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Because she can slow you the entire time, keep her distance when you get close with her w and catch you off with ult. She is just impossible to lane against
Draven
The only champion that can match kalista's early game, hence why he is very difficult to beat. Since he is more single target based early game while kalista is more AOE based. He can dish out stronger single target damage
Tristana
She can easily jump on kalista at level 2 and just kill her. She is a similar problem as draven but slightly easier to deal with since she doesn't do as much damage
Kai'Sa
Kai'sa doesn't do as much damage but with HOB and her E giving her invis. It is very difficult for kalista to kill her late game because she misses her attacks if the target goes invisible
Vayne
Vayne is a very similar issue to Kai'sa. Invis is strong. But vayne is better at dueling because of her kit
Morgana
She is only a threat because of her black shield. Kalista ult gets completely ruined because of this since kalista can't break the shield. morgana's ult is also a little annoying because it's not a skillshot
Nautilus
Point and click knockup with the easiest hook to land in the game with crazy base damage. He is a huge threat to most adcs but especially to kalista.
Thresh
Thresh may not be able to hit hooks on kalista, But he has very strong and consistent slows along with an escape rope for anyone against kalista. His lantern can save someone from kalista's E and Ult by getting out of range
Yuumi
Absolutely garbage champion like why do people even play her. Just kill her not hard she can't do anything
Alistar
Although he has point and click CC and that is bad. He doesn't have very high base damage and his ult isn't very useful in early laning phase
Aphelios
Skill matchup, better player wins. Watch out for either the chakrams or gravity cannon. Otherwise he shouldn't be too hard to kill
Yasuo
Although almost no one plays it, he can easily catch up to kalista and deal more damage while blocking her attacks. I would say it's a skill matchup but it depends on the support
Xayah
Very easy to kill by just dashing away from the feathers on the ground
Braum
He can be scary at level 6, but he isn't that hard overall. Nothing specific to be scared of except ultimate
Caitlyn
This is a very difficult matchup for newer kalista players (including me when I started) but you need to get into the habit of pushing through the poking and getting into range. Kalista easily outdamages caitlyn
Ezreal
With iceborn not being a thing on ezreal anymore he did become easier. But his safety makes it hard to secure a lead because he will outscale kalista at some point. Look to end games early
Jhin
The main reason anyone would want to main kalista. She is a direct counter to jhin. There is literally nothing jhin can do except accept his fate.
Jinx
As long as you dodge her w and not walk into her e. She should be an easy kill. Try not to go for very long fights because her lethal tempo will out damage your HOB (unless you took lethal as well)
Leona
Cleanse is a must against her. She has no slows and pretty easily countered by merc treads. Maybe the only champion I'll get it against as my first boots.
Pyke
Very easy to dodge his e and hook. Just watch out for a scaling pyke spamming ult on everyone. He can get scary from roams
Nami
She has a lot slows which can be scary. Especially her ult but she is squishy and her q is easy to dodge.
Lulu
Her poly is the strongest part of her kit against kalista not her shields slow or ult (because point and click cc). It just ruins kalista's mobility and the enemy adc can strike. But overall she is easy to kill.
Miss Fortune
As long as you watch out for her E and q crits. She is fine to deal with.
Senna
Glacial augment is a problem but she doesn't have good items for her this season. Except for her e and runes. She is pretty easy to face
Sona
Just kill her what is she gonna do CC you?
Soraka
Just kill her what is she gonna do CC you?
Swain
He can't hit E very easily but post-6 he can be very hard to kill
Bard
He becomes a threat when his aa starts slowing. But before that he is an easy matchup
Sivir
As long as you break her shield with q before using E. She is very easy to kill
Varus
Except for his E, his entire kit is pretty easy to deal with. Both lethality and on-hit
Blitzcrank
Literally can't hit a hook on you
Rakan
Usually can't reach kalista. And even if he does his lockdown isn't long enough for the adc to kill
Twitch
His slow can be very annoying but he is easy picks if the enemy support isn't an enchanter
Rell
Since it's a new champion this part may not be very accurate but overall she is easy to kite and run from after her intial CC chain
Kog'Maw
He is a little harder to face early because he has stronger poke, slow on his e and is almost always with a Lulu. Without lulu is isn't a threat at all though.
Janna
Very consistent slows with high mobility making it hard to pick her off.
Samira
After all the nerfs I would put her as a skill matchup. If it weren't for the nerf she would be major or extreme. Just remember to q after her w is down. Her w also doesn't block kalista ult.
Blitzcrank
You can use his q with your ult to do a huge pull although it needs comms or very good co-ordination. His early hooks can get picks but he isn't very reliable because blitz hooks are difficult to hit
Alistar
Kalista ult is amazing for alistar since its like a free flash for him to w an enemy into you
Braum
Not as good as most tanks but still good just because he is a tank
Bard
Since he roams, your ult and W have almost no use with bard
Janna
Enchanters are usually bad but Free ad is never bad.
Leona
Very strong lockdown but not much synergy with kalista's abilities. Just a very strong tank on her own
Lulu
The strongest enchanter with kalista. More because lulu is very strong not because she is good with kalista specifically.
Morgana
Her ult combines well with kalista ult for almost a guranteed cc chain of about 6-7 seconds.
