Best Kai’Sa Counters In League Of Legends In 2025
When you think of the ideal ADC in League of Legends (LoL), no one comes close to the level of brilliance as Kai’Sa. The Daughter of the Void is among the most popular in the game right now—and for good reason. She was even honored as one of the Hall of Legends skins for ADC Jian “Uzi” Zi-Hao.
But how exactly can you counter such an unstoppable ADC? Stay tuned to this article as we walk you through the five best counter picks to Kai’Sa in LoL. To top it off, we’ve also provided the best runes for each pick to maximize their effectiveness against her.
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Top Five ADC Counters To Kai’Sa In League of Legends
Kai’Sa has tons of counters, many of which punish her in different ways. Whether that be through laning or late-game scaling, these are the five best champions to deal with Kai’Sa right now in LoL.
#1. Smolder
Smolder is the ultimate counter to Kai’Sa on patch 25.18. The young dragon may not excel in the lane, but once you have that evolved passive online, Smolder has too much firepower for Kai’Sa to sustain late-game fights. That doesn’t mean Smolder isn’t powerless in lane against her, though.
Smolder’s W (ACHOOO!) provides enough poke that Kai’Sa just cannot walk up in the lane. According to data from u.gg, Smolder has a 51.26% win rate globally against Kai’Sa across 14,435 games, proving his effectiveness and status as a natural counter-pick.
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#2. Kog’Maw
The common thread on this list is range—and that’s exactly where Kog’Maw has an edge over Kai’Sa. Both champions struggle early, which plays into Kai’Sa’s comfort zone. However, when Kog’s ultimate comes online, he can relentlessly poke her out of the lane, shifting the lane heavily in his favor.
Although Kai’Sa can deal a considerable amount of poke, Kog ultimately out-scales her in raw DPS and can slice through her like a hot knife through butter. On top of that, without hard crowd control to close the gap, there aren’t many ways Kai’Sa will be able to reach the backline.
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#3. Ashe
Ashe is a strong early-game champion to counter Kai’Sa in LoL. Her W (Volley) provides consistent poke that can chip away at Kai’Sa’s health and punish her short-range trades. Ashe’s auto-attack range also outclasses Kai’Sa’s, leaving her with very few opportunities to threaten in lane.
On top of that, Ashe’s ultimate (Enchanted Crystal Arrow) is a powerful crowd control ability, meaning Kai’Sa players will have to run Cleanse to counteract it. According to u.gg, Ashe has a 51.7% win rate over Kai’Sa on patch 25.18 in Emerald+ brackets.
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#4. Nilah
Although still a niche pick, Nilah has always been a reliable counter to Kai’Sa in LoL. In fact, The Joy Unbound boasts a 54.3% win rate on the current patch across over 5,000 matches. Since Kai’Sa struggles in the early game, Nilah can punish that weakness with aggressive trades right out of the gate.
Nilah can also negate one of Kai’Sa’s attacks with her W (Jubilant Veil), which is devastating given how much Kai’Sa leans on her Q and W. Beyond that, Nilah can confidently go “all-in” and burst her down. To make matters worse, Nilah spikes far earlier, turning the lane into an uphill battle.
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#5. Xayah
If you’re looking for a safe pick that can deal with Kai’Sa in the mid-to-late game, it’s Xayah. The master of feathers can one-shot Kai’Sa once enough feathers are stacked up. And if worst comes to worst, her ultimate (Featherstorm) can be used to block an incoming Kai’Sa ultimate.
While Kai’Sa does scale well, Xayah destroys her in a 1v1 matchup. In the lane, Kai’Sa is a short-range champion, which plays into Xayah’s hands perfectly. Xayah can easily attack from a safe range without ever being in danger, even if Kai’Sa does have an engage support by her side.
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How To Beat Kai’Sa In League of Legends
The best way to beat Kai’Sa is to punish her weak early game. She has slow attack speed, short range, and needs an engage support to have any real impact early on. Ashe is great here because she makes farming a lose-lose for Kai’Sa: it’s trade or get chunked, or farm and take the hit anyway.
The only caveat is that Kai’Sa scales hard into the late game, so you’re going to need someone who can stand up to the task as the match progresses. The later it goes, the more burst and attack speed she gains, so make sure you have a champion that can out-muscle her if the clock runs overtime.
FAQs
Who is the best counter against Kai’Sa in LoL?
Right now, Kog’Maw is the strongest counter to Kai’Sa in LoL patch 25.18. He outscales her in damage, outranges her in trades, and pressures her at every stage of the game, leaving Kai’Sa with virtually no way to answer back.
What is Kai’Sa weak against in LoL?
Kai’Sa is weak against poke due to her short range. She also relies on items for her power, which is why champions with range can chunk her out of lane. For example, Ashe can easily zone her out of the lane with her poke and auto-attack range.
Is Kai’Sa weak early in LoL?
Yes, Kai’Sa is one of the weaker ADCs in the early game in LoL. Kai’Sa lacks a lot of the core stats that make up her kit, which scale as more items are purchased.
Who outscales Kai’Sa in LoL?
Many champions outscale Kai’Sa in LoL, but Kog’Maw, Jinx, and Vayne stand out as some of the strongest late-game options.
