Kai'Sa vs Smolder ADC Matchup Guide | LaneStomp

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Champion

Opponent

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Kai'Sa

VS

ADC

Smolder

Kai'Sa vs Smolder

Confidence mediumUpdated Jun 7, 2026

Overview

Kai'Sa wins by punishing Smolder's last-hit attempts with isolated (Q) damage in thinned waves.
Smolder benefits from stable waves to safely stack (Q) and poke with (W), so deny him free farm.
This lane turns on support CC enabling (R) follow-up and wave states that isolate Smolder for burst.

Trading pattern

Step forward to auto or (W) poke Smolder during his last-hit animations if support threat is low.
Avoid committing (E) forward before enemy engage cooldowns are used to maintain safety.
Use support CC to start plasma stacks, then follow with (Q) and (R) for burst on isolated Smolder.

Danger windows

(E) flight is a threat if used before your engage cooldowns are down; avoid forward (E) then.
Watch for (W) poke when grouped near minions, especially if enemy support controls brush.
(R) can swing low-health fights; avoid committing when it's available on him and you are low.

Early game

Use the first three waves to thin minions and avoid large waves that spread (Q) damage.
Punish Smolder when he steps up for caster minion last hits if enemy support can't countertrade.
Hold (E) defensively until (E) engage is spent to avoid overextension.

Power spikes

First completed item unlocks evolves, enabling Kai'Sa to threaten all-ins safely with stronger burst.
Level 6 (R) allows repositioning onto marked targets, turning small CC windows into kills.
Prioritize trades after item spikes and plasma stack setup to maximize burst and force recalls.

Win conditions

Convert isolated damage and support CC into kills after first item and level 6 to snowball lane.
Punish Smolder's last-hit attempts to build CS and health leads, then crash waves for turret plates.
Use lane priority and item spikes to set up dragon control and teamfight positioning as Kai'Sa scales.