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What's a good counter to Swain?

ViMeBaby·3/6/2016, 6:52:15 PM·1 votes·955 views

Okay, so, I was playing against a Swain today (i was katarina who gets completely overpowered by him in every single way) but then it hit me... Every single time I play against a Swain, I get completely destroyed. So, I went to his tips page to look at ways Riot says to counter him. This is what it says:

"Swain can easily disable a single attacker. Coordinate with your allies when ganking him."

Translation: There's no way you're 1v1ing this dude. Focus Swain with at least 3 people or you're not killing him.

"High mobility counters all of Swain's basic abilities: Moving away from the Raven will break the slow, it is easier to dodge Nevermore (YEAH OKAY RIOT KEEP TELLING YOURSELF THAT BULL BULL), and you're able to escape focus fire while tormented."

Translation: Make sure you can run away really really really really really fast.

So, what am I left with? Gang up on him and if you can't, just run? Like... seriously? Those are your tips for beating Swain? Also, I'd like to point out, Swain's AoE snare should have more of a Soraka E ability timer that the one it has now. For god's sake, IT'S AN AoE SNARE! I'm not saying he's OP, I'm just saying I just don't know any way to counter this champion. Can anyone help me out with this please? And no, by the way... picking is not an answer. No one picks .

7 Comments

venomous frost3/6/2016, 6:58:15 PM4 votes

play a waveclear champion and keep pushing him in, he has next to no waveclear and will miss a lot of cs.

or pick someone who outranges him like Lux

Flaherty3/6/2016, 7:02:44 PM4 votes

Malphite because flying is weak to rock

The Bearded Bard3/6/2016, 7:05:00 PM1 votes

item 3165 item 3155 item 3139

Blitzidious3/6/2016, 7:07:20 PM1 votes

Nevermove, his W, is easy to dodge, if you predict when he'll use it. If you have movement speed higher than 410, you should, if he doesn't lead his W, be able to walk out of it. Most of his damage is dots, with the exception of his W. He's completely immobile as well, he has no innate movespeed increases, and he has a base movement speed of 335. He has waveclear, don't let people tell you he doesn't. But his Waveclear costs a boatload of mana. Speaking of mana, if his mana is low, he's an easy target. He shreds through his mana when his ult is activated. If an enemy picks Swain, DO NOT, pick a melee with little mobility into him. He'll dominate the lane. Oh, and I pick Galio. Galio kicks ass. I'd recommend playing him.

4ManVotedAgainst3/6/2016, 7:21:18 PM1 votes

Galio actually IS the answer. I DO pick Galio !

Okay, more seriously, when laning against him, you need to use 21 points in the DEFENSIVE-MASTERIES tree, otherwise he WILL be able to MELT you EASILY. For example, I main Kennen , and I CAN and DO beat Swain with Kennen, but USUALLY if I went 21 points in DEFENSE-Mastery (keep in mind that you don't do as much damage as 21 points in Offensive, but at the same time, neither can he very easily one-combo you).

Starting item 1033 is usually a good idea if you're not good at out-trading/out-harassing against him. Remember, his damage is DoT, meaning that simply building some MR (perhaps into item 3001 ) will SIGNIFICANTLY hamper his damage-output on you ( item 3065 can also be used for good measure or as an alternative/replacement to if the enemy team-composition is full of magic-users).

THAT is your KEY to beating him. DEFENSIVE-Masteries and at least one MR-Item. You can thank me later or something if our paths ever cross again in the future (don't bother gifting my account though since I no longer play [already uninstalled]). Too busy with ridiculous work-loads from inheriting too much damn clutter to try and sell off (I would just set the whole ware-house on fire otherwise if it weren't for the fact that some of these items left behind can literally each fetch hundreds of dollars when sold off).

Balderdash10003/6/2016, 7:03:11 PM1 votes

A good Fizz destroys him.

Searno3/6/2016, 6:55:25 PM1 votes

In laning phase, someone like velkoz or xerath in lane absolutely makes him miserable, Malzahar does decent against him too just because of the suppression/space aids can free farm for you