wild Growth (R), which can be used to knock up Leona and her allies mid-engage, completely turning fights in Lulu’s favor. Since Lulu excels at peeling and protecting carries, she makes it extremely difficult for Leona to find effective all-ins, forcing her into a much less impactful role.

#4: Thresh

Thresh is a strong counter to Leona due to his ability to disrupt her engages, peel for his ADC, and punish her for diving in. When Leona engages with Zenith Blade (E), Thresh can immediately use Flay (E) to knock her back, preventing her from landing Shield of Daybreak (Q) and completing her crowd control combo. His Death Sentence (Q) also punishes Leona’s aggression, allowing him to lock her down and turn the fight in his team’s favor. Additionally, The Box (R) provides a massive slow that makes it difficult for Leona and her team to follow up on her engages. Since Thresh offers both defensive peeling and aggressive playmaking, he can control the pace of the lane and make it difficult for Leona to find effective all-ins.

#3: Janna

Janna is a strong counter to Leona due to her exceptional disengage, mobility, and ability to shut down all-in attempts. Leona thrives on aggressive engages, but Janna’s Howling Gale (Q) can interrupt her Zenith Blade (E) mid-air, stopping her from reaching her target. Additionally, Zephyr (W) slows Leona down, making it harder for her to chase down priority targets. The biggest counter to Leona is Monsoon (R), which provides a massive knockback and heal, completely resetting fights and nullifying Leona’s initiation. Since Janna excels at peeling and protecting her ADC, she makes it incredibly difficult for Leona to execute her usual aggressive playstyle, forcing her into a passive role where she struggles to be effective.

#2: Alistar

Alistar is a strong counter to Leona due to his tankiness, crowd control, and ability to completely disrupt her engages. When Leona uses Zenith Blade (E) to engage, Alistar can immediately knock her away with Pulverize (Q) or Headbutt (W), preventing her from landing Shield of Daybreak (Q) and stopping her from locking down his ADC. Since Alistar thrives in close-range fights, he can trade effectively against Leona without getting burst down. His Unbreakable Will (R) further counters Leona’s all-in, reducing crowd control duration and making him nearly unkillable in fights. With his ability to peel, engage, and outlast Leona in extended skirmishes, Alistar makes it extremely difficult for her to execute successful engages and control the lane.

#1: Morgana

Morgana is the best counter to Leona due to her ability to completely shut down Leona’s engages with Black Shield (E), long-range poke, and crowd control. Leona relies on locking down her target with Zenith Blade (E) and Shield of Daybreak (Q), but Black Shield prevents her from applying any crowd control, making it nearly impossible for her to engage effectively. Additionally, Dark Binding (Q) is one of the longest-rooting abilities in the game, making it easy to punish Leona whenever she overcommits. Tormented Shadow (W) provides strong poke and wave clear, forcing Leona to take unnecessary damage if she tries to play aggressively. Since Morgana can completely negate Leona’s all-ins and punish her mistakes, she makes it extremely difficult for Leona to impact the game, solidifying her as the best counter.

Conclusion

Leona may be one of the strongest engage supports in League of Legends, but the right champions can shut down her all-ins and limit her impact. Champions like Morgana, Janna, and Lulu excel at preventing her engages with shields, disengage, and crowd control, while tanky supports like Alistar, Thresh, and Braum can peel and punish her aggressive plays. Poke and sustain champions like Nami, Sona, and Soraka make it difficult for Leona to find effective engages, forcing her into a passive role. Whether you prefer enchanters, tanks, or poke-heavy supports, there are plenty of ways to counter Leona and neutralize her ability to control the lane. By choosing the right champion and playing smart, you can make it difficult for Leona to execute her game plan and take control of the match.