Jarvan IV Counters
The best Jarvan IV counters in League of Legends patch 26.1 are Malphite, Lillia, Shyvana, Udyr, Jax. The best Jarvan IV counter is Malphite, with Jarvan IV having only a 35% win rate in this matchup. Secondary patch 26.1 Jarvan IV counter choices are Nocturne, DrMundo, Hecarim, MasterYi, Diana. Below are the top Jarvan IV counters and matchups alongside their win rates.
Martial Cadence
Jarvan's first basic attack on an enemy deals bonus physical damage based on their current Health. This effect cannot occur again on the same enemy for a few seconds.
Dragon Strike
Jarvan IV extends his lance, dealing physical damage and lowering the Armor of enemies in its path. Additionally, this will pull Jarvan to his Demacian Standard, knocking up enemies in his path.
Cost:- 45/
- 50/
- 55/
- 60/
- 65
Cooldown:- 10/
- 9/
- 8/
- 7/
- 6
Range:- 770
Golden Aegis
Jarvan IV calls upon the ancient kings of Demacia to shield him from harm and slow surrounding enemies.
Cost:- 30
Cooldown:- 9
Range:- 625
Demacian Standard
Jarvan IV carries the pride of Demacia, passively granting him bonus Attack Speed. Activating Demacian Standard allows Jarvan IV to place a Demacian flag that deals magic damage on impact and grants Attack Speed to nearby allied champions.
Cost:- 55
Cooldown:- 12/
- 12/
- 11/
- 11/
- 10
Range:- 860
Cataclysm
Jarvan IV heroically leaps into battle at a target with such force that he terraforms the surrounding area to create an arena around them. Nearby enemies are damaged at the moment of impact.
Cost:- 100
Cooldown:- 120/
- 105/
- 90
Range:- 650
- Fighter,
- Tank
These champions are Jarvan IV's hardest counters in League of Legends patch 26.1. Malphite is Jarvan IV's biggest counter with only a 35% win rate for Jarvan IV. When facing these Jarvan IV counter picks, focus on safe farming and waiting for jungle assistance. Avoid extended trades and play around your power spikes to survive difficult Jarvan IV matchups.
Malphite
Lillia
Shyvana
Udyr
Jax
Nocturne
Dr. Mundo
Hecarim
Master Yi
Diana
When facing Jarvan IV in League of Legends, understanding Jarvan IV's primary damage profile is essential for building effective counter strategies. Jarvan IV deals primarily physical damage, which means prioritizing armor in your defensive itemization will significantly reduce Jarvan IV's threat in fights. Top defensive items against Jarvan IV include Plated Steelcaps, Frozen Heart, Randuin's Omen, and Thornmail. These items provide substantial armor stats that directly mitigate Jarvan IV's damage output throughout all stages of the game.
From a champion selection perspective, the strongest Jarvan IV counters are Malphite, Lillia, Shyvana, and Udyr. These champions either out-trade Jarvan IV in lane, have abilities that negate Jarvan IV's core mechanics, or scale better into team fights. Malphite in particular exploits Jarvan IV's weaknesses by providing consistent pressure while being difficult to punish.
Beyond item builds and counter picks, successful counter play against Jarvan IV involves understanding Jarvan IV's power spikes and cooldown windows. Engage on Jarvan IV when key abilities are on cooldown, and coordinate with your team to focus Jarvan IV in team fights before Jarvan IV can output maximum damage. Vision control is also crucial when playing against Jarvan IV to avoid getting caught out of position. By combining proper defensive itemization with smart champion selection and strategic gameplay, you can effectively neutralize Jarvan IV's impact and secure victory.
Understanding Jarvan IV's power curve is essential for effective counter play. Here's when Jarvan IV is most vulnerable throughout the game.
EARLYEarly Game (Levels 1-6)
Jarvan IV may look for extended trades. Avoid long fights and kite with slows. Short trades favor you against sustained damage.
MIDMid Game (Levels 7-13)
Jarvan IV becomes increasingly tanky mid game. Focus on kiting and percent health damage. Avoid fighting in choke points.
LATELate Game (Levels 14-18)
Jarvan IV is very durable late game. Use armor penetration or anti-tank items. Focus squishier targets first if Jarvan IV is too tanky.
Use these actionable tips to gain an advantage when facing Jarvan IV in lane or team fights.
- Pick Malphite or similar champions with kits that exploit Jarvan IV's weaknesses
- Build Plated Steelcaps or Seeker's Armguard early to reduce Jarvan IV's damage in lane
- Track Jarvan IV's cooldowns and engage when key abilities are unavailable
- Ward Jarvan IV's common roam paths and ping missing immediately
- Coordinate with your jungler to gank Jarvan IV during vulnerable windows
- Avoid extended trades where Jarvan IV can stack sustained damage
- Kite Jarvan IV with slows and crowd control
Jarvan IV performs exceptionally well against these champions in patch 26.1. Sylas is Jarvan IV's best matchup with a 68.75% win rate. When playing Jarvan IV into these favorable matchups, look for early aggression and lane dominance. Jarvan IV can capitalize on these champions' weaknesses to snowball leads and carry games.
Sylas
Shaco
Graves
Talon
Evelynn
Zac
Kha'Zix
Rammus
Viego
Jayce
Jarvan IV Counters - Frequently Asked Questions
Who counters Jarvan IV?
The best Jarvan IV counters are Malphite, Lillia, and Shyvana. These champions have favorable matchups against Jarvan IV and can exploit Jarvan IV's weaknesses effectively in League of Legends patch 26.1.
What is Jarvan IV's hardest counter?
Malphite is Jarvan IV's hardest counter with Jarvan IV having only a 35% win rate in this matchup. Lillia (40% WR) and Shyvana (41.67% WR) are also strong Jarvan IV counters.
Who does Jarvan IV counter?
Jarvan IV performs well against Sylas, Shaco, and Graves. These are Jarvan IV's best matchups where Jarvan IV has favorable win rates and can dominate lane in patch 26.1.
How do I beat Jarvan IV in lane?
To beat Jarvan IV in lane, pick a counter champion like Malphite or Lillia. Focus on trading when Jarvan IV's key abilities are on cooldown, and build armor items to reduce Jarvan IV's damage output. Ward defensively and call for jungle assistance if Jarvan IV gains an advantage.
What items counter Jarvan IV?
The best items to counter Jarvan IV are Plated Steelcaps, Frozen Heart, Randuin's Omen, and Thornmail. These items provide armor which directly reduces Jarvan IV's damage. Consider building these items early if you're struggling against Jarvan IV in lane.
When is Jarvan IV weakest?
Jarvan IV is typically weakest during specific power troughs between item spikes. Exploit windows when Jarvan IV's ultimate or key abilities are on cooldown. Coordinate with your team to engage on Jarvan IV before Jarvan IV can set up fights on Jarvan IV's own terms.
How do I play Jarvan IV into counter matchups?
When playing Jarvan IV into counters like Malphite, 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 Jarvan IV's counters?
If Malphite, Lillia, or Shyvana are banned or picked, look for champions with similar kits that can exploit Jarvan IV's weaknesses. Champions with crowd control, burst damage, or sustained damage (depending on Jarvan IV's vulnerabilities) can serve as alternative counters.