How to Counter Alistar

Alistar is one of the most popular Supports in the game right now. He is straightforward to play and a perfect beginner Support for new and low ELO players. This increases the likelihood of you facing Alistar, so it’s essential that you learn how to play against him.

In this Mobalytics guide, we will talk about 5 tips and 5 champions that are good picks into Alistar Support. If you can, try and pick one of these champions next time you find yourself up against Alistar.

If you’re interested in learning how to play as Alistar, check out Alistar’s Champion Page. You’ll find their latest builds, runes, combos and much much more. Sign up to Mobalytics for more tips to improve your climb!

Use range advantage
Watch your positioning
Avoid grouping too closely
Keep the minion wave closer to your side of the map early on
Invest in healing reduction and armor pen
5 Champions That Counter Alistar
1. Swain
2. Janna
3. Morgana
4. Bard
5. Senna

1. Use range advantage

Alistar is a melee champion which means he has a rather short range. When playing as a ranged champion, try to use your range advantage to harass him as much as possible while remaining safe.

If you can gain a significant health advantage over him, it will be impossible for him to play aggressive or look for kills. This is because he runs the risk of dying in a skirmish with you. If he is low on HP, you know for a fact that he shouldn’t be playing aggressive, which will offer you lane priority too.

However, when you do try to harass and poke him down, you need to be aware of your positioning: which brings us on to our next tip.

2. Watch your positioning

Alistar can easily combo you if you walk too close to him. Make sure you’re always stood somewhat far away from him and out of range so he is unable to use his W on you. If you’re out of range, the only way he can close the gap is by flashing towards you.

Try to use your range advantage, and stay far back when you’re not looking to play aggressive so he cannot all-in you.

Something else you need to be on the lookout for is Alistar’s W>Q combo on the minion wave. Alistar’s W can be used on champions, monsters and minions too. Make sure you watch your posiitoning and try and stay away from the minion wave as you’re making it really easy for him to all-in you.

3. Avoid grouping too closely

Alistar’s Q has a somewhat large area of effect. During the mid and late game, try your hardest not to group too closely together. If you group really close together, it could allow him to get a multi-person knockup with his Q.

While you should start grouping with your team, make sure you’re not really close together. It’s better to be somewhat apart so he can only use his Q on one allied champion. At the end of the day, it’s better for you as a team for one person to be knocked up rather than 5.

During the laning phase, avoid standing very close to your allied laner. This way he will not knock both of you up with his Q.

4. Keep the minion wave closer to your side of the map early on

Alistar needs to engage to be useful. If he can never engage, it will be impossible to get kills during the laning phase. Pre-6, keep the minion wave closer to your side of the map to make it impossible for Alistar to go in.

When you’re near your tower, it will be protecting you from his engage. If you’re constantly pushing, he has the potential to look for aggressive plays over and over again. He can also use his W>Q combo to setup his Jungler for easy kills

Post 6, he can dive with his Ultimate though, so keep this in mind.

5. Invest in healing reduction and armor pen

Armor pen and healing reduction is very important versus Alistar. He is a tank and will be building items that protect him. By purchasing items that reduce his healing and penetrate his armor, you will find it much easier to kill him.

Healing reduction will also reduce his sustain in lane which in turn makes it easier for you to kill him too. If he is paired with the likes of Senna or an ADC that has a lot of healing, you will definitely need to get it!

5 Champions That Counter Alistar

The best champions that counter Alistar are Swain, Janna, Morgana, Bard and Senna. You can find all the matchup tips we use in this guide on the Mobalytics App. For plus members, you can get specific matchup tips for the champion you’re playing versus the enemy laner at your fingertips while you load into the game. We have tens of thousands of different, highly specific matchups curated by our challenger level players to help you lane against the enemy champion.

1. Alistar vs Swain

Swain can bully Alistar down with his Q, E and basic attacks. He can also turn around any exchange with his E. While Swain usually suffers against hard engage matchups, Swain into Alistar isn’t the worse pick around.

4 tips to counter Alistar as Swain

Keep an eye on the enemy Supports positioning. If they’re positioning near the bushes, play towards the opposite side of the lane. This reduces the likelihood of them being able to engage, which should increase your survivability in the lane.
Try to keep the minion wave closer to your side of the map early. This will prevent Alistar from looking for an all in and being able to engage. You have the added benefit of being able to trade if the wave is here too.
Take care of Alistar’s level 2 all in. Make sure you get to level 2 simultaneously or before them to reduce the chances of an all in. In the bot lane, this is the first wave followed by 3 melee minions. Play safer if you’re not going to hit level 2 at the same time.
Try to stay at the maximum range when trying to poke Alistar with your abilities. When walking up to trade, try to keep an eye on the minion wave and do not walk near them as he may use them to engage with his W>Q and knock you up.

