Guide Sections (15)
- Champion Stats
- The Tanky Trade
- The Skarner Skin Tier List
- When They Ban Skarner
- Runes That Work on Skarner
- Leveling Skarner's Abilities
- Mastering Skarner's Kit
- Matchups That Matter for Skarner
- The Solo Engage
- When CC Isn't Enough
- The Frontline Anchor
- The Utility Tank Build
- Skarner's Strongest Moments
- The Engage That Won the Game
- Recent Patch History
Champion Stats
Low elo players cannot react to Skarner's E (Ixtal's Impact) when it comes through a massive wall like Dragon pit or Tri-bush. They ward the river, but you come through the mountain. His Q (Shattered Earth) provides surprising poke and % Max HP damage that shreds tanks and squishies alike. Most importantly, Impale (R) is now an AoE skillshot suppression; catching 3 people in one ult is an instant 'Checkmate' that ends the game on the spot.
The Tanky Trade
Start Q (Shattered Earth). Pick up a rock immediately by recasting Q. This empowers your next 3 auto-attacks with speed, range, and AoE damage. Invade the enemy buff with your team. If you hit the enemy jungler with the rock toss (Recast Q), the slow is crippling, forcing a Flash or securing First Blood.
Your Q recast (rock throw) is your best poke. Pick up a rock, wait for them to walk up, and hit them. It slows and deals % HP damage. You're a scorpion with a ranged weapon—use the asymmetry.
The Skarner Skin Tier List
'Battlecast Alpha Skarner' is smoother than the base skin and fits the 'unstoppable machine' fantasy. 'Cosmic Sting' offers the best visual clarity on his abilities. 'Earthrune Skarner' (formerly basic) is now a gorgeous high-fantasy option that fits his new lore perfectly. 'Sandscourge' remains the classic 'lobster' meme but looks menacing.
'Battlecast Prime' has the most aggressive look. 'Cosmic Sting' has the most beautiful effects. 'Sandscourge' is for the original scorpion fans. Whatever you pick, make sure they feel the sting.
When They Ban Skarner
Rammus taunts. Malzahar suppresses. Warwick suppresses. Malzahar is the R-button alternative.
Zac for the engage angles. Rammus for the speed. Sejuani for the lockdown. Zac is the best alternative for creative ganking paths.
Runes That Work on Skarner
Phase Rush is the premier smurf choice. It allows you to E -> Stun -> Impale -> Sprint away with the enemy carry at mach speed. Aftershock is the safer, tankier option if you are the solo frontline. Secondary Hextech Flashtraption is mandatory for creating even more creative gank angles over walls when E is down.
Leveling Skarner's Abilities
Max Q first for the clear speed and % HP damage scaling. Max E second for the cooldown reduction, which is vital for maintaining map pressure. W (Seismic Bastion) is a one-point wonder for the slow and shield.
Mastering Skarner's Kit
Seismic Bastion. Skarner gains a shield and slams the ground, damaging and slowing nearby enemies. Use this to chain CC after your E stun expires.
Ixtal's Impact. Skarner charges forward, ignoring terrain. If he collides with a champion and a wall, he stuns them. You can steer this charge. It is your primary engage tool.
Impale. Skarner suppresses up to 3 enemy champions in a cone and can drag them around. It has a short cast time. Use it to peel divers or kidnap carries.
Matchups That Matter for Skarner
Impossible. He presses R and ignores your existence. You cannot peel him. You cannot fight him. Avoid at all costs.
Hard Matchup. She runs too fast for you to land E or Q rock. She will kite you to death with burn damage.
Skill Matchup. You can cancel his Q dash with your Impale if timed perfectly. Use E to match his mobility around the map.
The Solo Engage
Stop missing your Ult! Impale is no longer point-and-click; it has a wind-up time. You cannot just Flash-R instantly. You need to setup with your E stun or wait for the enemy to be locked in an animation. Also, don't charge E into nothing. If you miss the wall slam, you are just a slow scorpion standing in the open.
Your E dash ignores walls and suppresses the first target hit. Use this from the side to slam them into a tower. Your R is for the cleanup. Drag them into your team and watch them melt.
When CC Isn't Enough
Dodge Morgana. Her Black Shield (E) completely nullifies your kit. You cannot E stun or R suppress a shielded target. Olaf ignores your CC with his Ragnarok. Do not pick Skarner into these champions.
Morgana E stops your R. Gangplank W cleanses your R. Olaf R ignores your R. Don't ult these people. Ult the support if needed.
Dodge Morgana/Olaf. Black Shield and Ragnarok ignore your entire existence. You are a suppression bot. If you can't suppress, you are a minion.
The Frontline Anchor
You are the flanker. Do not run head-first down the lane. Use E (Ixtal's Impact) to drift through a side wall and slam the enemy backline into terrain. Once they are stunned, follow up with Q huge damage. Save R (Impale) for the critical moment to grab their carry or interrupt a diver. Drag them into your team's damage. You dictate where the fight happens.
You are extremely tanky thanks to your W shield. In a fight, spam W and Q between your stuns. You deal massive sustained damage for a tank. Don't just sit there; be the threat they can't ignore.
The Utility Tank Build
Heartsteel -> Titanic Hydra -> Overlord's Bloodmail. You become a massive, screen-filling raid boss who deals huge damage based on HP. Drifting through a wall with 6000 HP and slapping a carry for 800 damage with a rock is the ultimate dominance.
Iceborn Gauntlet and Sunfire are your friends. You want to stay on top of them until they die. Add a Force of Nature if they have mages. You're a walking fortress—nothing gets past you.
Heartsteel -> Sunfire -> Thornmail. You want to be big and annoying. Hitting a 3-man stun with E-R-E is your dream. Drag them to your team.
Skarner's Strongest Moments
Level 6: AoE Impale is a game-changer. Level 3: Unlocking E allows you to gank from angles that no other jungler can replicate. First Item (Heartsteel/Sunfire): Your clear speed and dueling skyrocket.
Level 3 with the wall-slam. Level 6 for the Impale. Level 11 with two items. By 25 minutes, if you're in the enemy jungle, no one is safe. You own the map; they're just visiting.
Level 6 Impale. Heartsteel scaling. Mid-game skirmishes near walls. You own the jungle terrain. Use it to kidnap people.
The Engage That Won the Game
Type 'Get over here!' in all-chat after dragging an enemy across the screen. Spam the 'Skarner Think' emote when you miss an E but they flash anyway. The psychological pressure of knowing you could come through ANY wall makes laners play terrified.
Flash-R drag the carry into your team. It wins games instantly. Use E to go through walls for surprise angles.
Flash-R drag the enemy carry into your team. Emote. Drag them under tower. Type 'Get over here!' in chat. You are the ultimate kidnapper.
Recent Patch History
Recent Balance Changes
| Patch | Date | Type | Changes |
|---|---|---|---|
| V14.20 | Oct 9, 2024 | NERF | P nerfed, E nerfed |
| V14.16 | Aug 14, 2024 | BUFF | Q buffed, Base stats buffed |
| V14.15 | Jul 31, 2024 | BUFF | Q buffed, E nerfed, Base stats buffed |
| V14.13 | Jun 26, 2024 | NERF | Q adjusted |
| V14.12 | Jun 12, 2024 | BUFF | P adjusted, Base stats adjusted |
