Hey ML players! Ever get tired of seeing Johnson zooming around the map, crashing into your team and causing chaos? Yeah, we've all been there. Johnson, the tanky hero with the ability to transform into a speeding car, can be a real pain to deal with if you don't know how to counter him. But don't worry, guys, because in this guide, we're going to break down everything you need to know to effectively counter Johnson in Mobile Legends. We'll cover hero picks, item builds, and gameplay strategies that will help you shut him down and secure those wins!

Understanding Johnson's Strengths and Weaknesses

Before we dive into the counters, let's quickly understand what makes Johnson so strong and where he's vulnerable. Understanding these key aspects of the hero will drastically improve your ability to play against him.

Strengths

• High Durability: Johnson is naturally tanky, thanks to his passive and item builds that focuses on defense. He can absorb a lot of damage, making him difficult to take down quickly.
• Unique Mobility: His ultimate ability, Rapid Touchdown, allows him to transform into a car and move around the map at high speed. This makes him excellent for initiating ganks, rotating between lanes, and catching enemies off guard.
• Crowd Control: When Johnson crashes into an enemy hero in his car form, he stuns them, providing valuable crowd control for his team. This stun can be devastating in team fights, especially when combined with follow-up damage from his allies.
• Initiation: Johnson is great as an initiator. He can easily start team fights by crashing into key enemy targets, disrupting their formation, and setting up kills for his team.

Weaknesses

• Predictability: While his car form offers great mobility, it's also fairly predictable. Skilled players can anticipate his movements and position themselves to avoid getting hit.
• Vulnerability to Crowd Control: Johnson is susceptible to crowd control effects, such as stuns, silences, and knock-ups. These effects can interrupt his car form and leave him vulnerable to attack.
• Reliance on Team Coordination: Johnson's effectiveness relies heavily on his team's ability to follow up on his initiations. If his team is not coordinated, his ganks and team fight engagements may fail.
• Item Dependent: To be truly effective, Johnson needs specific items to enhance his tankiness and damage output. If he falls behind in farm, he may struggle to contribute meaningfully to the game.

Hero Counters for Johnson

Alright, let's get to the good stuff! Here are some heroes that are particularly effective against Johnson:

1. Diggie

Diggie is a fantastic counter to Johnson due to his ultimate, Time Journey. This ability grants immunity to crowd control effects to Diggie and his nearby allies for a short duration. This makes it incredibly difficult for Johnson to initiate effectively, as Diggie can simply negate the stun from Rapid Touchdown.

• Why Diggie Works: Diggie's Time Journey can completely shut down Johnson's initiation attempts, turning the tables on him and allowing your team to counter-attack.
• How to Play: Stick with your team and use Time Journey preemptively when Johnson is about to crash into you or your allies. You can also use his other abilities, such as Reverse Time, to disrupt Johnson's movements and prevent him from reaching his intended target.

2. Khufra

Khufra is another excellent choice against Johnson because of his Bouncing Ball ability. When Khufra uses Bouncing Ball, he becomes immune to all forms of crowd control and can knock up enemies in his path. This allows him to interrupt Johnson's car form and prevent him from initiating effectively.

• Why Khufra Works: Khufra's Bouncing Ball can completely shut down Johnson's Rapid Touchdown, preventing him from crashing into your team and setting up kills.
• How to Play: Anticipate Johnson's movements and use Bouncing Ball to interrupt his car form. You can also use his other abilities, such as Tyrant's Rage, to further disrupt Johnson and his team.

3. Aurora

Aurora can be a strong counter to Johnson because of her ability to freeze enemies. Her passive allows her to freeze enemies after stacking enough frost energy, and her ultimate, Coldness Descends, can freeze multiple enemies at once. This makes it difficult for Johnson to initiate or escape.

• Why Aurora Works: Aurora's freezing abilities can shut down Johnson's mobility and prevent him from initiating effectively. A well-timed ultimate can completely disrupt Johnson's team and turn the tide of a fight.
• How to Play: Position yourself safely and use your abilities to freeze Johnson and his team. Be mindful of your positioning and cooldowns, as you are vulnerable when your abilities are on cooldown.

