Darius vs Poppy TOP Matchup Guide | LaneStomp

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Poppy

Darius vs Poppy

Updated Jun 3, 2026

Overview

Use high early lane pressure and pull threat to force Poppy into unfavorable melee trades near the wave or terrain.
Deny Poppy safe farming by controlling spacing with (E) and punishing her limited mobility and reliance on walls.
This is a snowball matchup where Darius must leverage early kills and extended trades to prevent Poppy from scaling into a durable frontline.

Trading pattern

Threaten (E) to control spacing and force Poppy to respect your engage, then use autos and (W) to maintain pressure.
Punish Poppy when she wastes (W) early or misses (E) wall stuns by committing to extended trades and stacking passive.
Avoid engaging near walls where Poppy can stun with (E); instead, fight in open areas to reduce her crowd control threat.

Danger windows

Be cautious when Poppy holds (W) to block your (E) pull or dash, as this negates your engage and can turn trades against you.
Avoid fighting near walls where Poppy can reliably land (E) stuns, increasing her kill threat.
Respect (R) knockaway especially post-level 6, as it can disrupt your all-in and force you out of fights.

Early game

Aggressively use (E) pull to start trades when Poppy is near the wave or terrain to prevent her from safely using (W) defensively.
Prioritize landing outer (Q) to heal and increase damage during early trades before Poppy completes her first tank item.
Avoid short trades where Poppy can rely on her passive shield and (Q) slow; instead, extend trades to stack passive bleed.

Power spikes

At level 6, use (R) execute after stacking passive and chipping Poppy to secure kills and reset for snowballing.
After completing your first bruiser item, force longer trades to leverage increased durability and damage.
Respect Poppy's level 6 (R) knockaway by avoiding overcommitment and baiting it before engaging.

Win conditions

Force extended melee trades near the wave to stack passive and use (Q) outer edge for sustain and damage.
Use (E) pull to deny Poppy safe farming and create kill pressure before she completes tank items.
Capitalize on level 6 execute windows to secure kills and snowball lane dominance, then pressure side lanes to extend lead.