Heimerdinger controls the lane with 3 turrets. Nobody can fight you in your turret zone. Enemies either respect the turrets and lose CS, or walk in and die. R empowers abilities for devastating effect.
Abilities
Skills Overview
P
Hextech Affinity
Passive
Gain Move Speed while near allied towers and turrets deployed by Heimerdinger.
Techmaturgical Repair Bots: nearby allied turrets gain bonus attack speed. Stay near your turrets.
Q
H-28 G Evolution Turret
Summon Turret · Zone
Heimerdinger lays down a rapid-fire cannon turret equipped with a secondary pass-through beam attack (turrets deal half damage to towers).
CD: 1 · Cost: 20
Q places a turret (max 3). Turrets auto-attack enemies and fire beams when abilities hit champions. Your DPS source.
W
Hextech Micro-Rockets
Skillshot · Multi-Rocket
Heimerdinger fires long-range rockets that converge on his cursor.
CD: 11/10/9/8/7 · Cost: 50/60/70/80/90
W fires 5 rockets. If all 5 hit a champion, it deals massive damage.
E
CH-2 Electron Storm Grenade
Stun Grenade · AoE
Heimerdinger lobs a grenade at a location, dealing damage to enemy units, as well as stunning anyone directly hit and slowing surrounding units.
CD: 11 · Cost: 85
E is a stun grenade. Slow on edge, STUN in center. Land the center for guaranteed stun.
R
UPGRADE!!!
Empower Next Ability
Heimerdinger invents an upgrade, causing his next spell to have increased effects.
CD: 100/85/70 · Cost: 100
R empowers your next Q, W, or E. R+Q mega turret, R+W rocket barrage, R+E massive stun.
Skill Leveling Order — Max Q first, then W, then E · R at 6 / 11 / 16
| Level | Q | W | E | R | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Take Q — turret | ||||
| 2 | Take W — rockets | ||||
| 3 | Take E — stun | ||||
| 4 | Level Q | ||||
| 5 | Level Q | ||||
| 6 | R — UPGRADE!!! | ||||
| 7 | Level Q | ||||
| 8 | Level W | ||||
| 9 | Q maxed ✓ | ||||
| 10 | Level W | ||||
| 11 | R rank 2 | ||||
| 12 | Level W | ||||
| 13 | Level W | ||||
| 14 | W maxed ✓ | ||||
| 15 | Level E | ||||
| 16 | R rank 3 | ||||
| 17 | Level E | ||||
| 18 | E maxed ✓ |
Itemization
Recommended Builds
Core Build
Rylai's Crystal Scepter
Turret attacks slow. Enemies can never escape your zone.
2600g
Sorcerer's Shoes
Magic pen.
1100g
Rabadon's Deathcap
AP multiplier for turret damage.
3600g
Void Staff
Magic pen.
2800g
Situational
Zhonya's Hourglass
Stasis while turrets DPS.
3250g
Banshee's Veil
Spell shield.
2600g
Morellonomicon
Grievous wounds.
2500g
Rylai's → Deathcap → Void. Turrets slow everything with Rylai's.
Runes
Sorcery Primary
Arcane Comet
Turret hits + W guarantee comet.
Manaflow Band
Mana sustain.
Transcendence
CDR for turret uptime.
Gathering Storm
Free AP.
Domination Secondary
Taste of Blood
Sustain.
Treasure Hunter
Gold.
Shards
Adaptive Force · Adaptive Force · Health
Gameplay
How to Play Heimerdinger
01
Early Game
Turret Zone, Lane Domination
- Place 3 turrets in a triangle formation around the wave.
- Enemy walks into turrets = they take massive DPS. Don't chase — let turrets do the work.
- W rockets through the wave for poke. All 5 hitting a champion deals huge damage.
- E center stun sets up turret beam attacks for burst.
- You win every lane trade inside your turret zone.
02
Mid Game
R+Q Mega Turret
- R+Q places a MEGA turret that deals 2000+ damage over its duration.
- R+W fires a massive rocket barrage. Use for burst on grouped enemies.
- R+E is a massive AoE stun. Use for teamfight CC.
- Place turrets around objectives for zone control.
- Zhonya's inside turret zone = you're invulnerable while turrets kill everyone.
03
Late Game
Zone Control
- R+Q mega turret at baron/dragon = nobody can contest.
- Rylai's + turrets = enemies are permanently slowed in your zone.
- Siege towers with turrets. Push and poke.
- Zhonya's bait: let them dive you → Zhonya's → turrets kill them.
- You're the ultimate zone control mage.
Teamfighting
How to Teamfight as Heimerdinger
Heimerdinger controls the teamfight area with turrets and R empowered abilities.
1
Setup — Place Turrets
Zone control
01
3 turrets in the fight area.
02
R+Q mega turret for maximum DPS.
03
Stand near your turrets.
Without turrets, you deal almost no damage. ALWAYS fight near your turrets.
2
Burst — W Rockets + E Stun
Combo
01
E center stun on grouped enemies.
02
W rockets for burst.
03
Turrets fire beams on stunned targets.
3
Bait — Zhonya's + Turrets
Trap
01
Zhonya's when focused.
02
Turrets keep attacking during stasis.
03
Enemies die trying to kill you.
The Heimer bait: walk forward with 3 turrets + R+Q behind you. Enemies engage → Zhonya's → turrets melt them. The most satisfying play in League.
Tips & Tricks
Advanced Mechanics & Hidden Tech
Advanced mechanics for Heimerdinger.
Basic
Turret Triangle
Place 3 turrets in a triangle around the wave. This maximizes their zone coverage.
Intermediate
R+Q Mega Turret
R+Q places a massive turret that deals 2000+ total damage. Use for objectives and teamfights.
Basic
Fight Near Turrets
Without turrets, you deal no damage. NEVER fight away from your turrets.
Advanced
Zhonya's Bait
Walk forward → enemies engage → Zhonya's → turrets kill them during stasis. The classic Heimer trap.
Intermediate
E Center Stun
E edge slows, E CENTER stuns. Aim for the center hit.
Basic
W All-Hit
If all 5 W rockets hit one champion, it deals massive damage. Don't aim at minions.
Matchups
Counters & Matchups
Heimer struggles against long-range mages who can destroy turrets safely and champions who outrange his zone. He excels against melee assassins who walk into turrets.
Click any matchup to expand tips & how to play against them
Loses Against
Syndra W grabs and throws your turrets. She dismantles your zone.
Place turrets behind you. She can't grab them from range.
Xerath destroys turrets from screen distance.
Roam. You can't lane vs Xerath.
Viktor E destroys turrets quickly.
Place turrets farther back. Zone defensively.
Wins Against
Fizz walks into turrets and dies. Can't dodge turret beams with E.
3 turrets → E stun → turrets melt him.
Yasuo dashes into your turret zone and dies.
Turret zone destroys him. He can't windwall turret autos.
Zed R into turret zone = suicide.
Stand in turrets. When he R's, E stun → turrets kill him.