Hwei has no dash or blink: assassins such as Zed, Fizz or Kassadin punish him as soon as they reach him. All of his spells are skillshots or zones, which lets mobile champions dodge his poke. Once his Torment (E) is used, he has no crowd control left to defend himself. He is also mana-hungry early and suffers against early ganks.
| Matchup | Verdict | Edge | Win rate | Pick rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yone | Hard Counters | +2 | 50.7% | 5.3% |
| Kassadin | Hard Counters | +2 | 50.3% | 1.5% |
| Zed | Hard Counters | +2 | 50.1% | 4.0% |
| Yasuo | Hard Counters | +2 | 49.3% | 10.9% |
| Fizz | Hard Counters | +2 | 47.6% | 2.1% |
| Morgana | Unfavorable | +1 | 52.4% | 6.6% |
| Galio | Unfavorable | +1 | 51.4% | 11.2% |
| Ahri | Unfavorable | +1 | 51.3% | 4.8% |
| Akshan | Unfavorable | +1 | 50.9% | 1.0% |
| Vel'Koz | Unfavorable | +1 | 50.2% | 3.6% |
| Ekko | Unfavorable | +1 | 50.0% | 3.0% |
| Jayce | Unfavorable | +1 | 49.5% | 1.3% |
| Aurora | Unfavorable | +1 | 49.4% | 3.5% |
| Diana | Unfavorable | +1 | 48.8% | 1.4% |
| Katarina | Unfavorable | +1 | 48.0% | 1.5% |
| Akali | Unfavorable | +1 | 44.7% | 2.4% |
| Irelia | Unfavorable | +1 | — | — |
| Pantheon | Unfavorable | +1 | — | — |
| Talon | Unfavorable | +1 | — | — |
| Zoe | Unfavorable | +1 | — | — |
| Syndra | Skill Matchups | ±0 | 53.5% | 12.1% |
| Zyra | Skill Matchups | ±0 | 50.6% | 2.9% |
| Viktor | Skill Matchups | ±0 | 50.5% | 4.3% |
| Norra | Skill Matchups | ±0 | 49.4% | 1.6% |
| Lux | Skill Matchups | ±0 | 48.8% | 5.9% |
| Ziggs | Skill Matchups | ±0 | 47.7% | 6.0% |
| Corki | Skill Matchups | ±0 | — | — |
| Gragas | Skill Matchups | ±0 | — | — |
| Karma | Skill Matchups | ±0 | — | — |
| Lucian | Skill Matchups | ±0 | — | — |
| Twisted Fate | Favorable | −1 | 52.3% | 6.1% |
| Annie | Favorable | −1 | 51.2% | 2.1% |
| Brand | Favorable | −1 | 51.2% | 9.8% |
| Orianna | Favorable | −1 | 51.1% | 5.0% |
| Teemo | Favorable | −1 | 50.8% | 1.8% |
| Aurelion Sol | Favorable | −1 | 50.7% | 6.7% |
| Kennen | Favorable | −1 | 50.2% | 1.4% |
| Vladimir | Favorable | −1 | 50.2% | 4.6% |
| Lissandra | Favorable | −1 | 49.4% | 3.9% |
| Heimerdinger | Favorable | −1 | 49.3% | 1.4% |
| Vex | Favorable | −1 | 48.8% | 2.1% |
| Swain | Favorable | −1 | 48.5% | 2.7% |
| Veigar | Favorable | −1 | 48.2% | 9.0% |
| Ryze | Favorable | −1 | 48.2% | 3.5% |
| Mel | Favorable | −1 | 46.1% | 8.0% |
| Cho'Gath | Favorable | −1 | — | — |
| Kai'Sa | Favorable | −1 | — | — |
| Kayle | Favorable | −1 | — | — |
| Rumble | Favorable | −1 | — | — |
| Seraphine | Favorable | −1 | — | — |
Edge: Wild Rift Core canonical verdict (−3 to +3), shown from the point of view of the champion named in the row. Win rate and pick rate: the opponent's own rate in this role — Wild Rift CN · Challenger, Patch 7.3. Not a head-to-head win rate.
These champions have a build and playstyle that directly overpower yours, which can make controlling the lane and farming extremely difficult. Their kit can neutralize your core strengths or punish you the moment you try to play your usual game plan. In these matchups, the goal is often to minimize mistakes and look for ways to win outside of direct confrontation.
Hwei has no dash, so his only answer to Death Mark is holding the Subject of Torment for Zed's landing. Every Torment spent on the wave opens a window where the Visionary has nothing left but Flash, Barrier or Stasis.
Hwei has no dash or blink: his only answer to Death Mark is the Subject of Torment, which he has to keep in hand. Zed picks the moment of contact with Living Shadow, and every Torment spent pushing the wave gives him a ten-second window where the Visionary has nothing left.
Until level 5 you can tag him with Devastating Fire (QQ) and Severing Bolt (QW) from range. Once Zed has his ultimate the lane flips: you can no longer hold the wave in front of you, and one missed Torment or a wasted Flash means death on his next engage.
Farm with Molten Fissure (QE) after Stirring Lights (WE) to save mana, and never open Torment to poke. When Zed lands behind you after Death Mark, Grim Visage (EQ) or Crushing Maw (EE) on his arrival point breaks the combo; Stasis Enchant absorbs the mark. Critical timing: level 5, then his first recall with a lethality item. Avoid spending Torment on the wave, burning Flash before his ultimate, or standing mid lane without side vision. Good signs: he spends Living Shadow to farm, you survive Death Mark with Barrier or Stasis, and the wave stays near your tower.
Hwei's whole kit is skillshots and zones, and Playful makes Fizz untargetable exactly when they land. The lane is only playable if Hwei casts Crushing Maw or Grim Visage after the hop lands, never before.
Hwei's whole kit is skillshots and zones, and Playful / Trickster makes Fizz untargetable exactly when those spells arrive. He can wait for Crushing Maw (EE) or Gaze of the Abyss (EW), hop over it, then land on a Visionary who has no mobility to escape.
