Basic attack

"AA" redirects here. For the item, see Archangel's Staff.

A basic attack (also called a standard, normal, or auto attack) is the default means by which a unit deals damage. Champions perform basic attacks when an enemy unit is right-clicked; basic attacks are also performed by an idle champion when an enemy unit ventures too close to it, or when the "attack move" function is used (default Shift + right-click). Monsters and minions perform basic attacks as their only method of dealing damage. These basic attacks are similar in nature to champion basic attacks, as they deal damage based on the unit's attack damage (AD) and use an attack timer which is affected by attack speed (AS).

Auto attacking

By default, a champion will automatically attack nearby enemy units. This feature can be turned off in the options menu. Auto attacking can be momentarily disabled by using the "stop" command (default S).

Behaviour

General

Basic attacks cannot be dodged under normal circumstances. That is to say, once a basic attack has been issued from the attacker, it cannot miss the target and will follow the target despite any subsequent changes in position. Certain abilities will cause basic attacks to fail, whether by dodging, blocking, negating, missing (see: Template:Cctip) or parrying.

Champion

When using attack-move, the champion stops to attack any hostile that gets in their way en route to a destination. If a champion has an attack target, they will continue to attack it if in range and will move closer to it when out of range, until either a new target is specified, a cancel order is issued (pressing the S key or by specifying another move order), or they lose vision of the target.

Many champions also have abilities that will affect their basic attacks in some way or form. Such abilities are treated like basic attacks and are said to apply on-hit effects.

Minions

Minions will automatically attack their closest target by default, but may change targets in a similar manner to turrets. For more information see the behavior of minions page.

Turrets

The behavior of turrets is described on the corresponding page as well as the damage of turret basic attacks. Turret basic attacks differ from regular basic attacks by increasing damage. (Every consecutive turret basic attack deals slightly more damage than the last)

Vision

Basic attacking while hiding in brush or in fog of war will reveal the attacking unit, and if in brush basic attacking will reveal allies nearby while basic attacking.

Damage

Basic attacks always deal physical damage unless one of the following abilities is used, in which case the whole damage of the basic attack will be magic damage.

However, certain items, abilities or passives may cause them to deal additional magic damage on top of their base physical damage. Damage from basic attacks benefits from the attack damage stat on the attacker and are reduced by armor on the target.

When basic attacking a turret, the damage is based on the base attack damage added to either the bonus attack damage or 50% of a champion's ability power, depending on which one is higher. Even though it may use an ability power scaling on the basic attack, it still is entirely physical damage.

Attack Speed

The rate at which a champion attacks is called attack speed and is capped at 2.5; this means that a champion can attack at most, 5 times in a 2-second period.

Resets

Certain abilities can "reset" the basic attack timer, causing the basic attack to queue in prematurely before the second basic attack initiates the queue, resulting in a faster second attack rather than basic attacking twice normally.

A list of abilities that refresh the attack timer:

Empowered Basic Attack

Empowered Damage

Certain champion see their basic attack's damage increased by their innate or abilities, such as:

