Game patch 26.20Data Dragon 16.20.1

Reference patch 16.20.1

Illaoi

the Kraken Priestess

Illaoi is a durable champion who creates space through control, protection or a committed front line. This overview keeps the explanation practical and leaves patch-sensitive numbers to Riot's structured data and the current in-game tooltip.

TopMostly physical damageMelee attacks

Open matchup guide Find counters Status effects

Usual roleTop

ClassFighter · Tank

DifficultyMedium · 4/10

Basic attacksMeleeMelee basic attacks · 125 range.

Damage profileMostly physical damageMost normal kit pressure is physical. Armour may help, but check whether attacks or abilities are the main source.

Reference patch16.20.1

Strengths and limits

What Illaoi does well, and what can go wrong

These are kit-level patterns, not a promise that every lane or matchup plays the same way.

Good patterns

Combines damage and durability in committed skirmishes or extended exchanges.
Creates space through durability, control or a reliable front-line threat.

Limits to respect

Can be worn down or controlled before reaching the range where the kit is strongest.
Durability does not make an unsupported engage safe or guarantee enough damage to finish a target.
Basic attacks require close access, so enemy range, slows and displacement can deny a clean trade.

Riot ally tips

Use these while learning the champion

Tentacles are an immense source of power. Don't fight without them.

Spirits inherit their target's current health. If making a

Vessel

Riot opponent tips

What an opponent is told to watch for

Killing Tentacles whenever possible will make it much easier to win a fight against Illaoi.

When your spirit gets pulled out, fight back if you can. Dealing damage to Illaoi reduces the spirit's duration.

Avoid grouping up for Leap of Faith to reduce the number of Tentacles available to Illaoi.

Practical champion reading

How to read Illaoi in a real fight

Use these patterns to ask better questions before choosing an item, target or commitment. They describe the kit, not a guaranteed result.

Damage delivery

Primarily physical pressure

Armour can reduce the broad physical profile. Separate basic attacks from physical abilities before relying on an item passive that only affects attacks.

Fight rhythm

Track the complete ability cycle

Do not judge the champion from one button. Watch which setup, payoff and escape tools are available before choosing a trade or commitment.

Range and access

Needs close access for basic attacks

Range, slows, displacement and terrain can deny the clean contact this champion wants. Plan the route in as carefully as the damage after arrival.

Typical team job

Create space and absorb attention

The kit is usually most valuable when it controls an entrance, protects a carry or begins a fight allies can actually reach. Durability does not make an isolated engage safe.

Control check

Movement may be the cleaner defence

When hard control is not the main threat, distance, vision and a safe route out can be more useful than buying Tenacity automatically.

Protection and sustain

Check whether recovery changes the fight

Anti-heal or anti-shielding is situational. Buy it only when the effect is materially protecting targets and your champion can apply the answer reliably.

Resource pattern

Mana and cooldowns both matter

A spell being available does not mean the complete sequence is sustainable. Watch the resource bar as well as the setup and escape cooldowns.

Defensive item reference

What can help against Illaoi?

Start with the threat that is actually affecting the match. These are conditional comparisons, not an automatic counter build.

Pre-game choices

DEFENSIVE BOOTS

Neither pair is automatic

This champion is not cleanly answered by the passive on either defensive pair.

Use Plated Steelcaps for meaningful basic attacks, Mercury's Treads for magic damage or reducible control, or keep the build's normal Boots.

Healing or sustainHealth-scaling or true damage

PHYSICAL DEFENCE

Physical defence

Armour · health · role-appropriate defence

Armour can reduce physical damage, but Plated Steelcaps' passive is specific to attacks.

Match the item to attacks, critical strikes or ability burst rather than buying armour from the label alone.

MEANINGFUL HEALING

Meaningful healing

Bramble Vest or Thornmail · Morellonomicon · Mortal Reminder

A role-appropriate Grievous Wounds item can reduce healing.

Buy it only when healing is materially changing fights and your champion can apply it reliably.

HEALTH-SCALING OR TRUE DAMAGE

Health-scaling or true damage

Shields · sustain · positioning · exact resistance check

Raw health or one resistance may be incomplete against percent-health, missing-health or true-damage mechanics.

Read the current ability tooltip before choosing defence; these mechanics do not all use the same counter.

Normal Draft and Ranked role map

Where Illaoi fits on Summoner's Rift

Each lane is assessed separately. Open a role to reach its queue-specific build and matchup preparation.

TopPrimary role

Historical reference. Recommendation review pending. Illaoi has an established solo-lane plan with the income and space needed to trade, manage waves and influence a side lane.

Review this role Open matchup

JungleUnestablished route

Historical reference. Recommendation review pending. Illaoi is normally played Top and does not currently have a reviewed Jungle route. Jungle usually needs repeatable monster clear, safe pathing and objective control without lane income. Treat this as a deliberate experiment, not a standard recommendation.

Review this role

MidUnestablished route

Historical reference. Recommendation review pending. Illaoi is normally played Top and does not currently have a reviewed Mid route. Mid usually needs solo-lane safety plus wave control, roaming or reliable burst pressure. Treat this as a deliberate experiment, not a standard recommendation.

