10 Best Champions To Counter Sylas In League of Legends

Sylas is a powerful melee mage in League of Legends, known for his high sustain, burst damage, and ability to steal enemy ultimates with Hijack (R). His strong dueling potential and mobility make him a dangerous threat in both skirmishes and teamfights. However, Sylas has clear weaknesses, such as mana dependency, vulnerability to crowd control, and struggles against ranged poke champions. The best way to counter him is by picking champions that can burst him down before he heals, keep their distance, or shut him down with CC. In this article, we’ll go over the 10 best champions to counter Sylas and prevent him from snowballing out of control.

#10: Viktor

Viktor is a strong counter to Sylas due to his long-range poke, burst damage, and ability to zone him out. While Sylas thrives in close-range fights where he can sustain with Kingslayer (W), Viktor’s Death Ray (E) allows him to poke Sylas from a safe distance and whittle him down before he can engage.

The biggest counter to Sylas is Gravity Field (W), which stuns Sylas if he tries to dash in, preventing him from landing his full combo. Additionally, Chaos Storm (R) deals continuous damage and forces Sylas to retreat, limiting his ability to sustain through fights. Since Sylas struggles against ranged mages who can poke him down before he engages, Viktor forces him into a matchup where he has difficulty closing the gap and winning trades.

#9: Leblanc

LeBlanc is a strong counter to Sylas due to her high burst damage, mobility, and ability to poke from a safe distance. Sylas excels in extended fights where he can heal with Kingslayer (W) and sustain through trades, but LeBlanc’s Sigil of Malice (Q) and Ethereal Chains (E) allow her to poke him down without taking much damage in return.

The biggest counter to Sylas is Distortion (W), which lets LeBlanc engage, deal damage, and quickly reposition before Sylas can retaliate. Additionally, Mimic (R) amplifies her burst potential, allowing her to quickly kill Sylas before he has a chance to heal. Since Sylas struggles against mobile assassins who can kite him and burst him down before he sustains, LeBlanc forces him into a matchup where he is constantly at risk of being poked and eliminated.

#8: Ahri

Ahri is a strong counter to Sylas due to her mobility, poke damage, and crowd control. Sylas excels in extended fights where he can heal and sustain through trades, but Ahri’s Orb of Deception (Q) allows her to poke him from a safe distance while also healing herself, making it difficult for Sylas to get favorable trades.

The biggest counter to Sylas is Charm (E), which stops him mid-dash and prevents him from using his abilities, making him vulnerable to burst damage. Additionally, Spirit Rush (R) provides three dashes, allowing Ahri to kite Sylas and escape his all-ins with ease. Since Sylas struggles against mobile mages who can keep their distance and control fights with CC, Ahri forces him into a matchup where he has difficulty landing his abilities and sustaining through trades.

#7: Azir

Azir is a strong counter to Sylas due to his long-range poke, zone control, and ability to keep Sylas from engaging. Sylas thrives in close-range fights where he can heal and deal burst damage, but Azir’s Arise! (W) and Conquering Sands (Q) allow him to harass Sylas from a safe distance while staying out of his engage range.

The biggest counter to Sylas is Emperor’s Divide (R), which pushes him away when he tries to dash in, completely denying his all-in attempts. Since Sylas struggles against ranged champions who can poke him down and prevent him from engaging, Azir forces him into a matchup where he has difficulty getting close and finding favorable trades.

#6: Yone

Yone is a strong counter to Sylas due to his consistent damage, mobility, and ability to avoid Sylas’ healing. While Sylas excels in extended fights where he can sustain with Kingslayer (W), Yone’s Mortal Steel (Q) and Fate Sealed (R) allow him to apply consistent pressure and burst Sylas down before he can heal back up.

The biggest counter to Sylas is Soul Unbound (E), which allows Yone to engage, deal damage, and return to safety before Sylas can retaliate. Additionally, Yone naturally builds Lifesteal and Critical Strike, making him able to out-sustain Sylas in duels. Since Sylas struggles against champions who can match his skirmishing power and avoid his burst, Yone forces him into a matchup where he can’t easily sustain through fights and gets punished for extended trades.