Aatrox's Blood Price makes his 3rd basic attacks deal 60 / 95 / 130 / 165 / 200 + (100% bonus AD) bonus physical damage.
Akali's Twin Disciplines makes her second basic attacks within 4 second deal 10 - 100 (+50 bonus AD)(+ 50% AP) bonus magic damage,with 8 - 4 second cooldown.
- Akali's Mark of the Assassin give her to ability to deal 45 / 70 / 95 / 120 / 145 + (50% AP) bonus magic damage with a basic attack on a marked target.
Ashe's Frost Shot permanently makes her basic attacks against frosted enemies critically strike, increasing its damage by 10% + [critical strike chance × (1 + critical strike damage)]%.
- Ashe's Ranger's Focus, at 4 stacks, basic attacks deal 105 / 110 / 115 / 120 / 125% AD per flurry for 4 seconds.
Blitzcrank's Power Fist makes his next basic attack deal 100% AD bonus physical damage.
Braum's Concussive Blows makes his basic attacks and Winter's Bite each apply a stack of Concussive Blows. At 4 stacks, after being stunned for a duration, and for Error: Parameter '3' is not accepted. seconds, Braum's basic attacks deal 5.2 – 39.2 bonus magic damage on the target.
Caitlyn's Headshot makes her basic attacks generate stack of Headshot. At Error: Parameter '3' is not accepted. stacks, her next basic attack will deal 50% AD bonus physical damage, tripled against minions, and ignoring 50% of the target's bonus armor against champions.
Cho'Gath's Vorpal Spikes, when toggle on, makes his basic attacks deal 20 / 35 / 50 / 65 / 80 + (30% AP) bonus magic damage in a 500–range line in front of him.
Dr. Mundo's Masochism makes his next basic attack deal 3% / 3.5% / 4% / 4.5% / 5% of his maximum health bonus physical damage and increases his attack damage by 30 / 50 / 70 / 90 / 110 bonus attack damage once the bonus physical damage is consumed, for 5 seconds. This bonus attack damage is increased by 1% per 1% of his missing health.
Corki's Hextech Munitions makes his basic attacks deal 50% magic damage damage.
Darius' Crippling Strike makes his next basic attack deal 40% AD bonus physical damage.
Diana's Moonsilver Blade makes her 3rd basic attack within 3.5 seconds cleave nearby enemies for 20 – 250 + (80% AP) magic damage.
Draven's Spinning Axe makes his next basic attack deal 45 / 55 / 65 / 75 / 85% AD bonus physical damage.
Ekko's Z-Drive Resonance makes his 3rd basic attack or/and ability on the same target to deal 30 – 140 + (80% AP) magic damage.
Fiora's Duelist's Dance makes her basic attacks against Vitals deal 2% (+ 4.5% per 100 bonus AD) of the target's maximum health bonus true damage.
- Fiora's Bladework affects her two next basic attacks with different bonuses: the first basic attack cannot critically strike but slows its target for 1 second, while the second attack critically strikes for 140 / 155 / 170 / 185 / 200% total damage.
Fizz's Seastone Trident makes his next basic attacks deal 25 / 40 / 55 / 70 / 85 + (33% AP) bonus magic damage.Tripled against bleeding target.
Garen's Decisive Strike makes his next basic attack within 4.5 seconds deal 30 / 55 / 80 / 105 / 130 + (40% AD) bonus physical damage.
Gnar's Hyper makes his 3rd basic attack or/and damaging ability to deal 10 / 20 / 30 / 40 / 50 + (6 / 8 / 10 / 12 / 14% of target's maximum health) + (100% AP) magic damage.
Gragas' Drunken Rage makes his next basic attack deal 20 / 50 / 80 / 110 / 140 + (30% AP) + (8% of target's maximum health) bonus magic damage to near by enemies.
Hecarim's Devastating Charge makes his next basic attack deal between 40 / 75 / 110 / 145 / 180 + (50% bonus AD) and 80 / 150 / 220 / 290 / 360 + (100% bonus AD) physical damage.
Irelia's Hiten Style, when activated, for 6 seconds, makes her basic attacks deal 15 / 30 / 45 / 60 / 75 bonus true damage.
Jarvan IV's Martial Cadence makes his basic attacks deal 10% of target's current health bonus physical damage, capped at 400, with a Error: Parameter '3' is not accepted. second on-target cooldown.
Jax's Empower makes his next basic attack or Leap Strike within 10 seconds deal 40 / 75 / 110 / 145 / 180 + (60% AP) bonus magic damage.
- Jax's Grandmaster's Might passively makes his 3rd basic attacks within 2.5 seconds deal 100 / 160 / 220 + (70% AP) bonus magic damage.
Jayce's Hyper Charge makes his 3 next basic attacks deal 70 / 78 / 86 / 94 / 102 / 110% damage, with a 2.5 attack speed.
- Jayce's Transform: Mercury Hammer makes his next basic attack deal Error: Parameter '3' is not accepted. + (40% bonus AD) bonus magic damage.
Jinx's Switcheroo!, while holding File:Fishbones, the Rocket Launcher.png Fishbones, makes her basic attacks deal 10% AD bonus physical damage.
Kalista's Martial Poise makes her basic attacks deal 90% AD physical damage.
Kassadin's Nether Blade passively makes his basic attacks deal 20 + (10% AP) bonus physical damage. When activated, his next basic attack deal 40 / 65 / 90 / 115 / 140 + (70% AP) bonus magic damage.
