League of Legends: Best Naafiri Counters in 13.14

Defeat the beast of a thousand mouths with this handy guide on all of the best champ counter picks to counter Naafiri. Here are the best Naafiri counters in the current meta

LoL's Patch 13.14 was an absolute double-feature with the release of the 2v2v2v2 Arena game mode and the latest champ to arrive in Summoner's Rift, the Darkin pack “Naafiri”

This sharp-toothed pack of problems combines high-scaling physical damage along with dashes, improved vision and minion resets. The newest doggo on the Rift even gets a shield that replenishes whenever she kills an opponent with her ultimate. Needless to say, she's been on the stronger side since she came out.

Overly powerful champs on release day aren't unheard of, but that doesn't mean that we can't find new ways to overcome the Darkin dagger-doggo. So instead of seething in the shadow of an imbalance that's bound to get addressed in a future update, let's take a look at all of the best LoL champs that can put a leash on this demonic wolfpack. Here are the best Naafiri counters in Patch 13.14.

The Best Naafiri Counters in 13.14

5 – Braum

First on our list, we have the support champ Braum. The Heart of the Freljord's passive ability shines when he goes up against League's latest Darkin champ. Appropriately named “Concussive Blows”, applying 4 of these stacks lets Braum and his allies stun a priority target and apply more magic damage. It's perfect for catching a stray on the loose, but there's more! His E lets you raise his shield in the direction of Naafiri's targeted dash, where you not only block the attack but also negate its damage completely.

Braum gives newer players enough room for error with his tankiness. It also doesn't hurt to have an ultimate that can knock multiple enemy champions up. You may notice as you go down our list that disables and stuns are going to play a huge part in determining which champs makes a great Naafiri counters.

4 – Poppy

Poppy's Steadfast Presence gives you a wide AOE field that protects her and her teammates from Naafiri when she tries to all-in. The heroic yordle acts as a dependable controller on the battlefield who can slow, stun and knock assassins away from low-HP teammates. In this regard, her offensive abilities make her more than capable to stop Naafiri in her tracks. On top of that, she can also match Naafiri's shield refresh with Iron Ambassador, but it largely depends on how familiar you are with her playstyle.

3 – Zed

Next up, we have The Master of Shadows. Zed's entire playstyle is focused on juking your opponents and piling on the damage before they can even react. His passive lets you finish squishies off quickly with autos, which is great if you're trying to prevent Naafiri from getting too powerful in the laning phase. What's more is that his Living Shadow lets you dodge her dashes, and eliminate her packmates from afar. With a 54% winrate, this shadow ninja is a safe bet for countering the Darkin beast in the midlane.

2 – Neeko

On the upper tiers of Naafiri counters, we have Neeko. This mage has a versatile powerset that makes her confusing to go up against. At the same time, her fast-moving root can ensnare multiple targets, which is perfect when you want to escape/pin down Naafiri's entire pack. And while her W affords her a great disengage tool, her weakness currently lies in her cooldowns and her predictability. Being a trickster is fun, but timing is crucial if you want to maximize her burst effectively.

1 – Lissandra

At the very top of the list, we have The Ice Witch, Lissandra. Wielding harsh AOE effects and lengthy stuns, her kit lands her at the #1 spot as the best Naafiri counter in patch 13.14. Considering her abysmal movement speed in the early game, your top priority may be to dodge Naafiri's daggers, but once you scale up, your survivability will increase by a ton. With abilities to slow, stun, root, teleport and make fallen enemy champs her thralls, Lissandra's kit is quintessential for anti-Naafiri team comps.

Final Thoughts

As the meta continuously evolve, we'll eventually see more and more members of League's 160 champs get added to the list. But at present, these particular characters have the best chances of standing up against Naafiri's skillset and current power level (pre-nerf). Prioritizing damage mitigation, AOE protection and stuns, these champs are fun-to-try options that give you a special edge against the newest Darkin champ. Despite this, you may always find new ways to win with less optimal picks. In short, you can win with F-tier champs and you can lose with S-tier champs. It all comes down to player communication and skill. So keep at it, and remember to have fun with the best Naafiri counters in patch 13.14.

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