Ekko is an AP assassin jungler with a safety net. His burst combo (E + Q + passive proc) deletes squishies, and his R lets him escape after diving. Play aggressively, but always track your R ghost trail for the escape route.
Abilities
Skills Overview
P
Z-Drive Resonance
Passive
Every third attack or damaging spell on the same target deals bonus magic damage, and grants Ekko a burst of speed if the target is a champion.
Third hit deals bonus magic damage and gives movement speed. Proc it on champions then disengage — hit-and-run trading.
Q
Timewinder
Skillshot · AoE · Slow
Ekko throws a temporal grenade that expands into a time-distortion field upon hitting an enemy champion, slowing and damaging anyone caught inside. After a delay, the grenade rewinds back to Ekko, dealing damage on its return.
CD: 9/8.5/8/7.5/7 · Cost: 50/60/70/80/90
Q returns after reaching max range or hitting a champion. The return deals more damage — position so both hits land.
W
Parallel Convergence
Zone · Stun · Shield
Ekko's basic attacks deal bonus magic damage to low health enemies. He can cast Parallel Convergence to split the timeline, creating an anomaly after a few seconds that slows enemies caught inside. If Ekko enters the anomaly, he gains shielding and stuns enemies by suspending them in time.
CD: 22/20/18/16/14 · Cost: 30/35/40/45/50
W has a 3-second delay. Cast it where the enemy WILL be, not where they ARE. Predict movement.
E
Phase Dive
Dash · Blink · On-Hit
Ekko rolls evasively while charging up his Z-Drive. His next attack deals bonus damage and warps reality, teleporting him to his target.
CD: 9/8.5/8/7.5/7 · Cost: 40/45/50/55/60
E is a dash + blink. The blink portion can go through walls. Use it for surprise engages over terrain.
R
Chronobreak
AoE · Heal · Rewind
Ekko shatters his timeline, becoming untargetable and rewinding to a more favorable point in time. He returns to whenever he was a few seconds ago, and heals for a percentage of the damage received in that duration. Enemies near his arrival zone take massive damage.
CD: 110/80/50 · Cost: 100
R returns you to where you were 4 seconds ago. Track your ghost trail — it shows exactly where you'll land.
Skill Leveling Order — Max Q first, then E, then W · R at 6 / 11 / 16
| Level | Q | W | E | R | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Take Q — AoE clear tool | ||||
| 2 | Take W — stun + shield for level 2 fights | ||||
| 3 | Take E — dash + blink combo online | ||||
| 4 | Level Q | ||||
| 5 | Level Q | ||||
| 6 | R — Chronobreak unlocked | ||||
| 7 | Level Q | ||||
| 8 | Level E | ||||
| 9 | Q maxed ✓ | ||||
| 10 | Level E | ||||
| 11 | R rank 2 | ||||
| 12 | Level E | ||||
| 13 | Level E | ||||
| 14 | E maxed ✓ | ||||
| 15 | Start leveling W | ||||
| 16 | R rank 3 | ||||
| 17 | Level W | ||||
| 18 | W maxed ✓ |
Itemization
Recommended Builds
Starter Items
Gustwalker Smite
MS burst after camps for roaming and ganks.
450g
Amplifying Tome
AP for faster clearing.
435g
Core Build
Hextech Rocketbelt
Dash + AoE magic damage. Closes gap for E + passive proc.
2600g
Sorcerer's Shoes
Magic pen for burst damage.
1100g
Lich Bane
Empowered auto after E — massive burst combo with passive.
3000g
Rabadon's Deathcap
Multiplicative AP. Makes your combo one-shot squishies.
3600g
Situational
Zhonya's Hourglass
Stasis + armor. Dive in, burst, Zhonya's, then R out.
3250g
Void Staff
40% magic pen vs MR stackers.
2800g
Cosmic Drive
Ability haste + MS for kiting and chasing.
3000g
Rocketbelt → Sorc Shoes → Lich Bane is your core. The E + passive + Lich Bane proc combo deletes squishies.
Runes
Domination Primary
Dark Harvest
Stacking damage on low HP targets. Synergizes with your burst combo — proc passive, then Dark Harvest finishes.
Sudden Impact
Free magic pen after E dash. Procs every time you engage.
Eyeball Collection
Free AP per takedown.
Treasure Hunter
Bonus gold on unique kills — accelerates Rocketbelt timing.
Inspiration Secondary
Magical Footwear
Free boots at 12 min — saves 300g toward Rocketbelt.
Cosmic Insight
Item + summoner spell haste. More frequent Rocketbelt and Flash.
Shards
Adaptive Force · Adaptive Force · Health
Gameplay
How to Play Ekko
01
Early Game
Fast Clear, Look for Picks
- Start Blue → Gromp → Wolves → Raptors → Red → Krugs. Q two-shots raptors at later levels.
- Your level 3 gank is decent with E gap-close + Q slow. Look for overextended lanes.
- Avoid early 1v1s against strong duelists. Your damage scales with items, not levels.
