Theres no doubt to anyone in the league community that Irelia is an oddity; she has consistently held a low winrate as a champion even when she is strong. There are many specific theories as to why, though there is a general understanding that Irelia requires you to be build different in someway. I believe you must be able to take opportunities on Irelia just as fast as you see them. I believe you must also be a very flexible player in how you make decisions in order to play her.

Examples of opportunities

- Look to stack waves and then dive using 5 stacks and your burst. A one for one will almost always extremely benefit you due to the crashing wave.

- After completion of Spike Items, being Blade of the Ruined King, Wits end, and lastly Deaths Dance, look to take riskier fights around minions to heal off of. Baiting your enemies into false confidence is a surprisingly common and easy task to achieve as Irelia.

- Look to take trades after the completion of Vamp Scepter, and any further items after that if you have priority over the wave. This allows you to take meaningful trades and then to heal back.

- Look to Ultimate a group in teamfights, simply to get the AOE damage and slow. This can greatly benefit your team! Dashing in to int on the otherhand does not.

- Look to hide animations as much as you can. This includes but isn't limited to: Using E during Q animation, using E2 and W at the same time, using E on top of yourself during combos during a Q animation to get instant resets among many more.

- Never, NEVER, autopilot your dashes. Dash with intent. Always look to be able to turn with your dashes/stacks, but always look for how you can escape with your dashes. A inflexible mind is not one well suited for Irelia.

- Usually throwing out your E1 behind the target and E2 on top of yourself is ideal. Also, the closer you throw E2 to yourself the faster it procs.

- Manage your mana for your stacks and manage the minions for your stacks. Don't overdo it.

- W is useful to tank a single tower shot in just a tap; or more if needed by holding it down.

- Again, Irelia is all about her passive stacks and using Q resets. Prioritize your passive in Fights.

- Limit test as much as you can! You have to push every number in Irelia's kit to its limit and then its mechanics. Get a full understanding of the champion.

- Think for yourself. Don't let any guide tell you exactly how to play. Create a playstyle variation that works with you.

- Don't give up, and be humble. You are going to get better at Irelia, the more games you play. She is a hard champion to master for anyone, even the pros. At the same time, do not get cocky when playing her and think when you get stuck it is anyone's fault but your own. Always seek to improve.

- BE PATIENT. Many matchups require you to be patient for your stacks on your passive and your marks.

During the laning phase the main winning factors for Irelia will be her passive, and the early sustain she has. Taking trades with 5 stacks and a vamp scepter is very powerful if you have priority over the wave as you can heal back up. Look to start every fight already having 5 stacks, and adequate positioning. This can be easily achieved by dashing to a low minion next to the target while having 4 stacks. After this you can use your E and then look for an all in or simply dash back to the wave, low minion or not. Managing your stacks by autoing the enemy laner or q'ing the wave is essential to keep pressure up in many matchups, such as the Camille one. Laning phase can be won from attrition, good trades (whether it be one for one dives or simply denying a wave), and all ins. Planning to make a much more well thought out in depth guide in the future.