Locke vs Vel'Koz

Locke
vs
Not enough games
Vel'Koz
Heavy pokeHeavy AP damageHigh burstSustained DPS

You are stronger early. Look to snowball before your opponent scales.

Build vs Vel'Koz

The champion's reference build, for lack of enough games in this matchup

Recommended items for Locke: Lich Bane, Shadowflame, Zhonya's Hourglass, Sorcerer's Shoes, Rabadon's Deathcap, Void Staff, Banshee's Veil, Stormsurge.

Starting items

Scorchclaw Pup
Health Potion

Core build

Lich Bane
1
Shadowflame
2
Zhonya's Hourglass
3

Standard

Sorcerer's Shoes
4Magic pen
Rabadon's Deathcap
5

Anti CC

Mercury's Treads
4vs CC

Other options

Rabadon's Deathcap
Void Staff
Banshee's Veil
Stormsurge

Power Spikes

Strength by game phase

Vel'Koz's abilities

Passive, spells and ultimate

Organic Deconstruction (P)

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

LevelQWER
37s1.5s12s–
67s1.5s12s1m40
97s1.5s12s1m40
117s1.5s12s1m30
167s1.5s11s1m20
187s1.5s10s1m20

Playing as Locke

Tips to maximize your impact

  1. Nails first, then Pursuit

    Cast Ritual Nails (Q) before Ashen Pursuit (E): your hits consume the nails stuck in the target, and each extra nail adds damage.

  2. Finish them with autos

    Finish off wounded targets with autos: Silver Stake (passive) adds magic damage that grows with their missing health.

  3. Activate W as the trade starts

    Activate Soul Ignition (W) at the start of a trade: it costs you health, but at the end, you heal back part of the last damage taken, plus more based on your missing health.

  4. Save E for a kill or a gank

    Save Ashen Pursuit (E) for a sure kill or to escape a gank: it's your only instant movement, it has a 10-second cooldown, and only a takedown resets it.

  5. Save Purgatory to finish

    Save Purgatory (R) to finish: it seals marked enemies below a health threshold, and when you pick up the artifact, each sealed champion raises that threshold for good.

Playing against Vel'Koz

How to counter and exploit weaknesses

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

Patch 16.21.1