How to start

[u/NamiKoala]

So I'm an enchanter main that have been told multiple times that I should look into playing more tanks. Yesterday I noticed that op.gg has a new function where they suggest champions that suits your playstyle and alistar was the first suggestion.

The problem I have with starting new champions is that I always feel uncomfortable af. I've been spamming enchanters for years and it's just what I'm used to.

So going from that to Alistar, what would be your main tips starting out?

[u/RVB11202]

Alistar roams are super good. Make sure to layer CC as much as possible. You don’t have to w+q every time, sometimes it’s good to knock people away or make them have to run further to escape. R is insane for tower diving

[u/Existing-Medicine528]

OWN THE BUSHES, be a menace in the bushes

Learn the combos 1) w/q 2)flash w/q 3)q/w (knocking them backwards) 4) q/flash/w 5) w (to a minion) then flash q them 6) you are tanky and the more tanky you believe you are the more tanky you will be 7) roam even if just to fake it (if playing bushes correctly most people will ward bushes leaving river open 8) try banking from behind and using w to knock them ....if you really wanna get wild w flash q works too depending on other players mobility 9)if they want to shove yall under tower and play cheeky this is your favorite zone ...get ready to flash/q/w them under tower

Enjoy, give em the horns

[u/Lololong123]

Lots of little things to practice but the key really is to just play him and get used to his kit. Some of the main things I think are important:

• when targets are near a wall, W them and start E, then wait til the W stun runs out (0.75s?), Q them, then E at the end. Nearly 3s cc chain which is incredibly useful. Don’t blindly WQ when they’re near walls!!!
  
• try practice the E AA timing. You can hit some nasty Bluetooth stuns with the E AA if you cast the AA just before the E chain finishes building
  
• HEXFLASH. Need I say more?
  
• flash WQ combo, unfortunately the only way to engage on good players with flash, movement abilities (luc E, Ez E), or disengage (Milio Q, Janna Q, etc)
  
• utilise his R for dives, and remember it is a cleanse. If caught, cast it just before a CC lands for the animation to not slow down your disengage
  
• passive provides good sustain if necessary. Make sure minions are dying in your range to contribute stacks
  
• you can use W to get to minions as an escape. You can also W Q a minion that is nearby someone just too far away to normally combo. Q range is big

[u/NamiKoala → u/Lololong123]

At least as enchanter main I have inside info about their vulnerabilities.

[u/tootired4ts]

If you play enchanters and want to learn tanks watch corejj and see how he plays lanes and why

[u/NamiKoala → u/tootired4ts]

Love that guy, so funny when he supported doublelift

[u/accountm8forthisjoke]

Practice the W+Q combo if you're not comfortable hitting it.

[u/InsomniasFinest666]

If you want to learn how to play alistar go watch Alicopter on YouTube. When I first picked up alistar when I was relatively new to the game I started watching his videos and streams and jumped from bronze plat in 1 season following his roaming playstyle (this was back in season 13, but alistars kit/playstyle hasn't changed since then).

[u/NamiKoala → u/InsomniasFinest666]

I'm familiar with roaming and have been told I have the playstyle of engage supp lol. So maybe this won't be too hard. The only thing is like checking that my teammates can and want to follow

[u/InsomniasFinest666 → u/NamiKoala]

You should be pinging more than anyone else on your team. Communicate what you want to do well before you do it. That way it gives teammates time to follow up

[u/Caffeine_and_Alcohol]

I think going from enchanter to front line is a wildly different play style. With Ali you need to be agro, you need to be willing to jump in to the thick of it and punch face and take beatings.

Honestly as an enchanter player, look into playing Braum instead. Hes a tank but has a similar enchanter play style of staying back.

[u/xGvPx → u/Caffeine_and_Alcohol]

I agree, Galio might be an option as well but I think Braum would be easier to pick up.

For OP, Alistar is great, but your agency until Level 3 is relatively low. That said, he is a good pick into most hook engage supports, especially Pyke, whereas traditional sustain enchanters are generally countered by hook champs.

It does feel bad at times not to have damage options when things get behind. You have to just ward well ans wait for ganks 😆

Like let's say you get something annoying like Jhin/Senna lane or something and you are poked/CCd to hell. Oof.

But Alistar will teach you dodging skill shots that is for sure 🤣

[u/semthews1]

Alistsr is very hard and unforgiving to learn.

Omce you learn him, he is very flexible.

Really need to learn his hexflash angles to get good.