Syndra: The Dark Sovereign

Syndra is a champion in League of Legends primarily played in the mid lane, classified as a Burst Mage. She uses Mana (480 – 1266.6 at max level) and deals Magic damage. Syndra was released on September 13, 2012, and was last updated in patch V26.04.

📊 Base Statistics

💡 Unique Mechanic: Syndra’s crits deal standard bonus damage unlike most champions. Her real power comes from stacking Splinters of Wrath — the more you stack, the stronger each of her abilities becomes. Play her as a scaling powerhouse, not a lane bully.

🔮 Passive: Transcendent

INNATE: Syndra collects Splinters of Wrath that enhance each of her abilities based on the number collected, stacking up to 120 times. Splinters are gained from:

• Dealing two instances of ability damage to an enemy champion within 4 seconds grants 1 / 2 / 3 Splinters (based on level) — cannot trigger on the same target more than once every few seconds.
• Ranking up an ability with skill points beyond level 1 grants 5 Splinters, up to a maximum of 85.
• Killing a large minion grants 1 Splinter.

Collecting a Splinter of Wrath restores 20 – 255 mana (based on level). At 120 Splinters, Syndra achieves Transcendence, permanently increasing her ability power by 15%. Even at max stacks, additional Splinters continue to restore mana.

🔵 Q: Dark Sphere

ACTIVE: Syndra conjures a Dark Sphere at the target location, appearing after a 0.6-second delay and dealing magic damage to nearby enemies. The sphere remains on the ground for 6 seconds and can be used by W and R.

TRANSCENDENT BONUS (40 Splinters): Syndra periodically stocks a Dark Sphere charge, up to a maximum of 2 charges. This drastically increases her sphere availability for combos and R.

⚫ W: Force of Will

ACTIVE: Syndra telekinetically grabs the nearest Dark Sphere, enemy minion, or non-epic monster within 500 units, holding the target near her for 5 seconds. She prioritizes the nearest unit, then Dark Spheres. If a Dark Sphere is grabbed, its duration refreshes; if a minion or monster is grabbed, it is put into stasis.

RECAST: Syndra throws the grabbed target toward the target location, granting sight as it falls and dealing magic damage to it and nearby enemies on landing. All targets hit are slowed by 25% for 1.5 seconds.

TRANSCENDENT BONUS (60 Splinters): Force of Will deals an additional 12% (+ 2% per 100 AP) bonus true damage. True damage at this threshold bypasses all resistances, making Syndra a serious threat even against tanks.

💨 E: Scatter the Weak

ACTIVE: Syndra propels a wave of force in a cone in the target direction, dealing magic damage and knocking back enemies 400 – 800 units based on proximity.

Dark Spheres within the cone are also knocked back up to 1200 units. Any enemy struck by a launched sphere is stunned for 1.25 seconds, revealed, and dealt Scatter the Weak’s damage if not hit by the initial cast. This is Syndra’s primary CC and the key to her E-Q-R combo.

TRANSCENDENT BONUS (80 Splinters): Scatter the Weak gains an increased scatter angle and slows enemies hit by 70% for 1.25 seconds after the knockback or stun ends — giving Syndra even more follow-up time.

❄️ R: Unleashed Power (Ultimate)

PASSIVE: Dark Sphere gains Ability Haste: 10 / 20 / 30, directly reducing Q’s cooldown and enabling faster sphere generation.

ACTIVE: Syndra enters a 0.264-second cast time, creating 3 Dark Spheres and grabbing up to 4 nearby Dark Spheres (those last spawned). The collected spheres are then barraged at the target enemy champion, each dealing magic damage upon hit. Spheres remain on the ground for 6 seconds after.

TRANSCENDENT BONUS (100 Splinters): Unleashed Power gains an execute threshold — if the barrage would reduce the target below 15% of their maximum health, they are instantly killed. This is game-changing in both 1v1 duels and teamfights.

💡 Pro Tip: Always pre-position Dark Spheres before using R. With the Q charge bonus (40 Splinters) and R’s passive haste, you can have up to 6–7 spheres ready for a fully powered Unleashed Power burst.

🎯 Strategies and Gameplay Tips

Early Game (Levels 1–6)

• Q Control: Spam Dark Sphere for poke. Place spheres between you and the enemy to set up E stun. Never fight without at least one sphere on the ground.
• Splinter Priority: Double-tap abilities on the same target within 4 seconds to generate Splinters efficiently. Every stack counts toward your massive power spike.
• Safe Farming: Use Q to last-hit from range. Syndra’s early damage is solid but her true strength comes mid-game — play safe and stack Splinters.

