Hailing from the Noxian Empire, Ambessa, the Matriarch or War, uses brutal strength and tactical cunning to dominate the Rift. As a general who’s led legions through countless battles, her insatiable drive for conquest has made her a terrifying presence on the battlefield. This versatile pick shines in the Baron Lane or Jungle, where she can dismantle foes with overwhelming force and unyielding pressure. Ready to unleash the wrath of Noxus? Here’s everything you need to know about League of Legends: Wild Rift’s newest Champion.
Ambessa’s Abilities
Ambessa’s abilities blend raw power with various utilities, making her a lethal force on the Rift. She has a range of crowd-control abilities and a trusty shield that sees her out of clashes unharmed.
Passive: Drakehound’s Step
After casting an ability, Ambessa dashes forward and buffs her next attack’s speed and range. This lets her close the gap on targets or quickly reposition, making her a highly effective top laner and jungler.
First Ability: Cunning Sweep/Sundering Slam
Cunning Sweep allows Ambessa to strike her enemies in a wide arc, temporarily dealing damage and reducing their armour. When Cunning Sweep lands, it transforms into Sundering Slam, cleaving enemies in a straight line and dealing damage based on their missing health. This dual-purpose skill is excellent for shredding enemy defenses and disrupting team fights, giving her an advantage in drawn-out engagements.
Second Ability: Repudiation
Ambessa gains a shield for the next 1.5 seconds and unleashes a shockwave, damaging nearby enemies. If the shield absorbs damage, the shockwave becomes more lethal.
Third Ability: Lacerate
Ambessa swings her Twin Drakehounds, dealing damage and slowing enemies. She will cast Lacerate again after the dash when her passive is triggered.
Ultimate: Public Execution
Ambessa’s ultimate summons the full might of Noxus, restoring her energy and resetting all her cooldowns after every kill. This fearsome execution-style attack damages a single target and scales even higher if the target’s health is low.
Ambessa’s kit is all about imposing her will on the battlefield. She can confidently initiate fights, and her crowd control and armour shreds make her a nightmare for tanks and squishy targets. However, her aggressive style leaves her vulnerable to ranged pokes and well-timed counter-attacks, so players need to be mindful of overcommitting. She’s a team-fight powerhouse but can struggle if kited and lacks reliable escape tools if things go south.
Best Build for Ambessa
To maximize Ambessa’s impact, consider the core and situational items that bring out her full potential.
Core Items
- Hextech Black Cleaver – Grants her health, attack damage, and the armour shred she needs to break through enemy defenses.
- Death’s Dance – Gives her sustain and resilience in skirmishes, letting her heal from takedowns and delay some of the incoming damage.
- Sterak’s Gage – Increases her survivability in extended fights by providing a shield, making her even harder to bring down.
Situational Items
- Dynamic Quicksilver – Use this to cleanse crowd control effects and keep fighting, especially when facing heavy CC comps.
- Trinity Force – Adds a bit of everything—attack speed, health, and a powerful sheen proc to keep her aggressive.
- Guardian Angel – Grants a second chance in fights, allowing her to dive in, take risks, and return if she falls.
Primary Runes
- Conqueror – Stacks up easily in long engagements, giving her bonus attack damage and letting her snowball fights.
- Triumph – Heals her on takedowns, helping her stay in the fray.
Secondary Runes
- Giant Slayer – Great for bringing down beefy champions and synergizes well with her armour shred.
- Legend: Tenacity – Reduces the impact of crowd control effects so she can stay mobile and on the offensive.
- Perseverance – Boosts her durability when she’s low, helping her survive sticky situations.
Spells
- Smite – Essential if you’re running Ambessa in the Jungle; it helps with farming and securing objectives.
- Flash – A must-have for extra mobility, whether engaging, disengaging, or surprising an opponent.
How to play Ambessa
Focus on farming and building up your core items in the early game. If you’re in Baron Lane, play safe and look for moments to punish your lane opponent with her high-damage abilities. In the Jungle, use her gap-closing skills to gank vulnerable lanes. Look for chances to land Repudiation for those hard-hitting combos.
The mid-game is where Ambessa starts to spread fear. Join your team for skirmishes and objectives like the Dragon and Rift Herald. Use Cunning Sweep and Lacerate to shred your enemies’ armour, softening them for takedowns. Don’t be afraid to go all-in; with Death’s Dance and your runes, you can sustain through fights and even go toe-to-toe with the enemy team’s heavy hitters.
In late-game clashes, wait for the right moment to dive in. Try prioritizing the enemy backline, using Repudiation and Lacerate to catch squishier champions. When they’re low on health, unleash Public Execution to finish them off, adding a satisfying punctuation to your dominance. With Guardian Angel in your back pocket, you can be fearless about diving deep.
Ambessa is a fierce Champion, able to instill terror into her enemies’ hearts with her relentless attacks and powerful presence. Playing her well means balancing aggression and timing, but she’s an ideal pick for those who crave a high-risk, high-reward playstyle. With the right build, runes, and game sense, you’ll wreak havoc across the Rift as the Matriarch of War herself.
Ready to channel your inner Noxian? Let your enemies taste the steel of Ambessa by adding her to your roster with the Wild Core top-ups available through Codashop! Payment is as easy as ABC, ensuring fast and hassle-free gaming.
