Kai'Sa vs Vel'Koz
Skill matchup
Build vs Vel'Koz
Build adapted to this matchup
Recommended items for Kai'Sa: Kraken Slayer, Guinsoo's Rageblade, Terminus, Berserker's Greaves, Nashor's Tooth, Zhonya's Hourglass, Statikk Shiv, Phantom Dancer.
Starting items
Core build
Standard
Summoner spells
Anti CC
Other options
Power Spikes
Strength by game phase
Vel'Koz's abilities
Passive, spells and ultimate
Vel'Koz's abilities apply Organic Deconstruction to enemies on hit. If 3 stacks are accumulated, the enemy will take a burst of true damage.
Cooldowns
Cooldowns by spell rank
| Level | Q | W | E | R |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 7s | 1.5s | 12s | – |
| 6 | 7s | 1.5s | 12s | 1m40 |
| 9 | 7s | 1.5s | 12s | 1m40 |
| 11 | 7s | 1.5s | 12s | 1m30 |
| 16 | 7s | 1.5s | 11s | 1m20 |
| 18 | 7s | 1.5s | 10s | 1m20 |
Playing as Kai'Sa
Tips to maximize your impact
- Use Q on an isolated target
Cast Icathian Rain (Q) on an isolated target: the missiles split between nearby enemies, so a lone target takes them all.
- Attack after your ally's CC
Attack right after your support lands CC: with Second Skin (passive), your allies' immobilizing effects also stack Plasma.
- Mark your target before your R
Before Killer Instinct (R), stack Plasma on your target, from range with Void Seeker (W): the dash needs a marked target and gives you a shield.
- Play around your evolves
Make use of each spell that Second Skin (passive) evolves: Supercharge (E) makes you invisible to get in, and Icathian Rain (Q) fires more missiles at a lone target.
Playing against Vel'Koz
How to counter and exploit weaknesses
- Watch both branches of his plasma
Get out of the line of Plasma Fission (Q) and watch its sides too: the bolt splits into two branches at 90 degrees when it hits a target or he recasts it.
- Back off before the third stack
Back off after taking two of his spells: at the third Organic Deconstruction (passive) stack, you take a burst of true damage.
- Engage after Tectonic Disruption
If you can engage, go in after Tectonic Disruption (E): it's his only spell to push back someone charging him, and he has no dash to escape.
- Interrupt his ray
If you have a stun, a silence or a knock-up, save it for Life Form Disintegration Ray (R): any of them interrupts the ray.
Other Kai'Sa matchups
Patch 16.21.1