Olaf, Fighter / Tank
Olaf, the Berserker, is a Fighter and Tank champion in League of Legends. Everything below comes from Riot's Data Dragon for patch 16.21.1: ability text, base stats and Riot's tips. Counters and matchups by class are worked out from that text, and each one shows its reason.
Playing as Olaf
Riot's own tips
Olaf can combine Berserker Rage, Vicious Strikes, and Ragnarok at low life to become deceptively strong.
The bonus healing granted by Vicious Strikes amplifies your Life Steal from all sources as well as heals from allies.
Playing against Olaf
Riot's own tips
Olaf becomes more dangerous the lower life he is. Save your disables to finish him off.
Preventing Olaf from reaching his axe will minimize the amount of harassment he can cause in the laning phase.
Olaf has reduced defenses from damage during Ragnarok, despite being immune to disables. If you can't escape from Olaf during Ragnarok, try focusing your damage on him with your teammates.
What the kit does
Analysis read from Riot's ability text. Each line shows the words it rests on.
PExecute or low-health damageBerserker Rage: "on his missing Health"
ETrue damageReckless Swing: "it deals true damage to his"
Olaf's abilities
Riot's own text and preview clip for each ability, from Riot's Data Dragon, patch 16.21.1. Pick an ability and its clip plays here, muted.
PPassive
Berserker Rage
Olaf gains Attack Speed and Life Steal based on his missing Health.
Effects in the text
Undertow
Olaf throws an axe into the ground at a target location, dealing damage to enemies it passes through and reducing their Armor and Move Speed. If Olaf picks up the axe, the ability's cooldown is reset.
WW
Tough It Out
Olaf's Attack Speed is increased and he gains a Shield.
Effects in the text
EE
Reckless Swing
Olaf attacks with such force that it deals true damage to his target and himself, refunding the Health cost if he destroys the target.
Effects in the text
RR
Ragnarok
Olaf passively gains increased armor and magic resist. He can activate this ability to become immune to disables for as long as he keeps attacking.
Effects in the text
Items and runes that fit Olaf
Riot publishes no builds and this page invents none. Below: completed items ranked by how many of the stats Olaf's kit uses they give (attack damage (AD) first), the runes whose official text matches the kit, and picks for each enemy type. A fit, not a strength ranking. No win rates.
Closest stat fit
Editorial estimateCompleted items ranked by how many of the stats Olaf's kit uses they give. A fit, not a verdict: Riot publishes no builds and no win rates.
Stormrazor3,200- +50 Attack DamageOlaf scales with it
- +25% Attack Speedits kit leans on basic attacks
- +25% Critical Strike Chanceits kit leans on basic attacks
The Collector3,000- +50 Attack DamageOlaf scales with it
- +10 Lethalityits damage is physical
- +25% Critical Strike Chanceits kit leans on basic attacks
Yun Tal Wildarrows3,000- +50 Attack DamageOlaf scales with it
- +45% Attack Speedits kit leans on basic attacks
- +0% Critical Strike Chanceits kit leans on basic attacks
Axiom Arc2,750- +55 Attack DamageOlaf scales with it
- +18 Lethalityits damage is physical
Bastionbreaker3,000- +55 Attack DamageOlaf scales with it
- +18 Lethalityits damage is physical
Blade of The Ruined King3,200- +40 Attack DamageOlaf scales with it
- +25% Attack Speedits kit leans on basic attacks
More items with the same stat 38
Edge of Night3,000 gold
Experimental Hexplate3,000 gold
Guinsoo's Rageblade3,000 gold
Hubris2,800 gold
Kraken Slayer3,000 gold
Profane Hydra2,850 gold
Serpent's Fang2,500 gold
Statikk Shiv3,000 gold
Stridebreaker3,300 gold
Terminus3,000 gold
Trinity Force3,333 gold
Umbral Glaive2,800 gold
Voltaic Cyclosword3,000 gold
Youmuu's Ghostblade2,800 gold
Essence Reaver3,050 gold
Hexoptics C442,800 gold
Immortal Shieldbow3,000 gold
Infinity Edge3,500 gold
Lord Dominik's Regards3,300 gold
Mortal Reminder3,000 gold
Black Cleaver3,000 gold
Bloodthirster3,400 gold
Chempunk Chainsword3,000 gold
Death's Dance3,300 gold
Eclipse2,900 gold
Endless Hunger3,100 gold
Guardian Angel3,200 gold
Hextech Gunblade3,000 gold
Hullbreaker3,000 gold
Manamune2,900 gold
Maw of Malmortius3,100 gold
Mercurial Scimitar3,200 gold
Overlord's Bloodmail3,300 gold
Ravenous Hydra3,300 gold
Serylda's Grudge3,000 gold
Spear of Shojin3,100 gold
Sundered Sky3,100 gold
Titanic Hydra3,300 goldBoots
Rune fits
Editorial estimateRunes whose official text matches the most things Olaf's kit does. Each line shows the words it rests on.
