TOP 5 QIYANA COUNTERS MIDLANE

Qiyana is a burst assassin who excels in short trades, jungle skirmishes, and fog-of-war flanks. With Q (Elemental Wrath) empowered by terrain, E (Audacity) to dash in, and R (Supreme Display of Talent) to stun and nuke entire teams near walls, she thrives on roams, picks, and 100-0 combos.

But Qiyana is also melee, extremely cooldown-dependent, and very punishable if her engage fails. She’s weak in extended fights, struggles in push matchups, and loses hard if denied vision control or early kill pressure.

The top 5 counters to Qiyana mid are: Lissandra, Galio, Annie, Vex, and Neeko. These champions punish her engage, outwave her pre-6, and stop her all-ins with hard CC and safe trading tools.

Top 5 Qiyana Mid Counters

1. Lissandra

• Playstyle: Utility mage / lockdown control
• Why it works:
  • Point-and-click R (Frozen Tomb) completely stops her burst combo.
  • Q + W safely clear and poke while keeping distance.
  • Scales better in teamfights and denies flank setups.

Play Tips:

• Push early waves and hover side bushes — she can’t engage safely.
• Save R for when she dashes in with E — lock her down and turn.
• Roam with jungle — you match her map presence and win 2v2s.

2. Galio

• Playstyle: Anti-assassin tank / map-impact mage
• Why it works:
  • W (Shield of Durand) taunt stops her burst and forces bad trades.
  • R (Hero’s Entrance) follows and counters her roams.
  • Builds tanky and outlives her full combo.

Play Tips:

• Use passive + Q to safely farm and punish melee trades.
• Always hover side when she leaves lane — follow with R.
• Let her engage first, then taunt mid-combo and reverse the fight.

3. Annie

• Playstyle: Burst mage / reliable CC
• Why it works:
  • Stun + Tibbers combo deletes her before she can finish her all-in.
  • Strong level 6 kill pressure forces her to play safe.
  • Safe waveclear and stun zone make her think twice before roaming.

Play Tips:

• Keep passive charged when she hits level 3–6 — you’ll win any trade.
• Roam only after pushing waves — Tibbers denies fog control.
• Build early HP — Qiyana can't kill you through barrier and pots.

4. Vex

• Playstyle: Anti-dash mage / burst punisher
• Why it works:
  • Fear passive punishes Qiyana’s E engages.
  • E + Q poke trades force her to stay at a distance.
  • Her ult (R) is safer to land and reset than Qiyana’s ult.

Play Tips:

• Save W fear for when she dashes in — it's a free disengage + trade.
• Push waves often — she can’t contest safely pre-6.
• All-in at level 6 with full fear combo — she’s squishy and has no answer.

5. Neeko

• Playstyle: Disruptive control mage / bait CC
• Why it works:
  • Root + R (Pop Blossom) turns her burst into a losing fight.
  • Can bait her with passive clone into wasting spells.
  • Outpushes and roams better without risking trades.

Play Tips:

• Use clone to bait her E or Q — punish with root afterward.
• Charge R as she enters brush or dashes — she can’t react if surprised.
• Force early trades after she misses W or Q — she has long cooldowns.

Bonus Tips to Beat Qiyana:

• Ward jungle entrances and walls — she flanks from fog with terrain Qs and ult.
• Don’t fight near walls — her R stuns in terrain and turns fights instantly.
• Buy Seeker’s Armguard early — the armor delays her kill window.
• Track her roam timing: If she shoves and disappears pre-6, ping and follow.