ADC Matchup

Caitlyn vs Smolder

Patch: 15.24 (25.24)
League: Platinum+
Caitlyn

Caitlyn

the Sheriff of Piltover
ADC
Caitlyn ADC Overall Win Rate
49.36%

Matchup Win Rate

48.1%
Caitlyn vs Smolder Wins
52.0%
Smolder vs Caitlyn Wins
Smolder

Smolder

the Fiery Fledgling
ADC
Smolder ADC Overall Win Rate
51.59%

Caitlyn vs Smolder - ADC Matchup Guide Patch 15.24 (25.24)

Caitlyn ADC vs Smolder ADC - Who is stronger?

Caitlyn ADC has trouble against Smolder (48.1% win rate) based on 3458 games. This is a tough matchup for Caitlyn players.

View detailed statistics below: items, runes, and counter builds for Caitlyn ADC vs Smolder ADC in patch 15.24 (25.24), including win rates and pick rates. With proper study, this can improve your chances of victory up to 55.1% in this matchup.

Statistical Matchup Analysis

Current meta showdown: Caitlyn (14.3% pick rate, 4th most popular out of 30 ADC champions) versus Smolder (10.8%, 8th place). These two bot lane titans clash constantly, making matchup mastery a decisive factor in your climb. Every edge matters: In this tough matchup, the proven Lethal Tempo + Presence of Mind combination (47.4% win rate) plus optimal itemization Yun Tal Wildarrows, Infinity Edge, Rapid Firecannon, and Berserker's Greaves boosts your chances from 48.1% to 55.1% - potentially game-changing.

Farm your way back: Caitlyn's superior farming (6.91 vs 6.79/min, 11th among ADC) offers a comeback path. Focus on safe CSing and capitalize on your 0.12 CS/min natural advantage. Outclassed across the board: Smolder leads in both matchup win rate (52.0%) and damage (998 vs 898/min). Caitlyn must seek alternative win conditions through macro play and team coordination. Complete dominance by Smolder: leads in both matchup win rate (52.0%) and KDA (2.40 vs 2.10, 11th vs 27th place). Caitlyn players need exceptional preparation to overcome this counter-pick.

Caitlyn vs Smolder - ADC Stats Comparison

Caitlyn ADC
Caitlyn ADC
Versus
Smolder ADC
Smolder ADC
B+TierA+
48.1%Matchup Winrate52.0%
49.36%Role Winrate51.59%
#19Winrate Rank#10
14.3%Pickrate10.8%
2.1Average KDA2.4
459Gold per Minute446
6.91CS/Min6.79
0.28Wards per Minute0.33
898Damage per Minute998

How to Beat Smolder as Caitlyn (ADC)

Despite the slight difference in effectiveness, in the Caitlyn versus Smolder matchup as ADC, neither champion has an overwhelming advantage. The winner is determined by player skill and understanding the intricacies of the confrontation. Studying this guide will improve your chances of success.

Except for rare builds, Caitlyn deals physical damage. Focus on eliminating enemy carries. Smolder deals mainly physical damage (72.95%), additional items against this damage type may be required against snowballing or aggressive play.

An important advantage of Caitlyn is higher farming statistics (ranked 11th among role champions) (versus 14th for Smolder), which provides a stable gold advantage in extended games and allows faster access to key items. Meanwhile, their higher KDA (2.4 versus 2.1) suggests they participate more effectively in team fights.

Key aspects of the Caitlyn ADC versus Smolder ADC matchup

In this difficult confrontation, it is critically important for the Caitlyn player to avoid attempts to force trades and all-ins with the Smolder player, as the matchup requires a patient and calculated approach. Extended trades without clear tactical advantage often lead to unfavorable consequences, and ignoring opportunities to receive team support can be a fatal mistake for game progression.

Caitlyn vs Smolder: ADC Summoner Spells

Most Popular

Flash
Flash Teleports you a short distance toward your cursor.
Barrier
Barrier Gain a brief Shield.
45.9% Win Rate89.7% Pick Rate

Highest Win Rate

Exhaust
Exhaust Slows target enemy champion and reduces their damage dealt.
Flash
Flash Teleports you a short distance toward your cursor.
55.6% Win Rate1.0% Pick Rate

Caitlyn vs Smolder: ADC Runes

Most Frequent Runes

Primary Path
Precision
Lethal Tempo
Lethal Tempo Attacking an enemy champion grants you [6% Melee || 4% Ranged] Attack Speed for 6 seconds, up to 6. At max stacks, deal [9 - 30 Melee || 6 - 24 Ranged] bonus adaptive damage On-Attack, increased by 1% per 1% Bonus Attack Speed.

