Irelia vs Illaoi · Top
The lane in ten seconds, then the whole brief — written by our coach for your level, from Riot's own kits for patch 16.21. 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.
Fight away from walls. Her tentacles do the damage.
Stay out of its line, or fight in open space.
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››AARight after she wastes her E or W.
How the lane plays · Gold – Platinum
Illaoi wants a short-range brawl near walls and tentacles; Irelia wins by dashing in and out on her own terms, away from terrain.
Irelia has a bit more reach and Q (Bladesurge) closes gaps and heals. Trade with Q and AA, then leave before Illaoi's W (Harsh Lesson) leap lands.
E (Flawless Duet) stuns and Marks, so Q resets on her. Look for stun, Q, Q, AA trades, but pick fights away from terrain tentacles.
Her R (Leap of Faith) punishes standing next to her. Use your R wall to slow and split her from her tentacles, and fight on open ground.
Play it aggressive
When her E is spent or missed, use Q on a minion and engage with E, Q, AA.
When the wave is near your side and far from her terrain, you can fight where tentacles can't spawn.
After she uses W on a minion or whiffs Q, trade immediately with Q-AA while her leap is down.
Play it safe
Near walls, bushes or pillars where tentacles can spawn, trading with her is costly. Pull the fight into open lane.
When her E is ready and you're in range, avoid committing Q. Wait for her to use it first.
At level 6 with her R up, don't stack near her. Poke from range and wait for the cooldown.
Their threats · Riot's cooldowns
Pulls out your spirit, and you become a Vessel if it dies or you get too far, spawning tentacles. Stay out of its range and line when you can.
A short-cooldown leap that makes nearby tentacles hit you too. Don't stand beside walls when she can jump, and respect it when you fight close to terrain.
Hits everything near her and spawns a tentacle per champion. Don't dash into her when it's up. Hit her while it's down, or back off.
Your combo
›››AAQ a minion to close in, E to stun and Mark her, Q resets onto her, AA. Best when her E and W are down.
Illaoi's kit · Riot's cooldowns, every level
Other Irelia matchups · top
No other Irelia lane is written yet. Every lane a player meets with our free desktop app is written for their level — and lands here.
Everything about Irelia →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.