Game patch 26.20Data Dragon 16.20.1

Reference patch 16.20.1

Sion

The Undead Juggernaut

Sion 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

ClassTank · Fighter

DifficultyMedium · 5/10

Basic attacksMeleeMelee basic attacks · 175 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 Sion 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

You only have very slight turning ability during Unstoppable Onslaught, so make sure to use it in straight paths.

Roar of the Slayer is a great setup ability to land a very powerful Decimating Smash.

The Soul Furnace buff displays how much shield strength is remaining, use this information to time its explosion perfectly.

Riot opponent tips

What an opponent is told to watch for

Even if Sion still hits a Decimating Smash, making him release the charge earlier reduces its impact.

Use the time after Sion has died to reposition and prepare for his return.

Practical champion reading

How to read Sion 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

Identify the exact movement restriction

Tenacity can shorten only eligible control. Displacements, airborne effects and repeated slows need their own positioning, blocking or movement answer.

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 Sion?

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.

Reducible controlDisplacementSlowsHealing or sustainShieldsHealth-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.

CONTROL AND ONE KEY SPELL

Control and one key spell

Mercury's Treads · Quicksilver Sash · Banshee's Veil · Edge of Night

Tenacity and a removable-control active can help against the relevant disabling effects. Airborne and displacement effects are not solved simply by stacking Tenacity.

Check the current tooltip and whether the exact effect can be shortened, removed or blocked.

REPEATED SLOWS

Repeated slows

Boots of Swiftness

Slow resistance can be more useful than Tenacity when repeated slowing strength is the main problem.

It gives no armour or magic resistance, so compare the rest of the opposing team.

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.

REPEATED SHIELDS

Repeated shields

Serpent's Fang

Anti-shielding can matter when repeated shields are protecting important targets.

Its offensive stats do not fit every champion; another teammate may apply it more efficiently.

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 Sion 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. Sion 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. Sion 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. Sion 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. Sion 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. Sion 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

Sion 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

Glory in Death

What it doesAfter being killed, Sion will temporarily reanimate with rapidly decaying Health. His attacks become very rapid, heal him, and deal bonus damage based on his target's maximum Health.

Practical readGlory in Death 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.

Maximum-health interaction

This effect references a maximum-health value. Check whether the current tooltip uses the caster's or the target's health before comparing damage or protection.

Q ability

Decimating Smash

What it doesSion charges a powerful swing in an area in front of himself that will deal damage to enemies when released. If he charges for enough time, enemies hit by the swing will also be knocked up and stunned.

Practical readDecimating 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 secCost45Listed range10000 units

Cast commitment

This cast has a wind-up, charge or channel. Movement, interruption or a changing target state can matter before the effect completes.

W ability

Soul Furnace

What it doesSion shields himself and can reactivate after 3 seconds to deal Magic Damage to enemies nearby. When Sion kills enemies, he passively gains maximum Health.

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

Cooldown15/14/13/12/11 secCost75/80/85/90/95Listed range500 units

Maximum-health interaction

This effect references a maximum-health value. Check whether the current tooltip uses the caster's or the target's health before comparing damage or protection.

Protection

The protection or sustain is part of the cast's value. Compare its timing with incoming damage rather than reading only the offensive effect.

E ability

Roar of the Slayer

What it doesSion fires a short range shockwave that damages and slows and reduces the Armor of the first enemy hit. If the shockwave hits a minion or monster, it will be knocked back, damaging, slowing, and reducing the Armor of all enemies that it passes through.

Practical readRoar of the Slayer is a ranged cast involving a slowing effect and damage. Respect its line or target area, and avoid spending it when the opponent can simply step away before the important exchange.

Cooldown12/11/10/9/8 secCost35/40/45/50/55Listed range800 units

First target

The first valid unit in the path receives or stops the effect, so minions, monsters or champions can change the result where the tooltip allows them.

Ultimate

Unstoppable Onslaught

What it doesSion charges in a direction, ramping up speed over time. He can steer his charge slightly with the mouse cursor location. When he collides with an enemy he deals damage and knocks them up based on the distance he has charged.

Practical readUnstoppable Onslaught contributes movement or repositioning and damage. Its value changes with cooldown, range and target access; recognise the setup before moving into its effective area.

Cooldown140/100/60 secCost100Listed range7500 units

Cast commitment

This cast has a wind-up, charge or channel. Movement, interruption or a changing target state can matter before the effect completes.

Levels 1–18

Sion · Health / Mana · Abilities

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

Level 1655 Health400 Mana

Level 3783 Health477 Mana

Level 6999 Health605 Mana

Level 111,418 Health856 Mana

Level 161,914 Health1,153 Mana

Level 182,134 Health1,284 Mana

Cooldown Data Dragon 16.20.1

Basic abilityDecimating 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 abilitySoul Furnace

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

Rank 115 secRank 214 secRank 313 secRank 412 secRank 511 sec

Basic abilityRoar of the Slayer

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

Rank 112 secRank 211 secRank 310 secRank 49 secRank 58 sec

UltimateUnstoppable Onslaught

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

Rank 1140 secRank 2100 secRank 360 sec

Open every levelHealth and mana from level 1 to 18

Level	Health	Mana	Ability milestone
1	655	400 Mana	Choose the first basic ability
2	718	437 Mana	Add another basic ability or rank
3	783	477 Mana	Add another basic ability or rank
4	852	518 Mana	Spend one ability point
5	924	561 Mana	Spend one ability point
6	999	605 Mana	First ultimate rank normally available
7	1,077	652 Mana	Spend one ability point
8	1,157	700 Mana	Spend one ability point
9	1,241	750 Mana	Spend one ability point
10	1,328	802 Mana	Spend one ability point
11	1,418	856 Mana	Second ultimate rank normally available
12	1,512	912 Mana	Spend one ability point
13	1,608	969 Mana	Spend one ability point
14	1,707	1,029 Mana	Spend one ability point
15	1,809	1,090 Mana	Spend one ability point
16	1,914	1,153 Mana	Final ultimate rank normally available
17	2,023	1,217 Mana	Spend one ability point
18	2,134	1,284 Mana	Spend one ability point

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