Lethal Tempo

Attacking an enemy champion grants you [6% Melee || 4% Ranged] Attack Speed for 6 seconds…

Presence of Mind
Presence of Mind Damaging an enemy champion restores 6-50 (80% for ranged) mana or 6 energy.

Takedowns restore 15% of your maximum mana or energy.

Cooldown for damage restoration: 8s

Presence of Mind

Damaging an enemy champion restores 6-50 (80% for ranged) mana or 6 energy.Take…

Legend: Bloodline
Legend: Bloodline Gain 0.35% Life Steal for every Legend stack (max 15 stacks). At maximum Legend stacks, gain 85 max health.

Earn progress toward Legend stacks for every champion takedown, epic monster takedown, large monster kill, and minion kill.

Legend: Bloodline

Gain 0.35% Life Steal for every Legend stack (max 15 stacks). At maximum Legend…

Coup de Grace
Coup de Grace Deal 8% more damage to champions who have less than 40% health.

Coup de Grace

Deal 8% more damage to champions who have less than 40% health.

Secondary Path
Sorcery
Absolute Focus
Absolute Focus While above 70% health, gain an adaptive bonus of up to 18 Attack Damage or 30 Ability Power (based on level).

Grants 1.8 Attack Damage or 3 Ability Power at level 1.

Absolute Focus

While above 70% health, gain an adaptive bonus of up to 18 Attack Damage or 30 …

Gathering Storm
Gathering Storm Every 10 min gain AP or AD, adaptive.

10 min: + 8 AP or 5 AD
20 min: + 24 AP or 14 AD
30 min: + 48 AP or 29 AD
40 min: + 80 AP or 48 AD
50 min: + 120 AP or 72 AD
60 min: + 168 AP or 101 AD
etc...

Gathering Storm

Every 10 min gain AP or AD, adaptive.10 min: + 8 AP or 5 AD 20 min: + 24 AP or …

Adaptive
Attack Speed
Attack Speed Increases attack speed by 10%

Attack Speed

Increases attack speed by 10%

Adaptive Force
Adaptive Force Grants 9 Attack Damage or 9 Ability Power

Adaptive Force

Grants 9 Attack Damage or 9 Ability Power

Scaling Health
Scaling Health Increases health from 10 to 180 HP across levels 1-18

Scaling Health

Increases health from 10 to 180 HP across levels 1-18

47.4% Win Rate71.7% Pick Rate

Best Win Rate Runes

Primary Path
Precision
Lethal Tempo
Lethal Tempo Attacking an enemy champion grants you [6% Melee || 4% Ranged] Attack Speed for 6 seconds, up to 6. At max stacks, deal [9 - 30 Melee || 6 - 24 Ranged] bonus adaptive damage On-Attack, increased by 1% per 1% Bonus Attack Speed.

Lethal Tempo

Attacking an enemy champion grants you [6% Melee || 4% Ranged] Attack Speed for 6 seconds…

Presence of Mind
Presence of Mind Damaging an enemy champion restores 6-50 (80% for ranged) mana or 6 energy.

Takedowns restore 15% of your maximum mana or energy.

Cooldown for damage restoration: 8s

Presence of Mind

Damaging an enemy champion restores 6-50 (80% for ranged) mana or 6 energy.Take…

Legend: Bloodline
Legend: Bloodline Gain 0.35% Life Steal for every Legend stack (max 15 stacks). At maximum Legend stacks, gain 85 max health.

Earn progress toward Legend stacks for every champion takedown, epic monster takedown, large monster kill, and minion kill.

Legend: Bloodline

Gain 0.35% Life Steal for every Legend stack (max 15 stacks). At maximum Legend…

Coup de Grace
Coup de Grace Deal 8% more damage to champions who have less than 40% health.

Coup de Grace

Deal 8% more damage to champions who have less than 40% health.

Secondary Path
Sorcery
Absolute Focus
Absolute Focus While above 70% health, gain an adaptive bonus of up to 18 Attack Damage or 30 Ability Power (based on level).

Grants 1.8 Attack Damage or 3 Ability Power at level 1.

Absolute Focus

While above 70% health, gain an adaptive bonus of up to 18 Attack Damage or 30 …

Gathering Storm
Gathering Storm Every 10 min gain AP or AD, adaptive.

10 min: + 8 AP or 5 AD
20 min: + 24 AP or 14 AD
30 min: + 48 AP or 29 AD
40 min: + 80 AP or 48 AD
50 min: + 120 AP or 72 AD
60 min: + 168 AP or 101 AD
etc...

