Pyke: Countering the Aggressive Support in League of Legends
Pyke is a highly aggressive support champion in League of Legends. He can quickly take over the game if he gets ahead. His ultimate ability can be used multiple times during a teamfight, making it one of the most deadly tools in the game. Even if Pyke falls behind, he has the ability to turn the tides of battle and make a comeback.
Pyke’s kit allows him to be unpredictable and engage from various angles, which can catch his enemies off guard. He is particularly strong in the current mobile meta because he can cover large distances with his camouflage and control the pace of the game.
However, despite Pyke’s strengths, he does have weaknesses that can be exploited early on. By understanding these weaknesses, you can stop him from snowballing and gaining an advantage. Here are the best counters to Pyke in the support position.
General strategy
Pyke is known for his roaming playstyle, so it’s important to keep track of his movements. This way, you can warn your teammates or prepare for a counter-gank. The following champion picks will help you follow Pyke’s roams or force engages on the opposing bottom laner to set them back. It’s important to note that Pyke’s ability to go over walls with his Phantom Undertow (E) should be taken into account when following him, so you don’t waste valuable time.
Additionally, Pyke usually builds lethality-oriented items, so picking up early armor can help reduce his burst damage. While enchanters are vulnerable and easy to kill, the tanky champions listed below will prove to be a challenge for Pyke. Using them alongside the recommended items can help you counter this slippery support assassin and increase your chances of winning the game.
Thresh
Thresh is an excellent counter to Pyke due to his multiple tools. During the laning phase, Thresh has kill pressure with his early-game crowd control and damage. By initiating with Death Sentence and following up with Flay (E), you can potentially secure a kill on a low-health target, especially if you use Ignite.
If the lane isn’t going in your favor, you can play defensively and use Flay to push Pyke away from yourself and your teammate. If your ally gets caught, you can use Dark Passage (W) to provide them with an escape route. It’s crucial to avoid unnecessary risks and only engage when you have crowd control or a play for a kill.
At level six, be cautious of Pyke’s ultimate, Death from Below, which has a lot of damage and can easily secure a double kill. If you’re low on health, it’s better to sacrifice the gold and experience from creeps by recalling to base. Staying in lane with low health makes you an easy target for Pyke to pick up kills.
If Pyke starts roaming, try to counter-gank the lane he’s in or aggressively engage on his bottom laner. Force him to come back or risk losing the bottom lane tower, which will open up the map. Keep good vision around the bottom lane to warn your teammates of incoming ganks.
Leona
Leona is a top counter to Pyke because she is tanky, can easily follow his roams, and has a lot of crowd control. By walking in front of Pyke’s hooks and counter-engaging, you can minimize his damage early on due to Leona’s armor, magic resist, and Eclipse (W).
If the opposing Pyke and his partner are playing passively, use Zenith Blade (E) to engage and follow up with Shield of Daybreak (Q) to create kill opportunities. Leona’s passive ability allows her ally to deal additional magic damage, which can add up during the early game.
Since Pyke is likely to roam, prioritize buying Boots of Mobility to keep up with him. However, if you find yourself stuck in the bottom lane, play aggressively against the enemy ADC and try to secure kills. After a few kills, you’ll have more pressure on the bottom side, allowing you to push towers or set up objectives.
Ward important bushes to avoid being ambushed by Pyke later in the game. Keeping Pyke behind early on is vital because he can quickly snowball with his ultimate, Death from Below. Maintain vision in key areas to prevent Pyke from making game-changing plays.
Nautilus
Nautilus is similar to Leona as a counter to Pyke. He provides crowd control, tankiness, and is hard to kill. You can play aggressively in lane or roam around the map and gank solo lanes, depending on the game situation.
If the lane is passive, force engagements to put the opposing bottom lane at a disadvantage. Pyke excels when he can secure kills and accumulate gold and lethality. By constantly engaging and roaming, you can shut him down and limit his impact on the game. Maintain good vision coverage in the bottom lane to prevent his roaming attempts.
Nautilus’ crowd control is crucial for securing a lead, so use it to your advantage by engaging on Pyke or his bottom laner. Early game kills will give you momentum to transition into the mid-game, where you’ll be much stronger and have opportunities to secure neutral objectives.
Keep an eye on Pyke in teamfights to prevent him from assassinating your squishy carries. If he manages to pick off your carries with Death from Below, he can set up a favorable teamfight for his team. This can quickly turn a small lead into a significant advantage for Pyke’s team.
Items to build against Pyke
Plated Steelcaps
If you’re struggling in the early skirmishes in the bottom lane, consider buying Plated Steelcaps. These defensive boots provide additional armor, movement speed, and reduce auto attack damage from enemies. They scale well throughout the game and can help you survive Pyke’s burst damage.
Boots of Mobility
If Pyke is roaming, you need to keep up with him. Boots of Mobility increase movement speed out of combat, allowing you to follow Pyke’s movements and set up ganks on other lanes.
Control ward
Ensuring vision coverage in the bottom side is essential. Control wards help deny the opposing team’s vision and set up gank opportunities. Because control wards have no duration, they provide a good return on your gold investment the longer they stay alive.
Locket of the Iron Solari
Locket of the Iron Solari is a mythic tank item that can shut down Pyke in teamfights. The shield it provides to your allies increases their effective health, making it harder for Pyke to get resets and take over the game.
Zhonya’s Hourglass
Enchanters can benefit from Zhonya’s Hourglass, as it allows them to survive Pyke’s burst damage or outplay his ultimate. The additional stats provided make this item worthwhile even on support enchanters.
Ionian Boots of Lucidity
If you have control over the bottom lane and want to extend your lead, consider acquiring Ionian Boots of Lucidity. The reduced cooldown on your abilities allows you to shut down Pyke and his ally, forcing them to stay in the bottom lane while you roam other areas of the map.
By using these tips, you can effectively counter Pyke’s aggression in League of Legends and increase your chances of winning the game.
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