2. Alistar vs Janna

Janna can bully Alistar down with her W and basic attacks. She can also prevent him from engaging with her Tornado. Post 6, she can also use her Ultimate to knock him away and prevent him from all-ining her or her ADC.

4 tips to counter Alistar as Janna

Try to keep the minion wave closer to your side of the map early. This will prevent Alistar from looking for an all in and being able to engage. You have the added benefit of being able to trade if the wave is here too.
Try to stay at the maximum range when trying to poke Alistar with your abilities. When walking up to trade, try to keep an eye on the minion wave and do not walk near them as he may use them to engage with his W>Q and knock you up.
Keep an eye on the enemy Supports positioning. If they’re positioning near the bushes, play towards the opposite side of the lane. This reduces the likelihood of them being able to engage, which should increase your survivability in the lane.
Take care of Alistar’s level 2 all in. Make sure you get level 2 at the same time or before them to reduce the chances of an all in. In the bot lane, this is the first wave followed by 3 melee minions. Play safer if you’re not going to hit level 2 at the same time.

3. Alistar vs Morgana

Morgana’s black shield can prevent CC from ever hitting her carry. If she holds on to this ability for his engage and nothing else, he will never be able to use his W>Q combo in this matchup.

4 tips to counter Alistar as Morgana

As Morgana, you have a range advantage over Alistar. Use that advantage to auto-attack him and push him out of lane.
Push lane early and get level 2 before Alistar does. Afterwards, keep the lane even to avoid Alistar’s W>Q all-ins with Jungle pressure.
Use your E to keep allies safe from Alistar’s engages and use Q after Alistar engages with his Q to keep him locked in place and unable to use his E effectively.
At level 6, Alistar’s R will remove any CC on him and give him massive damage reduction. Use your E on allies he focuses and try to save your Q and R until after he casts his R, so he doesn’t remove your CC.

4. Alistar vs Bard

Bard can bully Alistar down, CC him when he tries to engage, and out roam him. Bard is an enjoyable and good pick into Alistar, so if you’re ever looking for a fun champion to pick, maybe give him ago.

4 tips to counter Alistar as Bard

Take care with his level 2 engage; he becomes dangerous when he can land his W>Q combo. Be careful when the third melee minion on your second wave is about to die; that should be a marker for you to keep a safe distance from him. On the other hand, once he uses the combo, it gives you a long time window for poking him before he is back again.
Before looking for a roam, you need to have your minion wave well pushed or wait until the enemy bot lane is dead or has backed. Alistar can easily engage or dive on your ADC if you leave them alone for too long.
Alistar becomes a good roamer moments after he buys Boots of Mobility; try to ward around the river when you move around the map to keep his location in check.
Bard’s level 1 is especially strong against Alistar. You should try poking him with your basic attacks and Meeps and try to land a stun with your Q when he tries to close the gap on you. You can poke him down when he tries to last hit minions to get Support item stacks.

5. Alistar vs Senna

We will finish off this guide with Senna. Senna’s basic attacks and Q can constantly bully the Alistar down. Getting him low will make it impossible for him to engage without fear of dying. Furthermore, she can use her W as soon as he gets on top of her/her ADC and turn around the exchange.

4 tips to counter Alistar as Senna

After Alistar reaches level 2, try to keep your distance and use your W whenever he engages to root him. Do not use your W aggressively unless he’s close; otherwise, he can easily dodge it (as it’s slow-moving) and then all in when it’s on cooldown.
When moving up to harass Alistar, keep an eye on the minion wave. If you walk up to harass when you’re inside the minion wave, he could easily W to a minion and then try to knock you up.
Upon reaching level 6, play safer and consider freezing the wave near your Tower. Alistar will have a hard time hitting you. If he goes for a dive, keep in mind that you can cast your R at the same time he CCs you.
Do not forget to ward the bot lane brushes to see Alistar if he tries to surprise you with his W>Q combo.

Conclusion

That about sums up this Mobalytics guide. If you pick one of these 5 champions when you see the enemy lock-in Alistar, you will have a much easier time laning against him.

For more tips and tricks for Alistar, check out Alistar’s champion page on Mobalytics!

If you have any questions or want to learn more, check out PicklePants’s stream.

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How to Counter Alistar