Guide Sections (15)
- Champion Stats
- The Soldier Poke
- Ranking Azir's Skins
- When They Ban Azir
- Azir's Keystone Choice
- Skill Max Order for Azir
- Mastering Azir's Kit
- The Azir Matchup Sheet
- Shurima Shuffle Ego
- When Scaling Isn't an Option
- Positioning for Maximum Damage
- The Shurima Build
- When Azir Comes Online
- The Emperor's Divide
- Recent Patch History
Champion Stats
Low Elo players do not understand the soldier threat range. They walk up for a cannon minion and lose 50% of their HP to a Q-Auto-Auto combo without ever being able to touch you. They also bunch up in chokepoints, begging to be shuffled. A smurf plays Azir like a geometry professor, solving the equation of 'How do I kill all 5 of them?' in a split second.
The Soldier Poke
The 'Emperor's Decree'. Start W (Arise!). Place a soldier directly on top of the enemy's caster minions. When they walk up to farm, stab them. They cannot trade back because you are 800 units away. You get Level 2 first guaranteed. Take Q. W-Q-Auto triggers Electrocute/Comet and forces a potion immediately.
Spacing soldiers is better than stacking them. Covering more ground with spears makes it harder for the enemy to CS. Azir is about map control, not just raw damage. If they can't walk up, they can't win.
Ranking Azir's Skins
'Warring Kingdoms Azir' is flashy and smooth. 'Gravelord' has a distinct sound queue. 'Elderwood' is clean. But 'Galactic Azir' is the sleeper skin—the sci-fi effects are crisp.
'Warring Kingdoms' is the legendary choice for a reason—the soldiers look incredible and the animations are high-tier. 'Galactic' is the sleeper for the crisp SFX. Avoid 'Elderwood' if you want clear visual indicators; it's a bit too 'busy' for ranked.
'Warring Kingdoms Azir' is flashy and smooth, a classic for mains. 'Gravelord' has distinct sound queues. 'Elderwood' is clean. 'Galactic Azir' is the sleeper skin with crisp sci-fi effects.
When They Ban Azir
If Azir is banned, Orianna offers similar zone control and a game-changing ultimate. Viktor offers high scaling and zone control. Cassiopeia matches the DPS machine-gun style.
Orianna and Viktor are your zone-control siblings. If you pick Cassiopeia, remember you have no range—you're a machine gun, not a sniper. Adjust your positioning. Shurima lives on through the DPS.
Orianna offers similar zone control and a game-changing ultimate. Viktor offers high scaling and zone control. Cassiopeia matches the DPS machine-gun style.
Azir's Keystone Choice
Conqueror (Extended Fights/Tanks) or Lethal Tempo (if available) / Fleet Footwork (Survival). Hail of Blades is excellent for short trade dominance in lane. Manaflow Band and Scorch (Sorcery) are mandatory for lane oppression.
Skill Max Order for Azir
Max W first for the soldier damage and passive attack speed. Max Q second for the soldier repositioning cooldown. E is a one-point wonder for mobility.
Mastering Azir's Kit
Conquering Sands. Repositions all active soldiers to a location. Deals slow/damage. This is your primary poke tool.
Arise! Summons a Sand Soldier for 10s. Azir cannot attack enemies in soldier range; the soldiers attack for him. These attacks pierce through targets in a line. This is your DPS.
Shifting Sands. Azir dashes to one of his soldiers. If he hits an enemy champion, he stops and gains a W charge. You can cast Q MID-DASH to change direction (The Drift).
Emperor's Divide. Summons a phalanx of soldiers that push enemies back. It acts as impassable terrain. Enemies who dash into it are knocked back.
The Azir Matchup Sheet
Skill Matchup. His Windwall blocks your Q and R, but it DOES NOT block Soldier Autos (W). You can stab him through the wall. If he dashes on you, R him into your tower.
Skill Matchup. Rush Seeker's Armguard. Poke him hard at Level 1-2. When he uses R, time your R to push him under your tower the moment he appears.
