Olaf Counters
The best Olaf counters in League of Legends patch 26.1 are Yone, Illaoi, Nasus, Singed, Darius. The best Olaf counter is Yone, with Olaf having only a 17.39% win rate in this matchup. Secondary patch 26.1 Olaf counter choices are Briar, TahmKench, Trundle, Kayle, Urgot. Below are the top Olaf counters and matchups alongside their win rates.
Berserker Rage
Olaf gains Attack Speed and Life Steal based on his missing Health.
Undertow
Olaf throws an axe into the ground at a target location, dealing damage to enemies it passes through and reducing their Armor and Move Speed. If Olaf picks up the axe, the ability's cooldown is reset.
Cost:- 50/
- 55/
- 60/
- 65/
- 70
Cooldown:- 9
Range:- 1000
Tough It Out
Olaf's Attack Speed is increased and he gains a Shield.
Cost:- 50
Cooldown:- 16/
- 15/
- 14/
- 13/
- 12
Range:- 700
Reckless Swing
Olaf attacks with such force that it deals true damage to his target and himself, refunding the Health cost if he destroys the target.
Cost:- 0
Cooldown:- 11/
- 10/
- 9/
- 8/
- 7
Range:- 325
Ragnarok
Olaf passively gains increased armor and magic resist. He can activate this ability to become immune to disables for as long as he keeps attacking.
Cost:- 100
Cooldown:- 100/
- 90/
- 80
Range:- 400
- Fighter,
- Tank
These champions are Olaf's hardest counters in League of Legends patch 26.1. Yone is Olaf's biggest counter with only a 17.39% win rate for Olaf. When facing these Olaf counter picks, focus on safe farming and waiting for jungle assistance. Avoid extended trades and play around your power spikes to survive difficult Olaf matchups.
Yone
Illaoi
Nasus
Singed
Darius
Briar
Tahm Kench
Trundle
Kayle
Urgot
When facing Olaf in League of Legends, understanding Olaf's primary damage profile is essential for building effective counter strategies. Olaf deals primarily physical damage, which means prioritizing armor in your defensive itemization will significantly reduce Olaf's threat in fights. Top defensive items against Olaf include Plated Steelcaps, Frozen Heart, Randuin's Omen, and Thornmail. These items provide substantial armor stats that directly mitigate Olaf's damage output throughout all stages of the game.
From a champion selection perspective, the strongest Olaf counters are Yone, Illaoi, Nasus, and Singed. These champions either out-trade Olaf in lane, have abilities that negate Olaf's core mechanics, or scale better into team fights. Yone in particular exploits Olaf's weaknesses by providing consistent pressure while being difficult to punish.
Beyond item builds and counter picks, successful counter play against Olaf involves understanding Olaf's power spikes and cooldown windows. Engage on Olaf when key abilities are on cooldown, and coordinate with your team to focus Olaf in team fights before Olaf can output maximum damage. Vision control is also crucial when playing against Olaf to avoid getting caught out of position. By combining proper defensive itemization with smart champion selection and strategic gameplay, you can effectively neutralize Olaf's impact and secure victory.
Understanding Olaf's power curve is essential for effective counter play. Here's when Olaf is most vulnerable throughout the game.
EARLYEarly Game (Levels 1-6)
Olaf may look for extended trades. Avoid long fights and kite with slows. Short trades favor you against sustained damage.
MIDMid Game (Levels 7-13)
Olaf becomes increasingly tanky mid game. Focus on kiting and percent health damage. Avoid fighting in choke points.
LATELate Game (Levels 14-18)
Olaf is very durable late game. Use armor penetration or anti-tank items. Focus squishier targets first if Olaf is too tanky.
Use these actionable tips to gain an advantage when facing Olaf in lane or team fights.
- Pick Yone or similar champions with kits that exploit Olaf's weaknesses
- Build Plated Steelcaps or Seeker's Armguard early to reduce Olaf's damage in lane
- Track Olaf's cooldowns and engage when key abilities are unavailable
- Ward Olaf's common roam paths and ping missing immediately
- Coordinate with your jungler to gank Olaf during vulnerable windows
- Avoid extended trades where Olaf can stack sustained damage
- Kite Olaf with slows and crowd control
Olaf performs exceptionally well against these champions in patch 26.1. Tryndamere is Olaf's best matchup with a 68.42% win rate. When playing Olaf into these favorable matchups, look for early aggression and lane dominance. Olaf can capitalize on these champions' weaknesses to snowball leads and carry games.
Tryndamere
Jax
Ornn
Gnar
Zaahen
Gangplank
Sett
Volibear
Irelia
Riven
Olaf Counters - Frequently Asked Questions
Who counters Olaf?
The best Olaf counters are Yone, Illaoi, and Nasus. These champions have favorable matchups against Olaf and can exploit Olaf's weaknesses effectively in League of Legends patch 26.1.
What is Olaf's hardest counter?
Yone is Olaf's hardest counter with Olaf having only a 17.39% win rate in this matchup. Illaoi (26.92% WR) and Nasus (32.35% WR) are also strong Olaf counters.
Who does Olaf counter?
Olaf performs well against Tryndamere, Jax, and Ornn. These are Olaf's best matchups where Olaf has favorable win rates and can dominate lane in patch 26.1.
How do I beat Olaf in lane?
To beat Olaf in lane, pick a counter champion like Yone or Illaoi. Focus on trading when Olaf's key abilities are on cooldown, and build armor items to reduce Olaf's damage output. Ward defensively and call for jungle assistance if Olaf gains an advantage.
What items counter Olaf?
The best items to counter Olaf are Plated Steelcaps, Frozen Heart, Randuin's Omen, and Thornmail. These items provide armor which directly reduces Olaf's damage. Consider building these items early if you're struggling against Olaf in lane.
When is Olaf weakest?
Olaf is typically weakest during specific power troughs between item spikes. Exploit windows when Olaf's ultimate or key abilities are on cooldown. Coordinate with your team to engage on Olaf before Olaf can set up fights on Olaf's own terms.
How do I play Olaf into counter matchups?
When playing Olaf into counters like Yone, 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 Olaf's counters?
If Yone, Illaoi, or Nasus are banned or picked, look for champions with similar kits that can exploit Olaf's weaknesses. Champions with crowd control, burst damage, or sustained damage (depending on Olaf's vulnerabilities) can serve as alternative counters.