Kayle's Righteous Fury passively makes her basic attacks deal 10 / 15 / 20 / 25 / 30 + (15% AP) bonus magic damage. When activated, for 10 seconds, her basic attack deal 20 / 30 / 40 / 50 / 60 + (30% AP) and 20 / 30 / 40 / 50 / 60 + (30% AP) + (20 / 25 / 30 / 35 / 40% AD) magic splash damage around the target.
Kennen's Electrical Surge passively makes his 5th basic attack deal 40 / 50 / 60 / 70 / 80% AD bonus magic damage.
Kha'Zix's Unseen Threat, when granted with the Unseen Threat buff, makes his next basic attack against an enemy champion deal 10 – 146 + (40% bonus AD) bonus magic damage.
Kog'Maw's Bio-Arcane Barrage, for 8 seconds, makes his basic attacks deal 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6% (+ 1% per 100 AP) of target's maximum health bonus magic damage.
Leona's Shield of Daybreak makes her next basic attack deal 30 / 55 / 80 / 105 / 130 + (30% AP) bonus magic damage.
Lucian's Lightslinger, after using an ability, within 3 seconds, makes his next basic attack shoot twice, with the second shot dealing Error: Parameter '3' is not accepted.% AD physical damage, increased to 100% AD physical damage against minions and monsters.
Lulu's Pix, Faerie Companion, whenever Pix is at range, makes her basic attacks deal a maximum of 9 – 105 + (15% AP) bonus magic damage.
Lux's Illumination makes her basic attacks and Final Spark against marked enemies deal 18 – 154 + (20% AP) bonus magic damage.
Malphite's Brutal Strikes, for 6 seconds, makes his basic attacks deal 15 / 30 / 45 / 60 / 75 + (10% AP) + (10% armor) bonus physical splash damage around the target, and to the target.
Master Yi's Double Strike, after 3 basic attacks, makes his next basic attack within 4 seconds strikes twice, dealing 50% AD bonus physical damage.
- Master Yi's Wuju Style, for 5 seconds, makes his basic attacks deal 14 / 23 / 32 / 41 / 50 + (25% bonus AD) bonus true damage.
Miss Fortune's Impure Shots makes her basic attacks deal 6% AD bonus magic damage, stacking cumulatively up to 5 + ( Bullet Time's rank) times per target.
Mordekaiser's Mace of Spades makes his next 2 basic attack deal 10 / 20 / 30 / 40 / 50 + (50% AD) / (60% AD) / (70% AD) / (80% AD) / (90% AD) + (60% AP) magic damage, the third basic attack is the damage of the previous two combined.
Nami's Tidecaller's Blessing blesses the target allied champion or herself for 6 seconds, making her target's next 3 basic attacks deal 25 / 40 / 55 / 70 / 85 + (20% AP) bonus magic damage per hit.
Nasus' Siphoning Strike makes his next basic attack within 10 seconds deal 30 / 50 / 70 / 90 / 110 + (Siphoning Strike stacks) bonus physical damage.
Nautilus' Staggering Blow makes his basic attacks deal 8 – 110 bonus physical damage, with a Error: Parameter '3' is not accepted. second on-target cooldown.
Nidalee's Takedown makes her next basic attack deal between 5 / 30 / 55 / 80 + (75% AD) + (40% AP) magic damage and 14 / 94.5 / 192.5 / 308 + (210% AD) / (236.25% AD)) / (262.5% AD)) / (288.75% AD)) + (112% AP) / (126% AP) / (140% AP) / (154% AP) magic damage.
Nocturne's Umbra Blades makes his next basic attack deal 120% AD physical damage to his target and surrounding enemies.
Orianna's Clockwork Windup makes her basic attacks deal Error: Parameter '3' is not accepted. + (15% AP) bonus magic damage. Consecutive attacks against the same target within 4 seconds increases Clockwork Windup damage by 20%, up to 40%.
Pantheon's Heartseeker Strike passively makes basic attacks and Spear Shot against enemies below 15% of their maximum health critically strike.
Quinn's Harrier makes her basic attacks against enemy marked as Vulnerable deal 15 – 100 +(16 - 50% AD) bonus physical damage.
Rek'Sai's Queen's Wrath makes her next 3 basic attack deal 15 / 25 / 35 / 45 / 55 + (20% bonus AD) bonus physical damage per hit to her target and to all surrounding enemies.
Renekton's Ruthless Predator makes his next basic attack deal 10 / 30 / 50 / 70 / 90 + (150% AD) physical damage, increased by 50% if Renekton has more than 50 Rage.
Riven's Runic Blade grants her charges for 5 seconds when casting abilities, stacking up to 3 times. Basic attack consume one charge, dealing Error: Parameter '3' is not accepted.% AD bonus physical damage.
Rumble's Junkyard Titan, at 100 Heat, for 6 seconds, makes his basic attacks deal 25 – 110 + (25% AP) bonus magic damage.
Sejuani's Flail of the Northern Winds makes her next basic attack deal 4 / 4.5 / 5 / 5.5 / 6% (+ 3% per 100 AP) of target's maximum health bonus magic damage.
Shaco's Backstab makes his basic attacks critically strike for 120 - 145 % critical damage when attacking an enemy from behind with a 3 second on-target cooldown.
- Shaco's Deceive makes his next basic attack within 2.5 seconds deals 20 / 35 / 50 / 65 / 80 + (50% AP) bonus physical damage.
Shen's Twilight Assault makes his 3 basic attacks within 8 seconds to deal 2% of target's maximum health / 2.5% of target's maximum health / 3% of target's maximum health / 3.5% of target's maximum health / 4% of target's maximum health (+1.5% per 100 AP) bonus magic damage. If the Spirit Blade collides with an enemy champion, dealing 2% (+ 0.5% per 100 AP) of target's maximum health bonus damage and gain 50% bonus attack speed. Empowered attacks deals 30 / 50 / 70 / 90 / 110 bonus magic damage to non-champions , with a cap of 75 / 100 / 125 / 150 / 175 bonus magic damage.
