Cassiopeia is an AP DPS machine. She spams E like an ADC spams auto-attacks, poisons with Q/W, and R stuns entire teams. She can't buy boots — her passive gives MS, freeing a 6th item slot.
Abilities
Skills Overview
P
Serpentine Grace
Passive
All Move Speed bonuses are more effective on Cassiopeia.
Serpentine Grace: cannot buy boots. Gains MS per level instead. Spend boot gold on a 6th item.
Q
Noxious Blast
AoE · Poison · MS Buff
Cassiopeia blasts an area with Poison after a brief delay, granting her increased Move Speed if she hits an enemy champion.
CD: 3.5 · Cost: 50/55/60/65/70
Q poisons in an AoE and gives you MS if it hits a champion. Land Q before E spamming.
W
Miasma
Zone · Poison · Ground
Cassiopeia releases several clouds of poison, slowing, grounding, and lightly damaging enemies that pass through them. Grounded enemies cannot use Movement abilities.
CD: 24/22/20/18/16 · Cost: 70/75/80/85/90
W creates a poison zone that also GROUNDS enemies (prevents dashes). Devastating vs mobile champions.
E
Twin Fang
Point-Click · Spam · DPS
Cassiopeia lets loose an attack that deals increased damage to Poisoned targets and heals her for a percentage of the damage dealt. If the target dies from this attack, Cassiopeia regains Mana.
CD: 0.75 · Cost: 40
E is a low-cooldown point-and-click. On poisoned targets, it deals bonus damage and refunds mana. Spam it.
R
Petrifying Gaze
AoE · Stun/Slow · Cone
Cassiopeia releases a swirl of magical energy from her eyes, stunning any enemies in front of her that are facing her and slowing any others with their back turned.
CD: 120/100/80 · Cost: 100
R stuns enemies FACING you and slows enemies facing away. Use when enemies are running at you.
Skill Leveling Order — Max E first, then Q, then W · R at 6 / 11 / 16
| Level | Q | W | E | R | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Take E — DPS | ||||
| 2 | Take Q — poison | ||||
| 3 | Take W — ground zone | ||||
| 4 | Level E | ||||
| 5 | Level E | ||||
| 6 | R — Petrifying Gaze | ||||
| 7 | Level E | ||||
| 8 | Level Q | ||||
| 9 | E maxed ✓ | ||||
| 10 | Level Q | ||||
| 11 | R rank 2 | ||||
| 12 | Level Q | ||||
| 13 | Level Q | ||||
| 14 | Q maxed ✓ | ||||
| 15 | Level W | ||||
| 16 | R rank 3 | ||||
| 17 | Level W | ||||
| 18 | W maxed ✓ |
Itemization
Recommended Builds
Summoner Spells
Primary
Ghost
Sustained movement that synergises with your kit
Secondary
Ignite
Kill pressure and Grievous Wounds to deny enemy healing
Situational
Flash
Flash
Core Build
Archangel's Staff
Mana for E spam. Shield from Seraph's.
2600g
Rabadon's Deathcap
AP multiplier for E damage.
3600g
Rylai's Crystal Scepter
E slows enemies. Permanent kiting.
2600g
Void Staff
Magic pen.
2800g
Situational
Zhonya's Hourglass
Stasis.
3250g
Banshee's Veil
Spell shield.
2600g
Morellonomicon
Grievous wounds.
2500g
Tear → Archangel's → Deathcap → Rylai's. No boots — passive gives MS. You get a 6th item.
Runes
Sorcery Primary
Phase Rush
3 E hits proc Phase Rush for MS burst. Essential for kiting.
Manaflow Band
Bonus mana for E spam.
Transcendence
CDR.
Gathering Storm
Free AP scaling.
Precision Secondary
Presence of Mind
Mana sustain.
Legend: Tenacity
Tenacity — you're in closer range than most mages.
Shards
Adaptive Force · Adaptive Force · Health
Gameplay
How to Play Cassiopeia
01
Early Game
Q Poison → E Spam
- Q poison → E spam is your core pattern. E refunds mana on poisoned targets.
- Without boots, you're slower early. Respect ganks.