Every Subject thrown into nothing gives him an engage window. Once Chum the Waters is on you, the shark decides the fight: you get slowed, knocked up, and you have no dash to leave the zone. Your level 1 to 3 poke is your only real edge.
Pressure him early with Devastating Fire (QQ) through the minions and let Signature of the Visionary detonate with a second, different spell. Always keep one control spell for his approach: cast Grim Visage (EQ) or Crushing Maw (EE) right after Playful lands, never before. Pool of Reflection (WW) under your feet softens the shark burst. Critical timing: level 3, then level 5 with his ultimate. Avoid opening with Torment, using Flash before his E, or following the wave far from your tower. Good signs: he wastes Playful on a Devastating Fire, you keep EE for his landing, and he has to back off without a kill.
Hwei owns levels 1 to 5 with Gaze of the Abyss into Severing Bolt, but Kassadin's magic resist and Riftwalk ranks erase that range advantage. If the early lead is not converted, a dashless mage cannot escape him after level 11.
Kassadin is Hwei's ideal target early: melee, short range, dependent on his wave. But his passive magic resist blunts your poke, Null Sphere interrupts your spells, and every rank of Riftwalk erases more of your range advantage. Past level 11 he picks the angle and you cannot run.
Levels 1 to 5 are yours: he cannot answer your Severing Bolt (QW) or your Molten Fissure (QE) on the wave. If you don't turn that lead into health, CS or plates, the lane reverses as soon as he chains Riftwalk onto you with no way for you to step back.
Punish him hard early: Gaze of the Abyss (EW) to root him, then Severing Bolt (QW), which deals more damage to an immobilized target. Shove the wave under his tower so he loses farm. Later, stay near your allies and keep Grim Visage (EQ) for when he blinks in. Critical timing: his level 6, then levels 11 and 16. Avoid playing alone on a side wave after 15 minutes or casting Torment before his jump. Good signs: he recalls before his first item, you take the first drake with priority, and he has to play away from you.
Wind Wall blocks Devastating Fire, Grim Visage and the Gaze of the Abyss bolt, and Sweeping Blade through the wave closes a gap Hwei can never reopen. Only his ground spells, Molten Fissure, Crushing Maw and Severing Bolt, get through the wall.
Wind Wall stops Hwei's projectiles: Devastating Fire (QQ), Grim Visage (EQ) and the bolt from Gaze of the Abyss (EW). Sweeping Blade through the wave closes a distance that a mage without a dash can never take back. Yasuo chooses the fight, Hwei can only take it.
While the wall is up, your trades only land on the ground. A wave full of minions in front of you is a highway for him, and his passive shield eats your first poke. One ally knock-up and Last Breath removes you from the fight.
Play with the spells the wall cannot stop: Molten Fissure (QE) and Crushing Maw (EE) are ground zones, and Severing Bolt (QW) drops from the sky. Save Devastating Fire and Grim Visage for after Wind Wall. Clear the wave fast to take away his dash targets, and keep EE for his entry. Critical timing: levels 2 and 5, then every time his wall is on cooldown (roughly a 20 second window). Avoid firing projectiles into a wall, leaving a big wave between you, or playing far from tower without Flash. Good signs: he wastes the wall on a QQ, you chain EE into QQ, and he backs off to heal.
Other matchups
These champions have tools that generally give them the edge in a fight, without making the matchup unwinnable. They might have more range, a better ability to soak up your offense, or more ways to answer your engages. You'll need to adapt your approach and carefully pick your moments to accept a fight.
Katarina does not win the poke lane, but her Shunpo resets win grouped fights against a dashless Visionary. Holding Grim Visage or Crushing Maw to interrupt Death Lotus is what keeps the matchup close.
Katarina does not win lane against Hwei's poke, but she wins grouped fights: Shunpo onto a dagger puts her on you, and every reset bounces her to another target. A dashless Visionary who has spent his Torment is her chosen victim.
In lane you can harass her with Severing Bolt (QW) and Devastating Fire (QQ) when she picks up daggers. The danger is her roams and the skirmishes around dragon, where Death Lotus shreds you if you stand still.
Hold the wave with Molten Fissure (QE) so she cannot roam for free, and punish every dagger pickup. Keep Grim Visage (EQ) or Crushing Maw (EE) for the moment she channels Death Lotus: the fear or the pull interrupts it. Critical timing: level 6 and her first two items. Avoid opening a fight with Torment, standing on a dagger on the ground, or following the lane without vision of her jungler. Good signs: she has to back off low, you interrupt her ultimate, and she can no longer roam without losing her wave.
Molten Fissure through the wave leaves exactly the low minions Irelia needs to Bladesurge onto Hwei. Clearing the wave, normally his safest tool, becomes the setup for her all-in with no dash to escape it.
Bladesurge resetting on low minions turns the wave into a straight path to Hwei. Your Molten Fissure (QE) through the wave, your favorite farming tool, sets up exactly those targets for her: this is the one matchup where clearing the wave is not safe.
As long as low-health minions sit between you, she reaches you in two or three hops. Flawless Duet locks you down, and a dashless mage under stun only has Barrier left.
Last-hit, or kill the wave in one go with Stirring Lights (WE) into Devastating Fire (QQ), instead of leaving half-dead minions. Keep Crushing Maw (EE) to drag her out of her dash chain, and Pool of Reflection (WW) for her trades. Critical timing: level 2, level 4 with her passive stacked, then level 6. Avoid QE through the middle of the wave while she is close, standing in Flawless Duet's line, or trading into four passive stacks. Good signs: she spends Bladesurge without reaching you, you fear her with EQ at the end of the chain, and the wave stays away from her.
The range duel is close, but Ahri has three dashes and Hwei none: she dodges his zones and one Charm starts a full combo. Gaze of the Abyss is his best tool because the eye locks onto her even through Spirit Rush.
Ahri has three dashes with Spirit Rush and Hwei has none. She dodges your zones at the last second, and one Charm on an immobile Visionary is enough to start a full combo. The range duel is roughly even, but only she can change angles.
