How to counter Valentina
3 hard counters, 7 soft · 3 counter-items · full Valentina guide
What Valentina is bad at
- I Am You is worthless if the enemy she reaches has a weak or purely defensive ultimate to steal
- The initial slow has to land on the intended hero first, which telegraphs exactly who she's targeting
- Like most mages she has low base durability and no hard escape outside of Arcane Shade's dash
- Suppression, silence, or shield-block effects can stop her from ever completing the I Am You cast
Every counter below works by pressing one of these.
Hard counters to Valentina
Pick one of these and the matchup is decided before the fight starts.
PhoveusFighterHardOnce Demonic Impact or Dark Wave has put Sinner's Mark on her, Judgement leaps him onto Valentina from anywhere, so Arcane Shade's dash never buys the distance she needs, and Demonic Force's charge knocks her back out of the I Am You cast.
KhufraTankHardBouncing Ball knocks any blink that tries to cross him straight into the air, cutting off Valentina's Arcane Shade approach, and Tyrant's Rage then drags her back to his front and stuns her against the nearest wall.
MinsittharFighterHardKing's Calling's Royal Guards stop her using Arcane Shade at all inside the field, and Spear of Glory stuns her on the tip then drags her back to him, denying the window she needs to land Shadow Strike or complete I Am You before he finishes her.
Soft counters
Favourable, but Valentina can still play around them.
BaratsTank · FighterSoftAs a durable frontline fighter he can walk through Shadow Strike's 1s slow to close distance, and stealing his ultimate only grants Valentina his physical basic-attack type — a weak payoff since her build is stacked with Magic Power instead of physical attack.
CyclopsMageSoftStar Power Lockdown immobilizes her for up to two seconds from range, and Starlit Hourglass keeps shaving his cooldowns every time his spheres connect, so he can punish any gap in her rotation before she ever starts the I Am You cast.
BelerickTankSoftDeadly Thorns fires damage back at Valentina every time Shadow Strike or Arcane Shade's bolts tag him at close range, and Wrath of Dryad only taunts, so stealing it with I Am You gets her a peel tool she has no frontline to use.
AliceTank · MageSoftBlood Banquet heals Alice every half-second once Crimson is stacked, so she sustains through Shadow Strike's burst in the lane trade, and Doom Waltz's 70% slow pins Valentina mid-combo, denying the follow-up she needs right after landing a slow.
ValirMageSoftSearing Torrent's firewall punishes Valentina every time Arcane Shade's dash carries her through it, and Ashing's stacking Ablaze adds free damage — plus a stun at three stacks — on top of every skill trade in the mid lane.
KaleaSupport · FighterSoftTidal Strike charges in and knocks Valentina airborne and Tsunami Slam grabs her outright, an all-in approach she has no hard CC of her own to peel before I Am You is even relevant.
BeatrixMarksmanSoftWesker's Elation shreds Valentina outright if she dashes into shotgun range, and Renner's Apathy snipes her for one enormous shot from a distance she can't safely close with Arcane Shade alone.
Items to build against Valentina
You cannot always change your pick. You can always change your fourth slot.
Do not pick these into Valentina
Heroes whose own counter list names Valentina — these matchups go the other way. A red dot marks a hard counter.
Why Valentina works
Common questions
Who counters Valentina in Mobile Legends?
Phoveus, Khufra, Minsitthar, Barats, Cyclops all beat Valentina. Phoveus is the hardest counter: Once Demonic Impact or Dark Wave has put Sinner's Mark on her, Judgement leaps him onto Valentina from anywhere, so Arcane Shade's dash never buys the distance she needs, and Demonic Force's charge knocks her back out of the I Am You cast.
What items should I build against Valentina?
Athena's Shield: Blunts the burst window of Shadow Strike into Arcane Shade's bolts during a short trade. Radiant Armor: Reduces sustained magic damage from repeated Arcane Shade recasts over a longer fight. Tough Boots: Shortens the terrify and slow durations that set up her I Am You follow-up.
What is Valentina's biggest weakness?
I Am You is worthless if the enemy she reaches has a weak or purely defensive ultimate to steal