Akshan Ultimate Guide - Counters, Build, Runes & Playstyle

What do Akshans Abilities Do?

Akshan's kit is an intricate tapestry of agile moves and retribution-fueled strikes. Let's delve into his abilities:

Passive: Dirty Fighting - Akshan's basic attacks alternate between standard attacks and angled shots, each dealing varying damage. The angled shots, when used strategically, allow him to target enemies behind cover.

Q: Avengerang - Akshan hurls a boomerang-like projectile that damages enemies on the way out and the way back. Catching the projectile reduces the cooldown, promoting a dynamic and engaging playstyle.

W: Going Rogue - Akshan grapples to a terrain, gaining a significant movement speed boost and a brief shield. This ability provides the mobility needed to traverse the battlefield and escape or engage as the situation demands.

E: Heroic Swing - Akshan swings on a rope, launching himself towards a location and firing at the nearest enemy, dealing damage and slowing them. This skill offers both a gap-closer and a means to kite enemies.

R: Comeuppance - Akshan's ultimate targets an enemy champion's killer. Upon activation, he blasts a shot in that direction, damaging enemies along the way. A successful takedown reduces the cooldown, enabling strategic repositioning or subsequent strikes.

Akshan Ability Skill Order

Here you can see full skill order for Akshan in the Top lane.

Q - Pretty good poke and the way to last his minions so you should always take it first.

W - Most of the time you are wanting to get it on your 4th level if not 7th since you won't use it that much in the top lane.

E - Take hook always second since this will be the main source of your damage as well as Q.

R - Always take it when you can, but remember that minions and towers can block it so only useful if you can manage it well.

Summoner Spells

1. Flash is a must have in most champions in League of Legends anyway since it can be used offensively or defensively which makes it a great choice for most champions and well Akshan too!

2. Ignite amazing choice for Akshan against any champion since it's the usual set up that works against all matchups in the top lane.

Akshan Runes

Primary Path - Precision:

Press the Attack - It's so good with Akshans passive to proc it super easy, and the burst damage in short trades is nice. 

Presence of Mind - Good since Akshan struggles with mana when spamming his abilities a lot.

Legend: Bloodline - Can be also swapped for Alacrity if you do not like the heal.

Cut Down - Good for tanky team comps, you can swap it if enemy doesn't have a single tank champion.

Second Path - Domination

Taste of Blood - Good source of healing from first auto attack in lane.

Relentless Hunter - You will always be everywhere needed and to make sure you are, you need the movement speed so always take relentless hunter.

Stat Shards

+10% Attack Speed - Always good on range champions especially to last hit more easily.

+9 Adaptive (5.4 AD or 9 AP) - Since you are not a tank and you are an assassin mage you do want to go adaptive shard to gain that 9 Ability Power.

+15-140 HP (lvls 1-18) - Always good into anything, it scales super good as well but you can always change it for armor or magic resists, if you prefer.

Akshan Build / Items to Buy:

Start Items

So you will only have two choices for starting items for Akshan since he is an aggressive pick and he won't be buying Doran Shield that's for sure!

Doran's Blade - Ideal starting item especially if you are starting to learn Akshan.

Long Sword - Super good to get Noonquiver and on top of that you will have more damage then a Dorans Blade but no health from it so remember that.

Health Potions - When you take the long sword and three Health Potions you will actually benefit quite a lot in terms of sastain in lane.

Akshan First Back Items

First Back 1375 Gold - Ideal

If you plan to win the lane you hopefully have a kill and a lot of gold to spent if so then it's great to build Noonquiver as fast as possible due to it's power and many options that you can build it to.

If Under 1375 Gold - Normal

Then buy the necessary long sword, boots definitely for your first back to get back to lane as quick as possible a long with a refillable potion if possible.

Akshan Full Press The Attack Build

Mythic - Guinsoo's Rageblade

Kraken Slayer - is always your friend even when it's not a mythic anymore it should be built first and then into Guinsoo.

Blade of the Ruined King - Super good first item if you are playing against a tank champion in the top lane such as Ornn, Malphite or even Rammus.

Berserker's Greaves - Amazing shoes that give you a lot of attack speed and mobility, only build them if you are in no danger of getting one shotted.

The Collector - Amazing item always since it has been buffed recently in [Patch 13.14], you should always have it in your build at the moment.

Guardian Angel - It's optional but super useful since most of  the time you will jump into people and you could get bursted down quite quickly, so the GA would allow your team to catch on and you hopefully will survive.

Akshan Counters

Rengar

Rengar is an assassin who thrives on bursting down squishy targets quickly and sadly Akshan is one of them.His stealth mechanics and burst damage can be particularly effective. His high burst damage from abilities like (Q) and empowered attacks from his passive, can quickly eliminate Akshan if he's caught alone. Rengar's ability to engage and assassinate from stealth can make it challenging for Akshan to react and reposition effectively since Rengar can revile him while Akshan is on his W.

Naafiri

Naafiri was added quite recently and her burst damage is one of a kind. Most of the time in lower brackets people wont be able to make off her full potential so you do not have to be scared of her if you are in lowers ranks. However she is a great burst champion that can easily win most of the fights with you, even while being a melee assassin.

Pantheon

Pantheon is a moster in the early game, known for his aggressive playstyle and high burst damage. His Q, can be spammed for poke and harassment in the laning phase, making it difficult to farm safely. A long  with his passive Pantheon can quite quickly burst down Akshan and one shot him even with just half of an item. Additionally Pantheons W is a targeted stun that can interrupt Akshan's combos and lock him down.

Gragas

Gragas is a versatile tanky mage who can disrupt and control teamfights. His crowd control abilities, such as his Body Slam (E), can disrupt Akshan's positioning and prevent him from repositioning effectively. Gragas's burst damage and sustain from his passive, can make trading with Akshan in lane favorable for Gragas all the time, and if he builds AP then he can one shot Akshan easily.

Riven

Riven is a high damage melee champion but only good in hands of a good player so remember that. Riven's kit includes multiple dashes and crowd control abilities that can make it difficult for Akshan to land his skill shots or escape her engage most of the time. She could also 100 to 0 Akshan if she is just 1 kill a head regardless if you are low on health or full.. Riven's ability to close the gap quickly and unleash a burst of damage can catch Akshan by surprise and lead to quick surrender vote.