Aphelios vs Varus ADC Matchup Guide | LaneStomp

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Champion

Opponent

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Aphelios

VS

ADC

Varus

Aphelios vs Varus

Confidence highUpdated Jun 7, 2026

Overview

This lane turns on Aphelios managing weapon pairs to punish Varus's poke and last hits.
Aphelios wins short trades with Calibrum poke and wave pressure, Varus controls extended poke and root setups.
Hold wave near your side to force Varus to choose between CS and taking poke damage.

Trading pattern

Punish Varus when he steps up for caster minion last hits using Calibrum's range if support can't punish back.
Avoid trading when (Q) is charged or (R) root is available; these create high poke and pick threat.
Use Infernum splash on grouped minions to punish Varus's wave and force him off CS safely.

Danger windows

Respect Varus's charged (Q) poke when he has space and support to follow up.
Avoid extended trades when (R) root is up and support can chain CC.
Be cautious stepping forward if enemy support controls brush or river, enabling immediate engage on your no-dash.

Early game

Use first three waves to track (Q) poke angles and punish last hits under support cover.
Avoid stepping up for CS when Varus's support controls brush or engage zones.
Aim to reach level 2 with support to contest Varus's poke and reduce his (Q) charge safety.

Power spikes

Strong weapon pairs create windows to punish Varus's CS attempts and force recalls; plan trades around these.
Level 6 (R) with the right weapon effect enables poke, root setup, or burst to counter Varus's engage or poke.
First completed marksman item improves your DPS and wave crash potential, pressuring Varus before dragon fights.

Win conditions

Convert Calibrum and Infernum weapon windows into CS leads and turret plate damage before dragon.
Use support peel to safely enter extended fights with Crescendum or Gravitum for DPS and root setup.
Scale through item spikes and weapon cycles to out-DPS Varus in teamfights and secure objective control.