Riven vs Darius TOP Matchup Guide | LaneStomp

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Darius

Riven vs Darius

Updated Jun 3, 2026

Overview

Use Riven's high mobility and cooldown sequencing to avoid extended trades and punish Darius after he uses (E) pull or outer (Q) misses.
Focus on denying Darius the chance to stack passive bleed by forcing short trades and wave control to prevent him from sustaining and bullying.

Trading pattern

Engage trades with (E) shield, chain (Q) and (W) to stun, then disengage before cooldowns expire to avoid Darius's retaliation.
Punish Darius when his (E) pull or outer (Q) misses by stepping in aggressively for quick combos.
Avoid committing when your mobility or (W) stun is down, as Darius's point-and-click control punishes extended fights.

Danger windows

Be cautious when Darius has full passive stacks and (R) available; avoid prolonged trades near execute range.
Avoid trading immediately after using (Q) and (E) as your mobility and shield are down, making you vulnerable to (E) pull.
Respect (E) pull cooldown; engaging when it's ready risks being caught and forced into extended fights.

Early game

Prioritize short trades using (E) shield and (Q)+(W) combos before Darius can stack passive or land (E).
Avoid extended melee range fights early to prevent giving Darius passive stacks and healing from outer (Q).
Use wave positioning to create space for mobility resets and avoid getting pulled by (E).

Power spikes

Level 6: Use (R) to convert chip damage into lethal burst; bait Darius's crowd control before committing.
First damage/haste item: Increase trade frequency and pressure Darius during cooldown windows.
Respect Darius's level 6 (R) execute and (E) pull; avoid extended trades once he has passive stacks and execute threat.

Win conditions

Snowball by punishing Darius's cooldowns with quick (Q)+(W)+(E) trades and use (R) to finish low-health targets.
Use superior mobility to kite around Darius's pull range and avoid passive stacking, denying his sustain and damage.
Pressure side lanes and skirmishes after gaining lane advantage to leverage Riven's burst and mobility for kills and map control.