Mid Matchup

Smolder vs Sylas

Patch: 15.18 (25.18)
League: Platinum+
Smolder

Smolder

the Fiery Fledgling
Mid
Smolder Mid Overall Win Rate
48.19%

Matchup Win Rate

49.9%
Smolder vs Sylas Wins
⚔
50.1%
Sylas vs Smolder Wins
Sylas

Sylas

the Unshackled
Mid
Sylas Mid Overall Win Rate
49.96%

Smolder vs Sylas - Mid Matchup Guide Patch 15.18 (25.18)

Smolder Mid vs Sylas Mid - Who is stronger?

Smolder Mid struggles against Sylas (49.9% win rate) based on 490 games. This matchup can be tricky for Smolder players.

View detailed statistics below: items, runes, and counter builds for Smolder Mid vs Sylas Mid in patch 15.18 (25.18), including win rates and pick rates. With proper study, this can improve your chances of victory up to 70%+ in this matchup.

Statistical Matchup Analysis

With 1.4% popularity, Smolder constantly encounters meta-dominant Sylas (7.3%, 3rd place out of 61 Mid champions). Understanding how to play against this popular champion becomes essential for consistent Smolder performance in the current patch. Every edge matters: In this tough matchup, the proven Fleet Footwork + Presence of Mind combination (50.3% win rate) plus optimal itemization Trinity Force, Spear of Shojin, Infinity Edge, and Ionian Boots of Lucidity boosts your chances from 49.9% to 70%+ - potentially game-changing.

Farm your way back: Smolder's superior farming (7.32 vs 5.89/min, 12th among Mid) offers a comeback path. Focus on safe CSing and capitalize on your 1.43 CS/min natural advantage. Damage doesn't equal wins: Smolder outputs more damage (895 vs 888/min, 2nd place) but still loses the matchup. The issue likely lies in survivability, mobility, or damage timing rather than raw output. Complete dominance by Sylas: leads in both matchup win rate (50.1%) and KDA (2.10 vs 2.00, 50th vs 53rd place). Smolder players need exceptional preparation to overcome this counter-pick.

Smolder vs Sylas - Mid Stats Comparison

Smolder Mid
Smolder Mid		Versus
Sylas Mid
Sylas Mid
DTierB+
49.9%Matchup Winrate50.1%
48.19%Role Winrate49.96%
#56Winrate Rank#42
1.4%Pickrate7.3%
2.0Average KDA2.1
433Gold per Minute386
7.32CS/Min5.89
0.28Wards per Minute0.33
895Damage per Minute888

How to Beat Sylas as Smolder (Mid)

Despite the slight difference in effectiveness, in the Smolder versus Sylas matchup in the mid lane, 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, Smolder deals physical damage. Focus on eliminating enemy carries. Meanwhile, Sylas deals primarily magic damage (90.84%), additional magic resistance may be required.

An important advantage of Smolder is higher farming statistics (ranked 12th among role champions) (versus 52nd for Sylas), which provides a stable gold advantage in extended games and allows faster access to key items. Meanwhile, their higher KDA (2.1 versus 2.0) suggests they participate more effectively in team fights.

Key aspects of the Smolder Mid versus Sylas Mid matchup

In this difficult confrontation, it is critically important for the Smolder player to avoid attempts to force trades and all-ins with the Sylas 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.

Smolder vs Sylas: Mid Lane Summoner Spells

Most Popular

Flash
Flash Teleports you a short distance toward your cursor.
Teleport
Teleport After a brief channel, become untargetable and travel to an allied unit. Upgrades into Unleashed Teleport, which significantly increases travel speed.
48.7% Win Rate85.4% 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.
54.9% Win Rate3.1% Pick Rate

Smolder vs Sylas: Mid Lane Runes

Most Frequent Runes

Primary Path
Precision
Fleet Footwork
Fleet Footwork Attacking and moving builds Energy stacks. At 100 stacks, your next attack is Energized

Energized attacks heal you for 10 - 130 (+0.1 Bonus AD, +0.05 AP) and grant 20% Move Speed for 1s.

For Ranged Champions, Healing is 60% effective and Move Speed is 75% effective. All healing is 15% effective against Minions.

Fleet Footwork

Attacking and moving builds Energy stacks. At 100 stacks, your next attack is EnergizedEn…

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: Haste
Legend: Haste Gain 1.5 basic ability haste for every Legend stack (max 10 stacks).

