Counters for Syndra
Champion guide
Reviewed for patch 7.3b
Champions against Syndra
Favorable matchup
Galio vs Syndra
Reviewed for patch 7.3b
Syndra relies on concentrated magic burst. Galio blunts it with Shield of Durand, which reduces magic damage while you charge it, and with his passive shield against magic damage; then he answers with Justice Punch, a charge that knocks up the first champion.
Why Galio works against Syndra
01
Mitigation at the moment of the burst
While you hold Shield of Durand, Galio reduces magic damage more than physical, and every so often he gains a passive shield against magic damage when he takes damage. Charge it when Syndra lines up Unleashed Power or Scatter the Weak, not during her loose poke.
02
The taunt pulls her closer
Releasing Shield of Durand taunts nearby enemy champions. If Syndra steps in to place spheres and push them, the taunt makes her walk toward you instead of keeping the distance she needs.
03
Hero's Entrance against her roams
Hero's Entrance gives allies in the area a shield against magic damage and lands after a short delay, knocking enemies up. If Syndra roams to pick off another lane, arriving with that shield takes value away from her burst.
When to attack
Answer when Syndra spends Scatter the Weak or has few Dark Spheres near you: with no sphere in line she can't stun you. If she has spheres around her and the push ready, charge the shield instead of engaging.
How to play Galio
- 1Clear the wave with Winds of War so you spend less time in front of her spheres.
- 2When she places spheres near you, charge Shield of Durand and release it if she approaches; if she backs off, step out of the sphere line before she pushes them.
- 3Engage with Justice Punch after she spends Scatter the Weak; the charge stops at the first champion or at terrain.
- 4Track her roams and use Hero's Entrance to arrive with a shield in the lane Syndra tries to hit.
Mistakes to avoid
- Throwing Justice Punch while Syndra has spheres and her push ready: the charge puts you right in the path of the stun.
- Holding Shield of Durand too long: it slows you and leaves you standing in the sphere line.
Playing Syndra against Galio
When you play Syndra, punish Galio when he uses the shield on the wave: poke with Dark Sphere and Force of Will while it's on cooldown. Don't spend Unleashed Power while he's charging the mitigation. Keep Scatter the Weak to answer his Justice Punch or his landing.
Favorable matchup
Zed vs Syndra
Reviewed for patch 7.3b
Syndra's stun requires lining up sphere, push and target. Zed breaks that alignment by swapping places with Living Shadow, and Death Mark makes him untargetable during the dash toward her.
Why Zed works against Syndra
01
Swapping places undoes the line
Scatter the Weak stuns when a pushed Dark Sphere hits the target. Recasting Living Shadow swaps your position with your shadow's and, with it, the line Syndra had worked out for the push.
02
Untargetable on the way in
Unleashed Power is cast on a champion. During Death Mark's dash, Zed is untargetable; go in before Syndra casts it and she can't pick you during the dash; if it's already cast, don't count on dodging it this way. The shadow left behind lets you return.
03
Poke from the shadow
Zed and his shadows throw Razor Shuriken. From a forward shadow you punish Syndra without bringing your body into the sphere zone, and you regain energy when two shurikens hit the same enemy.
When to attack
Go in when Syndra spends Scatter the Weak or has few spheres around her. If the push is ready, poke from the shadow and keep the swap.
How to play Zed
- 1Farm with Razor Shuriken thrown from the shadow and aim for both hits to land on Syndra to regain energy.
- 2Keep Living Shadow available when she has spheres nearby: it is your answer to the stun, not just a damage tool.
- 3Cast Death Mark once she has spent the push or you've dodged it; hit her during the mark and return to your shadow before the ultimate's spheres arrive.
- 4If the engage goes wrong, don't stay: the Death Mark shadow takes you back to where you cast it.
Mistakes to avoid
- Spending Living Shadow on poke and then engaging with no way to dodge the stun.
- Sticking to Syndra while spheres still orbit her; Unleashed Power throws them all at you.
Playing Syndra against Zed
Against Zed, Syndra wins with patience: don't fire Scatter the Weak at the first shadow you see, but when Zed swaps or finishes the Death Mark dash. Put spheres between yourself and his shadow. Save Unleashed Power for when he can no longer turn untargetable.
Execution matters
Ekko vs Syndra
Reviewed for patch 7.3b
Syndra packs her damage into a few seconds. Chronobreak returns Ekko to where he was a few seconds earlier, makes him untargetable while he rewinds and heals him based on the damage taken in that window. It only works if Ekko can cast it: a well-timed stun denies it.
Why Ekko works against Syndra
01
Rewind after the burst
Chronobreak heals based on damage taken over the last few seconds and damages enemies near the arrival point. If Syndra spends Unleashed Power on you and doesn't finish you, you come back with health restored and her ultimate on cooldown.
02
Parallel Convergence on her position
Parallel Convergence creates an anomaly that, after a few seconds, slows and stuns if Ekko enters it. Placed where Syndra plants herself to push spheres, it forces her to move or accept the stun.
03
Phase Dive to reach her after the push
Phase Dive moves Ekko and his next attack gains range and teleports him to the target. It's how you reach Syndra once she has spent Scatter the Weak.
When to attack
Go in after Syndra uses Scatter the Weak. With Chronobreak available you can take her ultimate; without it, don't commit while she has spheres around her.
How to play Ekko
- 1Throw Timewinder to poke and clear without approaching the sphere line.
- 2Place Parallel Convergence where Syndra trades from and step into it only if she is still there.
- 3With your ultimate up, engage with Phase Dive after her push and keep Chronobreak to answer Unleashed Power.
- 4After rewinding, return to the trade only if Syndra spent her ultimate; if she still has it, collect the wave and wait.
Mistakes to avoid
- Using Chronobreak to engage instead of to undo damage: you lose the safety net that justifies this pick.
- Diving with Phase Dive while Syndra still has her push; if she stuns you, you can't cast your ultimate.
Playing Syndra against Ekko
Against Ekko, the order of your spells decides the trade: keep Scatter the Weak for his Phase Dive and cast Unleashed Power once he has used Chronobreak or is stunned. Don't wait inside the Parallel Convergence zone for him to step in. Ekko returns to where he was a few seconds ago: move away from that spot.