5 best counters to Akali in League of Legends

Akali is arguably one of the most frustrating champions to play against within League of Legends. Most players are scared of her mobility, ability to escape from challenging situations, and excessively high damage.

Since time immemorial, Riot Games has tried to balance Akali. However, the fact that the skill ceiling of the champion is pretty high means good users always find a way to make her work.

The thing is, even though Akali is one of the strongest champions in the game, she has a few counters who can make the match-up easier.

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Most potent champions against Akali in League of Legends

1) Akshan

Akshan can harass Akali heavily in lane (Image via League of Legends)

Akshan is one of Akali's first and most viable counters because he can punish the latter quite heavily through ranged attacks. Akshan can harass Akali using his Q and burst her down through his R.

One of the best things about this match-up is that if Akali lands her E and tries to jump on Akshan, the latter can simply jump away under the tower, which renders the former's combo absolutely useless.

Finally, Akshan can outfarm Akali quite effectively in the lane, which gives the former an inherent advantage throughout the match.

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2) Gangplank

A crit damage Gangplank can practically one-shot Akali (Image via League of Legends)

This is another champion who can function excessively well against Akali. It is on account of his E ability. Gangplank drops barrels on the ground that explode to deal massive damage when used.

Now, whenever Akali becomes aggressive and uses her shroud to hide away, Gangplank can simply explode his barrels to land some terrific damage. This makes Akali's laning very complicated.

Lastly, unless Akali is building Turbo Chemtank, she does not have a lot of health. Thus, a Gangplank building crit damage can one-shot Akali with his barrels.

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3) Zed

Zed can swiftly burst down Akali using his ultimate (Image via League of Legends)

Zed is one of the champions who can beat Akali in her own game. This is because the former can use his shadows and consistently harass Akali from multiple directions.

Apart from that, Zed's ultimate has a lot of burst damage. Thus, Akali's life will get even more difficult in the lane once he hits level six. It is important to remember that the Zed vs Akali match-up is highly skill-dependent.

Therefore, even though Zed can counter Akali, it does not mean anyone can do it. Gamers need to have complete mastery over the former to dodge the various combos she loves throwing.

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4) Talon

Talon can burst down Akali or run away from her combos using his ultimate (Image via League of Legends)

Talon is a very easy champion to play, and this simple aspect makes him an excellent counter to Akali. He has a really good escape, and it is difficult for Akali to catch the former unless she can land her E.

Secondly, Talon can farm very safely and consistently harass Akali in the lane with his other basic abilities. Lastly, Talon's ultimate has enormous burst damage, which he can use to finish off Akali in the lane.

However, if he wants, Talon can also use his R to escape as he goes invisible for a few seconds upon using the same. Overall, Talon is worth picking against Akali, though the skill of the former will play a huge difference.

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5) Zoe

Zoe's long-range attacks and sleep bubbles can make Akali's laning phase very difficult (Image via League of Legends)

Finally, Zoe is probably one of the best counters to Akali in the game. The former's burst damage can one-shot Akali towards the end-game. Zoe's range allows her to harass Akali quite effectively, making the latter's farming an issue.

Apart from that, Zoe can throw out her sleep bubbles which can lock Akali in place, making it impossible to escape from a tough situation. Finally, Zoe's passive and her ultimate adds a lot of surprise element, which Akali can often find very hard to deal with.

Note: This article reflects the author's views.