Lissandra vs Riven MID Matchup Guide | LaneStomp

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Champion

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Lissandra

VS

Mid

Riven

Lissandra vs Riven

Updated Jun 3, 2026

Overview

This is a control mage vs high mobility fighter matchup where Lissandra must manage Riven's burst all-ins and cooldown windows.
Lissandra should avoid giving Riven free cooldown resets and instead control the wave to deny Riven easy engages.
The matchup favors Lissandra's teamfight and lockdown identity against Riven's snowball and combo skirmishing style.

Trading pattern

Trade when (E) shield and (Q) dashes are down to limit her mobility and punish cooldowns.
Use (W) root to lock Riven when she tries to engage, then follow up with (R) for lockdown and team follow-up.
Avoid extended trades without (R) available, as Riven can outburst Lissandra during cooldown downtime.

Danger windows

Be cautious when Riven has all basic cooldowns up, especially (W) stun and third (Q) knockup, as she can burst quickly.
Avoid engaging when (R) is active on Riven and low-health targets are vulnerable to execute damage.
Respect Riven's mobility resets; do not chase aggressively after she uses (E) shield and (Q) dashes without cooldown advantage.

Early game

Use (Q) to safely farm and poke without overextending into Riven's engage range.
Hold (W) to punish Riven when she commits with (Q) or (E) and to deter her all-in attempts.
Avoid using (E) forward without clear follow-up or jungle help to prevent being punished by Riven's burst combo.

Power spikes

At level 6, use (R) to set up picks or defensive resets; track (R) and respect her increased burst and execute threat.
After completing first AP or utility item, pressure waves and trades more confidently while still respecting Riven's cooldowns.
Respect Riven's level 6 (R) power spike and her first haste/damage item timing to avoid lethal all-ins.

Win conditions

Use layered crowd control ((W) root and (R) stun) to lock down Riven and enable jungle or team follow-up for kills.
Deny Riven cooldown resets by punishing her after she uses (Q) and (E), limiting her all-in windows.
Control the wave and create flank angles with (E) plus (R) to set up picks and force Riven into unfavorable fights.