Shyvana's Twin Bite makes her next basic attack deal 80 / 85 / 90 / 95 / 100% AD bonus physical damage.
- Shyvana's Flame Breath, against marked units, makes her basic attacks deal 2.5% of their maximum health bonus magic damage, capped at 100 against monsters.
Sion's Glory in Death, after taking lethal damage, makes his basic attacks deal 10% of his target's maximum health bonus physical damage, capped at 75 against minions and monsters.
Sivir's Ricochet makes her 3 next basic attacks deal 50 / 55 / 60 / 65 / 70% AD bonus physical damage, with the ability to bounce on other enemy.
Skarner's Crystallizing Sting, upon reaching 3 stacks, makes his next basic attack deal 20 – 105 + (100% AD) magic damage with a 6-second on-target cooldown.
Sona's Power Chord, after casting 3 basic abilities, makes her next basic attack deal 15 – 235 + (20% AP) bonus magic damage.
Tahm Kench's An Acquired Taste passively makes his basic attacks and damaging abilities deal (1 / 1.25 / 1.5% bonus health) bonus magic damage,stacking up to 3 times for a maximum (3 / 3.75 / 4.5% bonus health) bonus magic damage.
Taric's Bravado, after using an ability, makes his next 2 basic attack within 4 seconds deal 22 - 90 (+15% bonus armor) bonus magic damage and gain 100% total attack speed.
Thresh's Flay makes his basic attacks deal Souls + up to 80 / 110 / 140 / 170 / 200% AD bonus magic damage.
Tristana's Explosive Charge makes her basic attacks deal 50 / 75 / 100 / 125 / 150 + (25% AP) magic splash damage around the target, upon killing the target with a basic attack.
Trundle's Chomp makes his next basic attack deal 20 / 40 / 60 / 80 / 100 + (0 / 5 / 10 / 15 / 20% AD) bonus physical damage.
Twisted Fate's Pick A Card Pick A Card enhance his next basic attack, and changes the damage output to magic damage.
- Blue Card deals 40 / 60 / 80 / 100 / 120 + (100% AD) + (50% AP) magic damage.
- Red Card deals 30 / 45 / 60 / 75 / 90 + (100% AD) + (50% AP) magic damage.
- Gold Card deals 15 / 22.5 / 30 / 37.5 / 45 + (100% AD) + (50% AP) magic damage.
- Twisted Fate's Stacked Deck makes his 4th basic attacks deal 55 / 80 / 105 / 130 / 155 + (50% AP) bonus magic damage.
Udyr's Tiger Stance, while in that stance, makes his basic attacks deal 15% AD bonus physical damage. When activated it makes his next basic attack deal 30 / 80 / 130 / 180 / 230 + (120 / 130 / 140 / 150 / 160% AD) bonus physical damage over 2 seconds.
- Udyr's Phoenix Stance, while in that stance, makes his 3rd basic attacks deal 40 / 80 / 120 / 160 / 200 + (45% AP) magic damage in a cone in front of him.
Varus' Blighted Quiver passively makes his basic attacks deal 10 / 14 / 18 / 22 / 26 + (25% AP) bonus magic damage, stacking up to 3 times.
Vayne's Tumble makes her next basic attack within 6 seconds deal 30 / 40 / 50 / 60 / 70% AD bonus physical damage.
- Vayne's Silver Bolts makes her 3rd basic attack or ability deal (6 / 7.5 / 9 / 10.5 / 12% of target's maximum health) bonus true damage ,capped at 200 against monsters.
Vi's Denting Blows makes her 3rd basic attack or Vault Breaker deal 4 / 5.5 / 7 / 8.5 / 10% (+ 1% per 35 bonus AD) of target's maximum health bonus physical damage, capped at 300 against minions and monsters.
- Vi's Excessive Force makes her next basic attack deal 5 / 20 / 35 / 50 / 65 + (15% AD) + (70% AP) bonus physical damage in a cone behind the target.
Viktor's Siphon Power makes his next basic attack within 3.5 seconds deal 20 – 210 + (100% AD) + (50% AP) magic damage.
Volibear's Rolling Thunder makes his next basic attack deal 30 / 60 / 90 / 120 / 150 bonus physical damage.
- Volibear's Thunder Claws, for 12 seconds, makes his basic attacks deal 75 / 115 / 155 + (30% AP) bonus magic damage bouncing to up to 3 nearby unaffected enemies.
Warwick's Eternal Thirst makes his basic attacks deal 3 – 16 bonus magic damage, stacking up to 3 times.
Wukong's Crushing Blow makes his next basic attack deal 30 / 60 / 90 / 120 / 150 + (10% AD) bonus physical damage.
Xin Zhao's Three Talon Strike makes his next 3 basic attacks deal 15 / 30 / 45 / 60 / 75 + (20% AD) bonus physical damage per hit.
Xin Zhao's Battle Cry makes his 3rd basic attack critically strike for bonus critical damage.
Yorick's Last Rites makes his next basic attack within 6 seconds deal 30 / 55 / 80 / 105 / 130 + (40% AD) bonus physical damage,and heals him for 12 - 82.Doubled if he is below 50% maximum health.
Zed's Contempt for the Weak makes his basic attack against enemies below 50% of their maximum health deal Error: Parameter '3' is not accepted.% of their maximum health bonus magic damage with a 10-second on-target cooldown.
Ziggs' Short Fuse makes his basic attacks deal 20 – 160 + (Error: Parameter '3' is not accepted.% AP) bonus magic damage, increased by 100% against enemy structures, with a 12-second static cooldown.

