KALISTA BUILD GUIDE

 

Introduction

A brief and basic guide for the latest marksman added in patch 4.20. In this guide will contain the general items and build path required. I am a Diamond EUW player so i am hoping my knowledge can help you guys :)

Kalista is a champion with high mobility and an even higher skillcap. I feel to master this champion it will take a while but she seems extremely fun and a very good pick into a teamfight composition.

Tested triforce, worked great,

Note: The skills box isn't showing for me at the moment. Will try to fix as soon as possible. Still isn't showing up -.-

 

Summoner Sets

Flash & Heal
What i usually run. Gives you a bit of HP and a cheeky speed boost. Standard for ADC's atm.

Flash & Barrier
Can help survive vs someone like Zed etc. works well when ignited as grievous wounds reduces all incoming healing effects. Barrier if timed right can stop a few ticks of an ignite potentially saving your life :)

Flash & Cleanse
If they have a lot of crowd control. I would very rarely take this unless they literally have like Malz, Amumu and Leona on one team.


Early Game
Try to poke as much as possible with your 550 range, and feel free to use E as a way to last hit if needed.. Try not to go all in without some help from your support, because Kalista is extremely squishy early on.

You WILL need to rely on your support for the early game.. a good support means a good laning phase for Kalista

Mid Game
Once you get a few of your items, you will have a little more room for error against tough matchups, but be careful of Vayne still, as she will rush a Blade of the Ruined King... She will kill you in a duel... be careful.

Against other opponents, you should pretty easily out damage and out CC them, so keep on them as much as possible.

Late Game
Be sure to stick with your team. Your Rend active will allow for cleanups after fights and her ult is a great way to initiate and also sway a team fight in your favor..
Remember to use your ult accordingly, if you see a team fight turning south, don't be afraid to pull your Oathsworn target out of enemy hands and leapfrog them away.
Teamfights
Same thing as above, be sure to use your ult during team fights. It will be deadly with a Yasuo ult, so be sure to try to stack it whenever he is on your team.

Also, your E is a amazing tool for cleanup.. So use it to your advantage, as killing an extra player after an even fight can easily score you an objective.

 

Skills

Martial Poise

INNATE: Kalista cannot cancel her basic attacks and they will miss if she loses sight of her target before they hit.
If Kalista enters a movement command while winding her basic attack or Pierce.png Pierce, she will drive through that direction when she launches her attack, dashing a short distance. Martial Poise distance scales with Enhanced Movement, and is increased by 25% when dashing backwards.
Additionally, Kalista begins the game with a unique item, The Black Spear item.png The Black Spear.
The Black Spear item THE BLACK SPEAR - ACTIVE: Kalista hurls The Black Spear at an allied champion, beginning a ritual that takes a short duration. During the ritual, both Kalista and her target are unable to act and the target will perform their death animation. Upon finishing the ritual, the target becomes Oathsworn for the remainder of the game. Kalista requires an Oathsworn ally to utilize Sentinel's Soul-Marked and Fate's Call.

(BE CAREFUL OF WHO YOU BIND, YOU CANNOT REBIND)
This is just AMAZING. It gives you insane kite potential, escape, and can wall hop. This passive is honestly one of the best you could give any ADC.
If you lose vision of them, then your auto attack misses. This won't be a huge problem if you just hop towards them, but this can make a huge difference at the same time.

Pierce

RANGE: 1450 COST: 50 / 55 / 60 / 65 / 70 MANA COOLDOWN: 8
ACTIVE: Kalista hurls a fast and narrow spear, dealing physical damage to the first enemy struck.
PHYSICAL DAMAGE: 10 / 70 / 130 / 190 / 250 (+ 100% AD)
If Pierce scores a kill, the spear will continue onward, passing all Rend stacks from the dead victim to the next enemy it hits.

This is a very high damage poke ability in lane, and you can use it in combination with your passive. Late game this spell gives great lane clear because it justs one-shots all the minions it hits.

Sentinel

RANGE: 5500 COST: 25 MANA COOLDOWN: 30
SOUL-MARKED - PASSIVE: If Kalista and her The Black Spear item.png Oathsworn ally attack the same target within 1.5 seconds of each other, the target will take additional magic damage equal to a percentage of their maximum health. This effect cannot occur on the same target for 8 seconds. Damage is capped against minions and monsters.
MAGIC DAMAGE: 12 / 14 / 16 / 18 / 20% of target's maximum health
MAX. DAMAGE VS. MONSTERS: 100 / 125 / 150 / 175 / 200
ACTIVE: Kalista commands a soul sentinel to the target location within range, gaining sight in a ~450-length cone in front of it. The sentinel's sight is obstructed by terrain and brush. Upon reaching the target location, it will return to a point within ~1400 units of cast location. The sentinel will perform a total of 7 laps, including the first two lengths. The sentinel is vulnerable from behind and will die if attacked twice by an enemy champion or once by a tower. If the sentinel spots an enemy champion it will scream and stalk them for the next 4 seconds - revealing them for the duration.
Kalista stores a charge of Sentinel every few seconds, and can store up to 2 charges.
RECHARGE TIME: 90 / 80 / 70 / 60 / 50



This spell makes Kalista EVEN MORE SAFE along with her passive. The passive on this spell is also one of the main reasons Kalista has such good synergy with Leona or Braum. Once you have this spell maxed the passive just destroys squishies when you and your oathsworn attack the same person
Rend
COST: 30 MANA COOLDOWN: 14 / 12.5 / 11 / 9.5 / 8

Rend

PASSIVE: Kalista's basic attacks and Pierce leaves her target speared for 4 seconds. There is no cap on the number of spears Kalista can lodge in her target. This passive is unavailable while Rend is on cooldown.
ACTIVE: Kalista rips all spears from nearby enemies, dealing physical damage and slowing them for 2 seconds. Rend's damage is increased by a percentage for every spear beyond the first that Kalista ripped from them.
PHYSICAL DAMAGE: 20 / 30 / 40 / 50 / 60 (+ 60% AD)
DAMAGE PER ADDITIONAL SPEAR: 5 / 9 / 14 / 20 / 27 (+15 / 18 / 21 / 24 / 27% AD)
SLOW: 25 / 30 / 35 / 40 / 45%
If Rend scores a kill, the cooldown is refreshed.

This is one probably the best spell in the game for taking objectives like Baron or Dragon. Also, the longer the fight lasts the more your damage increases!

Fate's Call

RANGE: 1200 COST: 100 MANA COOLDOWN: 90 / 75 / 60

ACTIVE: Kalista draws her Oathsworn ally next to her, making them untargetable and disabling their spells for 4 seconds. Kalista's Oathsworn ally must be within 1400-range to cast Fate's Call.
During Fate's Call, Kalista's Oathsworn can right-click a target location to dash there, stopping at the first enemy hit, knocking up all surrounding enemies for 1.5 and landing themselves at their maximum attack range from the target.

This is amazing engage spell, but takes a lot of synergy so if you have a retard that you are binded to, then your loss. ;)

 

Conclusion

Kalista is a great champ, both during lane phase and in team fights. A lot of team comps can be made up with her, so be careful if the enemy first picks a Kalista.

I will update this guide with more knowledge as I gain it via matchups and game mechanics... So feel free to keep this guide as a go-to for up to date information!