Nautilus
Very good lockdown and easy hook to land. Very reliable early game and just strong
Pyke
Kalista ult is very good to get pyke out of a sticky situation since he isn't tanky but he is meant to be in the enemy team
Rakan
Very good long range engage using her ult with rakan w and ult. Good teamfight as well
Rell
Since she is mostly immobile. Kalista ult comes in handy to let her engage and have an escape incase she gets low
Senna
Just no. She is just a poke champ with a bit of heal. Provides almost nothing for kalista
Soraka
overall doesn't have anything for kalista but heals. I guess that's her points but kalista needs something different
Sona
She needs peel from the adc more than she can peel the adc
Swain
his ult combined with kalista ult is very strong. His early also sets up for good early kills
Thresh
One of the classic duos bot. They just very good synergy with abilities.
Yuumi
I wish there was a tier below none for yuumi
Synergies
IdealStrongOkLowNone
Blitzcrank
You can use his q with your ult to do a huge pull although it needs comms or very good co-ordination. His early hooks can get picks but he isn't very reliable because blitz hooks are difficult to hit
Alistar
Kalista ult is amazing for alistar since its like a free flash for him to w an enemy into you
Braum
Not as good as most tanks but still good just because he is a tank
Bard
Since he roams, your ult and W have almost no use with bard
Janna
Enchanters are usually bad but Free ad is never bad.
Leona
Very strong lockdown but not much synergy with kalista's abilities. Just a very strong tank on her own
Lulu
The strongest enchanter with kalista. More because lulu is very strong not because she is good with kalista specifically.
Morgana
Her ult combines well with kalista ult for almost a guranteed cc chain of about 6-7 seconds.
Nautilus
Very good lockdown and easy hook to land. Very reliable early game and just strong
Pyke
Kalista ult is very good to get pyke out of a sticky situation since he isn't tanky but he is meant to be in the enemy team
Rakan
Very good long range engage using her ult with rakan w and ult. Good teamfight as well
Rell
Since she is mostly immobile. Kalista ult comes in handy to let her engage and have an escape incase she gets low
Senna
Just no. She is just a poke champ with a bit of heal. Provides almost nothing for kalista
Soraka
overall doesn't have anything for kalista but heals. I guess that's her points but kalista needs something different
Sona
She needs peel from the adc more than she can peel the adc
Swain
his ult combined with kalista ult is very strong. His early also sets up for good early kills
Thresh
One of the classic duos bot. They just very good synergy with abilities.
Flash all the time obviously, Heal for most situations, Cleanse against CC, Exhaust against burst, Ignite if you want to play aggressive and teleport if you want to roam
Runes
I would say runes are mostly personal choice. What I put up is only what I use. HOB is very strong. Lethal tempo is better for a stronger late game. Bloodline is better late while alacrity is better early. You can switch coup de grace for cutdown if needed or even take it with precision secondary instead of alacrity
Early items
Early items - Doran's blade literally 99% of the time because of the omni-vamp and just overall strength. Doran's shield into some poke matchups and Cull if you have a very easy lane and want to scale faster
Core
You will be building these 2 items every game no matter the situation, it can be immediately as your first 2 items (although not recommended) or as your last 2 items but these are always in your build. I recommend building these after your first or second item
First items
These are all your first item choices from most viable to least viable (Left to right). Shieldbow or Bork into almost every matchup because they have very strong early game. Kraken if you have a healing support. Collector if you can confidently scale early. Ravenous hydra if you want to push and roam. After buying any of these legendary items listed, it is highly recommended to either build one or both the core items listed above or get a mythic.
Final items
Every single item listed here has some sort of use for kalista. Any item that I don't have here is either already listed or isn't good even if it sounds good (like RFC). I don't think I need to explain what every items purpose is. Just that in the late game once you have 6 items it is recommended to just sell your boots for something defensive but NOT another legendary item
Early Game
Always look to play very aggressively. Her early game is one of the strongest in the game only rivaled by draven and tristana. Look to deny your enemy CS by walking up and threatening to poke. Remember kalista is a lane bully but a shorter range lane bully which may be a hard play style to get into when most lane bullies are long range poke champs. Look to recall with enough for boots, noon quiver, pickaxe + t1 boots or vamp scepter + t1 boots. These are all very good first backs but these can be altered depending on the situation
Mid game
Kalista in the mid game should be looking to get objectives with her rend, catch enemies out with her ult and try to end. This is her strongest phase because by the mid game, you will have about 3-4 items. She becomes very strong for the next 10 minutes having strong damage with high mobility with good utility with ult. REMEMBER TRY TO END THE GAME HERE OR THE GAME MAY BE LOST. I'll explain why
Late game
She doesn't scale well with attack speed in the late game because she attacks slower while kiting and that ratio increases as you get more attack speed. A way to see it is just to go to practice tool with lethal tempo. Attack something while sitting still with 3 attack speed, then try it again while kiting, you will see a significant drop in dps because she is attacking slower. She also attacks slower while slowed and as the game goes on, most slowing abilities get even stronger and on lower cooldowns. She is only an ult bot who can kill tanks in the late game but struggles whenever anything gets close because she can't exactly do much. Don't get me wrong she isn't horrible late game, but compared to most other ADC, she is bad
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