Counters for Aatrox
Champion guide
Reviewed for patch 7.3d
Champions against Aatrox
Favorable matchup
Fiora vs Aatrox
Reviewed for patch 7.3d
Aatrox's damage and crowd control depend on The Darkin Blade catching you with its sweet spot, the part that also knocks you airborne. Riposte blocks that swing, knock-up included, and answers with a stab; then Fiora wins the short duel by striking Vitals.
Why Fiora works against Aatrox
01
Riposte parries the sweet spot
The Darkin Blade swings that catch you with the sweet spot deal more damage and knock you airborne for an instant. Riposte blocks all damage and effects for under a second and, if it absorbs an immobilizing effect, stuns instead of slowing. Save it for the swing Aatrox commits with, not the first one.
02
Vitals against his healing
Aatrox heals with his passive and with Umbral Dash's physical vamp. Every Vital you strike deals true damage based on his max health and heals you, so the trade doesn't hinge on how much he can sustain, but on how many Vitals you reach with Lunge.
03
Grand Challenge once World Ender ends
Grand Challenge reveals all four Vitals; if you hit them all, or if Aatrox dies after you hit one, you and nearby allies are healed. Save it for when World Ender is over: during his ultimate, Aatrox heals more and moves faster.
When to attack
Trade when Aatrox casts The Darkin Blade and you have Riposte ready. Without the parry, leave the area of his swings and let him burn the sequence before stepping back in.
How to play Fiora
- 1Strike a Vital with Lunge when Aatrox walks up to a minion and back off before he starts The Darkin Blade.
- 2Once the sequence begins, keep Riposte for the swing he lunges at you with and answer with the stab.
- 3If Infernal Chains catches you, get out of the area before it drags you back; Lunge is your fastest exit.
- 4With Grand Challenge up, go for all four Vitals right after World Ender ends.
Mistakes to avoid
- Spending Riposte on a swing that wasn't going to reach you and taking the next ones with no answer.
- Staying in a long duel during World Ender: his healing goes up and your Vital damage counts for less.
Playing Aatrox against Fiora
From Aatrox's side, don't open the sequence with a swing Fiora can read. Throw The Darkin Blade at the wave so she wastes Riposte, or threaten Infernal Chains to cut off her path, and go in with the sweet spot while the parry is on cooldown. Play for teamfights: World Ender is worth more among several enemies than against a Fiora who knows how to parry.
Favorable matchup
Riven vs Aatrox
Reviewed for patch 7.3d
Aatrox needs you to stay inside the area of The Darkin Blade and Infernal Chains. Riven has three Broken Wings strikes and Valor's dash to step out of every sweet spot, stuns with Ki Burst between swings and ends the trade before Aatrox heals it back.
Why Riven works against Aatrox
01
Valor to dodge the sweet spot
Every swing of The Darkin Blade has a sweet spot that deals more damage and knocks airborne. Valor moves you a short distance and gives you a shield: use it to leave that zone when you see the swing coming, not to go in.
02
Ki Burst cuts the sequence
Ki Burst stuns nearby enemies for 0.75 seconds. Between two swings of The Darkin Blade, that stun delays the next one and lets you strike with the Runic Blade charges your abilities just filled.
03
Short bursts against his healing
Umbral Dash gives Aatrox physical vamp against champions, and World Ender increases it. Riven deals her damage in bursts of ability plus attack: go in with Broken Wings, unload and get out before the trade drags on and his healing evens it out.
When to attack
Trade once Aatrox has spent The Darkin Blade or Infernal Chains. If he has the full sequence, wait for him to throw it at the wave.
How to play Riven
- 1Last-hit with Broken Wings and Runic Blade empowered attacks, and hold Valor while Aatrox has The Darkin Blade ready.
- 2When he starts the sequence, leave the first sweet spot with Valor and answer with Ki Burst before the second swing.
- 3If Infernal Chains catches you, use a Broken Wings strike to leave the area before it drags you back.
- 4Save Blade of the Exile for the end of the trade: Wind Slash deals more damage the more health Aatrox is missing.
Mistakes to avoid
- Spending Valor and all three Broken Wings strikes to go in and having no way out of the sweet spot.
- Dragging out the trade after the first burst: Aatrox's vamp heals back what you took.
Playing Aatrox against Riven
Aatrox against Riven has to force her to spend mobility before committing his swings. Cast Infernal Chains first: if she leaves the area with Valor or Broken Wings, she no longer has that exit for The Darkin Blade. In long fights your vamp is still the edge, so drag her into them instead of accepting her short bursts.
Execution matters
Teemo vs Aatrox
Reviewed for patch 7.3d
Aatrox is melee and has to reach you with Umbral Dash and Infernal Chains. Teemo hits him from range, runs off with Move Quick and blinds his empowered attack with Blinding Dart. It's situational: if the chains catch you and you don't leave the area, the trade becomes his.
Why Teemo works against Aatrox
01
Blinding Dart on Deathbringer Stance
Deathbringer Stance periodically empowers one of Aatrox's attacks to deal damage based on your max health and heal him. While blinded, his attacks miss, deal no damage and don't apply on-hit effects. Throw Blinding Dart when he has that attack ready and comes for you.
02
Toxic Shot from outside his reach
Toxic Shot adds magic damage on impact and for a few seconds after. Every attack from range while Aatrox last-hits costs him health without his swings reaching you, and Move Quick keeps you faster as long as no champion hits you.
03
Shrooms on his way in
Noxious Trap explodes when stepped on, deals damage and slows for a few seconds. Place them where Aatrox chases you or crosses toward you: a well-timed slow decides whether Umbral Dash reaches you or falls short.
When to attack
Poke while Aatrox last-hits and doesn't have the empowered attack ready. If he casts Infernal Chains on you, your only goal is leaving the area; the trade starts over once the chains are on cooldown.
How to play Teemo
- 1Attack every time Aatrox walks up to a minion and step back; don't stay within The Darkin Blade's reach.
- 2Against Infernal Chains, activate Move Quick to leave the area before it drags you back.
- 3Hold Blinding Dart for when he comes in with Umbral Dash or his empowered attack, not for poking.
- 4From level 5, plant Noxious Traps in the brush and in the river on your side to slow his engages and his jungler's.
Mistakes to avoid
- Spending Move Quick to chase and not having it when the chains come.
- Fighting Aatrox during World Ender without the blind or shrooms: with more damage, healing and speed, he catches you even as you back off.
Playing Aatrox against Teemo
Against Teemo, Aatrox has to trap him with the chains, not chase him around. Cast Infernal Chains while Move Quick is on cooldown and use Umbral Dash to cover the area if he tries to escape. If he blinds you, walk away for a few seconds instead of swinging at air: your abilities still deal damage, your basic attacks don't.