Illaoi vs Leona · Top
The lane in ten seconds, then the whole brief — written by our coach for your level, from Riot's own kits for patch 16.22. Every number checked against Riot's data. Options, never orders.
The same lane is not played the same way in Silver and in Diamond: pick your level, the advice changes. Signed in, Olymps opens on your rank. Coaching, not statistics — the abilities and Riot's cooldowns are the same at every level.
Dodge her E, then fight her near terrain.
Stay behind minions so it cannot line you up.
›
›AAAfter her E and Q are spent.
How the lane plays · Iron – Silver
Leona top is a short-range engage tank; Illaoi wins by making her spend E and Q, then fighting near terrain where tentacles join in.
Leona wants to hit E (Zenith Blade) into Q (Shield of Daybreak). Stay behind minions so E stops on them, and trade with W (Harsh Lesson) when her Q is spent.
With Q (Tentacle Smash) up, fight near walls and brush edges where P (Prophet of an Elder God) spawns tentacles. Pull her in with E (Test of Spirit) once her stun is used.
Both ults change fights. Leona's R (Solar Flare) is long range and locks you down. Illaoi's R (Leap of Faith) is best when she is stuck close to you.
Play it aggressive
After she wastes E (Zenith Blade) on minions or misses it, step in with W (Harsh Lesson) and Q (Tentacle Smash) before it comes back.
When she walks up to last-hit without tracking your cooldowns, hit her with Q (Tentacle Smash) and tentacles near terrain.
Once her Q (Shield of Daybreak) is used, use E (Test of Spirit) to pin her and fight beside the tentacles.
Play it safe
When her E (Zenith Blade) and Q (Shield of Daybreak) are both ready, do not stand in the open at the front of the wave.
When W (Eclipse) is active, she takes much less damage, so do not chase into it. Wait for it to end.
If your jungler is not around, avoid chasing her into her side of lane. Her stun chain gets dangerous with help.
Their threats · Riot's cooldowns
Zenith Blade hits in a line and drags her onto you. Stand off the line or behind minions so it cannot lock you.
Shield of Daybreak stuns on her next basic attack. Bait it by stepping up at the wrong moment, then trade back once it is spent.
Solar Flare reaches far and stuns at the center. Do not sit at low health in open lane, and watch whether her jungler is near.
Your combo
››AA›
Use it when her E (Zenith Blade) is spent and you are near terrain, so tentacles hit her while she is slowed in fighting range.
Leona's kit · Riot's cooldowns, every level
Other Illaoi matchups · top
No other Illaoi lane is written yet. Every lane a player meets with our free desktop app is written for their level — and lands here.
Everything about Illaoi →How this is written
Our coach reads both kits exactly as Riot publishes them for the current patch — abilities, cooldowns, costs, ranges — and writes the lane for one level at a time: Iron – Silver, Gold – Platinum, Emerald – Diamond, Master+. Every number in the text is checked against Riot's data; a line that cites anything else is dropped. No win rates, no tier lists: coaching, not statistics.