How to counter Lapu-Lapu
4 hard counters, 6 soft · 3 counter-items · full Lapu-Lapu guide
What Lapu-Lapu is bad at
- No hard crowd control anywhere in the kit — Bravest Fighter's 60% slow is the only thing stopping a target from walking away
- Storm Sword's damage reduction only exists in Heavy Sword Stance, so spending Bravest Fighter early leaves him without it when the real fight starts
- Justice Blades' boomerangs are his only ranged damage, and Jungle Warrior's short dash his only gap closer between ultimate leaps, so kiting compositions can deny him before a fight starts
- Bravery Blessing only builds by dealing damage, and non-hero units give half of it, so charging the shield off a wave is slow and a cold engage lands with nothing banked
Every counter below works by pressing one of these.
Hard counters to Lapu-Lapu
Pick one of these and the matchup is decided before the fight starts.
EsmeraldaTank · MageHardEsmeralda's damage ignores shields outright, so Homeland Defender's shield is wasted on her, and Frostmoon Shield drains what's left of it into her own; Falling Starmoon then blinks onto him and immobilizes him right as Bravest Fighter lands.
KajaSupport · FighterHardKaja's ultimate suppresses and drags Lapu-Lapu to him regardless of positioning, shutting his combo down entirely for the suppression's duration.
KarrieMarksmanHardEvery fifth Lightwheel Mark detonates for True Damage worth a chunk of his max HP, which ignores defense entirely, and Phantom Step keeps her dashing out of Storm Sword's radius while the marks tick over.
X.BorgFighterHardFiraga Armor soaks Lapu-Lapu's entire burst before X.Borg's real HP is touched, and Fire Stake drags him out of the radius he needs to keep Storm Sword's damage reduction stacked.
Soft counters
Favourable, but Lapu-Lapu can still play around them.
FannyAssassinSoftFanny's cable-swing mobility keeps her out of Storm Sword's whirl radius entirely, denying Lapu-Lapu the melee window his damage depends on.
HarithMageSoftZaman Force's rift slashes Chrono Dash's cooldown, so Harith blinks in, bursts and blinks out again before Lapu-Lapu, whose only real gap closer is his own ultimate leap, can reach him.
FrancoTankSoftFranco's Iron Hook drags Lapu-Lapu out of position before he can commit Storm Sword or the ultimate's leap.
ClaudeMarksmanSoftArt of Thievery steals Movement and Attack Speed from every hero it clips, so Claude out-paces and out-damages Lapu-Lapu from outside the range Storm Sword needs.
WanwanMarksmanSoftTiger Pace lets Wanwan dash after every arrow, so she chips Lapu-Lapu down from a range he can only close with his ultimate.
XavierMageSoftMystic Field immobilizes anyone who touches the barrier once his other skills have hit it, so Xavier controls space and whittles Lapu-Lapu down before he ever gets inside Storm Sword's radius.
Items to build against Lapu-Lapu
You cannot always change your pick. You can always change your fourth slot.
Winter CrownIts damage-negation window can swallow the burst from Bravest Fighter's landing or a Bravery Blessing-enhanced basic attack.
Antique CuirassStacks damage reduction against his skill-combo engage every time he initiates.
Blade ArmorReflects damage back at him for relying on empowered basic attacks to finish a combo.
Do not pick these into Lapu-Lapu
Heroes whose own counter list names Lapu-Lapu — these matchups go the other way. A red dot marks a hard counter.
Why Lapu-Lapu works
Common questions
Who counters Lapu-Lapu in Mobile Legends?
Esmeralda, Kaja, Fanny, Harith, Karrie all beat Lapu-Lapu. Esmeralda is the hardest counter: Esmeralda's damage ignores shields outright, so Homeland Defender's shield is wasted on her, and Frostmoon Shield drains what's left of it into her own; Falling Starmoon then blinks onto him and immobilizes him right as Bravest Fighter lands.
What items should I build against Lapu-Lapu?
Winter Crown: Its damage-negation window can swallow the burst from Bravest Fighter's landing or a Bravery Blessing-enhanced basic attack. Antique Cuirass: Stacks damage reduction against his skill-combo engage every time he initiates. Blade Armor: Reflects damage back at him for relying on empowered basic attacks to finish a combo.
What is Lapu-Lapu's biggest weakness?
No hard crowd control anywhere in the kit — Bravest Fighter's 60% slow is the only thing stopping a target from walking away