Skip to content
Riftback

Akali

the Fist of Shadow

CClassic SRMidTopAssassinPre-rework kit
Patch 26.19 · 1 change · updated 2026-09-23

Quick build

AP Assassin

Full build
MidClassic SR21/9/0 masteries
Max
FlashIgnite

First buy

  1. Boots of Speed
  2. Health Potion, 4 of them

A movement-and-potions start. The rune page activates Might, but Spell Vamp does not replace the immediate healing and safety of four potions.

Core

  • Hextech Gunblade
  • Sorcerer's Shoes
  • Rabadon's Deathcap

Loadout

Mid · Twin Disciplines · 21/9/0 masteries

Report an error

Overview

Difficulty
Difficulty 8 of 10
Class
Assassin
Released
· later addition

Base stats

Health
530+85
HP regen
1.58+0.13
Attack
56.2+3.2
Armor
20+3.5
MR
31.25+1.25
Move speed
350
Range
125
Attack speed
0.694+3.1%

Abilities

P, Twin Disciplines

Pre-rework

Description

Discipline of Force needs 20 total ability power: her basic attacks then deal bonus magic damage equal to 8% of total attack damage, plus 1 percentage point for every 6 ability power above 20. Discipline of Might needs 10 bonus attack damage: she then gains 8% Spell Vamp, plus 1 percentage point for every 6 bonus attack damage above 10. Each half remains off below its own threshold.

Build

Each build as its own page: AP Assassin (Mid) · AP Top (Top)

MidClassic SR
Max
FlashIgnite

  1. First buy

    1. Boots of Speed
    2. Health Potion, 4 of them

    A movement-and-potions start. The rune page activates Might, but Spell Vamp does not replace the immediate healing and safety of four potions.

    Alternative start:
    1. Amplifying Tome
    2. Health Potion

    For the Mark of the Assassin poke pattern rather than the roam.

  2. Core

    • Hextech Gunblade
    • Sorcerer's Shoes
    • Rabadon's Deathcap

    Gunblade strengthens both already-active halves: its ability power raises Force's total-AD percentage, while its attack damage raises Might's Spell Vamp percentage.

  3. Late

    • Zhonya's Hourglass
    • Rylai's Crystal Scepter
    • Void Staff

  4. Full build

    • Hextech Gunblade
    • Sorcerer's Shoes
    • Rabadon's Deathcap
    • Zhonya's Hourglass
    • Rylai's Crystal Scepter
    • Void Staff

Situationalswap into the late slots

  • Deathfire Grasp
  • Abyssal Scepter
  • Mejai's Soulstealer
  • Guardian Angel

Runes & masteries

21/9/0 · Mid

Twin Disciplines

Marks
  • 9× +1 Attack Damage
Seals
  • 9× +1 Armor
Glyphs
  • 9× +1.2 Ability Power
Quintessences
  • 2× +5 Ability Power
  • 1× +2.25 Attack Damage

Page total

Ability Power
+20.8
Armor
+9
Attack Damage
+11.25
Summoner's Wrath (1 of 1 ranks)Summoner's Wrath1 / 1 ranksImproves the Summoner Spells Exhaust, Ignite, Ghost, Surge, Rally, and PromoteFuryFuryUp to 4 ranks+1% Attack Speed per rankSorcery (3 of 4 ranks)Sorcery3 / 4 ranks+1% Cooldown Reduction per rankButcherButcherUp to 2 ranksBasic attacks deal 2/4 bonus damage to minions and monsters
DeadlinessDeadlinessUp to 4 ranks+0.166/0.333/0.498/0.664 Attack Damage per levelBlast (4 of 4 ranks)Blast4 / 4 ranks+0.25/0.5/0.75/1 Ability Power per levelDestructionDestructionUp to 1 rankIncrease damage to turrets by 5%
Havoc (3 of 3 ranks)Havoc3 / 3 ranksIncreases damage dealt by 0.67%/1.33%/2%Weapon ExpertiseWeapon ExpertiseUp to 1 rank+8% Armor PenetrationArcane Knowledge (1 of 1 ranks)Arcane Knowledge1 / 1 ranks+8% Magic Penetration
LethalityLethalityUp to 2 ranks+2.5%/5% Critical Strike Damage (5%/10% for melee)Brute ForceBrute ForceUp to 2 ranks+1.5/3 Attack DamageMental Force (3 of 3 ranks)Mental Force3 / 3 ranks+2/4/6 Ability PowerSpellsword (1 of 1 ranks)Spellsword1 / 1 ranksDeals 5% of your Ability Power as magic damage on basic attacks
FrenzyFrenzyUp to 1 rankGrants 10% attack speed for 2 seconds after landing a critical hitSunderSunderUp to 3 ranks+2/4/6 LethalityArchmage (4 of 4 ranks)Archmage4 / 4 ranksIncreases Ability Power by 1.25%/2.5%/3.75%/5%
Executioner (1 of 1 ranks)Executioner1 / 1 ranks · CapstoneIncreases damage dealt by 5% to targets below 50% Health

