How to Counter Every Meta Assassin — A Role-by-Role Guide

Before we get into specific champions, there's one rule that applies to countering every assassin in HOK: assassins are cooldown-based. When their abilities are up, they're the most dangerous champions on the map. When their abilities are on cooldown, they're walking gold.

The entire game of playing against assassins is about forcing them to use their cooldowns on the wrong target or at the wrong time. If Ying uses her full combo on your tank, she has nothing left for your ADC. If Han Xin uses his dash to engage and you flash away, he can't follow up. If Zilong blows his ultimate and your team disengages, he just wasted his strongest cooldown.

This guide covers how to apply this rule for each role, plus specific champion counters.

As an ADC, the assassin's entire game plan revolves around killing you. Your job is to make that as difficult as possible.

Positioning:
• Never be the first person the enemy team sees. Let your tank walk into fog of war first.
• In teamfights, stay at least one flash distance behind your frontline.
• If the assassin hasn't shown on the minimap, assume they're in the nearest bush waiting for you.

Itemization:
• Build a defensive item by your third slot. Zhuge Crossbow (revive), Pure Sky (damage reduction), or Bloodthirster (shield).
• Against heavy AD assassins (Ying, Zilong, Han Xin), armor boots are better than attack speed boots. You can't DPS if you're dead.

Summoner Spells:
• Flash is mandatory. No exceptions.
• If the enemy has 2+ assassins or hard CC, take Purify instead of Heal. A well-timed Purify negates their entire combo.

Mages are the second-favorite target for assassins. But unlike ADCs, mages have tools to fight back.

Positioning:
• Stay near your support or tank at all times after laning phase ends.
• Never face-check bushes. Use your abilities to scout.
• If you're playing an immobile mage (Angela, Wang Zhaojun), your flash is your life. Do not waste it.

Ability Usage:
• Hold your CC ability. Do not throw it at the enemy tank. Wait for the assassin to dive.
• When the assassin dives, they move in a straight line toward you. This makes them the easiest target for your CC.
• Once they're CC'd, drop your full combo. Most assassins die to a full mage combo.

Specific Counters:
• Daji into any assassin — hold charm, they dash in, you charm, they die.
• Angela — same logic with stun.
• Wang Zhaojun — your ultimate zones the entire area. Assassins can't dive into it.

Your job against assassins is the most straightforward but also the most important: protect your carries.

Vision:
• Ward the flank routes before teamfights. Assassins never engage from the front.
• Stand in the bushes your carries would otherwise face-check.

Peel:
• Hold your CC. Do not use it to engage unless you're 100% sure the assassin is dead or across the map.
• When the assassin dives your carry, CC them immediately. Every second they're CC'd is a second your carry is alive.
• Body-block skillshots. Many assassins have linear dashes or projectiles. Stand between them and your carry.

Best Anti-Assassin Supports:
• Sakeer — knockup, shield, heal. The complete package.
• Dun — hook the assassin away from your carry.
• Donghuang — suppression ultimate. Point and click. Assassin dies.