- Farm with E last-hits. Mana refund on poisoned minions.
- Q gives MS on champion hit. Land it before E spamming for kiting.
- Buy Tear first back.
02
Mid Game
DPS Mage = AP ADC
- Q → E E E E E is your DPS pattern. 5+ E casts per poison duration.
- W grounds enemies — they can't dash. Devastating vs Yasuo, Zed, etc.
- R stuns enemies FACING you. Turn fights by R-ing when they engage.
- Rylai's + E = permanent slow. They can never escape.
- Your DPS rivals ADCs with E spam + AP scaling.
03
Late Game
Highest Sustained AP DPS
- 6 items (no boots needed). You have more stats than anyone.
- E spam DPS is the highest sustained magic damage in the game.
- R into grouped enemies = 2-second AoE stun. Fight-winning.
- W ground zone prevents all dashes. Lock down mobile champions.
- Position like an ADC — behind frontline, E spamming.
Teamfighting
How to Teamfight as Cassiopeia
Cassiopeia E spams from behind her frontline like an AP ADC, then R stuns the enemy team.
1
Poison — Q + W
Setup
01
Q poison the priority target.
02
W ground zone on mobile enemies.
03
MS boost from Q hit.
E deals BASE damage without poison. ALWAYS Q/W first, then E spam.
2
DPS — E Spam
Sustained damage
01
E spam on poisoned targets.
02
5-6 E casts per Q poison duration.
03
Rylai's slow on each E.
3
Stun — R Petrifying Gaze
AoE CC
01
R when enemies run AT you. They're facing you = stun.
02
2-second AoE stun.
03
E spam during stun duration.
R stuns enemies FACING you, slows enemies facing AWAY. Use it when enemies are engaging on you for guaranteed stun, not when they're running.
Video Guide
Watch the Full Guide
Credits to Eternal Hero
Tips & Tricks
Advanced Mechanics & Hidden Tech
Advanced mechanics for Cassiopeia.
Basic
Poison First
E deals much more damage on POISONED targets and refunds mana. Always Q or W before E spamming.
Intermediate
No Boots
Passive gives MS per level. You can't buy boots — spend that gold on a 6th item.
Basic
E Spam
E has a 0.75s cooldown. Spam it on poisoned targets like an ADC spams auto-attacks.
Advanced
W Ground
W GROUNDS enemies — they can't use dashes, blinks, or teleports. Devastating vs Yasuo, Zed, Katarina.
Intermediate
R Direction
R stuns enemies FACING you. Use it when they're running at you. It only slows if they face away.
Basic
6th Item
Since you can't buy boots, you get a 6th full item. This is a massive stat advantage late game.
Matchups
Counters & Matchups
Cassiopeia struggles against long-range burst mages who kill her before E can ramp. She excels against melee champions she can poison and kite.
Click any matchup to expand tips & how to play against them
Loses Against
Syndra outranges your E and bursts before you ramp DPS.
Dodge her Q poke. All-in at 6 with R.
Xerath pokes from screen distance.
Roam. You can't reach him.
Lux outranges and one-shots with combo.
W ground her escape. All-in.
Wins Against
W grounds Yasuo — no dashes. R stuns him facing you.
W ground → E spam. He can't dash.
W grounds Katarina — no shunpo. R stuns her R channel.
W ground → she's immobile. E spam.
W ground prevents Fizz E. R stuns his engage.
W when he dashes. He's grounded.
Team Comp
Best Synergies
Malphite R groups the entire team facing Cassiopeia for a guaranteed Petrifying Gaze AoE stun; enemies knocked up by Malphite land facing Cassiopeia for the double CC chain.
Amumu R stuns enemies who are then all forced to face Cassiopeia when they panic-run, triggering her R stun for a double AoE CC chain; the stunned enemies cannot turn away.
Ornn absorbs all frontline damage while Cassiopeia E spams from behind at AP ADC-level sustained DPS; Ornn's CC also prevents enemies from turning away for Cassiopeia R stun.
Lulu's polymorph and shield protect the immobile, slow Cassiopeia from assassins who reach her backline position; Whimsy buys E spam time to deal with divers.