Before level 6 the lane is a skillshot duel: your Devastating Fire (QQ) against her Orb of Deception. After that she can roam and return faster than you, and every Charm that lands costs you a summoner spell.
Stay behind your minions to block Charm and use Gaze of the Abyss (EW) as area control: the eye locks onto the nearest target even if she dashes. Follow with Severing Bolt (QW) on the rooted target. Keep Crushing Maw (EE) for her Spirit Rush entry. Critical timing: level 6, then every time Charm is on cooldown. Avoid walking up without minions in front of you, spending all your Subjects before her ultimate, or chasing her roams without wave priority. Good signs: she misses Charm, you root her with EW, and she can no longer roam without losing plates.
Sleepy Trouble Bubble on a dashless mage sets up a Paddle Star one-shot, and Portal Jump lets Zoe step back after each shot. Hwei survives by playing behind minions and dropping Pool of Reflection the moment the bubble is thrown.
Zoe outranges Hwei on one spell: Paddle Star recast from an angle. Sleepy Trouble Bubble on a dashless mage means a one-shot, and Portal Jump lets her step back after every shot. Hwei only reaches her when she makes a mistake.
You cannot walk up without minions in front of you: the bubble flies over walls and the sleep leaves you frozen. She can also steal summoner spells dropped on the ground. Your strength is wave clear and priority, not the duel.
Play behind your minions and kill the wave from range with Molten Fissure (QE) after Stirring Lights (WE). Drop Pool of Reflection (WW) under your feet the moment the bubble is thrown: the shield grows and absorbs Paddle Star. Answer her cooldown windows with Gaze of the Abyss (EW) then Severing Bolt (QW). Critical timing: levels 3 and 6, then her first burst item. Avoid lining up with her, walking past walls without vision, or casting Torment while her bubble is ready. Good signs: she misses the bubble, you hit her during its cooldown, and you shove to join your jungler.
Two immobile artillery mages, but Organic Deconstruction deals true damage and Plasma Fission angles around minions, so Vel'Koz trades more reliably. Hwei's edge is Severing Bolt range and a Pool of Reflection shield that absorbs his three-spell passive.
Two immobile artillery mages, but Vel'Koz trades better: three spells of Organic Deconstruction deal true damage that ignores your magic resist, and Plasma Fission splits at an angle around minions. Hwei has more raw poke with Severing Bolt, Vel'Koz has more reliable poke.
Every spell trade tips slightly his way if you stand still. Void Rift clears as well as your Molten Fissure (QE), so you don't get priority for free, and Life Form Disintegration Ray punishes the zones you place in teamfights.
Use the range of Severing Bolt (QW) while he clears his wave: it's the one spell he cannot bounce over a minion. Pool of Reflection (WW) absorbs his three spells before the passive procs. Gaze of the Abyss (EW) placed on his path roots him for your combo. Critical timing: level 3, then his level 6 with the ray. Avoid standing in a straight line behind your minions, trading without a shield, or spending all your Torment before Tectonic Disruption. Good signs: he misses his stun, you hit QW during his farm, and you reach river first.
Other matchups
These matchups are above all duels of execution: both champions have credible ways to gain the upper hand. Dodging one key ability, anticipating an engage correctly, or a single positioning mistake can be enough to tip the duel one way or the other. Knowing the matchup and recognizing the right windows to act are especially important here.
Syndra has the fastest spell, Hwei the longest range, and both have a defensive control in Scatter the Weak and Grim Visage. Whoever lands first wins the trade, and neither can force the fight.
Syndra has the fastest spell in lane with Dark Sphere, Hwei has the longest range with Severing Bolt. Scatter the Weak and Grim Visage (EQ) are both defensive controls: whoever lands first wins the trade, but neither can force the fight.
The lane is decided by mana management and wave clear. If you clear faster with Stirring Lights (WE) and Molten Fissure (QE), you get priority; if her stun lands, Unleashed Power removes you in one cast after level 6.
Punish every Dark Sphere she throws on the wave with Severing Bolt (QW). Place Gaze of the Abyss (EW) between you: she has to walk up for her combo and the eye locks on. Keep Pool of Reflection (WW) for her ultimate. Critical timing: level 6 on both sides, then her five passive stacks. Avoid walking up while her spheres sit in front of you, spending Torment before her stun, or playing without Barrier after her level 6. Good signs: she misses Scatter the Weak, you root her then QW, and you reach river first.
Two immobile mages who win by rooting first: Light Binding against Gaze of the Abyss. The first root leads to a full combo, Final Spark for Lux, Severing Bolt on an immobilized target for Hwei.
Two immobile mages who win by rooting first: Light Binding for Lux, Gaze of the Abyss (EW) for Hwei. Lux has a shield and a low-cooldown Final Spark, Hwei has more poke and three different controls. Whichever root lands first decides the full combo.
The lane is even and plays around cooldowns. If you get rooted, Final Spark and Lucent Singularity take half your health; if you root her, Severing Bolt (QW) on an immobilized target sends her back to base.
Stay behind your minions against Light Binding, which stops after the second enemy hit. Cast Gaze of the Abyss (EW) right after her Q goes on cooldown: the eye locks onto the nearest target, no aiming needed. Follow with QW then Devastating Fire (QQ) to detonate Signature of the Visionary. Critical timing: levels 3 and 6, then every Light Binding cooldown. Avoid standing alone in front of her without a minion, trading into her ready shield, or burning all your mana before level 6. Good signs: she misses her Q, your root lands, and she backs off before she can farm.
Ziggs sieges better and has Satchel Charge, Hwei controls better with three crowd controls. The lane is a wave race, and Stirring Lights into Molten Fissure lets Hwei match his shove.
Ziggs pushes and sieges better, Hwei controls better. Satchel Charge gives him the only movement in the lane, but he has no reliable crowd control to punish your zones. The duel is about who takes wave priority first, then who lands the first heavy spell.
He will try to shove and take your plates with Satchel Charge. You clear just as fast with Stirring Lights (WE) into Molten Fissure (QE), which cancels his siege. In a fight, your Torment gives you control he does not have.
