Ekko: The Boy Who Shattered Time

Ekko is a champion in League of Legends primarily played in the jungle and mid lane positions, classified as an Assassin (legacy class: Assassin / Mage). The Boy Who Shattered Time uses Mana (280 – 1656.55 at max level) and deals Magic damage. Ekko was released on May 29, 2015, and is currently in patch.

📊 Base Statistics

💡 Unique Mechanic: Ekko’s Chronobreak (R) shows a visible afterimage hologram trailing 4 seconds behind his actual position. This hologram is visible to BOTH teams and shows exactly where Ekko will land if he presses R. Smart Ekko players position the afterimage on top of enemies before ulting — delivering devastating 200-500 + 175% AP damage at the arrival point while simultaneously healing and escaping danger. The afterimage is simultaneously Ekko’s greatest strength AND his most readable weakness.

⏱️ Passive: Z-Drive Resonance

INNATE – RESONANCE: Ekko’s basic attacks on-hit and damaging abilities apply a stack of Resonance to enemies hit for 4 seconds, refreshing on subsequent hits and stacking up to 3 times. The third stack consumes them all to deal 30 – 150 (based on level) (+ 80% AP) bonus magic damage. Z-Drive Resonance deals 270% damage against monsters. Resonance cannot affect the same target more than once every few seconds.

INNATE – STOLEN TIME: Triggering Resonance against a champion grants Ekko 50% / 60% / 70% / 80% (based on level) bonus movement speed for 2 / 2.5 / 3 seconds.

🔮 Q: Timewinder

Cost: 50 / 60 / 70 / 80 / 90 Mana | Cooldown: 9 / 8.5 / 8 / 7.5 / 7 | Cast Time: 0.25

ACTIVE: Ekko throws a temporal grenade in the target direction that deals magic damage to enemies hit. At 700 units or upon hitting an enemy champion, the grenade slows down for 1.75 seconds to expand into a Temporal Sickness field that slows nearby enemies, travelling another 190 units. Afterwards, the grenade contracts and homes back to Ekko at increased speed, dealing return magic damage to enemies hit. Enemies can be hit only once per pass.

⏳ W: Parallel Convergence

Cost: 30 / 35 / 40 / 45 / 50 Mana | Cooldown: 22 / 20 / 18 / 16 / 14 | Cast Time: 0.25

PASSIVE: Ekko’s basic attacks deal bonus magic damage equal to 3% (+ 3% per 100 AP) of the target’s missing health against enemies below 30% of their maximum health. The damage has a minimum threshold of 15 and is capped at 150 against minions and monsters.

ACTIVE: Ekko creates an afterimage that, after 2 seconds, bats a device to the target location granting sight for 2.5 seconds. After 1.25 seconds of travel, the device expands into a chronosphere that lasts 1.5 seconds and slows enemies within by 40%. If Ekko enters the sphere before it expires, it detonates to grant him a shield for 2 seconds and stun enemies within for 2.25 seconds. Enemies can see the indicator 2 seconds after casting.

⚡ E: Phase Dive

Cost: 40 / 45 / 50 / 55 / 60 Mana | Cooldown: 9 / 8.5 / 8 / 7.5 / 7 | Cast Time: NONE

ACTIVE: Ekko dashes in the target direction, then empowers his next basic attack within 3 seconds to have a 0.25-second cast time, gain +300 bonus range, cause him to blink within 125 range of the target, and deal bonus magic damage. Phase Dive resets Ekko’s basic attack timer. Ekko can cast any of his abilities during the dash.

⏪ R: Chronobreak (Ultimate)

Cost: 100 Mana | Cooldown: 110 / 80 / 50 | Cast Time: 0.5

PASSIVE: Upon learning Chronobreak or if its current cooldown is lower than 4 seconds, Ekko reveals a time-delayed afterimage of himself that constantly tracks where he was 4 seconds ago.