Hard. She bursts you faster than you can DPS. Push the wave hard and force her to farm under tower.
Shurima Shuffle Ego
Stop trying to be Faker every 5 seconds! The 'Shurima Shuffle' (W-E-Q-R) is a high-risk play. If you go in and die, you deal zero DPS. 90% of the time, you should just stand back and stab them. Only shuffle if it wins the game instantly or catches a key target out of position.
Remember that your R can stop dashes. Use it defensively against LeBlanc or Vi. A saved R can be more impactful than an offensive shuffle that fails. The Emperor is patient.
When Scaling Isn't an Option
Dodge Xerath and Vel'Koz. They out-range your soldiers. You can't deal damage to them without dashing in, which is suicide. Also Kassadin—he laughs at your magic damage and blinks over your wall.
Xerath and Vel'Koz out-range you. It's a miserable lane. Kassadin is your hard counter because he'll blink over your wall and one-shot you. If you see them, play for the late-game 3-item spike and pray for ganks.
Dodge Xerath and Vel'Koz. They out-range your soldiers, so you can't deal damage without dashing in (suicide). Kassadin is also a dodge—he laughs at your magic damage and blinks over your wall.
Positioning for Maximum Damage
Play Front-to-Back. Melt the tank with your soldiers. Save your Q to chase or reposition soldiers. Save your E to self-peel. Only when the enemy backline steps forward or your team lands a big CC do you look for the Shuffle. Use your Passive (Sun Disc) to create a fallback point or siege their Tier 2.
Common mistake is standing too close to your soldiers. You aren't melee. Stay 600 units back. Use your soldiers to create a wall of spears. Your passive is for defense—don't waste it on a Tier 1 turret that's about to fall.
The Shurima Build
Poker Azir. Luden's Companion -> Shadowflame -> Rabadon's Deathcap. A single Q-Auto deals 70% of a squishy's HP. You don't need to attack fast if they are dead in one hit.
Nashor's is mandatory. Without the attack speed, you're just a slow mage. Shadowflame is the execute you need for the soldiers. If you're against three tanks, Liandry's is better. Adjust your build, don't just follow a guide.
Poker Azir: Luden's Companion -> Shadowflame -> Rabadon's Deathcap. A single Q-Auto deals 70% of a squishy's HP. You don't need to attack fast if they are dead in one hit. Burst is king.
When Azir Comes Online
Level 9 (Max Rank W). Nashor's Tooth (if building AS). 3 Items (The Emperor Ascends).
Level 9 is where you start to feel like an Emperor. Q cooldown is low enough to consistently harass. Your 3-item spike (Nashor's, Shadowflame, Void) is when you can actually delete entire teams in 5 seconds.
Level 9 (Max Rank W) is when you stabilize. Nashor's Tooth gives you the attack speed to feel fluid. 3 Items (Nashor's, Shadowflame, Deathcap) is when you ascend and 1v9.
The Emperor's Divide
Recall in front of them, then drift away at the last second. Spam /laugh (the pigeon noise). Set up a Sun Disc on their inhibitor turret ruin and defend it 1v5.
Typing 'Shurima!' after a 5-man R is mandatory. It's about the ego. Use your pigeon laugh after they miss a skillshot. Most players think Azir is a 'weak early' champ—prove them wrong with a clean level 2 trade.
Recall in front of them, then drift away at the last second. Spam /laugh (the pigeon noise). Set up a Sun Disc on their inhibitor turret ruin and defend it 1v5. SHURIMA!
Recent Patch History
Recent Balance Changes
| Patch | Date | Type | Changes |
|---|---|---|---|
| V14.18 | Sep 11, 2024 | NERF | W nerfed |
| V14.16 | Aug 14, 2024 | BUFF | Base stats buffed |
| V14.10 | May 15, 2024 | BUFF | W adjusted |
| V14.9 | May 1, 2024 | BUFF | Base stats buffed |
| V14.8 | Apr 17, 2024 | NERF | W nerfed, Base stats nerfed |