Mid Game (Levels 7–13)

• The Classic Combo: E (cone) → pre-placed Q → enemy gets stunned by sphere → W throw → Q → R. Practice this sequence until it’s muscle memory.
• Roaming with R: Once R is available, track the minimap. A cross-map Syndra who roams with full spheres can one-shot squishy targets before anyone reacts.
• 40 Splinters Online: Once you hit the first Transcendence threshold, your Q starts double-stocking charges. This is your first real power spike — play aggressively from here.

Late Game (Level 14+)

• Positioning is Everything: Stay at the edge of engagement range. Syndra has no escapes — your safety net is killing the target before they reach you.
• 100 Splinters Execute: At max Transcendence, your R executes below 15% HP. Combined with 120 Splinters AP bonus, your burst can one-shot almost any non-tank.
• Peel for Yourself: E is your only real escape tool — knock an assassin back, Q on them for a stun, then W the sphere back into them. Practice this defensive pattern.

❌ Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

• Wasting R Without Spheres: R with 0 pre-placed spheres deals only 3-sphere minimum damage. Always have Q spheres ready before engaging!
• Missing Splinter Generation: Forgetting to double-tap abilities on the same target within 4 seconds wastes massive Splinter generation. This delays all your Transcendent bonuses significantly.
• Face-casting E: Scatter the Weak without a sphere near the enemy is just a slow knockback. The stun only triggers if a sphere hits them — pre-position Q first, always.
• Ignoring Splinter Thresholds: Each threshold (40/60/80/100 Splinters) unlocks a major ability upgrade. Know exactly where you are in your stack count at all times.

⚙️ Recommended Build and Itemization

Core Items

• Luden’s Tempest: Perfect first item — mana, AP, haste, and an aggressive passive that matches Syndra’s burst-first playstyle. The poke synergy is real.
• Shadowflame: Raw AP and magic penetration. Pairs with R’s burst to melt through shields. Essential for snowballing a lead.
• Rabadon’s Deathcap: Third item power spike. With Transcendence’s 15% AP bonus already boosting your stats, Rabadon’s multiplies everything. This is your one-shot moment.

Situational Items

• Void Staff: Against magic-resist stacking enemies. Percent penetration ensures your R stays relevant into late-game tanks.
• Zhonya’s Hourglass: No mobility means Syndra needs a stasis safety net. Grab this when assassins are threatening.
• Cryptbloom: Sustain denial. Against healing-heavy comps, grievous wounds shuts down their recovery window after your burst.

⚔️ Counter Picks & Matchups

✅ Syndra Counters

1. Orianna

Syndra outranges and outbursts Orianna at most stages. E-Q-R combo bypasses Orianna’s Command: Shockwave if you bait it out first. Force of Will removes her ball positioning advantage.

2. Lux

Lux is immobile and predictable. Syndra dodges her root with good positioning and punishes immediately. Once you hit 6, Lux cannot survive a proper full combo.

3. Veigar

Ironic that a stacking champion gets beaten by another. Syndra’s mobility-free kit doesn’t care about Veigar’s cage if you engage through spheres from outside it. Burst him before his stacks matter.

❌ Syndra is Countered By

1. Fizz

He simply slips through your entire combo with his E dodge. R barrages into nothing. Very frustrating matchup — try to force trades on cooldown windows and respect his all-in potential.

2. Galio

Magic resist built-in passive, a taunt, and a team-wide knockup. Syndra’s pure magic damage struggles here and her squishy positioning gets punished hard by Galio’s engage.

3. Zed

No counterplay to his all-in. Your slows and E knockback don’t prevent his Death Mark from going off. Build Zhonya’s, bait his shadow pattern before engaging, and pray to the coin flip gods.

FAQ

Q: When should I use R in a teamfight?

A: Ideally after E-Q stun is confirmed on a high-priority target. Never use R blindly — pre-charge spheres, wait for the enemy to be CC’d, then unleash. With 100 Splinters, the execute threshold makes this even more punishing.

Q: How do I farm Splinters efficiently?

A: Double-hit the same champion with two ability damage instances within 4 seconds. The Q-W combo (sphere then throw) is the easiest way early. Don’t ignore large minions either — they each grant 1 Splinter for free.

Q: Is Syndra good for beginners?

A: She’s rated medium-high difficulty. Her kit is conceptually straightforward but mechanically demanding — placing spheres, tracking Splinter stacks, and landing E-sphere stuns require real practice. Worth learning though; her high skill ceiling pays off.

Q: Does Syndra’s R scale better with more spheres?

A: Absolutely. Each sphere deals 80/120/160 (+20% AP) independently. With 7 spheres (maximum possible), that’s potentially 560/840/1120 (+140% AP) total damage — before the 15% AP boost from Transcendence and Rabadon’s multiplier.

Q: What’s the optimal combo for assassinating a target?

A: Pre-place Q near the enemy → E (cone push sphere into target = stun 1.25s) → W (throw a minion/sphere) → Q again → R (maximum spheres). Practice landing E before casting R to ensure the stun window absorbs the ult.