Varus Counters
The best Varus counters in League of Legends patch 26.1 are Jinx, Sivir, Swain, Aphelios, Tristana. The best Varus counter is Jinx, with Varus having only a 33.33% win rate in this matchup. Secondary patch 26.1 Varus counter choices are Xayah, Twitch, Yasuo, Draven, Ezreal. Below are the top Varus counters and matchups alongside their win rates.
Living Vengeance
On kill or assist, Varus temporarily gains Attack Damage and Ability Power. This bonus is larger if the enemy is a champion.
Piercing Arrow
Varus readies and then fires a powerful shot that gains extra range and damage the longer he spends preparing to fire.
Cost:- 50/
- 55/
- 60/
- 65/
- 70
Cooldown:- 16/
- 15/
- 14/
- 13/
- 12
Range:- 925
Blighted Quiver
Passive: Varus' basic attacks deal bonus magic damage and apply Blight. Varus' other abilities detonate Blight, dealing magic damage based on the target's maximum Health. Active: Varus empowers his next Piercing Arrow.
Cost:- 0
Cooldown:- 40
Range:- 750
Hail of Arrows
Varus fires a hail of arrows that deal physical damage and desecrate the ground. Desecrated ground slows enemies' Move Speed and reduces their self healing and regeneration.
Cost:- 90
Cooldown:- 18/
- 16/
- 14/
- 12/
- 10
Range:- 925
Chain of Corruption
Varus flings out a damaging tendril of corruption that immobilizes the first enemy champion hit and then spreads towards nearby uninfected champions, immobilizing them too on contact.
Cost:- 100
Cooldown:- 100/
- 80/
- 60
Range:- 1300
- Marksman,
- Mage
These champions are Varus's hardest counters in League of Legends patch 26.1. Jinx is Varus's biggest counter with only a 33.33% win rate for Varus. When facing these Varus counter picks, focus on safe farming and waiting for jungle assistance. Avoid extended trades and play around your power spikes to survive difficult Varus matchups.
Jinx
Sivir
Swain
Aphelios
Tristana
Xayah
Twitch
Yasuo
Draven
Ezreal
When facing Varus in League of Legends, understanding Varus's primary damage profile is essential for building effective counter strategies. Varus deals primarily magic damage, which means prioritizing magic resist in your defensive itemization will significantly reduce Varus's threat in fights. Top defensive items against Varus include Mercury's Treads, Spirit Visage, Force of Nature, and Banshee's Veil. These items provide substantial magic resist stats that directly mitigate Varus's damage output throughout all stages of the game.
From a champion selection perspective, the strongest Varus counters are Jinx, Sivir, Swain, and Aphelios. These champions either out-trade Varus in lane, have abilities that negate Varus's core mechanics, or scale better into team fights. Jinx in particular exploits Varus's weaknesses by providing consistent pressure while being difficult to punish.
Beyond item builds and counter picks, successful counter play against Varus involves understanding Varus's power spikes and cooldown windows. Engage on Varus when key abilities are on cooldown, and coordinate with your team to focus Varus in team fights before Varus can output maximum damage. Vision control is also crucial when playing against Varus to avoid getting caught out of position. By combining proper defensive itemization with smart champion selection and strategic gameplay, you can effectively neutralize Varus's impact and secure victory.
Understanding Varus's power curve is essential for effective counter play. Here's when Varus is most vulnerable throughout the game.
EARLYEarly Game (Levels 1-6)
Varus is weak to all-ins before completing attack speed items. Zone from farm and punish aggressive positioning. Supports with hard engage excel against Varus.
MIDMid Game (Levels 7-13)
Varus spikes hard with 2-3 items. Dive and burst before Varus can kite. Assassins and engage supports are effective.
LATELate Game (Levels 14-18)
Varus reaches maximum DPS potential late. Focus Varus immediately in fights or use zone control to deny positioning.
Use these actionable tips to gain an advantage when facing Varus in lane or team fights.
- Pick Jinx or similar champions with kits that exploit Varus's weaknesses
- Build Mercury's Treads or Hexdrinker early to reduce Varus's damage in lane
- Track Varus's cooldowns and engage when key abilities are unavailable
- Ward Varus's common roam paths and ping missing immediately
- Coordinate with your jungler to gank Varus during vulnerable windows
- Dodge Varus's skill shots by moving unpredictably
- All-in Varus when mana is low from spell rotations
Varus performs exceptionally well against these champions in patch 26.1. Yunara is Varus's best matchup with a 60.47% win rate. When playing Varus into these favorable matchups, look for early aggression and lane dominance. Varus can capitalize on these champions' weaknesses to snowball leads and carry games.
Yunara
Lucian
Samira
Caitlyn
Nilah
Jhin
Vayne
Ashe
Kai'Sa
Miss Fortune
Varus Counters - Frequently Asked Questions
Who counters Varus?
The best Varus counters are Jinx, Sivir, and Swain. These champions have favorable matchups against Varus and can exploit Varus's weaknesses effectively in League of Legends patch 26.1.
What is Varus's hardest counter?
Jinx is Varus's hardest counter with Varus having only a 33.33% win rate in this matchup. Sivir (38.57% WR) and Swain (39.13% WR) are also strong Varus counters.
Who does Varus counter?
Varus performs well against Yunara, Lucian, and Samira. These are Varus's best matchups where Varus has favorable win rates and can dominate lane in patch 26.1.
How do I beat Varus in lane?
To beat Varus in lane, pick a counter champion like Jinx or Sivir. Focus on trading when Varus's key abilities are on cooldown, and build magic resist items to reduce Varus's damage output. Ward defensively and call for jungle assistance if Varus gains an advantage.
What items counter Varus?
The best items to counter Varus are Mercury's Treads, Spirit Visage, Force of Nature, and Banshee's Veil. These items provide magic resist which directly reduces Varus's damage. Consider building these items early if you're struggling against Varus in lane.
When is Varus weakest?
Varus is typically weakest during specific power troughs between item spikes. Exploit windows when Varus's ultimate or key abilities are on cooldown. Coordinate with your team to engage on Varus before Varus can set up fights on Varus's own terms.
How do I play Varus into counter matchups?
When playing Varus into counters like Jinx, 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 Varus's counters?
If Jinx, Sivir, or Swain are banned or picked, look for champions with similar kits that can exploit Varus's weaknesses. Champions with crowd control, burst damage, or sustained damage (depending on Varus's vulnerabilities) can serve as alternative counters.