Guide · Mid

Hwei Guide

the Visionary

Mage

Support

Tier B Mid

Hwei, the Visionary, is a mage and support champion that is demanding to master. Across our 681 analysed ranked games, Hwei is mostly played in Mid (61% of its games), and more rarely as ADC (31%), with a 48.1% win rate in that role: tier B among Mid champions (#21 of 42, ranked by win rate). Hwei's damage is mostly magic (95%): magic resistance items are therefore effective against this champion. Win rate stays steady whatever the game length (47.1% to 50.4%): a reliable pick in every phase of the game.

Averages measured over 414 Mid games played with Hwei, from our ranked Solo/Duo data collection.

Combos and how to play

Hwei is an artist-mage whose abilities are split into three subjects, each replacing his abilities: Disaster (damage: Devastating Fire, Molten Fissure, Cataclysm), Serenity (utility: Gentle Stream, Pool of Reflection, Starry Night) and Torment (control: Grim Visage, Gaze of the Abyss, Mind Maw). His passive completes a signature that explodes under an enemy hit by two damaging abilities.

The signature combo

Q › Q › Q

When: An enemy is within range.

With Disaster, hit with two damaging abilities: the signature appears under the enemy and explodes after a short delay.

Control

E › E › E

When: An enemy dives.

Torment replaces your abilities with crowd control: Grim Visage, Gaze of the Abyss or Mind Maw depending on the situation.

The painting ultimate

R › Q › E

When: A fight begins.

Spiraling Despair makes the first champion hit the center of a growing painting that slows and damages; it explodes at its size limit or when the affected champion dies.

Laning phase

Hit an enemy with two damaging abilities to complete the signature: it explodes after a short delay. Choose your subject according to the situation: damage, support or control.

Common mistakes

• Switching subject at the wrong time: each subject replaces your abilities.
• Forgetting the signature: two damaging abilities are needed.
• Casting Spiraling Despair on an enemy who can escape it.

Riot's official tips for playing Hwei

• Calm down, breathe, and focus.
• Each stroke requires precision and intention.

Build, runes and summoner spells

The most-played core build is Blackfire Torch, Rabadon's Deathcap, and Shadowflame (42 games, 64.3% win rate), usually with Spellslinger's Shoes (50.2% over 221 games).

Blackfire Torch+Rabadon's Deathcap+Shadowflame

42 games · 64.3%

Blackfire Torch+Shadowflame+Liandry's Torment

34 games · 38.2%

Blackfire Torch+Zhonya's Hourglass+Shadowflame

27 games · 48.1%

Boots

Spellslinger's Shoes50.2% · 221 games

Crimson Lucidity44.4% · 144 games

Chainlaced Crushers40.7% · 27 games

Summoner spells

Flash + Teleport48.2% · 359 games

Flash + Barrier31.6% · 19 games

Flash + Ghost63.2% · 19 games

Most-played runes

Arcane Comet + Precision

51.2% · 207 games

Primary tree · Sorcery

Manaflow Band100%

Transcendence90%

Scorch84%

Secondary tree · Precision

Cut Down93%

Legend: Haste92%

Shards

Attack speed86%

Adaptive force84%

Health scaling69%

Deathfire Touch + Precision

44.2% · 86 games

Primary tree · Sorcery

Manaflow Band99%

Transcendence98%

Scorch92%

Secondary tree · Precision

Cut Down96%

Legend: Haste95%

Shards

Attack speed94%

Adaptive force95%

Health scaling86%

Arcane Comet + Inspiration

42.1% · 38 games

Primary tree · Sorcery

Manaflow Band97%

Transcendence87%

Scorch90%

Secondary tree · Inspiration

Cosmic Insight82%

Biscuit Delivery58%

Shards

Adaptive force60%

Adaptive force79%

Health scaling68%

For each row, the most picked rune among the games played with this page (share of games in brackets).

Which items to build against the enemy team?

We sort every game by the enemy team's damage. These are Hwei's completed items and their win rate in each situation; "▲" marks an item that does at least 3 points better than its usual win rate.

Mostly magic-damage enemy team57.1% · 133 games

At least 50% of their damage is magic

Blackfire Torch 56.9% ▲

Shadowflame 64.2% ▲

Liandry's Torment 53.8% ▲

Rabadon's Deathcap 70.0% ▲

Zhonya's Hourglass 57.9%

Hextech Rocketbelt 52.9%

The item that stands out most is Rabadon's Deathcap: 70.0% win rate, +15 points versus its usual win rate.

Mostly physical-damage enemy team42.2% · 90 games

Less than 35% of their damage is magic

Blackfire Torch 39.5% ▼

Shadowflame 40.0% ▼

Liandry's Torment 39.1%

Rabadon's Deathcap 62.5%

Hextech Rocketbelt 64.3%

Zhonya's Hourglass 33.3%

No item clearly stands out in this situation: the usual build remains the reference.

Balanced enemy team44.5% · 191 games

Mixed physical and magic damage

Blackfire Torch 44.1% ▼

Shadowflame 48.6% ▼

Liandry's Torment 34.4% ▼

Rabadon's Deathcap 41.9% ▼

Hextech Rocketbelt 48.1% ▼

Zhonya's Hourglass 42.3% ▼

No item clearly stands out in this situation: the usual build remains the reference.

Counters and matchups

Who counters Hwei in Mid

Viktor Hwei: 60.0%20 games

Viktor has the edge in 40% of the 20 Mid duels against Hwei. See the Viktor guide.

Who Hwei is strong against

Viktor60.0% · 20 games

How to play against Hwei

• Hwei needs to predict your positioning and take time to cast, catch him by surprise.
• Hwei's lightning is deadly but slow; it deals more damage when you are alone or unable to move.
• After Hwei paints a Torment spell he is vulnerable to being rushed down.

Win rates measured over direct same-role duels; only matchups with more than 15 games are listed. See all of Hwei's matchups.

Abilities

PassiveSignature of the Visionary

Hwei primes enemy champions he damages with his abilities for his signature finishing touch.

Hitting an enemy with a second damaging spell completes his signature, leaving it beneath them. The signature detonates after a short delay, dealing magic damage to all enemies in range.

QSubject: Disaster

Hwei envisions a series of disasters, allowing him to paint a devastating blow.

This ability replaces Hwei's abilities with damaging abilities: Devastating Fire, Severing Bolt, and Molten Fissure.

WSubject: Serenity

Hwei envisions a series of serenities, allowing him to paint invigorating settings.

This ability replaces Hwei's abilities with utility abilities: Fleeting Current, Pool of Reflection, and Stirring Lights.

ESubject: Torment

Hwei envisions a series of torments, allowing him to paint controlling visages.

This ability replaces Hwei's abilities with crowd control abilities: Grim Visage, Gaze of the Abyss, and Crushing Maw.

RSpiraling Despair

Hwei paints a vision of pure despair. The first enemy champion struck becomes the center of an expanding painting that slows and damages nearby enemies. The vision explodes after reaching its maximum size or when the champion dies.

Frequently asked questions

Full Hwei page · League of Legends tier list · All champion guides