Empowered Damage over Time (DoT)

Certain champions' basic attacks apply a Damage over Time effect on their target, such as:

Darius' Hemorrhage makes his basic attacks and damaging abilities cause enemies to bleed for 9 – 27 + (30% bonus AD) physical damage over 5 seconds, stacking up to 5 times for a maximum of 50 – 135 + (150% bonus AD) physical damage over the duration.
Gangplank's Trial by Fire make his basic attacks deal 30 – 200 + (100% bonus AD) bonus true damage over 1.5 seconds.
Nautilus' Titan's Wrath, for 10 seconds and as long as the shield is up, makes his basic attacks deal 30 / 40 / 50 / 60 / 70 + (40% AP) bonus magic damage over 2.5 seconds to his target and to all enemies around.
Teemo's Toxic Shot makes his basic attacks deal 10 / 20 / 30 / 40 / 50 + (30% AP) on-hit bonus magic damage, and then 24 / 48 / 72 / 96 / 120 + (40% AP) magic damage over 4 seconds.
Twitch's Deadly Venom makes his basic attacks apply a stack of Template:Cctip, dealing Error: Parameter '3' is not accepted. true damage over 6 seconds, stacking up to 6 times for a maximum of Error: Parameter '3' is not accepted. true damage over 6 seconds.