Lethal TempoPrecision, Keystone · Matches: 1- Its kit leans on basic attacks: Berserker Rage: "Olaf gains Attack Speed and Life"
Press the AttackPrecision, Keystone · Matches: 1- Its kit leans on basic attacks: Berserker Rage: "Olaf gains Attack Speed and Life"
Manaflow BandSorcery · Matches: 2- Its kit leans on basic attacks: Berserker Rage: "Olaf gains Attack Speed and Life"
- It uses mana: Mana
DemolishResolve · Matches: 1- Its kit leans on basic attacks: Berserker Rage: "Olaf gains Attack Speed and Life"
Presence of MindPrecision · Matches: 1- It uses mana: Mana
Against each enemy type
Editorial estimateSituational picks, counted from what the champions of each class do in Riot's Data Dragon. Swap a slot when the enemy team has several of that class.
Tanks
Anti-heal 25 of 45 heal or sustain
Cleanse or tenacity 20 of 45 have two or more hard CC abilities
To cut through them Tanks stack armor and magic resist; these items give armor penetration.
Fighters
Anti-heal 40 of 59 heal or sustain
Armor 37 of 59 deal physical damage only
Assassins
Anti-heal 24 of 46 heal or sustain
Armor 23 of 46 deal physical damage only
Mages
Magic resist 53 of 75 deal magic damage only
Anti-heal 30 of 75 heal or sustain
Marksmen
Armor 14 of 33 deal physical damage only
Supports
Magic resist 36 of 43 deal magic damage only
Anti-heal 19 of 43 heal or sustain
Counted from the official ability text, League of Legends patch 16.21.1. These are counts of champions, not win rates.
Rune trees
Lit runes: their official text matches something Olaf's kit does (Analysis). Select a rune to read why.
Precision3 lit
Domination1 lit
Sorcery1 lit
Resolve2 lit
Inspiration0 lit
Matchups by class
Olaf against each class of champion, counted from the official ability text. Choose a class or a lane to narrow it down.
Against all 172 champions: 40 ahead, 67 even, 65 behind. Each class is read against that, so check the best and toughest tags too.
Against Tanks
Even12 ahead · 19 even · 14 behind of 45
- True or percent-health damage cuts through their armor and magic resist.
- They cut your attack speed, which weakens auto-attack builds.
What to do: Neither side has a clear edge over tanks. Execution and the team around you decide it.
Against Fighters
StrongBest class
27 ahead · 22 even · 10 behind of 59
- True or percent-health damage cuts through their armor and magic resist.
- They deal physical damage only, so armor works against them.
What to do: A good pick when the enemy has several fighters. Play for the fights where your edge shows.
Against Assassins
Even14 ahead · 22 even · 10 behind of 46
- You have early pressure while they need time to scale.
- They can avoid damage for a moment, which blunts your burst.
What to do: Neither side has a clear edge over assassins. Execution and the team around you decide it.
