Alistar/Strategy

Skill usage
This tactic is risky, leaves you useless while both abilities are on cooldown, but is considered a staple move of Alistar and used very often in both competitive and casual play.
 * The most important thing a new Alistar should learn is the WQ combo. You should master it, as there is nothing more annoying than chasing an enemy and your Alistar knock him away. The trick is: Just as the animation starts (once you start moving towards an enemy), press and hold . Don't let go of it, because once the headbutt ends,  will automatically trigger.


 * Using can allow Alistar to establish better positioning for.
 * You can use this to your advantage by using followed by  to push them into your turret's firing range. Be aware that skilled players will know this gimmick and will not fall for it unless they are caught unaware.
 * You can use to catch your target off guard, followed by / to push them into your allies/turret.
 * In the event that a tank is running close to your target to protect them, a safer and often more useful strategy is to use on the tank to get you into range to  your true target.
 * Be wary when using because you might end up disrupting positions in a way that benefits the enemy team, particularly knocking them out of a teammate's area of effect.
 * is considered a great roamer due to the fact that all he needs is his and  combo to gank a lane.
 * Hitting an enemy into a close-by thick wall with will stun them for ~1s, because they will still try to travel the distance, though the wall is in the way. Thus they will be stuck against the wall for the duration of the flight.
 * However, if is used near a wall, it sometimes sends the enemy onto the other side, no matter how thick, allowing them to escape.
 * This can also be used to your advantage. Sending the enemy tank or a high damage dealing carry (like after he uses ) over a wall can allow your team to win a 5v4 match.
 * Most walls in the jungle and river are thin, but whether they will go over them or not depends on how close they were to the wall at impact. If they are a high priority target, it may be better to keep them in the fight. A high priority threat would be neutralized if knocked over.
 * should mostly be used when turret diving or in team fights when you are being focused.

Build Usage

 * helps Alistar and his team to initiate. It also helps to flee or to get in range to stun fleeing opponents. Also in its build path allows you to spam.
 * allows Alistar can heal himself for additional 12/18/24/30/36 health with his . Amount of boost is rather low, but it's still a great item because of the cooldown reduction and survivability it provides.
 * Try to buy a to increase your damage and pushing capability.
 * Sheen can then be upgraded to for extra disruption and survivability in teamfights (in addition to the armor, mana, cooldown reduction and collateral splash damage all help with letting him heal more often) or  for damage and mobility.
 * is a viable early game item for Alistar during the laning phase as his abilities cost a heavy amount of mana.
 * This can be built into either  or, depending on needs.  provides CDR and AP to aid in your personal performance, and gives  more power.  is useful in aiding your supporting role and can also allow you a second chance to escape if you are CC'd again after using your ultimate.
 * Getting will allow Alistar to position himself better around the battlefield for.
 * are a great option for roaming, something Alistar is good at thanks to his high disruptive power.
 * Getting items with auras like,  or help your entire team to push faster. Especially Sunfire Cape's auto-pushing will make  available more often without requiring anyone to actually target minions in fights.
 * Combined with 's tanking potential, allows Alistar's team to dive turrets for extended periods of time.

Countering

 * Stay away from his range to avoid his  and  combo.
 * When you are in your turret range, consider staying close to Alistar so that if he uses his he will draw turret aggro because of his passive damage from . But be aware that would make you an easy target for a -> combo.
 * can be used on Alistar to quickly get into the middle of a team, hit much of them with, and knock a squishy target toward his team with . Always spread out when you see Alistar walk toward your team.
 * Beware the potential combo of cancelling the knockback of into . At that note, it is safest to poke Alistar with something that is farther than the 650 ability range of.
 * Alistar is a pure tank that naturally has a high health, armor and magic resistance. Buying items such as or  can help with killing him faster. But keep in mind that his ultimate also reduces damage done even after considering any armor/magic penetration; this is why Alistar is considered one of the best tanks.
 * It is best to wait until the duration of his wears off before continuing to attack him.
 * If Alistar has already cast and, consider ignoring him if possible for the cooldowns of those two abilities are very significant - especially since spending effort to attack him may just have him reduce it with.
 * Due to said significant cooldowns, crowd-controlling his own team as he uses if possible can waste the ability's synergy with his allies and leave Alistar with little else to do for his team while it cools down - as long as you yourself have other things to use while you traded cooldown(s) of your own for his, of course.
 * Avoid fighting near minion waves to ensure that his has a long cooldown.
 * Position yourself in such a way that it is difficult for to  you into a bad position that may endanger yourself.
 * However, be wary not to get in range of  instead. Try to position yourself properly and keep distance at the same time.
 * or other movement abilities (such as ) can help make it difficult for Alistar to land a combo on you, or make for an easier escape after he already has.
 * While Alistar has for healing, it heals for a very low amount of HP (even when taking  into account). Not only that, but it has a long cooldown (beware it can be reduced when your minion dies, so you should try to deny him/his ADC farm) and wastes a lot of mana. Thus, Alistar is still vulnerable to poke from ranged champions. This makes him vulnerable to ranged offensive supports (if he is going support) or ranged champions in general (if he is going top).

Alistar/Strategie