Swain Counters
The best Swain counters in League of Legends patch 26.1 are Milio, Mel, Veigar, TahmKench, Nami. The best Swain counter is Milio, with Swain having only a 40.74% win rate in this matchup. Secondary patch 26.1 Swain counter choices are Xerath, Soraka, Zyra, Brand, Thresh. Below are the top Swain counters and matchups alongside their win rates.
Ravenous Flock
Swain's ravens collect Soul Fragments that heal him and permanently increase his maximum health.
Death's Hand
Swain unleashes several bolts of eldritch power that pierce through enemies. Enemies hit take more damage for each bolt they are struck by.
Cost:- 40/
- 45/
- 50/
- 55/
- 60
Cooldown:- 7/
- 6/
- 5/
- 4/
- 3
Range:- 750
Vision of Empire
Swain opens a demon eye that deals damage and slows enemies. Champions hit are revealed and also grant Swain a Soul Fragment.
Cost:- 60/
- 65/
- 70/
- 75/
- 80
Cooldown:- 22/
- 21/
- 20/
- 19/
- 18
Range:- 5500/
- 6000/
- 6500/
- 7000/
- 7500
Nevermove
Swain launches a wave of demonic power forward. It then returns to Swain and roots enemies it hits. Swain can then choose to pull all rooted champions closer. This ability has a shorter cooldown during Demonic Ascension.
Cost:- 50/
- 55/
- 60/
- 65/
- 70
Cooldown:- 12/
- 12/
- 11/
- 11/
- 10
Range:- 850
Demonic Ascension
Swain transforms into a demon and drains health from nearby enemy champions, minions, and neutral monsters. Swain can cast Demonflare to decimate and slow nearby enemies with a nova of soulfire. This form is indefinite as long as Swain drains enemy champions.
Cost:- 100
Cooldown:- 120
Range:- 650
- Mage,
- Support
These champions are Swain's hardest counters in League of Legends patch 26.1. Milio is Swain's biggest counter with only a 40.74% win rate for Swain. When facing these Swain counter picks, focus on safe farming and waiting for jungle assistance. Avoid extended trades and play around your power spikes to survive difficult Swain matchups.
Milio
Mel
Veigar
Tahm Kench
Nami
Xerath
Soraka
Zyra
Brand
Thresh
When facing Swain in League of Legends, understanding Swain's primary damage profile is essential for building effective counter strategies. Swain deals primarily magic damage, which means prioritizing magic resist in your defensive itemization will significantly reduce Swain's threat in fights. Top defensive items against Swain include Mercury's Treads, Spirit Visage, Force of Nature, and Banshee's Veil. These items provide substantial magic resist stats that directly mitigate Swain's damage output throughout all stages of the game.
From a champion selection perspective, the strongest Swain counters are Milio, Mel, Veigar, and TahmKench. These champions either out-trade Swain in lane, have abilities that negate Swain's core mechanics, or scale better into team fights. Milio in particular exploits Swain's weaknesses by providing consistent pressure while being difficult to punish.
Beyond item builds and counter picks, successful counter play against Swain involves understanding Swain's power spikes and cooldown windows. Engage on Swain when key abilities are on cooldown, and coordinate with your team to focus Swain in team fights before Swain can output maximum damage. Vision control is also crucial when playing against Swain to avoid getting caught out of position. By combining proper defensive itemization with smart champion selection and strategic gameplay, you can effectively neutralize Swain's impact and secure victory.
Understanding Swain's power curve is essential for effective counter play. Here's when Swain is most vulnerable throughout the game.
EARLYEarly Game (Levels 1-6)
Swain 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)
Swain's poke and zone control peaks mid game. Engage quickly to close the gap before Swain can kite. Use flanks and hard engage to bypass poke damage.
LATELate Game (Levels 14-18)
Swain provides strong team fight damage late. Prioritize diving Swain or use assassins to reach the backline. Magic resist items become crucial.
Use these actionable tips to gain an advantage when facing Swain in lane or team fights.
- Pick Milio or similar champions with kits that exploit Swain's weaknesses
- Build Mercury's Treads or Hexdrinker early to reduce Swain's damage in lane
- Track Swain's cooldowns and engage when key abilities are unavailable
- Ward Swain's common roam paths and ping missing immediately
- Coordinate with your jungler to gank Swain during vulnerable windows
- Dodge Swain's skill shots by moving unpredictably
- All-in Swain when mana is low from spell rotations
Swain performs exceptionally well against these champions in patch 26.1. Jinx is Swain's best matchup with a 64.63% win rate. When playing Swain into these favorable matchups, look for early aggression and lane dominance. Swain can capitalize on these champions' weaknesses to snowball leads and carry games.
Jinx
Caitlyn
Nautilus
Pyke
Malzahar
Akali
Smolder
Seraphine
Yasuo
Miss Fortune
Swain Counters - Frequently Asked Questions
Who counters Swain?
The best Swain counters are Milio, Mel, and Veigar. These champions have favorable matchups against Swain and can exploit Swain's weaknesses effectively in League of Legends patch 26.1.
What is Swain's hardest counter?
Milio is Swain's hardest counter with Swain having only a 40.74% win rate in this matchup. Mel (41% WR) and Veigar (42.31% WR) are also strong Swain counters.
Who does Swain counter?
Swain performs well against Jinx, Caitlyn, and Nautilus. These are Swain's best matchups where Swain has favorable win rates and can dominate lane in patch 26.1.
How do I beat Swain in lane?
To beat Swain in lane, pick a counter champion like Milio or Mel. Focus on trading when Swain's key abilities are on cooldown, and build magic resist items to reduce Swain's damage output. Ward defensively and call for jungle assistance if Swain gains an advantage.
What items counter Swain?
The best items to counter Swain are Mercury's Treads, Spirit Visage, Force of Nature, and Banshee's Veil. These items provide magic resist which directly reduces Swain's damage. Consider building these items early if you're struggling against Swain in lane.
When is Swain weakest?
Swain is typically weakest during specific power troughs between item spikes. Exploit windows when Swain's ultimate or key abilities are on cooldown. Coordinate with your team to engage on Swain before Swain can set up fights on Swain's own terms.
How do I play Swain into counter matchups?
When playing Swain into counters like Milio, 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 Swain's counters?
If Milio, Mel, or Veigar are banned or picked, look for champions with similar kits that can exploit Swain's weaknesses. Champions with crowd control, burst damage, or sustained damage (depending on Swain's vulnerabilities) can serve as alternative counters.