5 best counters to Olaf toplane in League of Legends season 13

Olaf has slowly but steadily established himself as a toplane champion in League of Legends. Season 12 saw him ascend the ranks to become one of the most aggressive champions in the game, and season 13 is no exception.

Olaf is undoubtedly one of the strongest toplane champions in Season 13. He is renowned for his powerful early-to-mid game dominance, huge damage output, and capacity to become practically unbeatable with the proper build and playstyle.

Olaf's kit revolves around his ability to do damage while sustaining himself via his passive (Berserker Rage), which offers him enhanced attack speed and life steal dependent on his missing health.

His Q (Undertow) lets him toss an axe at his adversaries, slowing and damaging them. Meanwhile, his W (Vicious Strikes) grants him enhanced attack damage and spell vamp for a brief period.

Olaf's ultimate, R (Ragnarok), offers him immunity to crowd control effects and enhances his attacking damage, making him one of the strongest champions to use while facing a CC-heavy team composition. He is practically unbeatable in the toplane with the right items and playstyle, especially against opponents who aren't prepared to cope with his early-game aggressiveness.

Olaf is a tough champion to counter because of his tremendous dominance and rising popularity in League of Legends season 13 professional competition and ranked solo/duo. Very few picks can outduel him.

With that in mind, this article lists the five best counters to Olaf toplane in League of Legends season 13.

Disclaimer: This list is subjective and solely reflects the author's opinions.

---

Tryndamere, Akali, and 3 other good counters to Olaf toplane in League of Legends season 13

While Olaf is one of the best early-mid-game champions in toplane, he has a tendency to fade significantly in the late game. Mobile champions are one of his greatest limitations.

1) Kled

Kled is one of the best toplane champions who can go toe-to-toe with Olaf in League of Legends season 13 (Image via Riot Games)

Kled is the first champion on this list, and he is one of the strongest counters for Olaf toplane in League of Legends season 13. He has a lot in common with Olaf. Both are excellent early-mid game champions that falter in the late game. They are also aggressive laners, and neither has ideal matchups versus mobile champions.

Kled's kit lets him match Olaf's early-game pressure and maybe even win trades if played effectively.

Kled's Q (Bear Trap on a Rope) can pull Olaf out of Ragnarok, his ultimate ability that offers him immunity to crowd control spells. This might offer him an edge in long deals or all-ins.

Moreover, in League of Legends season 13, Kled's ultimate ability, R (Chaaaaaaaaaarge!!! ), may be deployed to rapidly roam and disrupt other lanes, easily placing Olaf behind in terms of map pressure.

Furthermore, when it comes to itemization, Kled has excellent versatility. He can choose between several build routes based on the opposition team composition in League of Legends season 13.

Kled's ability to match and overcome Olaf's early-game pressure makes him a good counter pick in the toplane in League of Legends season 13.

---

2) Fiora

Fiora is arguably the most difficult champion to master on this list (Image via Riot Games)

Fiora is one of the highest skill-ceiling counter-matchups for Olaf to play in League of Legends season 13. It is incredibly difficult to properly grasp her gameplay, combinations, and matchups. This means her matchup is totally skill-based and heavily dependent on the player's skill level.

Olaf is well-known for his early-game domination and ability to deal massive damage. Fiora's kit, however, helps her outplay Olaf in trades and all-ins. When she strikes an adversary with her basic attack, her passive (Duelist's Dance) offers her enhanced attack and movement speed, which might enable her to evade Olaf's axe throws.

Fiora's W (Riposte) can also deflect Olaf's W (Reckless swing), decreasing the damage and stunning him. Her ultimate R (Grand Challenge) may also help defeat Olaf. She can do considerable damage and heal herself by striking all four vitals on him.

Overall, Fiora's mobility, crowd control, and damage output make her a formidable opponent for Olaf toplane in League of Legends season 13. It is recommended that players play a lot more Fiora games to obtain a better understanding of her entire kit.

