Premium assassin build for broken screens: Akali does not merely want to kill fast, but make the enemy backline uncertain for the full fight. The premium build therefore pushes further the logic of angle, patience, and clean exit that turns a good flank into durable tempo instead of a simple kill trade.
Three builds, one right answer per draft. The advisor reads the five enemies (and your allies) and names who triggers what — the same rule as the Draft MVP sheet and Ask Nexus.
Best Akali build (Mid Lane): Infinity Orb › Lich Bane › Rabadon's Deathcap › Stormsurge › Void Staff, boots Boots of Mana, keystone Dark Harvest. Three variants and when to pick each are below.
Standard build maximizing damage output. Use on neutral matchups or when ahead.
15,200 total cost
Nothing dominates on the other side: the standard build maximizes your damage.
Open this draft in the tool →Defensive build adding survivability. Pick this against high enemy damage or when behind.
15,600 total cost +400gAnti-resist build for tanky enemies. Choose when multiple enemies build armor/magic resist.
15,200 total cost
Scores out of 10: where this champion sits against the whole roster, phase by phase. The strip shows its own power ramp level by level — it does not compare across champions.
Your hardest matchups in this role, and the item from your situational list that answers each one.
Annie
Banshee's Veil
Magic damage
Kennen
Zhonya's Hourglass
Physical damage
Heimerdinger
Banshee's Veil
Magic damage
Lissandra
Banshee's Veil
Magic damage
Best Akali build (Baron Lane): Infinity Orb › Lich Bane › Rabadon's Deathcap › Stormsurge › Void Staff, boots Boots of Mana, keystone Dark Harvest. Three variants and when to pick each are below.
Standard build maximizing damage output. Use on neutral matchups or when ahead.
15,200 total costNothing dominates on the other side: the standard build maximizes your damage.
Open this draft in the tool →Defensive build adding survivability. Pick this against high enemy damage or when behind.
15,600 total cost +400gAnti-resist build for tanky enemies. Choose when multiple enemies build armor/magic resist.
15,200 total costScores out of 10: where this champion sits against the whole roster, phase by phase. The strip shows its own power ramp level by level — it does not compare across champions.
Your hardest matchups in this role, and the item from your situational list that answers each one.
Pantheon
Zhonya's Hourglass
Physical damage
Heimerdinger
Banshee's Veil
Magic damage
Gragas
Zhonya's Hourglass
Physical damage
Kennen
Zhonya's Hourglass
Physical damage
Same advisor in the Draft (the MVP sheet applies it to your real draft) and in Ask Nexus, which explains the choice. On counters pages: the variant to take against each counter-pick.
Foundational item core, without recent situational additions — kept as a base for understanding the kit. For the up-to-date build, see the section above.
Akali wins fights through instant imbalance. Her build must allow her to kill a priority target and reposition before retaliation.
Amplifying Tome
Penetration + execute, amplifies the E-R combo burst
Massive AP scaling on the passive and R Perfect Execution
Omnivamp AP in extended fights, survival in the shroud W
Sorcerer's Shoes
Stasis
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Each soul harvested below 50% HP makes your E-R dives progressively more lethal as the game goes on.
multiples dashes (E, R) trigger penetration on each engage.
Kill chains in teamfights stack adaptive force — a fed Akali cleans up the backline.
Rewards your roam-and-pick style — every takedown builds the AP that funds your one-shots.
Survive the counter-burst when you dive with R — the first three enemy hits are blunted.
Second Wind
Bone Plating
Overgrowth
Perseverance
Second Wind
Bone Plating
Overgrowth
Perseverance
Level 5 changes Akali because she gains a real two-step kill threat. R1 gives her access or chase potential, while R2 turns already damaged targets into realistic executions. At this point, she should look for prepared trades, not forced all-ins without energy.
Her first major damage item makes her trades much more punishing. Q plus passive no longer only chip the lane; they prepare a threshold where E or R can finish. This is an ideal window to play river, punish roaming supports, and attack objectives with side vision.