ACTIVE: Ekko enters stasis at the start of the cast time, and afterwards heals himself and dashes to his afterimage’s location over 0.5 seconds. Upon arrival, the stasis ends and he creates an explosion that deals magic damage to nearby enemies. Ekko is immune to all displacements during Chronobreak.

💡 Pro Tip: Chronobreak’s heal scales with 3% per 1% of health lost in the past 4 seconds. If you lose 50% HP in a fight, the heal bonus is 150% — on top of the base 100-200 + 60% AP. This means Ekko heals MORE the lower he gets, making it a perfect panic button. At rank 3, the cooldown drops to just 50 seconds — one of the shortest ultimate cooldowns in the game. Also, deliberately walking your afterimage through an enemy cluster before pressing R deals 500 + 175% AP at the landing point. That’s an assassination AND an escape in one button.

🎮 Strategies and Gameplay Tips

Jungle: Early Game (Levels 1-6)

• Passive for Clearing: Z-Drive Resonance’s 270% monster damage on the 3rd hit is your main clearing tool. Auto twice → Q (applies 3rd stack immediately for the burst) on each camp. The movement speed from triggering passive on monsters helps you kite camps and transition between them faster.
• Level 3 Gank Pattern: Ekko has surprisingly strong level 3 ganks with E → auto (passive stack 1) → Q (stack 2 + 3 on return). The E blink closes 875 range instantly, the passive proc deals heavy damage and grants movement speed to stick to the target. If your laner has CC, it’s often a guaranteed kill or Flash burn.
• W Setup from Fog: Parallel Convergence has a 2-second delay before the chronosphere forms, and enemies only see the indicator after 2 seconds of casting. When ganking, cast W from fog of war BEFORE entering lane. By the time you E onto the target and proc passive, the chronosphere arrives for the stun. This is the difference between a good Ekko gank and a great one.

Jungle: Mid Game (Levels 7-13)

• Dusk and Dawn Spike: Completing your jungle item gives Ekko a massive powerspike. The E → auto (passive proc) → Q combo with Dark Harvest one-shots squishy targets. Look for picks on isolated carries, assassinate them, and R out to safety. This is Ekko’s peak assassination window before enemies build defensive items.
• Flanking with W: In skirmishes, cast W from fog of war or behind a wall, then E into the enemy team to land inside the chronosphere. The 2.25-second stun combined with your shield lets you burst a target while absorbing retaliation. Your team follows up on the stunned enemies and you R out if needed. This is Ekko’s signature teamfight setup.
• R as Safety Net: With R available, you can take risks that other assassins can’t. Dive under towers, invade enemy jungle, or make aggressive flank plays knowing that R rewinds you to safety. Track your afterimage position — if it’s in a safe spot, you can dive aggressively. If the afterimage is in a dangerous position, play more carefully.

Mid Lane: Playstyle

• Hail of Blades for Fast Passive Procs: Mid Ekko runs Hail of Blades for instant 3-hit passive procs. E onto enemy → empowered auto (stack 1) → auto (stack 2, Hail of Blades fast) → auto (stack 3, passive procs for burst + MS). The entire combo happens in under 1 second, delivering massive damage before the enemy can react.
• Q Waveclear and Poke: Timewinder hits enemies on the way out AND on the return. Position yourself so Q passes through the enemy champion while also hitting the minion wave. At max rank with AP, Q clears the caster minion line in a single pass, giving you permanent wave priority to roam.
• Roam Post-6: Push the wave with Q, roam to side lanes with R as your escape plan. Ekko’s roaming is exceptional because R gives you a guaranteed way back to mid lane (your afterimage trails 4 seconds behind, so it stays mid while you roam). If the roam fails, just R back to lane and lose nothing.