Gathering Storm

Every 10 min gain AP or AD, adaptive.10 min: + 8 AP or 5 AD 20 min: + 24 AP or …

Adaptive
Attack Speed
Attack Speed Increases attack speed by 10%

Attack Speed

Increases attack speed by 10%

Adaptive Force
Adaptive Force Grants 9 Attack Damage or 9 Ability Power

Adaptive Force

Grants 9 Attack Damage or 9 Ability Power

Scaling Health
Scaling Health Increases health from 10 to 180 HP across levels 1-18

Scaling Health

Increases health from 10 to 180 HP across levels 1-18

47.4% Win Rate71.7% Pick Rate

Caitlyn vs Smolder: ADC Item Builds

Most Popular Build

Starting Items
Stealth Ward
Stealth Ward (0 gold) Active (210 - 120s, max 2 charges)
Places an Invisible Stealth Ward that grants vision for 90-120 seconds.
Doran's Blade
Doran's Blade (450 gold) 10 Attack Damage
80 Health
3% Life Steal

Health Potion
Health Potion (50 gold) Consume
Restores 120 Health over 15 seconds.
45.1% Win Rate97.1% Pick Rate
Popular Boots
Berserker's Greaves
Berserker's Greaves (1100 gold) 25% Attack Speed
45 Move Speed

46.2% Win Rate83.4% Pick Rate
Boots of Swiftness
Boots of Swiftness (1000 gold) 60 Move Speed
Fleetfooted
Reduce the effectiveness of Slows by 25%.
46.0% Win Rate10.3% Pick Rate
Mercury's Treads
Mercury's Treads (1250 gold) 20 Magic Resist
45 Move Speed
30% Tenacity

60.7% Win Rate0.5% Pick Rate
Core Build
Serrated Dirk
Serrated Dirk (1000 gold) 20 Attack Damage
10 Lethality

->
The Collector
The Collector (3000 gold) 50 Attack Damage
10 Lethality
25% Critical Strike Chance

Death
Your damage executes champions that are below 5% Health.
Taxes
Champion kills grant 25 bonus gold.
Infinity Edge
Infinity Edge (3450 gold) 65 Attack Damage
25% Critical Strike Chance
40% Critical Strike Damage

Rapid Firecannon
Rapid Firecannon (2650 gold) 35% Attack Speed
25% Critical Strike Chance
4% Move Speed

Sharpshooter
Your Energized Attack deals 40 bonus magic damage and gains 35% bonus Attack Range.
52.3% Win Rate17.6% Pick Rate
Final Build
Bloodthirster
Bloodthirster (3400 gold) 80 Attack Damage
15% Life Steal

Ichorshield
Convert excess healing from your Lifesteal to a Shield.
46.6% Win Rate35.2% Pick Rate

Best Win Rate Build

Starting Items
Stealth Ward
Stealth Ward (0 gold) Active (210 - 120s, max 2 charges)
Places an Invisible Stealth Ward that grants vision for 90-120 seconds.
Cull
Cull (450 gold) 7 Attack Damage
Reap
Restore 3 HealthOn-Hit.
Killing minions grants 1 gold, up to 100. Reaching the limit grants another 350 gold.
Health Potion
Health Potion (50 gold) Consume
Restores 120 Health over 15 seconds.
47.5% Win Rate1.3% Pick Rate
Highest Winrate Boots
Plated Steelcaps
Plated Steelcaps (1200 gold) 25 Armor
45 Move Speed

Plating
Reduces incoming damage from Attacks by 10%.
63.2% Win Rate0.5% Pick Rate
Mercury's Treads
Mercury's Treads (1250 gold) 20 Magic Resist
45 Move Speed
30% Tenacity

60.7% Win Rate0.5% Pick Rate
Berserker's Greaves
Berserker's Greaves (1100 gold) 25% Attack Speed
45 Move Speed

46.2% Win Rate83.4% Pick Rate
Core Build
B. F. Sword
B. F. Sword (1300 gold) 40 Attack Damage
->
Yun Tal Wildarrows
Yun Tal Wildarrows (3000 gold) 55 Attack Damage
35% Attack Speed
0% Critical Strike Chance

Practice Makes Lethal
On-Attack, gain Critical Strike Chance permanently up to 25%.
Flurry
On-Attacking an enemy champion, gain 30% Attack Speed for 6 seconds (30 second cooldown).
Attacks reduce this cooldown by 1 second, increased to 2 seconds for Critical Strikes.
Infinity Edge
Infinity Edge (3450 gold) 65 Attack Damage
25% Critical Strike Chance
40% Critical Strike Damage

Rapid Firecannon
Rapid Firecannon (2650 gold) 35% Attack Speed
25% Critical Strike Chance
4% Move Speed