Others

Certain champion see their basic attack granting them some bonuses (healing, additional attack speed, debuff enemies, etc.) by their innate or abilities, such as:

Aatrox's Blood Thirst, when toggle off, makes his 3rd basic attack heal him for 20 / 25 / 30 / 35 / 40 + (25% bonus AD) health, tripled while below 50% health.
Amumu's Cursed Touch makes his basic attacks remove Error: Parameter '3' is not accepted. magic resistance from his target for 3 seconds.
Irelia's Hiten Style passively makes her basic attacks heal her for 5 / 7 / 9 / 11 / 13 health. When activated, the heal increases to 10 / 14 / 18 / 22 / 26 health per basic attack.
Jax's Relentless Assault makes his basic attacks give him an attack speed bonus of Error: Parameter '3' is not accepted.% bonus attack speed for 2.5 seconds, stacking up to 8 times for a maximum of Error: Parameter '3' is not accepted.% bonus attack speed.
Jayce's Lightning Field, while in Hammer stance, makes his basic attacks restore 6 / 8 / 10 / 12 / 14 / 16 mana per hit.
- Jayce's Transform: Mercury Cannon makes his next basic attack reduce his target's armor and magic resistance by Error: Parameter '3' is not accepted.% for 5 seconds.
Jinx's Switcheroo!, while holding File:Pow-Pow, the Minigun.png Pow-Pow, makes her basic attacks grant 10 / 13.3 / 16.7 / 20 / 23.3% bonus attack speed, stacking up to 3 times, for a maximum of 30 / 40 / 50 / 60 / 70% – 100 / 110 / 120 / 130 / 140% (based on Jinx's level).
Kassadin's Nether Blade makes his next basic attack restore 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8% missing mana, quintupled against champions.
Kayle's Holy Fervor makes her basic attacks and Reckoning reduce the armor and magic resistance of the target champion by 3% for 5 seconds, stacking up to 5 times for a maximum of 15%.
Sivir's Fleet of Foot makes her basic attacks and damaging abilities grant her a Error: Parameter '3' is not accepted. bonus movement speed for 2 seconds.
Volibear's Frenzy makes his basic attacks grant him 8 / 11 / 14 / 17 / 20% bonus attack speed for 4 seconds, stacking up to 3 times, for a maximum of 24 / 33 / 42 / 51 / 60% bonus attack speed for 4 seconds.
Warwick's Eternal Thirst makes his basic attacks deal 3 – 16 bonus magic damage, and heal him for the same amount, stacking up to 3 times per target and persisting for 4 seconds.
Xerath's Mana Surge makes his basic attacks against enemies restore him 30 – 195 mana, doubled to 60 – 390 mana against enemy champions, with a 12-second static cooldown.
Xin Zhao's Challenge makes his basic attacks and Audacious Charge reduce 15% of their armor for 3 seconds.
Xin Zhao's Battle Cry makes his 3rd basic attack heal him for 30 / 35 / 40 / 45 / 50 + (20% bonus AD) + (40% AP) health.

References

↑ This ability involves a casting animation which delays the next attack, making it less effective in increasing attack rate; in fact it may decrease attack rate if the champion's attack speed is sufficiently high.

League of Legends Wiki