#5: Taliyah

Taliyah is a strong counter to Sylas due to her long-range poke, crowd control, and ability to punish him for dashing. Sylas excels in close-range fights where he can sustain through extended trades, but Taliyah can zone him out and burst him before he gets the chance to heal. Her Threaded Volley (Q) allows her to poke Sylas from a distance, making it difficult for him to engage.

The biggest counter to Sylas is Unraveled Earth (E), which stuns and deals massive damage to Sylas whenever he dashes, punishing him for engaging. Additionally, Seismic Shove (W) can interrupt his all-ins by knocking him away, preventing him from landing his full combo. Since Sylas struggles against champions who can kite him and punish his aggressive playstyle, Taliyah forces him into a matchup where he has a hard time finding openings and sustaining through fights.

#4: Corki

Corki is a strong counter to Sylas due to his consistent poke damage, mobility, and ability to punish him from range. Sylas excels in extended fights where he can heal and sustain, but Corki’s Phosphorus Bomb (Q) and Missile Barrage (R) allow him to chip away at Sylas before he can engage.

The biggest counter to Sylas is Valkyrie (W), which lets Corki reposition and escape when Sylas tries to dash in for an all-in. Additionally, Corki’s high mixed damage (both AD and AP) makes it harder for Sylas to itemize defensively against him. Since Sylas struggles against ranged champions who can poke him down and avoid his engage, Corki forces him into a matchup where he takes too much damage before he can even start a fight.

#3: Hwei

Hwei is a strong counter to Sylas due to his long-range poke, zoning capabilities, and crowd control. Sylas excels in close-range fights where he can sustain with Kingslayer (W) and land his full combo, but Hwei can keep him at a distance and punish his engages. His Calamitous Strike (Q) and Devastating Fire (W) allow him to deal high damage from range, making it difficult for Sylas to close the gap.

The biggest counter to Sylas is Grim Visage (E), which slows and disorients him, preventing him from effectively engaging or dodging abilities. Additionally, Hwei’s Captive Audience (R) provides powerful crowd control in teamfights, limiting Sylas’ ability to move freely and sustain through fights. Since Sylas struggles against ranged mages who can poke him down before he gets in range, Hwei forces him into a matchup where he is constantly taking damage without a reliable way to engage.

#2: Orianna

Orianna is a strong counter to Sylas due to her consistent poke damage, zone control, and ability to punish his engages. Sylas thrives in close-range skirmishes where he can heal and deal burst damage, but Orianna’s Command: Attack (Q) and Command: Dissonance (W) allow her to poke him down from a safe distance while controlling the pace of the lane.

The biggest counter to Sylas is Command: Shockwave (R), which disrupts his engages and allows Orianna’s team to focus him down before he can sustain through the fight. Additionally, Orianna’s shields from Command: Protect (E) help mitigate Sylas’ burst damage, making it harder for him to secure kills. Since Sylas struggles against ranged control mages who can poke and kite him, Orianna forces him into a matchup where he has difficulty finding opportunities to engage and sustain.

#1: Galio

Galio is the best counter to Sylas due to his tankiness, magic damage resistance, crowd control, and ability to out-trade him in extended fights. Sylas thrives in skirmishes where he can sustain with Kingslayer (W) and steal powerful ultimates, but Galio’s natural tankiness and passive magic resistance from Shield of Durand (W) make him extremely difficult for Sylas to burst down.

The biggest counter to Sylas is Hero’s Entrance (R), which is a weak ultimate for Sylas to steal since it requires team coordination and doesn’t provide direct combat benefits in a 1v1. Additionally, Winds of War (Q) allows Galio to poke Sylas while healing over time, and Justice Punch (E) gives him an easy way to interrupt Sylas’ engages. Since Sylas struggles against tankier champions who can resist his burst and control fights with CC, Galio forces him into a matchup where he can’t easily trade and sustain, making him much less effective overall

Conclusion

Sylas is a strong skirmisher with high sustain, burst damage, and the ability to steal ultimates, but he struggles against champions who can poke him down, kite him, or shut him down with crowd control. Long-range mages like Orianna, Hwei, and Viktor can harass him from a distance and deny his engage opportunities. High-mobility assassins like LeBlanc and Ahri can burst him down before he can heal back up. Tanky disruptors like Galio and Yone can withstand his damage and prevent him from snowballing. By choosing champions that can deny his healing, out-range him, or lock him down with CC, you can effectively counter Sylas and prevent him from taking over the game.