Sharpshooter
Your Energized Attack deals 40 bonus magic damage and gains 35% bonus Attack Range.
55.1% Win Rate5.3% Pick Rate
Final Build
Lord Dominik's Regards
Lord Dominik's Regards (3100 gold) 35 Attack Damage
40% Armor Penetration
25% Critical Strike Chance

60.4% Win Rate6.0% Pick Rate
Other Items
Guardian Angel
Guardian Angel (3200 gold) 55 Attack Damage
45 Armor

Rebirth
Upon taking lethal damage, restores 50% base Health and 100% max Mana after 4 seconds of Stasis.
44.8% Win Rate23.9% Pick Rate
Lord Dominik's Regards
Lord Dominik's Regards (3100 gold) 35 Attack Damage
40% Armor Penetration
25% Critical Strike Chance

60.4% Win Rate6.0% Pick Rate
Mortal Reminder
Mortal Reminder (3300 gold) 35 Attack Damage
35% Armor Penetration
25% Critical Strike Chance

Grievous Wounds
Dealing physical damage applies 40% Wounds to enemy champions for 3 seconds.
57.3% Win Rate2.6% Pick Rate
Mercurial Scimitar
Mercurial Scimitar (3200 gold) 40 Attack Damage
40 Magic Resist
10% Life Steal


ACTIVE
Quicksilver
Removes all crowd control debuffs (excluding Airborne) and grants Move Speed.
59.6% Win Rate2.1% Pick Rate
Yun Tal Wildarrows
Yun Tal Wildarrows (3000 gold) 55 Attack Damage
35% Attack Speed
0% Critical Strike Chance

Practice Makes Lethal
On-Attack, gain Critical Strike Chance permanently up to 25%.
Flurry
On-Attacking an enemy champion, gain 30% Attack Speed for 6 seconds (30 second cooldown).
Attacks reduce this cooldown by 1 second, increased to 2 seconds for Critical Strikes.
55.4% Win Rate2.0% Pick Rate
Edge of Night
Edge of Night (3000 gold) 50 Attack Damage
15 Lethality
250 Health

Annul
Grants a Spell Shield that blocks the next enemy Ability.
49.1% Win Rate1.7% Pick Rate

Caitlyn vs Smolder: ADC Skill (abilities) Orders

Most Frequent Skill Order

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
Q
Q
Piltover Peacemaker Caitlyn revs up her rifle for 1 second to unleash a penetrating shot that deals physical damage (deals less damage to subsequent targets).
Q
Q
Q
Q
Q
W
W
Yordle Snap Trap Caitlyn sets a trap that, when sprung, reveals and immobilizes the enemy champion for 1.5 seconds, granting Caitlyn an empowered Headshot.
W
W
W
W
W
E
E
90 Caliber Net Caitlyn fires a heavy net to slow her target. The recoil knocks Caitlyn back.
E
E
E
E
E
R
R
Ace in the Hole Caitlyn takes time to line up the perfect shot, dealing massive damage to a single target at a huge range. Enemy champions can intercept the bullet for their ally.
R
R
R
Max Order: Q > W > E
46.3% Win Rate48.2% Pick Rate

Highest Win % Skill Order

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
R
Q
Piltover Peacemaker Caitlyn revs up her rifle for 1 second to unleash a penetrating shot that deals physical damage (deals less damage to subsequent targets).
Q
Q
Q
Q
Q
R
W
Yordle Snap Trap Caitlyn sets a trap that, when sprung, reveals and immobilizes the enemy champion for 1.5 seconds, granting Caitlyn an empowered Headshot.
W
W
W
W
W
R
E
90 Caliber Net Caitlyn fires a heavy net to slow her target. The recoil knocks Caitlyn back.
E
E
E
E
E
R
R
Ace in the Hole Caitlyn takes time to line up the perfect shot, dealing massive damage to a single target at a huge range. Enemy champions can intercept the bullet for their ally.
R
R
R
Max Order: Q > W > E
51.7% Win Rate0.9% Pick Rate

Caitlyn tips:

  • Make use of her Yordle Snap Traps by placing them pre-emptively to ensure that you'll have one off of cooldown during combat.
  • Avoid using Ace in the Hole in large team melees as it might be blocked by the wrong target.
  • Fire 90 Caliber Net away from the opponent to close the gap or hop over walls.

Playing Against Smolder

  • Smolder relies on his team for safety. Attack him when his team can't save him.
  • Don't group up when facing Smolder!
  • Smolder is very vulnerable in the early stages. Try to take advantage of his weakness before he can learn how to be a dragon!
  • Smolders flight can be interrupted by hard CC and impacted by slows.