---

3) Illaoi

Like Fiora, Illaoi too is a skill-based matchup as she is very ability-reliant (Image via Riot Games)

Illaoi is the third champion on this list, and like Fiora, she is a high-skill ceiling counter-matchup for Olaf in League of Legends season 13.

Illaoi is one of the finest bruiser toplane champions right now, capable of competing with Olaf. Her ability to do so, however, depends on how skillful the player is, as missing a combo against him will bring severe consequences.

Illaoi's kit is built to dominate in long trades, and her tentacles may cause tremendous damage to opposing League of Legends champions. Her ability to spawn tentacles and sustain in the lane makes her a difficult opponent for Olaf to deal with.

Illaoi's E (Test of Spirit) can easily undermine Olaf's dependence on his axes to deliver damage. It can also weaken his armor and magic resistance. If the player is skillful enough to spawn two or three tentacles before battling him, he can easily do strong burst damage while shoving the minions wave beneath his tower, causing him to miss a lot of farm and experience.

Moreover, Illaoi's ultimate, R (Leap of Faith), may alter the flow of a team fight, making it impossible for Olaf to properly engage or disengage. If the player has two or three tentacles in addition to landing her E on him, the tides will swiftly swing in their favor.

In short, Illaoi's kit is well-suited to countering Olaf's toplane strengths in League of Legends season 13, making her a good option for anyone trying to shut down the formidable champion. However, before picking her up in ranked solo/duo, one should have a lot of experience playing her.

---

4) Akali

Akali is certainly one of the few champions who are capable of breaking Olaf's ankles in League of Legends season 13 (Image via Riot Games)

Akali is one of the strongest counters for Olaf toplane in League of Legends season 13. She is also one of the few champions who, in the hands of a good player, can break Olaf's ankles. This is all thanks to her ridiculous damage, showy kit, and excellent mobility.

In League of Legends season 13, Olaf depends heavily on his axes to do damage and trade in lane. However, Akali's shroud lets her quickly evade them and reposition herself for an advantageous trade.

Moreover, Akali's Q (Five Point Strike) and passive (Assassin's Mark) allow her to swiftly deplete Olaf's health. Meanwhile, her ultimate, R (Perfect Execution), lets her escape if things go wrong.

Olaf's dependence on auto-attacks works in Akali's favor as well. Her W (Twilight Shroud) and E (Shuriken Flip) allow her to neutralize and punish him.

Overall, Akali's ability to avoid Olaf's skillshots and burst him down makes her a great pick versus him in the toplane. It's crucial to note that if played right, Olaf can still be a powerful opponent, so players should remain wary and mindful of his abilities. Furthermore, there is a learning curve to Akali's kit, which is why players need to have a lot of games under their belt before practicing.

---

5) Tryndamere

Tryndamere is one of the most aggressive toplane champions who can go toe-to-toe with Olaf in League of Legends season 13 (Image via Riot Games)

Tryndamere is the fifth and final champion on this list of the finest counters for Olaf toplane in League of Legends season 13.

His ability to sustain himself in lane with his Q (Bloodlust) and E (Spinning Slash), which lets him bridge gaps swiftly and escape Olaf's Undertow axes, makes it tough for his opponent to gain kills and control the lane.

Moreover, Tryndamere's ultimate, R (Undying Rage), offers him invincibility for a few seconds, making it hard for Olaf to burst him down unless something goes wrong.

Additionally, Tryndamere's critical strike chance combined with his passive (Battle Fury) lets him do massive damage to Olaf, who depends significantly on his armor and health regeneration to survive engagements.

To efficiently defeat Tryndamere, Olaf would need to work with his jungler to gank him before his opponent has too much strength. Moreover, given that Tryndamere scales comparatively better than Olaf in the mid-to-late game, he holds a slight advantage.

Overall, Tryndamere's kit and skills make him a formidable counter to Olaf in the top lane in League of Legends season 13. The fact that he's set to receive buffs in the upcoming patch 13.5 should give players even more incentive to use him.