Match his push with QE on the wave and protect your tower with Pool of Reflection (WW) when he bombards. Gaze of the Abyss (EW) placed in the fog in front of you locks onto him as soon as he walks up for his mines. Keep Crushing Maw (EE) to drag him back after an escape Satchel Charge. Critical timing: level 5 with his tower damage, then his level 6. Avoid letting the wave crash under your tower, walking into Hexplosive Minefield, or standing in Mega Inferno Bomb. Good signs: your wave arrives first, he wastes Satchel Charge, and you root him during his siege.
Other matchups
These champions generally struggle to answer your main strengths, which lets you approach the matchup with more freedom. You often have several ways to pressure them and force trades that go in your favor. Use this advantage to dictate the pace rather than giving them time to get back into a comfortable position.
Veigar is slow and predictable and has to walk up to stack Baleful Strike, straight into Hwei's Severing Bolt range. The delayed Event Horizon cage is easy to walk out of for a mage who stays at range.
Veigar is slow, predictable and depends on his Baleful Strike stacks. Hwei hits him from further than he can answer, and the Event Horizon cage is easy to read for a mage who stays at range. You play pressure, he plays survival.
Every last hit with Baleful Strike forces him to walk into the range of your Severing Bolt (QW) and Devastating Fire (QQ). You can deny stacks and take priority from level 2, but his ultimate stays lethal if you are low.
Hit him every time he goes for a minion with Baleful Strike. Drop Gaze of the Abyss (EW) as he walks up, then QW on the rooted target. Stay out of cage range: it has a delay, and you can walk out if you see it. Critical timing: level 6, then his first power item. Avoid using Flash for a cage, staying low in Primordial Burst range, or leaving the wave under his tower where he farms in peace. Good signs: he loses stacks, he recalls before his first item, and you shove to join your jungler.
Swain has to stay close to drain with his ultimate, and Hwei wins at range. Nevermove is slow and telegraphed, and Hwei's ground zones force Swain to choose between his ultimate and his health.
Swain has to stay close to drain with Demonic Ascension, and Hwei is a mage who wins at range. His Nevermove is slow and telegraphed, and without it he has no way to close the gap. Your ground zones force him to choose between his ultimate and his health.
You harass him with Devastating Fire (QQ) and Severing Bolt (QW) while he farms at short range. His sustain keeps him in lane, but he cannot force a fight as long as you stay outside Nevermove range.
Poke him with QQ when he walks up for a minion and keep Crushing Maw (EE) to pull him into your Molten Fissure (QE) if he stays in his ultimate. When he casts Demonic Ascension, walk back: every second out of range cuts his drain. Critical timing: level 6, then his Zhonya's Hourglass. Avoid standing in Nevermove range, fighting inside his ultimate without Pool of Reflection (WW), or chasing him into fog. Good signs: he loses health without answering, he misses Nevermove, and he has to retreat before he can drain.
Twisted Fate wins the map with Destiny but loses lane to a mage who clears and pokes from further away. Stirring Lights into Molten Fissure turns every one of his roams into lost plates.
Twisted Fate wins the map with Destiny, but he loses lane against a mage who clears and pokes from further away. His Gold Card is his only control, and he has to walk up to use it. Hwei turns every one of his roams into lost plates.
You take wave priority with Stirring Lights (WE) into Molten Fissure (QE), and Severing Bolt (QW) punishes him when he farms with Wild Cards. If he roams, you shove your wave into his tower.
Clear the wave as fast as possible to trap him between farming and roaming. When he walks up with Gold Card in hand, Grim Visage (EQ) makes him flee before he reaches you. Ping your allies the moment he disappears at level 6. Critical timing: level 6, then every Destiny cooldown. Avoid following his roams without wave priority, standing in Gold Card range without a shield, or spending every Subject on the wave. Good signs: you take his plates during roams, he misses Gold Card, and he is stuck in lane.
Ryze has no dash and shorter effective range, so every step forward to chain Overload and Rune Prison costs him a Severing Bolt. Hwei wins the early game and Ryze has to survive until his items.
Ryze has no dash and his effective range is shorter than Hwei's. He has to walk up to chain Overload and Rune Prison, and every step forward costs him a Severing Bolt. The Visionary wins the early game, Ryze has to survive until his items.
You take free trades every time he steps up to farm. His Rune Prison stays dangerous if your jungler is away, but he cannot force a fight as long as you stay at the edge of your range.
Poke him with Devastating Fire (QQ) when he goes for a minion and use Gaze of the Abyss (EW) to root him at range, then Severing Bolt (QW) on the rooted target. Clear fast so he cannot shove you under tower. Critical timing: levels 1 to 5, then his second item. Avoid standing in Rune Prison range, sidelaning alone for long after 20 minutes, or spending mana without taking health. Good signs: he loses health on every farm, he recalls before his first item, and you control river.
Rebuttal reflects Hwei's projectiles, but Molten Fissure, Crushing Maw and Severing Bolt are ground or sky spells it cannot return. Once Rebuttal is baited out, Mel is a dashless mage facing three crowd controls.
Mel reflects projectiles with Rebuttal, but half of Hwei's kit is not projectiles: Molten Fissure (QE), Crushing Maw (EE) and Severing Bolt (QW) land on the ground or from the sky. Once Rebuttal is spent, Mel is a dashless mage facing three crowd controls.
While Rebuttal is up, your projectiles (QQ, EQ, EW) are dangerous for you. Outside her window you win the poke and wave priority, and your range keeps you ahead of her Radiant Volley trades.
Play your ground spells while her W is ready: QE on the wave, QW at long range, EE to pull her in. Bait Rebuttal with a Devastating Fire (QQ) from range, then chain Gaze of the Abyss (EW) and QW during its cooldown. Critical timing: every Rebuttal cooldown, then her level 6. Avoid casting Grim Visage (EQ) or Gaze into her W, standing in her passive marks, or casting your ultimate without knowing where her shield is. Good signs: she spends Rebuttal on a minor spell, your root lands next, and she has to back off.
