If you’re new to League of Legends, you’ve probably seen the terms AD and AP thrown around in champion guides, Reddit threads, or in-game chat. But what do they actually mean—and why do they matter so much?
In the simplest terms, AD stands for Attack Damage, and AP stands for Ability Power. These two stats define how champions deal damage, what kind of items they buy, and even how team compositions are built. Understanding the difference is essential not just for improving your own play, but for reading the battlefield and countering your opponents effectively.
AD: Attack Damage
Attack Damage (AD) boosts basic attacks and abilities that scale with physical damage. Champions that rely on AD often use auto-attacks as their primary source of damage, sometimes enhanced by abilities.
Common AD Champions:
- Marksmen (like Jinx or Kai’Sa): Rely on fast, high-damage basic attacks.
- Assassins (like Zed or Talon): Deal massive physical burst damage.
- Fighters (like Darius or Camille): Mix sustained melee damage with AD-based abilities.
AD Items:
- Infinity Edge
- The Collector
- Kraken Slayer
These items increase physical attack power, critical strike chance, or attack speed.
AP: Ability Power
Ability Power (AP) increases the strength of magic damage abilities. AP champions often rely on casting spells from a distance and timing their combos.
Common AP Champions:
- Mages (like Ahri or Syndra): Deal high burst or sustained magic damage.
- Supports (like Lulu or Janna): Use AP to enhance healing, shielding, or utility spells.
- Magic-based Assassins (like Evelynn or Diana): Rely on AP scaling to one-shot targets.
AP Items:
- Luden’s Companion
- Rabadon’s Deathcap
- Zhonya’s Hourglass
These items boost spell damage, mana regeneration, and cooldown reduction.
Why It Matters: Building Items and Counterplay
Knowing whether you’re dealing with an AD or AP champion isn’t just trivia—it changes how you play the game. Here’s why:
- Itemization: Building armor helps counter AD damage; building magic resist counters AP damage.
- Team Composition: A balanced mix of AD and AP champions makes it harder for enemies to defend against your team.
- Scaling and Late Game: AD champions often scale through attack speed and critical damage. AP champions may rely on cooldowns and burst windows.
Mixed Damage: The Hybrid Factor
Some champions blur the lines. Take Kai’Sa, who has both AP and AD scaling, or Akali, who deals magic damage despite having auto-attacks that hit like a bruiser. These hybrid champions keep opponents guessing and make itemization tricky.
Final Thoughts
AD and AP are more than just stats—they’re the backbone of League of Legends’ complex combat system. Understanding which champions use which type of damage, and how to counter or build around them, is a major step toward mastering the game.
So next time someone says, “We need more AP,” or “That champion is full AD,” you’ll know exactly what they mean—and why it matters.
Written by:
Christian