Review this role

BotUnestablished route

Historical reference. Recommendation review pending. Illaoi is normally played Top and does not currently have a reviewed Bot route. Bot usually needs dependable duo-lane scaling and sustained damage with shared early pressure. Treat this as a deliberate experiment, not a standard recommendation.

Review this role

SupportUnestablished route

Historical reference. Recommendation review pending. Illaoi is normally played Top and does not currently have a reviewed Support route. Support usually needs useful engage, peel or utility while operating on low gold income. Treat this as a deliberate experiment, not a standard recommendation.

Review this role

Kit reference

Illaoi abilities

Ability names, descriptions and numeric fields come from Riot Data Dragon. Practical reads are independently written; the current in-game tooltip remains authoritative.

Abilities Data Dragon 16.20.1Cooldown / Cost / Range Data Dragon 16.20.1

Passive

Prophet of an Elder God

What it doesIllaoi and the Vessels she creates spawn Tentacles on nearby impassible terrain. Tentacles swing at spirits, Vessels, and victims of Illaoi's Harsh lesson. Tentacles deal physical damage to enemies hit, and will heal Illaoi if they damage a champion.

Practical readProphet of an Elder God is an automatic part of the kit involving protection or sustain and damage. Track when its condition is active instead of treating every fight the same way.

Q ability

Tentacle Smash

What it doesIncreases the damage dealt by Tentacles. When activated, Illaoi smashes down a Tentacle that deals physical damage.

Practical readTentacle Smash contributes damage. Its value changes with cooldown, range and target access; recognise the setup before moving into its effective area.

Cooldown10/9/8/7/6 secCost40/45/50/55/60Listed range850 units

W ability

Harsh Lesson

What it doesIllaoi leaps to her target, dealing physical damage and causing nearby Tentacles to also swing at the target.

Practical readHarsh Lesson contributes damage. Its value changes with cooldown, range and target access; recognise the setup before moving into its effective area.

Cooldown4 secCost30Listed range400 units

Movement

The cast changes position or access. Account for where the champion finishes, not only where the ability begins.

E ability

Test of Spirit

What it doesIllaoi rips the spirit from a foe's body, forcing it to stand before her. Spirits echo a percentage of the damage they take to the original target. If killed, or if the target gets too far from the spirit, the target will become a Vessel and begin spawning Tentacles.

Practical readTest of Spirit contributes damage. Its value changes with cooldown, range and target access; recognise the setup before moving into its effective area.

Cooldown16/15/14/13/12 secCost35/40/45/50/55Listed range900 units

Ultimate

Leap of Faith

What it doesIllaoi smashes her idol into the ground, dealing physical damage to nearby enemies. A Tentacle spawns for each enemy champion hit.

Practical readLeap of Faith contributes damage. Its value changes with cooldown, range and target access; recognise the setup before moving into its effective area.

Cooldown120/95/70 secCost100Listed range450 units

Levels 1–18

Illaoi · Health / Mana · Abilities

Base values exclude items, runes, temporary buffs and mode-specific modifiers. Cooldowns are the listed base cooldown before ability haste.

Level 1656 Health350 Mana

Level 3826 Health424 Mana

Level 61,110 Health548 Mana

Level 111,665 Health789 Mana

Level 162,321 Health1,074 Mana

Level 182,611 Health1,200 Mana

Cooldown Data Dragon 16.20.1

Basic abilityTentacle Smash

Can receive its first point from level 1. Later ranks normally become available at levels 3, 5, 7 and 9.

Rank 110 secRank 29 secRank 38 secRank 47 secRank 56 sec

Basic abilityHarsh Lesson

Can receive its first point from level 1. Later ranks normally become available at levels 3, 5, 7 and 9.

All ranks4 sec

Basic abilityTest of Spirit

Can receive its first point from level 1. Later ranks normally become available at levels 3, 5, 7 and 9.

Rank 116 secRank 215 secRank 314 secRank 413 secRank 512 sec

UltimateLeap of Faith

First rank becomes available at level 6; later ranks normally become available at levels 11 and 16.

Rank 1120 secRank 295 secRank 370 sec

Open every levelHealth and mana from level 1 to 18

Level	Health	Mana	Ability milestone
1	656	350 Mana	Choose the first basic ability
2	739	386 Mana	Add another basic ability or rank
3	826	424 Mana	Add another basic ability or rank
4	916	463 Mana	Spend one ability point
5	1,011	505 Mana	Spend one ability point
6	1,110	548 Mana	First ultimate rank normally available
7	1,213	592 Mana	Spend one ability point
8	1,320	639 Mana	Spend one ability point
9	1,431	687 Mana	Spend one ability point
10	1,546	737 Mana	Spend one ability point
11	1,665	789 Mana	Second ultimate rank normally available
12	1,788	842 Mana	Spend one ability point
13	1,915	898 Mana	Spend one ability point
14	2,046	955 Mana	Spend one ability point
15	2,181	1,013 Mana	Spend one ability point
16	2,321	1,074 Mana	Final ultimate rank normally available
17	2,464	1,136 Mana	Spend one ability point
18	2,611	1,200 Mana	Spend one ability point

Choose the next question

Turn the profile into a pre-game plan

Choose a queue-aware build, compare a lane opponent, or return to the full champion library.

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