offense21

Summoner's ResolveSummoner's ResolveUp to 1 rankImproves the Summoner Spells Cleanse, Heal, Smite, Barrier, and FortifyPerseverancePerseveranceUp to 3 ranksGrants up to +2/4/6 Health Regen per 5 seconds based on missing HealthDurability (4 of 4 ranks)Durability4 / 4 ranks+1.5/3/4.5/6 Health per levelTough SkinTough SkinUp to 2 ranksReduces damage taken from monsters by 1/2
Hardiness (1 of 3 ranks)Hardiness1 / 3 ranks+2/4/6 ArmorResistance (3 of 3 ranks)Resistance3 / 3 ranks+2/4/6 Magic ResistBladed ArmorBladed ArmorUp to 1 rankDeals 6 damage to any enemy monster that attacks you
UnyieldingUnyieldingUp to 2 ranksReduces damage taken from enemy champions by 1/2RelentlessRelentlessUp to 2 ranksReduces the effectiveness of slows by 7.5%/15%Veteran's Scars (1 of 1 ranks)Veteran's Scars1 / 1 ranks+30 HealthSafeguardSafeguardUp to 1 rankReduces damage taken from turrets by 5%
BlockBlockUp to 1 rankReduces damage taken from champion basic attacks by 3TenaciousTenaciousUp to 3 ranksReduces the duration of crowd control effects by 5%/10%/15%JuggernautJuggernautUp to 3 ranksIncreases your maximum Health by 1.5%/2.75%/4%
DefenderDefenderUp to 1 rankGrants +1 Armor and Magic Resist for each nearby enemy championLegendary ArmorLegendary ArmorUp to 3 ranksIncreases bonus Armor and Magic Resist by +2%/4%/6%Good HandsGood HandsUp to 1 rankReduce time spent dead by 10%Reinforced ArmorReinforced ArmorUp to 1 rankReduce damage taken from critical strikes by 10%
Honor GuardHonor GuardUp to 1 rank · CapstoneReduces damage taken from all sources by 3%

defense9

Summoner's InsightSummoner's InsightUp to 1 rankImproves the Summoner Spells Teleport, Flash, Clarity, Revive, and Clairvoyance.WandererWandererUp to 3 ranksGrants +0.66%/1.33%/2% increased Movement Speed when out of combatMeditationMeditationUp to 3 ranks+1/2/3 Mana Regen per 5 secondsImproved RecallImproved RecallUp to 1 rankReduces the cast time of Recall by 1 second
ScoutScoutUp to 1 rankWards gain 25% increased vision range for the first 3 seconds after placing themMastermindMastermindUp to 3 ranksReduces the cooldown of Summoner Spells by 4%/7%/10%Expanded MindExpanded MindUp to 3 ranks+4/7/10 mana per levelArtificerArtificerUp to 2 ranksReduces the cooldown of activated items by 7.5%/15%
GreedGreedUp to 4 ranksGrants an additional +0.5/1/1.5/2 gold every 10 secondsRunic AffinityRunic AffinityUp to 1 rankIncreases the duration of neutral monster buffs by 20%VampirismVampirismUp to 3 ranks+1%/2%/3% Lifesteal and Spell VampBiscuiteerBiscuiteerUp to 1 rankStart the game with a regenerative biscuit that restores 80 Health and 50 Mana over 10 seconds
WealthWealthUp to 2 ranksIncreases starting gold by 40/75AwarenessAwarenessUp to 4 ranksIncreases Experience earned by 1.25%/2.5%/3.75%/5%Strength of SpiritStrength of SpiritUp to 3 ranksUp to +1/2/3 Health Regen per 5 seconds for each 400 Mana you possessExplorerExplorerUp to 1 rankStart the game with an Explorer's Ward.
PickpocketPickpocketUp to 1 rankGrants 5 gold (melee) or 3 gold (ranged) each time you basic attack an enemy champion (5s cooldown)IntelligenceIntelligenceUp to 3 ranks+2%/4%/6% Cooldown Reduction
NimbleNimbleUp to 1 rank · CapstoneGrants 3% increased Movement Speed

utility0

Skill order

Max order››
Skill order by level for AP Assassin
Lv123456789101112131415161718
Q1Q at level 14Q at level 45Q at level 57Q at level 79Q at level 9
W3W at level 314W at level 1415W at level 1517W at level 1718W at level 18
E2E at level 28E at level 810E at level 1012E at level 1213E at level 13
R6R at level 611R at level 1116R at level 16

Classic vs modern5 recorded kit changes

Source kit

League Classic

5 changes

Compared with

Current League

Classic

Twin Disciplines

Gain damage on hit based on ability power Gain spell vamp based on attack damage

Current League

Assassin's Mark

Dealing spell damage to a champion creates a ring of energy around them. Exiting that ring empowers Akali's next Attack with bonus range and damage.

Coming from current LeagueClassic Shroud is an invisible resistance zone, not untargetability.

Area effects, existing damage and true detection still matter, and Red Trinket's live tooltip promises ward reveal rather than champion detection.

Remembering Akali in 2013Mark of the Assassin costs a flat 60 energy at every rank in this build of the kit, so ranking it buys cooldown and damage but never a cheaper rotation.

Crescent Slash is the exception since 26.19: 60/55/50/45/40.

Base-stat shifts12
Base health
Classic: 530Current League: 600
Health per level
Classic: 85Current League: 119
Health regen
Classic: 1.58Current League: 9
Base attack damage
Classic: 56.2Current League: 62
Attack damage per level
Classic: 3.2Current League: 0
Base armor
Classic: 20Current League: 23
Armor per level
Classic: 3.5Current League: 4.7
Base magic resist
Classic: 31.25Current League: 37
Magic resist per level
Classic: 1.25Current League: 2.05
Move speed
Classic: 350Current League: 345
Base attack speed
Classic: 0.694Current League: 0.625
Attack speed per level
Classic: 3.1%Current League: 3.2%

Skins

  • Akali

  • Infernal Akali

  • Blood Moon Akali

  • Star Guardian Akali

  • Coven Akali

  • Prestige Coven Akali

  • Classic Akali

History & Notes

Released 2010-05-11, part of the 2009–2013 wave Classic drew its roster from. Classic ships the pre-rework kit, frozen at patch 3.13.24. The modern game plays a different champion, compared under “Vs. modern”.

Guide that covers this champion: Akali's level-one passive gates on Patch 26.19