Talon is a fast-paced assassin in League of Legends who excels at picking off targets and snowballing leads through map control. This playbook covers everything you need to know—from his abilities to how he plays across each phase of the game. Learn how to master Talon with this League of Legends Talon Playbook covering his abilities, strengths, weaknesses, and gameplay strategy.
Table of Contents
Talon’s Passive: Blade’s End
Talon’s passive applies Wound to enemies and large monsters when hit by his abilities. Basic attacks refresh the duration. When a target reaches three stacks, Talon’s next basic attack causes them to bleed, dealing between 80 and 280 physical damage based on level, plus 210% bonus attack damage, over two seconds. This bleed deals 20% more damage against monsters.
Wound cannot be stacked while the target is already bleeding. The bleed still applies if blocked, but spell shields prevent Wound from being applied or the empowered attack from triggering.
Talon’s Abilities
Noxian Diplomacy (Q)
Talon dashes to a target and stabs them, dealing physical damage. If he is close to the target, the stab becomes a critical strike, doing increased damage and extending his next basic attack’s range briefly. This ability also resets his basic attack timer and heals him if the target dies. The cooldown is halved on kill, making it a reliable tool for fast-paced trades and finishing blows.
Rake (W)
Talon throws daggers in a cone that deal damage on their way out and again as they return. On the way back, they slow enemies for one second. The initial damage scales with 40% of bonus AD, and the return damage scales with 80%. Rake is useful for poking, farming, and slowing enemies to set up further damage. If Talon dies mid-cast, the daggers still complete their travel path.
Assassin’s Path (E)
This ability lets Talon leap over terrain, traveling up to 800 units. He gains vision during the dash and cannot use the same wall again until the cooldown resets. The cooldown for each wall scales down from 160 to 60 seconds based on level. This mobility tool helps Talon roam, escape, and flank enemies effectively. He is briefly revealed if landing near enemy champions or minions.
Shadow Assault (R)
Talon releases a ring of blades, becomes invisible, and gains bonus movement speed. After one second or upon breaking stealth, the blades converge on Talon or his target, dealing additional damage. Both the initial cast and the recast deal the same amount of physical damage, scaling with 100% bonus AD each time. This ability is Talon’s main tool for burst damage, disengage, and repositioning in fights.
Talon Gameplay Strategy
Early Game (0–15 minutes)
Talon is very strong in the early game. Reaching level 3 quickly unlocks his core abilities, allowing him to burst enemies and roam efficiently. He can use Assassin’s Path to move through walls and pressure overextended enemies, especially in mid and bot lanes where squishy targets are common. His ultimate helps secure kills or provides a defensive escape when needed.
When behind, it’s important to farm safely and avoid unnecessary skirmishes. Talon’s kit is best used to punish mistakes and exploit gaps in vision, not to brute force engagements.
Mid Game (15–25 minutes)
Talon thrives during the mid game. His burst combo becomes more dangerous with completed items, and his mobility gives him strong map presence. He should prioritize picking off isolated targets, especially the enemy jungler before neutral objectives. This opens up easier opportunities to take objectives like Dragon or Baron.
He can rotate quickly between lanes, using E to flank or disengage. It’s important to capitalize on enemy mispositioning during this phase and to keep the enemy pressured through constant roaming.
Late Game (25+ minutes)
Talon weakens in the late game, especially as enemies begin grouping and building defensively. However, he still has value by targeting immobile or vulnerable backline champions. A successful pick can swing a fight or open the map.
In team fights, Talon should look for flank angles rather than engaging head-on. Staying close to allies allows for better follow-up and safer escapes. Crowd control is his biggest threat during this phase, so careful positioning is essential.
Talon’s Strengths
- High early kill pressure
- Excellent roaming potential
- Strong burst combo
- Can reset and escape quickly
Talon’s Weaknesses
- Falls off late game if behind
- Needs early kills to stay effective
- Weak in grouped fights
- Countered by crowd control and vision
Power Spikes to Watch
Talon’s first big power spike is at level 3, where he unlocks his full combo. He becomes much more dangerous at level 6, as his ultimate adds a burst and escape option. Completing his first item greatly improves his dueling and gank potential. At level 11, the second rank of his ultimate allows more frequent picks, especially on squishier targets. At level 16, his maxed-out R provides strong tools for repositioning and finishing fights.
In the jungle or mid lane, his power curve remains similar. With enough gold, Talon can snowball quickly—even one kill can lead to map control. Avoid fighting him alone after these power spikes unless you clearly have an advantage.
Tips to Beat Talon
During laning, place vision around jungle entrances and walls to spot Talon before he jumps into lane with E. He’s dangerous during invades and can 1v1 most junglers, so don’t fight unless you’re confident. Talon’s early control over Dragon and Herald is weak, so take these before he can rotate with help.
During teamfights, ward flanks and avoid walking in unwarded areas if Talon is missing. If he jumps in, focus him fast to prevent his damage and escape. His R is dangerous, but it’s also his main defensive option. Forcing it early can limit his impact in fights.
Closing Thoughts on League of Legends Talon Strategies
Talon is a high-pressure assassin who performs best when ahead. With smart roaming, clean execution, and control over vision, he can control the pace of the game in League of Legends. Understanding when to strike and when to retreat is key to playing—and countering—Talon.
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