4. Helcurt

Helcurt's Silence is super effective in stopping Johnson. Helcurt's ultimate, Dark Night Falls, reduces the vision of all enemy heroes, making it difficult for Johnson to aim his ultimate accurately. Additionally, Helcurt's Silence skill can interrupt Johnson's ultimate, preventing him from transforming into a car.

• Why Helcurt Works: Helcurt's silence can stop Johnson from initiating, and the vision reduction from his ultimate makes it harder for Johnson to find targets.
• How to Play: Roam around the map and look for opportunities to gank Johnson. Use your silence to interrupt his ultimate and prevent him from initiating. Coordinate with your team to focus fire on Johnson when he is silenced.

5. Saber

Saber is an assassin that can quickly burst down Johnson due to his single target lock-on ultimate. Once Johnson is targeted, he has little chance of escaping Saber's burst damage.

• Why Saber Works: Saber's ultimate guarantees a quick kill on Johnson if he is caught out of position.
• How to Play: Wait for Johnson to be isolated, then use your ultimate to quickly eliminate him. Make sure to have backup from your team to secure the kill and avoid getting counter-ganked.

Item Counters for Johnson

Besides hero picks, there are also several items that can help you counter Johnson:

1. Necklace of Durance

If Johnson is building items with high HP regeneration, such as Oracle or Guardian Helmet, Necklace of Durance can be a great counter. This item reduces the target's HP regeneration, making it harder for Johnson to sustain in fights.

• Why Necklace of Durance Works: Reduces Johnson's sustainability.
• When to Build: Build this item if Johnson is relying heavily on HP regeneration items.

2. Dominance Ice

Dominance Ice is another excellent item against Johnson. This item reduces the movement speed and attack speed of nearby enemies, making it harder for Johnson to chase down targets or escape from fights.

• Why Dominance Ice Works: Slows down Johnson and reduces his effectiveness in team fights.
• When to Build: Build this item if Johnson is diving into your backline frequently.

3. Winter Truncheon

Winter Truncheon can provide temporary invulnerability, allowing you to dodge Johnson's crash and avoid being stunned. It is more of a situational item, depending on the player.

• Why Winter Truncheon Works: Provides a safety net against Johnson's burst initiation.
• When to Build: Use this item if you are a core hero and need to survive Johnson's initial burst damage.

General Gameplay Tips Against Johnson

Here are some general tips to keep in mind when playing against Johnson:

1. Map Awareness

Pay close attention to the map and track Johnson's movements. If you see him rotating towards your lane, warn your teammates and prepare to defend. Knowing where Johnson is on the map is crucial for avoiding his ganks and setting up counter-plays.

2. Positioning

Position yourself carefully to avoid getting caught out by Johnson's ultimate. Stay behind your tanks and avoid overextending in lane. If you are playing a squishy hero, try to stay near walls or turrets so you can quickly escape if Johnson comes crashing in.

3. Team Coordination

Communicate with your team and coordinate your efforts to counter Johnson. Focus fire on him when he is stunned or silenced, and be ready to follow up on his initiations. A well-coordinated team can easily shut down Johnson and turn the tide of a fight.

4. Baiting

Try to bait out Johnson's ultimate by positioning yourself in a seemingly vulnerable position. Once he uses his ultimate, your team can quickly collapse on him and take him down. This strategy requires good timing and coordination, but it can be very effective.

5. Warding

Place wards in key areas of the map to provide vision and detect Johnson's movements. Wards can help you anticipate his ganks and avoid getting caught out of position. Strategic warding is essential for controlling the map and gaining an advantage over Johnson.

Conclusion

So, there you have it, folks! A comprehensive guide on how to counter Johnson in Mobile Legends. By understanding his strengths and weaknesses, picking the right heroes and items, and implementing the gameplay tips we've discussed, you'll be well-equipped to deal with Johnson and secure those wins. Remember, practice makes perfect, so keep experimenting with different strategies and find what works best for you. Good luck, and happy gaming!