Against Mages
Weak10 ahead · 30 even · 35 behind of 75
- They cut your attack speed, which weakens auto-attack builds.
- They out-range you and you have no healing to recover.
What to do: A risky pick into mages. Wait for the enemy draft before you lock it, or pick it with a team that covers the gap.
Against Marksmen
WeakToughest class
2 ahead · 8 even · 23 behind of 33
- They out-range you and you have no healing to recover.
- Their true or percent-health damage ignores your resistances.
What to do: A risky pick into marksmen. Wait for the enemy draft before you lock it, or pick it with a team that covers the gap.
Against Supports
Weak7 ahead · 14 even · 22 behind of 43
- Your damage is physical only, so they can stack armor against you.
- They out-range you and you have no healing to recover.
What to do: A risky pick into supports. Wait for the enemy draft before you lock it, or pick it with a team that covers the gap.
Source: Nexus Lab rules over the official ability text, League of Legends patch 16.21.1. Each champion of the class is compared with Olaf one by one; the counts come from those rules, not from match results, so they are not win rates. Strong, even and weak compare the number of champions ahead and behind. Lanes are the lanes each class usually plays (Riot ships no lane data per champion), not play rates.
Building against Olaf
Analysis: answers to what Olaf's own kit does.
Olaf deals physical damage only, so armor pays off. Fighter role
Picks that can punish Olaf
Analysis: rules over Riot's ability text.
Vel'Koz
Counters youVel'Koz is ranged (Mage role) and can poke Olaf, a melee champion (Fighter role) with no sustain to recover.
2 more reasons
Vel'Koz deals true damage (Organic Deconstruction: "burst of true damage"), which ignores the resistances that Olaf relies on (Fighter role).
Vel'Koz clears waves more easily (Void Rift: "then explodes for a") and can push the lane against Olaf.
Kayle
Counters youKayle is ranged (Marksman role) and can poke Olaf, a melee champion (Fighter role) with no sustain to recover.
2 more reasons
Kayle can avoid damage for a moment (Divine Judgment: "an ally invulnerable and calls"), and Olaf relies on burst (Berserker Rage: "on his missing Health").
Kayle deals damage based on the target's health (Starfire Spellblade: "proportionate to their missing health"), which scales against a tough champion like Olaf (Fighter role).
Watch out: Olaf has burst or execute damage (Berserker Rage: "on his missing Health") that can kill before Kayle's healing (Celestial Blessing: "Kayle heals and grants") matters.
Kog'Maw
Counters youKog'Maw is ranged (Marksman role) and can poke Olaf, a melee champion (Fighter role) with no sustain to recover.
2 more reasons
Kog'Maw deals true damage (Icathian Surprise: "dealing true damage to surrounding"), which ignores the resistances that Olaf relies on (Fighter role).
Kog'Maw clears waves more easily (Icathian Surprise: "damage to surrounding enemies") and can push the lane against Olaf.
Watch out: Kog'Maw needs time to scale (Marksman role) and Olaf has early pressure (Berserker Rage: "on his missing Health") to punish that.
Bard
Counters youBard is ranged (Mage role) and can poke Olaf, a melee champion (Fighter role) with no sustain to recover.
1 more reason
Bard can avoid damage for a moment (Tempered Fate: "hit into stasis for a"), and Olaf relies on burst (Berserker Rage: "on his missing Health").
Watch out: Olaf has burst or execute damage (Berserker Rage: "on his missing Health") that can kill before Bard's healing (Caretaker's Shrine: "disappearing after healing and speeding") matters.
Corki
Counters youCorki is ranged (Marksman role) and can poke Olaf, a melee champion (Fighter role) with no sustain to recover.
2 more reasons
Corki deals true damage (Hextech Munitions: "as bonus true damage"), which ignores the resistances that Olaf relies on (Fighter role).
Corki clears waves more easily (Phosphorus Bomb: "damage to enemies in the area") and can push the lane against Olaf.
