Combos · Mid

Sylas combos

the Unshackled

3 Sylas combos explained key by key: in which order to cast the abilities, when to use them and what each step does. The main combo is Q › AA › W › AA. Further down: every ability's cooldown, cost and range, and the skill max order measured over ranked games.

Sylas combos

Written guide · based on the official ability texts

The lane combo

Q AA AA

W AA AA

When: You want a short, profitable trade.

Chain Lash to slow, an attack with the passive charge, then Kingslayer to heal and deal damage.

The chain engage

Q AA AA

When: The target is too far for Kingslayer.

Abscond dashes you in a direction; recast it to throw your chains and pull yourself toward the enemy hit. Follow with Kingslayer and Chain Lash.

Stealing an ultimate

When: An enemy has just used a useful ultimate, or one you can reuse.

Hijack lets you cast an enemy's ultimate freely. Pick the right moment: a stolen ultimate that hits no one is a free turn for the opponent.

Common mistakes

Stealing an ultimate without knowing how it works: read it first, since every ultimate plays differently.
Casting Chain Lash without letting the intersection explode: the second effect has a delay.
Using Kingslayer without a champion target: the heal only applies against champions.

Cooldowns, costs and ranges

A combo only comes back once its abilities are off cooldown: these values (rank 1 to max rank, in seconds) tell how long to wait between two combos. Source: Data Dragon 16.19.1.

Ability	Cooldown (s)	Cost	Range
Q · Chain Lash	10/9/8/7/6	55 Mana	775
W · Kingslayer	12/10.5/9/7.5/6	50/60/70/80/90 Mana	400
E · Abscond / Abduct	13/12/11/10/9	65 Mana	400
R · Hijack	80/55/30	75 Mana	950

Official ability descriptions

PassivePetricite Burst

After casting a spell, Sylas stores a charge of Petricite Burst. Sylas's basic attacks will expend a charge and whirl his energized chains around him dealing bonus magic damage to enemies hit. While Sylas has a charge of Petricite Burst, he gains attack speed.

QChain Lash

Sylas lashes his chains out, intersecting at his targeted location dealing damage to and slowing enemies.

After a delay, magical energy explodes from the intersection point dealing damage.

WKingslayer

Sylas lunges at an enemy with magical force dealing damage and healing himself against enemy champions.

EAbscond / Abduct

Sylas dashes to a location. Sylas can recast the ability to throw his chains out, pulling himself to an enemy he hits.

RHijack

Sylas steals the enemy's ultimate ability and can cast it freely.

Skill order

Max order: W > E > Q65.4% · 52 games

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15
Q			●											●	●
W		●		●	●		●		●
E	●							●		●		●	●
R						●					●

The order shows which abilities reach rank 5 first; the grid shows the most-played level-up sequence with that order (measured over 95 games).

Riot's official tips for playing Sylas

Wait for you or your enemy to reach low health before using Kingslayer for maximum effect.
Space out your ability usage to get maximum effect from Petricite Burst.
Clever use of enemy ultimates can open up new possibilities to approach teamfights.

How to play around Sylas's combos

Sylas's healthbar can be deceptive, watch out for his Kingslayer!
Try to fight Sylas when he isn't able to take your ultimate.

Frequently asked questions

What is Sylas's main combo?

The lane combo: Q › AA › W › AA. You want a short, profitable trade. Chain Lash to slow, an attack with the passive charge, then Kingslayer to heal and deal damage.

Which ability should I max first on Sylas?

The most-played max order is W > E > Q (52 games, 65.4% win rate).

What is the cooldown of Sylas's ultimate?

Hijack has a 80/55/30 second cooldown depending on its rank.

Build, runes and counters: full Sylas guide · every champion's combos · tier list