❌ Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

• Using R Purely as Damage: Chronobreak does 200-500 + 175% AP damage, which is tempting to use offensively. But R is primarily your ESCAPE tool. Using R aggressively without a backup plan means you’re a squishy melee champion with no exit strategy for 50-110 seconds. Only use R offensively when the kill is guaranteed AND you won’t need to escape afterwards.
• Casting W Too Late: Parallel Convergence has a 2-second delay before forming + 1.25 seconds of travel time. If you cast W and then immediately E in, the sphere hasn’t formed yet. You need to cast W 2+ seconds BEFORE engaging. The proper sequence: cast W from fog → wait 2 seconds → E into the chronosphere zone → stun triggers on arrival.
• Ignoring the Afterimage Position: Your R afterimage is visible to enemies. If they see it trailing behind you, they know exactly where you’ll land if you press R. Smart enemies will target the afterimage position. Be aware of where your ghost is — and manipulate it by changing your movement patterns to make the landing point unpredictable or use it offensively by walking the ghost through enemies.
• Not Proccing Passive Before Disengaging: Z-Drive Resonance grants 50-80% movement speed on the 3rd hit against champions. Many Ekko players E in, get one auto, then panic and R out. You’re missing the passive proc that would give you the speed boost to WALK away without needing R. E → auto → Q (2 stacks now) → auto (passive procs, speed boost) → walk away, saving R for later.
• Telegraphing W in Lane: In mid lane, casting W while visible gives enemies 2+ seconds to walk out of the zone. The stun radius is only 375 — most enemies can simply step out. Always cast W from fog of war, behind walls, or during a fight when enemies are already committed and can’t disengage in time.

⚙️ Recommended Build and Itemization

Core Items

• Dusk and Dawn: Ekko’s jungle item provides AP, ability haste, and jungle-specific passives. The item synergizes with his fast clear pattern and enables the Q waveclear + E burst combo that defines his playstyle. Always your first completed item in jungle, and viable as first item in mid lane too.
• Shadowflame: Magic penetration is crucial for Ekko because his entire burst combo is magic damage. Shadowflame’s flat magic pen shreds squishy targets who haven’t built MR, ensuring your E → passive proc → Q combo one-shots carries. This is your damage amplification item — the difference between chunking enemies and deleting them.
• Rabadon’s Deathcap: With Ekko’s massive AP ratios (80% on passive, 90% total on Q, 150% on W shield, 40% on E, 175% on R damage, 60% on R heal), Deathcap’s 35% AP amplification turns every ability into a threat. After Deathcap, your E → auto passive proc alone deals 500+ magic damage to squishies.

Situational Items

• Zhonya’s Hourglass: Double safety net with R. Zhonya’s stasis buys time for R afterimage to trail closer to where you want to land. The combo: dive in → burst → Zhonya’s (2.5s stasis) → R (afterimage has moved, so you land further back). Also useful when R is on cooldown and you need an escape.
• Void Staff: Against MR-stacking teams. When 2+ enemies build Force of Nature or Spirit Visage, your flat penetration from Shadowflame isn’t enough. Void Staff’s 40% magic penetration ensures your burst still kills through defensive itemization.
• Lich Bane: Alternative build path for more E-focused burst. Spellblade proc on E’s empowered auto adds significant single-target damage. Particularly strong in mid lane where you’re looking for quick one-shot combos on carries rather than extended teamfights.

⚔️ Counter Picks & Matchups

✅ Ekko Counters

1. Malphite (Jungle)

Why: Malphite in the jungle is too slow and too predictable for Ekko to worry about. You outfarm him, outgank him, and outburst him at every stage. His armor stacking is useless because Ekko deals exclusively magic damage. He can’t chase you (E + passive MS), can’t survive your burst, and his one-dimensional R engage is negated by your own R rewind.

2. Pantheon (Jungle)

Why: Pantheon falls off a cliff in the mid-to-late game where Ekko thrives. His early aggression is mitigated by your safe jungle pathing and R escape. Once you have Dusk and Dawn, you outduel him because your passive proc + E burst deals more than his full combo. His shield only blocks physical damage, doing nothing against your magic burst.