Hwei outranges Orianna's ball and his root stops her walking to a Shockwave angle. Orianna keeps the stronger teamfight ultimate, which keeps the edge small.
Orianna controls the space around her ball, Hwei controls space at longer range. Without a dash she depends on Command: Protect on an ally to land Shockwave, and your ground zones stop her from positioning. Hwei wins the poke, Orianna keeps the better ultimate.
You harass her with Severing Bolt (QW) while she farms with the ball. She also clears fast, so priority is won on mana, and her ultimate stays the real danger in grouped fights.
Poke her with Devastating Fire (QQ) when she moves the ball to farm. Place Gaze of the Abyss (EW) where she has to walk to land Shockwave: the root stops her repositioning. Pool of Reflection (WW) absorbs her Dissonance. Critical timing: level 6, then her ball arriving on your engager. Avoid grouping around her ball, casting your ultimate on a shielded target, or spending mana on pure shoving. Good signs: she loses health on every farm, your root blocks her ultimate, and you reach objectives first.
Vladimir has one dodge in Sanguine Pool and Hwei has three crowd controls, so a Torment saved for the end of the pool catches him every time. Hwei must build his lead before Vladimir's sustain items.
Vladimir has one dodge, Sanguine Pool, and Hwei has three crowd controls to throw at him. He has to walk up for Transfusion, and a Visionary who keeps Torment for the end of the pool catches him every time. The early game is yours, his scaling is the limit.
Before his first items he cannot sustain your trades: Devastating Fire (QQ) with its max-health damage forces him back. After that his sustain evens the lane and Hemoplague becomes dangerous in grouped fights.
Pressure him from level 1 and force Sanguine Pool with a first spell, then cast Crushing Maw (EE) or Gaze of the Abyss (EW) where he surfaces. Buy Morellonomicon if his healing becomes a problem. Critical timing: levels 1 to 6, then his second item. Avoid spending Torment before his pool, letting the wave crash under his tower, or fighting in Hemoplague without a shield. Good signs: he loses health while farming, his pool is on cooldown when your root arrives, and you keep priority.
Aurelion Sol has to walk up to farm and collect stardust, into Hwei's longer range and three crowd controls. Hwei has to turn that pressure into a lead before the dragon scales.
Aurelion Sol needs time and stardust to become dangerous, and he has to walk up to collect it. Hwei hits him from further away, and his three crowd controls punish predictable paths. The Visionary has to build a lead before the dragon scales.
Your Severing Bolt (QW) punishes him every time he steps up to farm or collect. His out-of-combat mobility lets him roam, so your wave priority must turn every departure into taken plates.
Poke him with Devastating Fire (QQ) as he approaches the minions, and place Gaze of the Abyss (EW) on his return path: the root gives Severing Bolt time to land. Clear with Molten Fissure (QE) so he cannot stack for free. Critical timing: levels 1 to 9, then his first big item. Avoid letting him farm without pressure, chasing him into fog when he flies, or grouping inside his ultimate. Good signs: he loses health on every pickup, he cannot roam without losing plates, and your team takes the first objectives.
Other matchups
| Matchup | Verdict | Edge | Win rate | Pick rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blitzcrank | Hard Counters | +2 | 48.7% | 7.2% |
| Leona | Unfavorable | +1 | 51.3% | 8.8% |
| Rakan | Unfavorable | +1 | 51.3% | 2.9% |
| Rell | Unfavorable | +1 | 51.2% | 3.1% |
| Braum | Unfavorable | +1 | 50.8% | 4.5% |
| Morgana | Unfavorable | +1 | 50.8% | 6.3% |
| Pyke | Unfavorable | +1 | 50.5% | 5.2% |
| Maokai | Unfavorable | +1 | 50.5% | 4.8% |
| Nautilus | Unfavorable | +1 | 50.0% | 14.7% |
| Thresh | Unfavorable | +1 | 49.5% | 12.7% |
| Malphite | Skill Matchups | ±0 | 52.9% | 10.6% |
| Brand | Skill Matchups | ±0 | 52.7% | 2.7% |
| Vel'Koz | Skill Matchups | ±0 | 52.6% | 1.8% |
| Galio | Skill Matchups | ±0 | 52.5% | 2.8% |
| Sett | Skill Matchups | ±0 | 51.6% | 2.1% |
| Karma | Skill Matchups | ±0 | 51.3% | 5.8% |
| Senna | Skill Matchups | ±0 | 51.2% | 4.7% |
| Bard | Skill Matchups | ±0 | 51.1% | 1.2% |
| Zilean | Skill Matchups | ±0 | 51.1% | 1.2% |
| Soraka | Skill Matchups | ±0 | 50.9% | 5.2% |
| Seraphine | Skill Matchups | ±0 | 50.4% | 6.3% |
| Zyra | Skill Matchups | ±0 | 50.3% | 4.7% |
| Nami | Skill Matchups | ±0 | 50.2% | 5.4% |
| Ornn | Skill Matchups | ±0 | 49.9% | 1.3% |
| Milio | Skill Matchups | ±0 | 49.5% | 4.5% |
| Alistar | Skill Matchups | ±0 | 49.1% | 4.8% |
| Lux | Skill Matchups | ±0 | 49.1% | 8.0% |
| Veigar | Skill Matchups | ±0 | 47.1% | 3.0% |
| Swain | Skill Matchups | ±0 | 46.7% | 2.7% |
| Ashe | Skill Matchups | ±0 | — | — |
| Norra | Skill Matchups | ±0 | — | — |
| Poppy | Skill Matchups | ±0 | — | — |
| Janna | Favorable | −1 | 53.1% | 2.9% |
| Sona | Favorable | −1 | 52.4% | 5.2% |
| Lulu | Favorable | −1 | 48.6% | 9.8% |
| Yuumi | Favorable | −2 | 45.7% | 9.6% |
Edge: Wild Rift Core canonical verdict (−3 to +3), shown from the point of view of the champion named in the row. Win rate and pick rate: the opponent's own rate in this role — Wild Rift CN · Challenger, Patch 7.3. Not a head-to-head win rate.
