Sylas How to Play: Tips & Power Spikes

Sylas plays an even lane: no extreme in gold, leads or scaling, so the matchup decides how hard to push. From this patch's ranked data, Sylas wins by playing to these strengths: take long fights and sieges. Sylas's spikes in a typical ranked game: All three basic abilities at level 3; Ultimate rank 1 at level 6; Ultimate rank 2 at level 11; Ultimate rank 3 at level 16; First item at 11.2 min.

When Sylas Mid gets stronger, in the order it happens in a typical ranked game: ability unlocks from the most common skill order, item spikes at the median minute players finish them, and the game length Sylas wins most.

1. Lv 3
   All three basic abilities at level 3

   Sylas's full combo is online — the first point where trading all-in is realistic.
2. Lv 6
   Ultimate rank 1 at level 6

   The biggest early spike: look for a kill or a roam as soon as Sylas hits it.
3. Lv 11
   Ultimate rank 2 at level 11

   Lower ultimate cooldown means more fights Sylas can start or win.
4. Lv 16
   Ultimate rank 3 at level 16

   Lower ultimate cooldown means more fights Sylas can start or win.
5. 11.2 min
   First item at 11.2 min

   Hextech Rocketbelt is done — Sylas's first real damage or durability spike.
6. 20 min
   Strongest in games of about 20 minutes

   Sylas wins 56.1% of games that end around this point.
7. 21.2 min
   Two items at 21.2 min

   ›Hextech Rocketbelt + Shadowflame: the window to group and take objectives.
8. 26.5 min
   Three-item core at 26.5 min

   ››Hextech Rocketbelt + Shadowflame + Rabadon's Deathcap completes Sylas's core build.

Item timings are medians: half of players finish later. Fall behind in farm and every item spike moves back with it.

On average Sylas Mid is 171 gold behind the lane opponent at 15 minutes and ahead in only 46% of games. A 1,000-gold lead at 15 turns into a 68% win rate; a 1,000-gold deficit leaves 31%. Sylas averages 1.32 solo kills by 15 minutes.

Sylas win rate by gold at 15

• 1,000+ gold ahead68.2%
• Ahead61.9%
• Behind36.3%
• 1,000+ gold behind30.8%

Lane matchups that decide the plan

Respect these lanes

Heimerdinger−1,652 gold at 15

Irelia−963 gold at 15

Naafiri−928 gold at 15

Press these lanes

Malphite+809 gold at 15

Aurelion Sol+592 gold at 15

Veigar+279 gold at 15

What Sylas does better or worse than other champions after laning, from this patch's ranked games — percentiles where 100 is the highest of every champion.