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

Legend: Haste

Gain 1.5 basic ability haste for every Legend stack (max 10 stacks).Earn progre…

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
Transcendence
Transcendence Gain bonuses upon reaching the following levels:
Level 5: +5 Ability Haste
Level 8: +5 Ability Haste
Level 11: On Champion takedown, reduce the remaining cooldown of basic abilities by 20%.

Transcendence

Gain bonuses upon reaching the following levels:Level 5: +5 Ability Haste Level…

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
Scaling Cooldown Reduction
Scaling Cooldown Reduction +8 Ability Haste

Scaling Cooldown Reduction

+8 Ability Haste

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

Adaptive Force

Grants 9 Attack Damage or 9 Ability Power

+65 Health
+65 Health +65 Health

+65 Health

+65 Health

50.3% Win Rate33.7% Pick Rate

Best Win Rate Runes

Primary Path
Precision
Fleet Footwork
Fleet Footwork Attacking and moving builds Energy stacks. At 100 stacks, your next attack is Energized

Energized attacks heal you for 10 - 130 (+0.1 Bonus AD, +0.05 AP) and grant 20% Move Speed for 1s.

For Ranged Champions, Healing is 60% effective and Move Speed is 75% effective. All healing is 15% effective against Minions.

Fleet Footwork

Attacking and moving builds Energy stacks. At 100 stacks, your next attack is EnergizedEn…

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: Haste
Legend: Haste Gain 1.5 basic ability haste for every Legend stack (max 10 stacks).

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

Legend: Haste

Gain 1.5 basic ability haste for every Legend stack (max 10 stacks).Earn progre…

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
Transcendence
Transcendence Gain bonuses upon reaching the following levels:
Level 5: +5 Ability Haste
Level 8: +5 Ability Haste
Level 11: On Champion takedown, reduce the remaining cooldown of basic abilities by 20%.

Transcendence

Gain bonuses upon reaching the following levels:Level 5: +5 Ability Haste Level…

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
Scaling Cooldown Reduction
Scaling Cooldown Reduction +8 Ability Haste

Scaling Cooldown Reduction

+8 Ability Haste

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

Adaptive Force

Grants 9 Attack Damage or 9 Ability Power

+65 Health
+65 Health +65 Health

+65 Health

+65 Health

50.3% Win Rate33.7% Pick Rate

Smolder vs Sylas: Mid Lane 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.
43.9% Win Rate79.9% Pick Rate
Popular Boots
Ionian Boots of Lucidity
Ionian Boots of Lucidity (900 gold) 10 Ability Haste
45 Move Speed
Ionian Insight
Gain 10 Summoner Spell Haste.
48.1% Win Rate53.8% Pick Rate
Boots of Swiftness
Boots of Swiftness (1000 gold) 60 Move Speed
Fleetfooted
Reduce the effectiveness of Slows by 25%.
47.9% Win Rate27.4% Pick Rate
Mercury's Treads
Mercury's Treads (1250 gold) 20 Magic Resist
45 Move Speed
30% Tenacity
55.0% Win Rate8.2% Pick Rate
Core Build
Caulfield's Warhammer
Caulfield's Warhammer (1050 gold) 20 Attack Damage
10 Ability Haste
->
Essence Reaver
Essence Reaver (2900 gold) 60 Attack Damage
15 Ability Haste
25% Critical Strike Chance
Essence Drain
Attacks grant ManaOn-Hit.
Spear of Shojin
Spear of Shojin (3100 gold) 45 Attack Damage
450 Health
Dragonforce
Gain 25 Basic Ability Haste.
Focused Will
Dealing damage with Abilities increases your Champion's Ability and Passive damage by 3% for 6 seconds. (stacks 4 times).
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.
54.8% Win Rate17.4% Pick Rate
Final Build
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.
57.6% Win Rate23.3% 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.
Doran's Ring
Doran's Ring (400 gold) 18 Ability Power
90 Health
Restoration
Restore 1.25 Mana every second. If you can't gain Mana, restore 0.55 Health instead.
Helping Hand
Attacks deal 5 bonus physical damage to minions.
Health Potion
Health Potion (50 gold) Consume
Restores 120 Health over 15 seconds.
80.7% Win Rate3.0% Pick Rate
Highest Winrate Boots
Berserker's Greaves
Berserker's Greaves (1100 gold) 25% Attack Speed
45 Move Speed
98.9% Win Rate0.3% Pick Rate
Mercury's Treads
Mercury's Treads (1250 gold) 20 Magic Resist
45 Move Speed
30% Tenacity
55.0% Win Rate8.2% Pick Rate
Plated Steelcaps
Plated Steelcaps (1200 gold) 25 Armor
45 Move Speed
Plating
Reduces incoming damage from Attacks by 10%.
49.5% Win Rate2.3% Pick Rate
Core Build
Sheen
Sheen (900 gold) 10 Ability Haste
Spellblade
After using an Ability, your next Attack deals bonus physical damageOn-Hit.
->
Trinity Force
Trinity Force (3333 gold) 36 Attack Damage
30% Attack Speed
333 Health
15 Ability Haste
Spellblade
After using an Ability, your next Attack deals bonus physical damageOn-Hit.