These champions have a build and playstyle that directly overpower yours, which can make controlling the lane and farming extremely difficult. Their kit can neutralize your core strengths or punish you the moment you try to play your usual game plan. In these matchups, the goal is often to minimize mistakes and look for ways to win outside of direct confrontation.
Support Hwei has no dash to dodge Rocket Grab, and one landed hook drops him into the enemy with Power Fist next. He survives only by staying behind minions and keeping Grim Visage to cancel the follow-up.
Support Hwei has no dash to dodge Rocket Grab, and one landed hook drops him in the middle of the enemy. Power Fist follows with a knock-up, and your ADC then has to choose between saving you and losing the lane. The Visionary lives on positioning, not reflexes.
You cannot walk up to poke without minions in front of you, which limits Devastating Fire (QQ) and Severing Bolt (QW) to long range. Every uncontrolled bush is a hook threat, and your vision control shrinks.
Stay behind your minions at all times and place Gaze of the Abyss (EW) in front of you as a ward: it gives vision and locks onto Blitzcrank as he walks up. Keep Grim Visage (EQ) for after the hook: the fear cancels Power Fist. Barrier or Stasis Enchant stay your survival spells. Critical timing: level 2, then every Rocket Grab cooldown (about 20 seconds). Avoid walking with no minion between you, spending Torment to poke, or facechecking bushes. Good signs: he misses the hook, you punish him with QW during the cooldown, and your ADC farms safely.
These champions have tools that generally give them the edge in a fight, without making the matchup unwinnable. They might have more range, a better ability to soak up your offense, or more ways to answer your engages. You'll need to adapt your approach and carefully pick your moments to accept a fight.
Nautilus has two engages and Depth Charge is targeted, so no positioning dodges it on a dashless mage. Hwei's zones slow him, but only Grim Visage and Pool of Reflection limit the follow-up.
Nautilus has two engages, Dredge Line and Depth Charge, and the second one is targeted: no positioning dodges it. Against a dashless mage his ultimate guarantees a crowd control, and his passive chains a root on the first hit. Hwei slows him, but does not stop him.
Before his level 6 you can poke him from range and block his hook with minions. After that, every time your ADC steps up, Depth Charge starts the engage, and you only have Grim Visage (EQ) to cut the follow-up.
Poke him with Devastating Fire (QQ) as he steps up, and place Molten Fissure (QE) on his engage path to slow him. When he arrives with his ultimate, Pool of Reflection (WW) shields your ADC and Grim Visage (EQ) cuts his chain. Critical timing: level 2, then level 6. Avoid standing in front of your ADC, spending Torment before his engage, or playing without Barrier or Stasis Enchant after his level 6. Good signs: he misses Dredge Line, you fear him on arrival, and your ADC keeps his health.
Leona wins as soon as Zenith Blade lands: Shield of Daybreak stuns a Visionary who cannot escape. Crushing Maw after her jump or Grim Visage before her stun is his answer.
Leona wins as soon as Zenith Blade lands: she arrives on you, Shield of Daybreak stuns you, and Eclipse makes her engage very tanky. A dashless Visionary cannot escape that chain. Your crowd control slows her, but her shield soaks your poke.
You have to play at the edge of your range to avoid giving her an engage. Your poke is still longer than hers, but every spell cast forward puts you inside Zenith Blade range.
Poke her with Devastating Fire (QQ) and Severing Bolt (QW) from the back of your line. Keep Crushing Maw (EE) to pull her back after the engage, or Grim Visage (EQ) to make her flee before her stun. Critical timing: level 2 and level 6 with Solar Flare. Avoid standing in front of your ADC, facechecking bushes, or casting your ultimate before her engage. Good signs: she misses Zenith Blade, your fear cuts her off, and your ADC punishes her during the cooldown.
Pyke returns from fog to hook a dashless mage, and Death from Below executes the low targets Hwei's poke lanes often leave. Gaze of the Abyss in bushes reveals him as he leaves camouflage.
Pyke vanishes with Ghostwater Dive, returns from an angle, and Bone Skewer drags a dashless mage into his team. Death from Below executes any low target, and Hwei's poke often leaves the lane below half health. Every resource you spend brings him closer to an execute.
He can leave vision and come back behind you. Your poke makes him retreat, but his passive restores health out of sight, so you have to play around his cooldowns rather than his health bar.
Place Gaze of the Abyss (EW) in the bushes next to you: the eye gives vision and locks onto him as he leaves camouflage. Keep Grim Visage (EQ) for after Bone Skewer, and Pool of Reflection (WW) to shield your ADC from his execute. Critical timing: level 2, then level 6 with his ultimate. Avoid staying low next to him, walking into fog without vision, or burning Barrier before his execute. Good signs: he misses his hook, your root reveals him, and you force him back with no kill.
Thresh decides when the fight starts with the longest hook in the bot lane and Flay to stop any escape. Hwei out-pokes him but must keep Crushing Maw to pull him back off his ADC.
Thresh has the longest hook in the bot lane and Flay to interrupt any escape. Death Sentence on a dashless Visionary means a full engage, and Dark Passage brings in his jungler or ADC. Hwei out-pokes him, but Thresh decides when the fight starts.
You can win the poke trades as long as you stay behind minions. But every time you step forward for Devastating Fire (QQ), you enter hook range, and The Box traps your ADC in grouped fights.
Poke him from range with Severing Bolt (QW), and keep Crushing Maw (EE) to pull him back if Death Sentence lands on your ADC. Grim Visage (EQ) cuts his Flay chain. Place Gaze of the Abyss (EW) in front of bushes for vision. Critical timing: level 2, then every hook cooldown. Avoid walking up without a minion in front of you, opening Torment to poke, or standing inside The Box. Good signs: he misses the hook, you fear him mid-engage, and your ADC takes free trades.
Rell jumps in with Crash Down and Magnet Storm pulls a dashless Hwei into the fight. His Molten Fissure and Crushing Maw on her path are the only way to slow her before she lands.
