TOP 5 KLED COUNTERS TOPLANE

Kled is a high-aggression skirmisher who thrives in extended fights and chaotic trades. His Q (Bear Trap on a Rope) punishes short trades, W (Violent Tendencies) gives huge DPS in melee duels, and his R (Chaaaaaaaarge!!!) is one of the best engage tools in top lane and mid-game flanks. He’s tanky with Skaarl, disruptive post-disengage, and snowballs fast off early kills.

But Kled is also predictable, reliant on dismount mechanics, and punishable if you space properly. His damage drops significantly once he loses Skaarl, and he’s vulnerable to ranged poke, disengage, and anti-burst tools that break his combo timing.

The top 5 counters to Kled top are: Quinn, Teemo, Vayne, Garen, and Malphite. These champions either punish his melee commitment, kite him effortlessly, or out-sustain and burst him when his cooldowns are down.

Top 5 Kled Top Lane Counters

1. Quinn

• Playstyle: Ranged burst skirmisher / roam specialist
• Why it works:
  • Out-trades him with Q + auto + E from range.
  • Blinds and dismounts him easily without taking return damage.
  • Rotates first with R — denies his mid-game roam value.

Play Tips:

• Abuse range levels 1–3 — he has no answer if you play outside of Q range.
• Use E to cancel his Q pull or dodge his W auto chain.
• Once he dismounts, play aggressive — he can’t trade for 20+ seconds.

2. Teemo

• Playstyle: Poke lane bully / blind zone controller
• Why it works:
  • Q (Blinding Dart) denies his W + Q auto damage completely.
  • Constant poke prevents all-ins and Skaarl recharge.
  • Mushrooms control brushes and flank paths — ruins his R roam setups.

Play Tips:

• Stay max range and auto harass — never let him get free trades with W.
• Use blind after he engages — it shuts down his damage completely.
• Ward bushes and play away from river — deny his post-6 charge angle.

3. Vayne

• Playstyle: Anti-melee marksman / outplay duelist
• Why it works:
  • Kites him effortlessly with Q + E.
  • True damage from W shreds him both mounted and dismounted.
  • Hard outscales — he can’t ever match her DPS after 2 items.

Play Tips:

• Keep wave slow near tower early — farm and poke until level 6.
• Use E (Condemn) to interrupt his charge or push him off Skaarl.
• Post-6, fight confidently with R — his cooldowns are too long to match your burst.

4. Garen

• Playstyle: Sustain bruiser / short trade specialist
• Why it works:
  • Q (Silence) stops his W passive chain and Q pull.
  • Out-sustains him in short trades with passive healing.
  • R (Demacian Justice) executes him even if he remounts late.

Play Tips:

• Trade with Q + E, then back off — never overcommit into full W + Q.
• Once dismounted, all-in with full kit and execute before Skaarl returns.
• Deny wave control early — shove and reset before his R windows.

5. Malphite

• Playstyle: Armor-stacking tank / anti-AD frontliner
• Why it works:
  • Stacks armor to negate his AD-only burst.
  • Q poke slows and chips him down from safe range.
  • R (Unstoppable Force) shuts down his R engage or punishes his dive.

Play Tips:

• Take Doran’s Shield + Second Wind and scale — he can’t kill you post-6.
• Play slow and safe until you hit level 6 — then punish with R + follow-up.
• Group early for dragons — he can’t match your teamfight utility.

Bonus Tips to Beat Kled:

• Watch his Courage bar: When it hits 100, he’s about to remount. Back off until it’s reset.
• Don’t stand still after Q hits — move unpredictably to avoid being pulled.
• Ping his R cooldown: His engages are predictable and punishable if it’s down.