3. Azir (Mid)

Why: Azir is an immobile mage who relies on soldier positioning. Your E blink ignores soldier placement and puts you directly on top of him. He has no escape from your burst combo (E → passive proc → Q), and his wall ultimate is useless if you just R back to safety. Azir needs time to scale that you never give him through constant all-in pressure.

❌ Ekko is Countered By

1. Rammus (Jungle)

Why: Rammus is Ekko’s worst nightmare. His taunt forces you to auto-attack him, which reflects damage back through Thornmail and his W. His point-and-click CC means you can’t dodge it with E mobility, and his armor stacking reduces your auto-attack component. Even R doesn’t fully save you because Rammus can Powerball back to your afterimage location.

2. Elise (Jungle)

Why: Elise dominates the early jungle where Ekko is weakest. She invades your camps, contests your scuttle crabs, and wins 1v1 duels pre-6. Her Cocoon stun into burst combo kills you before you can proc passive, and her Rappel dodge makes it impossible to land W stuns on her. She snowballs the early game before Ekko can reach his item spikes.

3. Kassadin (Mid)

Why: Kassadin’s passive reduces all magic damage by 10%, his Q interrupts your Q channel and provides a magic damage shield, and his Flash-on-a-6-second-cooldown ultimate makes him impossible to catch or kill after level 16. He outscales you in the late game and matches your mobility with even more blinks. Once Kassadin reaches 3 items, he assassinates YOU faster than you can assassinate him.

FAQ

Q: How does the afterimage for R work?

A: When R is learned or within 4 seconds of coming off cooldown, a ghostly hologram of Ekko appears on the map showing where he was 4 seconds ago. This hologram is visible to BOTH teams. When Ekko presses R, he enters stasis, then dashes to the hologram’s current position, dealing damage and healing on arrival. You can manipulate the afterimage by changing your movement patterns.

Q: How much does Ekko’s R heal?

A: The heal formula is 100/150/200 + 60% AP + 3% per 1% of health lost in the last 4 seconds. If you took 70% of your max HP as damage in the last 4 seconds, the bonus is 210%. At rank 3 with 500 AP, losing 70% HP means: 200 + 300 + (3% × 70) × base = massive healing. In practice, Ekko often heals to near-full HP when pressing R at low health.

Q: Is Ekko better jungle or mid?

A: Ekko jungle has a 50.2% win rate in Emerald+ with 5.2% pick rate (A tier). Ekko mid has 49.7% win rate with 3.3% pick rate (A tier). Both are viable, but jungle is slightly favored because his passive deals 270% damage to monsters for fast clearing, and jungle gives him more flanking angles for W setup. Mid lane Ekko runs Hail of Blades for faster passive procs in lane trades.

Q: What’s the optimal Ekko combo?

A: Standard assassination: E (dash toward target) → empowered auto (blink + damage, stack 1) → Q at point blank (stack 2 going out, stack 3 on return = passive proc). For teamfights: W from fog of war → wait 2 seconds → E into chronosphere → stun triggers + shield → auto + Q for passive proc → R out to safety. You can also cast Q during E dash for simultaneous damage.

Q: What are the best runes for Ekko?

A: Jungle: Dark Harvest with Sudden Impact, Grisly Mementos, Treasure Hunter, and Cosmic Insight + Magical Footwear secondary. Dark Harvest stacks from ganks and skirmishes amplify your assassination power. Mid lane: Hail of Blades with Sudden Impact, Grisly Mementos, Relentless Hunter, and Absolute Focus + Scorch secondary. Hail of Blades enables instant 3-hit passive procs for lane trades.

Q: Is Ekko good for beginners?

A: Ekko is moderate difficulty. His kit is forgiving thanks to R providing a guaranteed escape, but maximizing his damage requires landing W stuns (2-second delay + precise positioning), proccing passive efficiently (3-hit tracking), and managing afterimage position for R. His skill floor is relatively low (E → auto → Q → R out), but his skill ceiling is extremely high in terms of W prediction and R positioning for damage.