Wukong is a strong and slippery fighter who uses clones, crowd control, and high mobility to outplay opponents. He thrives in both top lane and jungle, making him a flexible pick for players who like to surprise and punish mistakes.

Learn how to play Wukong with this League of Legends Wukong guide. Covers builds, abilities, tips, and game plan from early to late game.

Wukong’s Abilities

Stone Skin (Passive)

Wukong gets bonus armor and health regeneration. Every time he or his clone hits a champion or monster, he gains a stack of Strength of Stone for 5 seconds, increasing the passive’s strength. Stacks refresh on hit and go up to 5, increasing his tankiness in fights.

With full stacks, Wukong can get up to 60 bonus armor and 2.1% of his max health back every 5 seconds. This allows him to trade longer and survive in team fights if he keeps hitting enemies.

Crushing Blow (Q)

This ability empowers his next basic attack. It increases range, deals bonus physical damage, and reduces the target’s armor by up to 30%. The cooldown lowers each time Wukong or his clone hits an enemy.

It also resets Wukong’s attack timer, making it useful for quick burst trades. Use Q right after an auto attack to maximize damage output.

Warrior Trickster (W)

Wukong becomes invisible for 1 second and dashes a short distance, leaving a clone behind. The clone mimics basic attacks and casts Cyclone when Wukong does, but at reduced damage.

The clone deals 35% to 55% of Wukong’s normal damage depending on the ability level. Warrior Trickster helps Wukong escape, juke, or start fights without getting focused first.

Nimbus Strike (E)

Wukong dashes to a target and sends clones to strike up to two nearby enemies. It deals magic damage and gives Wukong bonus attack speed for 5 seconds, up to 60%.

This is Wukong’s main engage tool. It works well when combined with Q for quick burst damage. Crushing Blow can be used mid-dash for smoother combos.

Cyclone (R)

Wukong spins with his staff, dealing damage every 0.25 seconds and knocking up enemies once per cast. He gains movement speed and becomes ghosted (he can move through units). He can recast the ability once after a short delay.

Cyclone scales with both AD and the enemy’s max health, making it strong against tanks and squishies. It also refreshes Nimbus Strike’s bonus attack speed duration during the spin.

Build Path

Start with Doran’s Blade for top lane or Emberknife for jungle. Rush Divine Sunderer or Goredrinker, depending on how aggressive you want to be. Divine Sunderer is better for short trades, while Goredrinker works for longer fights.

Core items after your mythic include:

• Black Cleaver for armor shred
• Death’s Dance for sustain
• Sterak’s Gage for durability
• Maw of Malmortius for magic resistance
• Guardian Angel for survivability

Finish with a defensive item like Thornmail or Spirit Visage, depending on the matchup.

Best Runes

Use Conqueror as your keystone rune. It stacks fast with Nimbus Strike and Cyclone.

Take:

• Triumph
• Legend: Tenacity
• Last Stand

In the secondary tree, go with Second Wind and Unflinching to stay in fights longer.

Early Game: 0–15 Minutes

In top lane, play safe until level 3. Use E and Q to trade, then back off with W. If you’re in jungle, clear with E and Q while saving W to dodge or escape early invades.

Once you hit level 6, look for skirmishes. Cyclone gives strong kill pressure and helps you turn fights. Use fog of war to approach without being seen.

Be aware of vision. Wukong’s ganks fail if he’s spotted early. Use Oracle Lens to clear wards before engaging.

Mid Game: 15–25 Minutes

Start roaming and looking for picks. Wukong performs well in small fights. Hide in bushes or behind terrain, then jump in with E and W. Use Cyclone to knock up key targets.

Flanks are important. Try to come from the side or back during fights. Don’t rush in from the front or you’ll get stunned or focused.

You should have 2–3 core items by this time. Your damage and durability will be strong enough to start team fights or catch stragglers.

Late Game: 25+ Minutes

In late game, play around objectives and side lanes. Catch overextended enemies and remove vision with Sweeper. Use Wukong’s dueling power to punish players farming alone.

Group with your team for fights. If you find a good angle, start the fight with E-W-R to knock up the enemy backline. Save the second cast of Cyclone for when enemies try to escape or collapse.

Avoid getting crowd controlled. Tenacity helps, but you still need to watch for stuns. Use Warrior Trickster carefully—once it’s down, you’re exposed.

Strengths

• Can escape or engage with Warrior Trickster
• Strong team fight presence with Cyclone
• Excels in extended trades
• Clone mimics abilities for added pressure
• Can combo quickly for burst damage

Weaknesses

• Weak before level 6
• Relies heavily on W for escape
• Can be punished if his combo is down
• Vision control can stop his ganks
• Struggles against heavy crowd control

Tips for Fighting Wukong

Ward jungle entrances to spot early ganks. Avoid grouping tightly in choke points, especially near objectives. Wukong wants to hit multiple targets with Cyclone. Poke him before fights so he’s forced to engage from low health. If he’s spotted during a flank, back off or use disengage tools.

Power Spikes

Level 3 is his first small power spike—he can start trading or ganking.

Level 6 is his big spike. Cyclone changes the way fights go.

Mid game with two items gives him enough power to carry small fights.

At full build, he becomes a strong diver who’s hard to kill and even harder to ignore.

League of Legends Wukong Guide: Final Thoughts

Wukong rewards quick decisions and creative plays. Learn to manage your cooldowns and play around fog of war. His clone adds depth to his combos, and his ult can decide fights if timed well.

If you want a champion who tricks enemies and controls fights in League of Legends, Wukong is worth learning.

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