Rell jumps in with Crash Down and pulls the whole team together with Magnet Storm: a dashless mage is trapped in the zone with no way out. Her durability lets her soak your poke before the engage. Hwei has to slow her before she reaches the line.
You poke her from range, but her jump puts you in range in an instant. In grouped fights her ultimate pulls you and your ADC together, handing the enemy team an easy target.
Place Molten Fissure (QE) and Crushing Maw (EE) on her engage path to slow and displace her. Keep Grim Visage (EQ) for after Crash Down. Pool of Reflection (WW) shields your ADC during Magnet Storm. Critical timing: level 2, then level 6 with her ultimate. Avoid stacking with your ADC, spending Torment before her jump, or playing without Barrier. Good signs: you slow her before she jumps, your ADC escapes her ultimate, and she has to back off.
Other matchups
These matchups are above all duels of execution: both champions have credible ways to gain the upper hand. Dodging one key ability, anticipating an engage correctly, or a single positioning mistake can be enough to tip the duel one way or the other. Knowing the matchup and recognizing the right windows to act are especially important here.
Alistar's Headbutt into Pulverize is targeted and Hwei cannot dodge it, but Alistar has to walk into range first. A Crushing Maw placed in front of the ADC slows and displaces him before the combo.
Alistar engages with a targeted Headbutt into Pulverize: Hwei cannot dodge it. But he has to walk into spell range, and a Visionary who places zones before his arrival slows and displaces him before the combo. The matchup comes down to who fires first.
You can poke him from range as long as he stays out. His ultimate Unbreakable Will soaks your damage during the engage, so your burst only matters afterwards. In teamfights, your space control decides whether his engage reaches your carry.
Poke him with Devastating Fire (QQ) as he steps up, and place Crushing Maw (EE) in front of your ADC to pull him to the wrong spot. Grim Visage (EQ) cuts his Headbutt combo if you cast it before impact. Critical timing: level 2, then level 6 with his ultimate. Avoid standing near a wall, spending Torment before his approach, or fighting during his ultimate. Good signs: he misses his combo, you slow him before the engage, and your ADC stays out of range.
Two immobile support mages who live on their root, Light Binding against Gaze of the Abyss. The first root leads to a full combo on the immobilized target.
Two immobile support mages who live on their root: Light Binding for Lux, Gaze of the Abyss (EW) for Hwei. Lux has a shield for her ADC and a faster ultimate, Hwei has more poke and more controls. Whichever root lands first decides the trade.
The lane is even: every root that lands leads to a full combo on the immobilized target. Your Severing Bolt (QW) deals more damage to an immobilized target, her Final Spark punishes your ADC.
Stay behind your minions against Light Binding and cast Gaze of the Abyss (EW) right after its cooldown. Use Pool of Reflection (WW) to absorb her poke on your ADC. Chain root, QW then Devastating Fire (QQ) for Signature of the Visionary. Critical timing: level 2, then level 6. Avoid opening Torment while her Light Binding is ready, standing in Final Spark's line, or trading without mana. Good signs: she misses her Q, your root lands, and your ADC takes the lead.
Zyra and Hwei both control the bot lane with zones and a root. Molten Fissure clears her seeds, her plants punish him for standing still, and the first root decides.
Zyra and Hwei both control space with zones and a root. Her plants deal heavy damage if you stand still, your Molten Fissure (QE) clears her seeds and punishes her movement. The duel is about who owns the ground in front of the wave.
You cannot stand still in her plants, and she cannot stand in your zones. Grasping Roots against Gaze of the Abyss (EW): the first root swings the bot lane trade.
Use Molten Fissure (QE) to destroy her seeds before she activates her plants. Keep Pool of Reflection (WW) to absorb her poke. Place Gaze of the Abyss (EW) on her paths to punish her when she steps up. Critical timing: level 2, then level 6 with Stranglethorns. Avoid standing in her plants, opening Torment before her root, or fighting inside her ultimate. Good signs: you clear her seeds, your root lands before hers, and your ADC keeps his health.
Seraphine and Hwei play the same role in the bot lane: poke, shield and zone control. Neither has a dash, so the first control spell that lands decides.
Seraphine and Hwei play the same role: poke, shield and zone control. Surround Sound protects her ADC like your Pool of Reflection (WW), and Encore crosses the lane like your ultimate. Neither has a dash, so the first crowd control that lands decides.
Trades are even and depend on mana management. Your Severing Bolt (QW) hits from further than her High Note, but her shield cancels part of your poke on her ADC.
Poke her with Severing Bolt (QW) while her W is on cooldown. Use Gaze of the Abyss (EW) to root her before her Beat Drop. Stirring Lights (WE) restores mana so you can hold lane longer. Critical timing: level 2, then level 6 with Encore. Avoid lining up behind your ADC against Encore, poking into her ready shield, or spending all your mana before level 6. Good signs: you root her, her shield is on cooldown, and your ADC takes the lead.
Other matchups
These champions generally struggle to answer your main strengths, which lets you approach the matchup with more freedom. You often have several ways to pressure them and force trades that go in your favor. Use this advantage to dictate the pace rather than giving them time to get back into a comfortable position.
Sona is fragile, dashless and has to walk up to poke, into Hwei's longer range and three crowd controls. Her healing cannot keep up with Devastating Fire's max-health damage.
Sona is fragile, dashless and has to walk up to poke with Hymn of Valor. Hwei hits her from further away, and his three crowd controls turn every step forward into a lost trade. Her healing cannot keep up with Devastating Fire (QQ) and its max-health damage.
You control the tempo: she cannot poke without entering your range. Her ultimate Crescendo stays dangerous in grouped fights, but in lane you keep the edge as long as you are not caught.
Poke her with Devastating Fire (QQ) and Severing Bolt (QW) every time she steps up. Gaze of the Abyss (EW) roots her for a full combo. Keep Pool of Reflection (WW) for her Crescendo. Critical timing: levels 1 to 5, then level 6 with her ultimate. Avoid stacking with your ADC against Crescendo, poking mana away without a target, or playing without vision of her jungler. Good signs: she has to recall, you take priority, and your ADC farms in peace.