Quicken
Attacking grants 20 Move Speed for 2 seconds.
Spear of Shojin
Spear of Shojin (3100 gold) 45 Attack Damage
450 Health
Dragonforce
Gain 25 Basic Ability Haste.
Focused Will
Dealing damage with Abilities increases your Champion's Ability and Passive damage by 3% for 6 seconds. (stacks 4 times).
Infinity Edge
Infinity Edge (3450 gold) 65 Attack Damage
25% Critical Strike Chance
40% Critical Strike Damage
100.0% Win Rate1.5% Pick Rate
Final Build
Maw of Malmortius
Maw of Malmortius (3100 gold) 60 Attack Damage
15 Ability Haste
40 Magic Resist
Lifeline
Taking magic damage that would reduce your Health below 30% grants a magic damage Shield for 3 seconds and 10% Omnivamp until end of combat.
99.5% Win Rate3.4% Pick Rate
Other Items
Infinity Edge
Infinity Edge (3450 gold) 65 Attack Damage
25% Critical Strike Chance
40% Critical Strike Damage
62.0% Win Rate13.5% 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.
14.1% Win Rate11.7% Pick Rate
Bloodthirster
Bloodthirster (3400 gold) 80 Attack Damage
15% Life Steal
Ichorshield
Convert excess healing from your Lifesteal to a Shield.
83.2% Win Rate10.1% Pick Rate
Lord Dominik's Regards
Lord Dominik's Regards (3100 gold) 35 Attack Damage
40% Armor Penetration
25% Critical Strike Chance
50.5% Win Rate6.7% Pick Rate
Maw of Malmortius
Maw of Malmortius (3100 gold) 60 Attack Damage
15 Ability Haste
40 Magic Resist
Lifeline
Taking magic damage that would reduce your Health below 30% grants a magic damage Shield for 3 seconds and 10% Omnivamp until end of combat.
99.5% Win Rate3.4% Pick Rate
Jak'Sho, The Protean
Jak'Sho, The Protean (3200 gold) 350 Health
45 Armor
45 Magic Resist
Voidborn Resilience
After 5 seconds of champion combat, increase your bonus Armor and Magic Resist by 30% until end of combat.
49.9% Win Rate3.4% 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.
49.1% Win Rate3.3% Pick Rate

Smolder vs Sylas: Mid Lane 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
Super Scorcher Breath Smolder breathes fire on an enemy. As he gains more stacks, this ability becomes more powerful.
Q
Q
Q
Q
Q
W
W
Achooo! Smolder lets out an adorable flaming sneeze that explodes when hitting enemy champions.
W
W
W
W
W
E
E
Flap, Flap, Flap Smolder takes flight ignoring terrain and bombarding the lowest health enemy.
E
E
E
E
E
R
R
MMOOOMMMM! Smolder calls his mom to breath fire from above, dealing extra damage and slowing enemies in the center of her fire.
R
R
R
Max Order: Q > W > E
51.2% Win Rate51.3% 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
Super Scorcher Breath Smolder breathes fire on an enemy. As he gains more stacks, this ability becomes more powerful.
Q
Q
Q
Q
Q
R
W
Achooo! Smolder lets out an adorable flaming sneeze that explodes when hitting enemy champions.
W
W
W
W
W
R
E
Flap, Flap, Flap Smolder takes flight ignoring terrain and bombarding the lowest health enemy.
E
E
E
E
E
R
R
MMOOOMMMM! Smolder calls his mom to breath fire from above, dealing extra damage and slowing enemies in the center of her fire.
R
R
R
Max Order: Q > W > E
98.6% Win Rate1.1% Pick Rate

Smolder tips:

  • Smolder has a vulnerable early game. Focus on passive stacking and staying alive to become a strong dragon later!
  • Smolder relies on his team to keep him safe. Try to find allies who can help you against enemy threats.
  • Smolder can do a lot of damage to areas of enemies. Look for attack opportunities where the enemies are close together.

Playing Against Sylas

  • Sylas's healthbar can be deceptive, watch out for his Kingslayer!
  • Try to fight Sylas when he isn't able to take your ultimate.

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