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Riven Counters

Riven

Riven, the Exile

Who beats Riven in League of Legends, which picks to avoid and how to play the lane. Every matchup comes with the reason it works.

  • Top
  • Fighter
  • Assassin
  • Melee · 125 range
  • 340 move speed
  • Patch 16.21

Best picks against Riven

These champions have the tools to beat Riven.

  1. Renekton
    Renekton

    Renekton matches Riven's early burst and stuns her in the middle of her combo.

  2. Jax
    Jax

    Counter Strike blocks Riven's auto attacks and stuns her when she dashes in.

  3. Malphite
    Malphite

    Malphite stacks armor against Riven's physical damage and slows her attack speed.

  4. Poppy
    Poppy

    Steadfast Presence stops Riven's dashes, which ruins her combo.

Worst picks against Riven

Riven usually wins these matchups.

  1. Aatrox
    Aatrox

    Riven dashes out of each Aatrox Q and punishes the long recovery after it.

  2. Gangplank
    Gangplank

    Riven dashes past Gangplank's barrels and wins all-ins with her shield and burst.

  3. Sion
    Sion

    Riven dodges Sion's slow abilities with her dashes and wins short trades.

  4. Nasus
    Nasus

    Riven bullies Nasus early and keeps him off the wave.

How to counter Riven

  1. Trade after she uses her third Q; she needs it to close the gap.

  2. Build armor early, as her damage is physical.

  3. Avoid trading into her shield (Valor); wait until it runs out.

  4. Step out of range when she uses Ki Burst, the stun around her.

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Got a question?
We have Answers!

Renekton, Jax, Malphite and Poppy are strong picks against Riven. Renekton matches Riven's early burst and stuns her in the middle of her combo.
Riven usually has the advantage against Aatrox, Gangplank, Sion and Nasus, so avoid those picks when Riven is likely in the top.
Trade after she uses her third Q; she needs it to close the gap. Build armor early, as her damage is physical.
Riven has clear weaknesses that the right pick and good timing can exploit. Even without a counter pick, following the tips on this page will make the lane much easier.

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