Briar Counters
The best Briar counters in League of Legends patch 26.1 are Ekko, Rammus, Graves, Nocturne, Jax. The best Briar counter is Ekko, with Briar having only a 43.53% win rate in this matchup. Secondary patch 26.1 Briar counter choices are Warwick, Talon, Malphite, Shaco, Sylas. Below are the top Briar counters and matchups alongside their win rates.
Crimson Curse
Briar's attacks and abilities apply a stacking bleed that heals her for a portion of the damage it deals. Perpetually hungry, she gains increased healing based on her missing Health, but lacks innate Health Regeneration.
Head Rush
Briar leaps to a unit and hits enemies with The Heel Wheel (of Pain), stunning them and breaking their Armor.
Cost:- 0
Cooldown:- 13/
- 12/
- 11/
- 10/
- 9
Range:- 475
Blood Frenzy / Snack Attack
Briar leaps forward and shatters her pillory, entering a Blood Frenzy that causes her to relentlessly pursue the nearest enemy (prioritizing champions). While frenzied, she gains increased Attack Speed and Move Speed, and her attacks deal damage in an area around her target.
Briar can reactivate this ability while frenzied to take a CHOMP out of her target on her next attack, dealing additional damage based on their missing Health, and healing Briar based on the damage she deals.Cost:- 0
Cooldown:- 14/
- 13/
- 12/
- 11/
- 10
Range:- 350
Chilling Scream
Briar refocuses her mind, removing Blood Frenzy and channeling energy into a powerful scream that damages and slows enemies. While charging, she takes reduced damage and heals for a portion of her max Health. A fully charged scream knocks foes back, dealing additional damage and stunning those who collide with a wall.
Cost:- 0
Cooldown:- 16
Range:- 400
Certain Death
Briar kicks her pillory's hemolith gemstone, marking the first champion it hits as her prey. She then beelines straight to them, fearing other surrounding enemies upon arriving at her target, and enters a state of complete hemomania. She will pursue her prey until death, gaining the benefits of Blood Frenzy as well as additional Armor, Magic Resistance, Life Steal, and Move Speed.
Cost:- 0
Cooldown:- 120/
- 100/
- 80
Range:- 12000
- Fighter,
- Assassin
These champions are Briar's hardest counters in League of Legends patch 26.1. Ekko is Briar's biggest counter with only a 43.53% win rate for Briar. When facing these Briar counter picks, focus on safe farming and waiting for jungle assistance. Avoid extended trades and play around your power spikes to survive difficult Briar matchups.
Ekko
Rammus
Graves
Nocturne
Jax
Warwick
Talon
Malphite
Shaco
Sylas
When facing Briar in League of Legends, understanding Briar's primary damage profile is essential for building effective counter strategies. Briar deals primarily physical damage, which means prioritizing armor in your defensive itemization will significantly reduce Briar's threat in fights. Top defensive items against Briar include Plated Steelcaps, Frozen Heart, Randuin's Omen, and Thornmail. These items provide substantial armor stats that directly mitigate Briar's damage output throughout all stages of the game.
From a champion selection perspective, the strongest Briar counters are Ekko, Rammus, Graves, and Nocturne. These champions either out-trade Briar in lane, have abilities that negate Briar's core mechanics, or scale better into team fights. Ekko in particular exploits Briar's weaknesses by providing consistent pressure while being difficult to punish.
Beyond item builds and counter picks, successful counter play against Briar involves understanding Briar's power spikes and cooldown windows. Engage on Briar when key abilities are on cooldown, and coordinate with your team to focus Briar in team fights before Briar can output maximum damage. Vision control is also crucial when playing against Briar to avoid getting caught out of position. By combining proper defensive itemization with smart champion selection and strategic gameplay, you can effectively neutralize Briar's impact and secure victory.
Understanding Briar's power curve is essential for effective counter play. Here's when Briar is most vulnerable throughout the game.
EARLYEarly Game (Levels 1-6)
Briar may look for extended trades. Avoid long fights and kite with slows. Short trades favor you against sustained damage.
MIDMid Game (Levels 7-13)
Briar becomes increasingly tanky mid game. Focus on kiting and percent health damage. Avoid fighting in choke points.
LATELate Game (Levels 14-18)
Briar is very durable late game. Use armor penetration or anti-tank items. Focus squishier targets first if Briar is too tanky.
Use these actionable tips to gain an advantage when facing Briar in lane or team fights.
- Pick Ekko or similar champions with kits that exploit Briar's weaknesses
- Build Plated Steelcaps or Seeker's Armguard early to reduce Briar's damage in lane
- Track Briar's cooldowns and engage when key abilities are unavailable
- Ward Briar's common roam paths and ping missing immediately
- Coordinate with your jungler to gank Briar during vulnerable windows
- Group with teammates to deny Briar solo picks
- Place control wards in flanking positions to spot Briar's engages
Briar performs exceptionally well against these champions in patch 26.1. Kindred is Briar's best matchup with a 57.69% win rate. When playing Briar into these favorable matchups, look for early aggression and lane dominance. Briar can capitalize on these champions' weaknesses to snowball leads and carry games.
Kindred
Dr. Mundo
Shyvana
Vi
Volibear
Nunu & Willump
Lee Sin
Viego
Zac
Diana
Briar Counters - Frequently Asked Questions
Who counters Briar?
The best Briar counters are Ekko, Rammus, and Graves. These champions have favorable matchups against Briar and can exploit Briar's weaknesses effectively in League of Legends patch 26.1.
What is Briar's hardest counter?
Ekko is Briar's hardest counter with Briar having only a 43.53% win rate in this matchup. Rammus (44.79% WR) and Graves (45.24% WR) are also strong Briar counters.
Who does Briar counter?
Briar performs well against Kindred, Dr. Mundo, and Shyvana. These are Briar's best matchups where Briar has favorable win rates and can dominate lane in patch 26.1.
How do I beat Briar in lane?
To beat Briar in lane, pick a counter champion like Ekko or Rammus. Focus on trading when Briar's key abilities are on cooldown, and build armor items to reduce Briar's damage output. Ward defensively and call for jungle assistance if Briar gains an advantage.
What items counter Briar?
The best items to counter Briar are Plated Steelcaps, Frozen Heart, Randuin's Omen, and Thornmail. These items provide armor which directly reduces Briar's damage. Consider building these items early if you're struggling against Briar in lane.
When is Briar weakest?
Briar is typically weakest during specific power troughs between item spikes. Exploit windows when Briar's ultimate or key abilities are on cooldown. Coordinate with your team to engage on Briar before Briar can set up fights on Briar's own terms.
How do I play Briar into counter matchups?
When playing Briar into counters like Ekko, focus on safe farming, waiting for jungle assistance, and playing around power spikes. Avoid extended trades in unfavorable matchups and look for opportunities to scale into mid and late game.
What champions are similar to Briar's counters?
If Ekko, Rammus, or Graves are banned or picked, look for champions with similar kits that can exploit Briar's weaknesses. Champions with crowd control, burst damage, or sustained damage (depending on Briar's vulnerabilities) can serve as alternative counters.