Nilah vs Smolder ADC Matchup Guide | LaneStomp

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Nilah

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ADC

Smolder

Nilah vs Smolder

Confidence mediumUpdated Jun 7, 2026

Overview

Nilah wins short trades with (W) blocking autos and support engage, but Smolder outscales with poke and execute.
The lane turns on Nilah punishing Smolder's last-hit attempts when he stands close to minions without support threat.
Nilah wants a wave near her side to safely farm and commit all-ins after enemy cooldowns expire.

Trading pattern

Step up to auto Smolder during last-hit animations only if enemy support cannot immediately trade back.
Use (W) to deny Smolder's auto retaliation during all-ins after enemy poke cooldowns.
Avoid extended trades when (W) is down or (Q) stacks grant stronger poke pressure.

Danger windows

(W) poke combined with support presence punishes grouped positioning near minions.
Avoid stepping into enemy brush or river control where Smolder's support can zone or engage.
Be cautious when (E) is available, as it enables escape or repositioning against your engage.

Early game

Hold wave near your side first three waves to reduce (E) dash escape angles.
Punish Smolder's caster minion last hits when enemy support is out of position or cooldown.
Avoid using (E) forward without support follow-up to prevent being kited or punished.

Power spikes

Level 6 (R) enables Nilah to turn support engages into committed fights with multi-target pull; use with (W).
First completed marksman item lets Nilah safely all-in and threaten kills if support initiates.
(Q) stack thresholds increase poke damage; pressure him before these thresholds to deny scaling.

Win conditions

Convert health leads into wave crashes near your turret to force Smolder off CS and take plates.
Use support engage combined with (W) and (R) to secure kills and force Smolder recalls.
Scale into teamfights where (R) can pull multiple targets and (W) denies auto retaliation, maximizing DPS impact.