Watch out: Corki needs time to scale (Marksman role) and Olaf has early pressure (Berserker Rage: "on his missing Health") to punish that.
Lulu
Counters youLulu is ranged (Mage role) and can poke Olaf, a melee champion (Fighter role) with no sustain to recover.
1 more reason
Lulu clears waves more easily (Glitterlance: "heavily slows all enemies it hits") and can push the lane against Olaf.
Who Olaf is good against
The same rules, read the other way.
Bel'Veth
You pressureOlaf deals true damage (Reckless Swing: "it deals true damage to his"), which ignores the resistances that Bel'Veth relies on (Fighter role).
Fiora
You pressureOlaf deals true damage (Reckless Swing: "it deals true damage to his"), which ignores the resistances that Fiora relies on (Fighter role).
Rengar
You pressureOlaf deals true damage (Reckless Swing: "it deals true damage to his"), which ignores the resistances that Rengar relies on (Fighter role).
Udyr
You pressureOlaf deals true damage (Reckless Swing: "it deals true damage to his"), which ignores the resistances that Udyr relies on (Fighter role).
Nocturne
You pressureOlaf deals true damage (Reckless Swing: "it deals true damage to his"), which ignores the resistances that Nocturne relies on (Fighter role).
Counter picks are Analysis: rules over Riot's ability text, each with the words it rests on. They are not win rates, and no League of Legends matchup list has been reviewed by hand yet.
Official story
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Champion video guide
Video by 3 Minute League of Legends · Watch on YouTube The player loads from YouTube (privacy-enhanced mode) only after you press play.
Measured numbers
Numbers published or counted by a named source. Each row names the source and the patch.
| Stat | Level 1 | Per level | Level 18 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health | 645 | +119 | 2668 |
| Mana | 316 | +50 | 1166 |
| Armor | 35 | +4.2 | 106.4 |
| Magic resist | 32 | +2.05 | 66.85 |
| Attack damage | 68 | - | 68 |
| Attack speed | 0.72 | +2.7% | 1.05 |
| Attack range | 125 | - | 125 |
| Move speed | 350 | - | 350 |
| Health regen per 5 seconds | 6.5 | +0.6 | 16.7 |
| Mana regen per 5 seconds | 7.5 | +0.6 | 17.7 |
Riot data Riot's Data Dragon, patch 16.21.1. Level 18 is calculated from Riot's growth formula on the same numbers.
Editorial estimates
Our reading of the data. These are not measured rates and they change when the rules or the data change.
- Counter picks
- 6 Editorial estimateNexus Lab rules over Riot's ability text, patch 16.21.1
- Good against
- 5 Editorial estimateNexus Lab rules over Riot's ability text, patch 16.21.1
- Typical lanes
- Top, Jungle Editorial estimateLanes of the class; Riot ships no lane data per champion
- Best class (relative)
- Fighters Editorial estimateWins minus losses over the class, compared with the other classes; counts of champions, patch 16.21.1
- Toughest class (relative)
- Marksmen Editorial estimateWins minus losses over the class, compared with the other classes; counts of champions, patch 16.21.1
What no source gives us
- Win rate, pick rate and ban rate. Riot publishes none we may print (the Riot API cards are switched off) and no third-party statistics site is read, so none is shown.
- Popular builds. Riot publishes no builds: the items and runes in Build & Runes are a fit to the kit, not a popularity ranking.
Sources
- Riot Games Data DragonOpen
Names, ratings, base stats, ability text, cooldowns, costs, range, items, runes and art.
Patch 16.21.1, file generated 2026-10-26 - Riot ability preview clips
Played from Riot's own server when you press play; never copied here.
Each clip checked with a request before it is offered - League of Legends WikiOpen
Release dates and skin prices in RP (CC BY-SA).
Committed data, see the skins page - Nexus Lab rules
Counters, matchups by class, item and rune fit: rules over Riot's ability text, each with the words it rests on.
Patch 16.21.1 - Riot UniverseOpen
The official story of Olaf (a link, nothing copied).