An attached Yuumi cannot reach Hwei and her ADC takes all his poke, draining her mana on heals. The moment she detaches, Gaze of the Abyss roots a fragile target with no escape.
An attached Yuumi cannot reach you, and her ADC takes all your poke. As soon as she detaches she is a fragile target with no escape. Hwei sets the pressure, and the enemy duo has to back off since they cannot trade.
You take free trades on her ADC: Devastating Fire (QQ) and Severing Bolt (QW) force Yuumi's heals, which drain her mana. The lane is yours if you keep the pressure constant.
Poke her host with QQ and QW from level 1, then chain a second, different spell to detonate Signature of the Visionary. If Yuumi detaches, cast Gaze of the Abyss (EW) to root her. Critical timing: levels 1 to 5, then her level 6. Avoid letting the wave crash under your tower, fighting her ADC without your ADC next to you, or ignoring her jungler. Good signs: her ADC loses health, she detaches to protect herself, and your team takes priority.
Janna peels engage well, but Hwei does not engage: he pokes from range. Eye of the Storm absorbs one trade, not three, and Stirring Lights keeps his mana ahead of hers.
Janna peels well against engage, but Hwei does not engage: he pokes from range. Eye of the Storm absorbs one trade, not three, and her Howling Gale is slow to cast. The Visionary wears down the enemy duo without ever stepping into her control zone.
You take long-range trades she cannot punish. Her shield protects her ADC, but her mana runs out faster than yours thanks to Stirring Lights (WE).
Poke with Devastating Fire (QQ) and Severing Bolt (QW) while her shield is on cooldown. Keep Gaze of the Abyss (EW) to root her if she walks up for Zephyr. Critical timing: levels 1 to 5, then her level 6 with Monsoon. Avoid casting your ultimate while she has Monsoon ready, poking into her ready shield, or playing too close to her tornado. Good signs: her shield is on cooldown, her ADC loses health, and you keep wave control.
Lulu has to stand close to her ADC to use Whimsy and Help, Pix!, well inside Hwei's much longer poke range. Wild Growth saves a burst but does not answer his constant pressure.
Lulu is a short-range enchanter: Whimsy and Help, Pix! have to be cast close to her ADC. Hwei hits her from much further away, and his zones force her to choose between protecting her ADC and staying safe. The Visionary wears the duo down without entering her range.
You win the poke trades from level 1. Her ultimate Wild Growth saves her ADC from a burst, but does not answer your constant poke.
Poke her with Devastating Fire (QQ) and Severing Bolt (QW) when she steps up to protect her ADC. Gaze of the Abyss (EW) roots her if she walks in. Save your ultimate for after Wild Growth. Critical timing: levels 1 to 5, then her level 6. Avoid spending your burst on a shielded ADC, standing in Whimsy range, or playing without vision of her jungler. Good signs: she loses health on every trade, your ADC takes priority, and the enemy duo has to back off.
Buy these items to reduce this champion's effectiveness in your games.
Hwei’s counters are not the champions who deal the most damage, but those who reach him without walking through his zones. Hwei has no dash or blink: any champion able to close the gap while his Torment is on cooldown puts him in danger. Understanding his counters means understanding when his Subjects are empty.
The first matchup analyses available for patch 7.3 name Zed, Fizz and Kassadin as the hardest, followed by Katarina, Yasuo, Irelia, Ahri, Zoe and Vel'Koz. These are kit readings and early feedback from specialised sites, not measured win rates. The common thread is clear: mobility, burst or range that outpaces his zones. On the other hand, Veigar, Swain, Twisted Fate, Ryze, Mel, Orianna, Vladimir and Aurelion Sol offer more predictable positioning that Hwei can punish with QE, EW and QW.
These champions reach Hwei in a split second, often ignoring his ground zones. Since his fear (EQ) is his only real anti-engage tool and shares its cooldown with EE and EW, an assassin who waits for him to spend his Torment finds a defenceless mage.
How the champion adapts. Keep Torment loaded for the assassin’s arrival, play behind the wave, take Barrier or Stasis Enchant and clear with Disaster rather than Torment.
Their repeated dashes make QE and EE hard to place, and they can go through the wave to reach Hwei. Kassadin also scales over time and blunts his ability to poke.
How the champion adapts. Pressure early against scaling champions, save EE or EQ for their last dash, and never throw QE through the wave when Irelia can use it to get in.
Zed is the matchup most often cited as difficult for Hwei. His ultimate puts him in contact without going through your zones, and his shadows make EW and EE unreliable. Keep Torment for the moment he appears behind you, keep Flash or Barrier for his ultimate, and clear the wave with Disaster. Your goal is to survive until grouped fights, not to beat him in a duel.
Veigar is among the matchups considered favourable: he is slow, has no mobility, and his cage can be read from a distance. Hwei can poke him out of range with QQ and QE, and a QW on an isolated Veigar hurts a lot. Just be careful not to walk into his cage: if you stay at max range, you dictate the lane while he tries to farm his stacks.
Early feedback on patch 7.3 mainly cites Zed, Fizz and Kassadin, then Katarina, Yasuo, Irelia, Ahri, Zoe and Vel'Koz. These are champions who reach him quickly or outrange him. They are kit readings and specialised-site opinions, not measured statistics yet.
Keep Torment loaded for his arrival, clear the wave with WE and Disaster, and take Barrier or Stasis Enchant. Play behind your minions, stay close to your jungler after level 5 and aim to survive until grouped fights, where your zones regain their value.
Against low-mobility, predictable mages: Veigar, Swain, Twisted Fate, Ryze, Mel, Orianna, Vladimir and Aurelion Sol are the most often cited. Hwei can poke them from range, punish them with QW when they are isolated and control their paths with QE and EW.
The classic answers to magic damage: Force of Nature, Spirit Visage, Maw of Malmortius, Mercury's Treads and Stasis Enchant. Against a team stacking magic resist, Void Staff becomes a priority in your build.
