Naafiri

Playstyle Profile

Naafiri is a flanker — eliminates priority targets by bypassing the frontline

Teamfight Role

Assassin Flanker

Power Spike

Mid game

Split Threat

None

Backline Access

Low

Naafiri's Strengths

• Deletes priority targets instantly — Naafiri removes the enemy carry before teamfights even begin

How to Play Naafiri

Champion-specific pre-match tips

Gameplay tips on Summoner's Rift

Lane Phase

Land Q1 and Q2 in rapid succession to instantly trigger your rune burst damage, as your passive dogs' leap counts as an additional hit.

Lane Phase

Shorten your E dash distance by keeping your cursor close to your champion model during early trades, preventing you from overshooting into the enemy minion wave.

Lane Phase

Hold Q to last hit from maximum range when the wave is frozen near the enemy tower, keeping yourself out of lethal engage distance.

Mid Game

Cast your ult from the fog of war before entering a skirmish to gain vision and map out the safest flanking angle for your W engage.

Mid Game

Clear side lane waves efficiently by positioning your E to hit all six minions, then immediately cast Q on the melee minions to let your passive dogs finish the wave.

Mid Game

Target the enemy with the lowest health when arriving at a skirmish to quickly secure a takedown and trigger your ult's reset for a refreshed shield.

Late Game

Wait for the enemy frontline to burn their crowd control or step out of position before casting W on a priority carry, preventing tanks from body-blocking your dash.

Late Game

Cast Q through multiple clustered targets during choke-point fights to rapidly heal yourself based on the overlapping bleeding damage.

Late Game

Hold your E during a late-game dive until after your initial burst, using it to quickly reposition over a wall if you fail to secure the takedown.

For matchup-tailored tips, download Baron Buff's AI Coach & Companion App.

Gameplay tips in Arena

• Poke with Q1, land Q2 after the bleed, and use W only when the target cannot drag you through their partner's control. E should recall the pack and dodge retaliation.
• Build Voltaic Cyclosword, Serylda's Grudge, Axiom Arc, and Duskblade of Draktharr. Lethality and haste support repeated pack-assisted dives.
• Prioritize Thread the Needle, Executioner, Contract Killer, and Dashing. Missing-health damage and dash protection secure the first target.

Naafiri Build

This might not be your familiar build. We look at ranked games after each item was bought. If the player or team gained ground in gold, we rate that item higher.

Core

• Voltaic Cyclosword
• Ionian Boots of Lucidity (Boots)
• Black Cleaver

Situational

• Guardian Angel
• Death's Dance
• Edge of Night
• Terminus
• Chempunk Chainsword
• Serpent's Fang

Naafiri Runes

The most popular rune page and summoner spells for Naafiri in ranked games over the last 30 days.

Precision + Inspiration · 49.5% WR · 19,648 games

• Conqueror
• Triumph
• Legend: Alacrity
• Coup de Grace
• Magical Footwear
• Cosmic Insight
• Attack Speed
• Adaptive Force
• Health Scaling

Summoner spells

Flash, Smite

Naafiri Skill Order

The recommended skill order for Naafiri from ranked games over the last 90 days: the first three skill points, then the order to max abilities.

1. lvl 1: Q
2. lvl 2: E
3. lvl 3: W
4. max: Q
5. max: E
6. max: W

How to Counter Naafiri

Counter strategies and draft context

group tightly, build defensively, and provide reliable peel for carries

• Shut down by grouped teams — Naafiri needs isolated targets and falls apart when enemies stick together
• Tanks and bruisers that survive burst windows
• Champions with point-and-click crowd control
• Supports that shield or heal through burst

Naafiri's Weaknesses

Grouped compositions with strong vision leave Naafiri without isolated targets or flanking angles. Defensive items and grouping deny Naafiri the solo kills they look for.

Best Synergies with Naafiri

Team synergies and draft context

Engage tanks draw attention away from Naafiri, and enemy cooldowns spent on the frontline leave their carries exposed. Waveclear mids or ADCs hold lanes while you roam for picks. A second diver splits enemy focus in teamfights. Allies with hard crowd control make sure your burst lands.

Draft Context

• Stacks burst with no frontline — nobody absorbs damage while Naafiri waits for a flank window
• Stacks AP or AD with Naafiri — one-dimensional damage lets the enemy itemize a single resistance

Learning Curve

Based on 1.2M+ matches across all ranked elos, showing how Naafiri's win rate changes with mastery level

Naafiri rewards dedicated play — meaningful improvement continues well beyond the basics, and the learning curve is among the steepest in the game. Expect a long stretch of low win rates before meaningful improvement — mastering this champion demands serious commitment.

Skill Cap

High

Cost of Learning

Extremely High