- Kite camps by throwing Q and walking back — the return damage hits while you reposition.
- Track enemy jungler and counter-gank. Your W stun zone is devastating in 2v2s.
02
Mid Game
One-Shot Squishies, Take Objectives
- Rocketbelt spike is massive. E → Rocketbelt → Q → auto (passive proc) one-shots most squishies.
- Use W predictively. Throw it on the enemy's escape route, then E in to force them into the stun zone.
- Dragon and Baron are easy — Q + passive procs shred neutral objectives quickly.
- In skirmishes, always assassinate the carry first. You have R to escape after.
- Split-push with your combo. You clear waves instantly and R out if enemies collapse.
03
Late Game
Flank and Assassinate
- You are an assassin. In teamfights, flank the backline and one-shot the ADC or mage.
- W the teamfight zone before engaging. Even if you don't stun anyone, the shield helps you survive.
- R is your escape. Dive in, kill, R out. Don't R offensively unless it's for a guaranteed multi-kill.
- Zhonya's + R combo: dive in, burst, Zhonya's stasis, then R when stasis ends. Untouchable.
- Track your ghost trail constantly. It shows exactly where R will place you.
Teamfighting
How to Teamfight as Ekko
Ekko is a flanking assassin in teamfights. Your job is to delete one high-value target and R out safely.
1
Setup — W the Zone, Position the Flank
Before engage
01
Throw W onto the fight area from fog of war. The 3-second delay means you need to cast it early.
02
Position on a flank — don't stand with your team. You need a side angle to reach the backline.
03
Wait for your team to start the fight before engaging. Don't be the first in.
Don't W on top of yourself. W where the FIGHT will happen, then E into it as the stun triggers.
2
Engage — E + Burst Combo
Assassination
01
E → Rocketbelt → Q → Auto. This is your full burst combo. The passive proc is the kill.
02
If W stun lands, you have extra time. Auto-attack during the stun for guaranteed passive proc.
03
Ignite or Smite for kill confirm if the target survives with a sliver.
3
Escape — R Out
After the kill
01
Immediately R after the kill. Don't stay for cleanup unless it's safe.
02
R deals damage too. If enemies are grouped near your ghost trail, R kills them as you escape.
03
Re-engage after R if the fight is still going. Your cooldowns will be back up.
Zhonya's → R is the ultimate escape. Dive, burst, Zhonya's when CC comes, then R out when stasis ends. They can never kill you.
Tips & Tricks
Advanced Mechanics & Hidden Tech
Advanced mechanics for Ekko.
Basic
Passive Proc Trading
Hit an enemy 3 times to proc your passive for bonus damage + MS. In ganks: E auto → Q (counts as 2 hits if both parts land) → auto for instant passive.
Intermediate
W Prediction
W has a 3-second delay. Cast it where the enemy will be running TO, not where they are NOW. In ganks, W behind them to cut off retreat.
Advanced
E Through Walls
E's second part (the blink) can cross thin terrain. Use it to surprise enemies over dragon pit, baron wall, or jungle walls.
Basic
R Ghost Trail
Your R ghost shows where you were 4 seconds ago. Always be aware of it — never let it sit in a dangerous spot.
Advanced
Zhonya's R Combo
Dive into the enemy team, burst someone, immediately Zhonya's. During stasis, your ghost trail catches up. Press R when stasis ends to teleport to safety.
Intermediate
Q Raptor Clear
Stand in the center of raptors and Q through all of them. The outgoing + return damage kills small raptors instantly at higher levels.
Basic
Safe Dive Tool
R heals you based on damage taken. You can tower dive, take 2-3 tower shots, get the kill, and R out fully healed.
Matchups
Counters & Matchups
Ekko struggles against tanky champions who survive his burst and champions with point-and-click CC. He excels against immobile squishies he can one-shot.
Click any matchup to expand tips & how to play against them
Loses Against
Lee Sin's early pressure destroys Ekko. He invades, kicks you away from camps, and his execute damage kills you before R can save you.
Farm safely. Avoid him until Rocketbelt. You outscale hard — don't give him early kills.
Elise's cocoon stun + burst can kill you faster than your R animation. Her early game dominance lets her invade freely.
Track her and counter-gank. You win 2v2s with W stun. Avoid 1v1s before first item.
Nocturne's spell shield blocks your Q or W, and his R fear means you can't escape. He forces R usage defensively.
Save Q for after his spell shield. Don't waste W if he has shield up.
Wins Against
Amumu is slow, predictable, and you can dodge his Q with E. You outburst him and R escapes his ultimate.
Invade his camps freely. Burst him in the jungle. He can't fight you 1v1.
Karthus has zero mobility. E onto him, burst, and R out of his passive damage zone. Free kills.
Invade at level 3. He can't escape your E gap-close. Kill him repeatedly.
Sejuani is too slow to catch you and too tanky to one-shot, but you can burst her carries while she engages your team.
Ignore Sejuani. Flank her backline while she engages. She can't peel and engage simultaneously.