Kalista vs Nilah ADC Matchup Guide | LaneStomp

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Kalista

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ADC

Nilah

Kalista vs Nilah

Confidence highUpdated Jun 7, 2026

Overview

Kalista wins extended trades by stacking (E) through minions and punishing Nilah's short range.
Long lane states favor Kalista's mobility and (E) resets, while Nilah thrives in short, protected lanes.
The matchup turns on Kalista's ability to punish Nilah's last-hit approach without overextending.

Trading pattern

Step forward to auto Nilah during her last-hit animations when support threat is low and (W) is down.
Use (Q) to transfer (E) stacks through low-health minions onto Nilah for efficient poke.
Avoid trading when Nilah has (W) active or can dash in with (E) supported by her team.

Danger windows

Avoid stepping forward when (W) is up, as it blocks your autos and negates (E) pressure.
Respect (E) dash combined with support follow-up to prevent getting caught in short-range all-ins.
Beware of enemy support controlling brush or zone, which denies your last-hit punish windows safely.

Early game

Use the first three waves to thin the caster minions and create low-health minions for (E) resets.
Prioritize level 2 trades when your support can engage, exploiting Nilah's vulnerability before (W) is available.
Position to punish Nilah stepping up for CS only if enemy support cannot immediately respond or zone you.

Power spikes

Level 6 (R) enables Kalista to force all-ins by pulling support into fights; coordinate with support engage.
First completed attack-speed item boosts (E) stack speed, making extended trades and dragon control more potent.
Nilah's level 6 (R) pull requires Kalista to respect engage windows and avoid clustered positioning.

Win conditions

Convert (E) stack leads into early recalls and item spikes by crashing waves and denying Nilah farm.
Use (R) to initiate or counter-engage with support, forcing fights on your terms for dragon control.
Maintain lane pressure to force Nilah under tower, limiting her all-in threat and scaling potential.