Ryze Counters
The best Ryze counters in League of Legends patch 26.1 are Galio, Vladimir, Malzahar, Syndra, Irelia. The best Ryze counter is Galio, with Ryze having only a 34.29% win rate in this matchup. Secondary patch 26.1 Ryze counter choices are AurelionSol, Ahri, Zed, Yone, Leblanc. Below are the top Ryze counters and matchups alongside their win rates.
Arcane Mastery
Ryze's spells deal extra damage based on his Bonus Mana, and he gains a percentage increase to his maximum Mana based on his Ability Power. 
Overload
Passively, Ryze's other basic abilities reset the cooldown of Overload and charge a rune. When Ryze casts Overload with 2 runes charged, he gains a brief burst of Move Speed.
On cast, Ryze throws a charge of pure energy in a line, dealing damage to the first enemy struck. If the target has Flux on it, Overload deals extra damage and bounces to nearby enemies with Flux.Cost:- 40/
- 38/
- 36/
- 34/
- 32
Cooldown:- 5
Range:- 1000
Rune Prison
Ryze traps a target in a cage of runes, damaging them and slowing their movement. If the target has Flux on it, they are instead rooted.
Cost:- 50/
- 60/
- 70/
- 80/
- 90
Cooldown:- 11/
- 11/
- 10/
- 10/
- 9
Range:- 615
Spell Flux
Ryze releases an orb of pure magical power that damages an enemy and debuffs all nearby enemies. Ryze's spells have additional effects against the debuffed enemy.
Cost:- 35/
- 45/
- 55/
- 65/
- 75
Cooldown:- 4/
- 3/
- 3/
- 3/
- 3
Range:- 615
Realm Warp
Passively, Overload deals even more damage against targets with Flux.
On cast, Ryze creates a portal to a nearby location. After a few seconds, allies standing near the portal are teleported to the target location.Cost:- 100
Cooldown:- 180/
- 160/
- 140
Range:- 3000
- Mage
These champions are Ryze's hardest counters in League of Legends patch 26.1. Galio is Ryze's biggest counter with only a 34.29% win rate for Ryze. When facing these Ryze counter picks, focus on safe farming and waiting for jungle assistance. Avoid extended trades and play around your power spikes to survive difficult Ryze matchups.
Galio
Vladimir
Malzahar
Syndra
Irelia
Aurelion Sol
Ahri
Zed
Yone
LeBlanc
When facing Ryze in League of Legends, understanding Ryze's primary damage profile is essential for building effective counter strategies. Ryze deals primarily magic damage, which means prioritizing magic resist in your defensive itemization will significantly reduce Ryze's threat in fights. Top defensive items against Ryze include Mercury's Treads, Spirit Visage, Force of Nature, and Banshee's Veil. These items provide substantial magic resist stats that directly mitigate Ryze's damage output throughout all stages of the game.
From a champion selection perspective, the strongest Ryze counters are Galio, Vladimir, Malzahar, and Syndra. These champions either out-trade Ryze in lane, have abilities that negate Ryze's core mechanics, or scale better into team fights. Galio in particular exploits Ryze's weaknesses by providing consistent pressure while being difficult to punish.
Beyond item builds and counter picks, successful counter play against Ryze involves understanding Ryze's power spikes and cooldown windows. Engage on Ryze when key abilities are on cooldown, and coordinate with your team to focus Ryze in team fights before Ryze can output maximum damage. Vision control is also crucial when playing against Ryze to avoid getting caught out of position. By combining proper defensive itemization with smart champion selection and strategic gameplay, you can effectively neutralize Ryze's impact and secure victory.
Understanding Ryze's power curve is essential for effective counter play. Here's when Ryze is most vulnerable throughout the game.
EARLYEarly Game (Levels 1-6)
Ryze may be mana-dependent early. Punish after spell rotations when abilities are on cooldown. All-in when mana is depleted for advantageous trades.
MIDMid Game (Levels 7-13)
Ryze's poke and zone control peaks mid game. Engage quickly to close the gap before Ryze can kite. Use flanks and hard engage to bypass poke damage.
LATELate Game (Levels 14-18)
Ryze provides strong team fight damage late. Prioritize diving Ryze or use assassins to reach the backline. Magic resist items become crucial.
Use these actionable tips to gain an advantage when facing Ryze in lane or team fights.
- Pick Galio or similar champions with kits that exploit Ryze's weaknesses
- Build Mercury's Treads or Hexdrinker early to reduce Ryze's damage in lane
- Track Ryze's cooldowns and engage when key abilities are unavailable
- Ward Ryze's common roam paths and ping missing immediately
- Coordinate with your jungler to gank Ryze during vulnerable windows
- Dodge Ryze's skill shots by moving unpredictably
- All-in Ryze when mana is low from spell rotations
Ryze performs exceptionally well against these champions in patch 26.1. Anivia is Ryze's best matchup with a 58.14% win rate. When playing Ryze into these favorable matchups, look for early aggression and lane dominance. Ryze can capitalize on these champions' weaknesses to snowball leads and carry games.
Anivia
Katarina
Akshan
Swain
Naafiri
Aurora
Hwei
Viktor
Kassadin
Xerath
Ryze Counters - Frequently Asked Questions
Who counters Ryze?
The best Ryze counters are Galio, Vladimir, and Malzahar. These champions have favorable matchups against Ryze and can exploit Ryze's weaknesses effectively in League of Legends patch 26.1.
What is Ryze's hardest counter?
Galio is Ryze's hardest counter with Ryze having only a 34.29% win rate in this matchup. Vladimir (36.67% WR) and Malzahar (37.78% WR) are also strong Ryze counters.
Who does Ryze counter?
Ryze performs well against Anivia, Katarina, and Akshan. These are Ryze's best matchups where Ryze has favorable win rates and can dominate lane in patch 26.1.
How do I beat Ryze in lane?
To beat Ryze in lane, pick a counter champion like Galio or Vladimir. Focus on trading when Ryze's key abilities are on cooldown, and build magic resist items to reduce Ryze's damage output. Ward defensively and call for jungle assistance if Ryze gains an advantage.
What items counter Ryze?
The best items to counter Ryze are Mercury's Treads, Spirit Visage, Force of Nature, and Banshee's Veil. These items provide magic resist which directly reduces Ryze's damage. Consider building these items early if you're struggling against Ryze in lane.
When is Ryze weakest?
Ryze is typically weakest during specific power troughs between item spikes. Exploit windows when Ryze's ultimate or key abilities are on cooldown. Coordinate with your team to engage on Ryze before Ryze can set up fights on Ryze's own terms.
How do I play Ryze into counter matchups?
When playing Ryze into counters like Galio, 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 Ryze's counters?
If Galio, Vladimir, or Malzahar are banned or picked, look for champions with similar kits that can exploit Ryze's weaknesses. Champions with crowd control, burst damage, or sustained damage (depending on Ryze's vulnerabilities) can serve as alternative counters.