Locke vs Vex
You are stronger early. Look to snowball before your opponent scales.
Build vs Vex
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
Core build
Standard
Anti CC
Other options
Power Spikes
Strength by game phase
Vex's abilities
Passive, spells and ultimate
Vex periodically becomes empowered, causing her next basic Ability to fear enemies and interrupt dashes. Whenever a nearby enemy dashes, Vex applies a mark that can be consumed for bonus damage that also reduces the cooldown of her empowered state.
Cooldowns
Cooldowns by spell rank
| Level | Q | W | E | R |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 8s | 16s | 12s | – |
| 6 | 6s | 16s | 12s | 2m20 |
| 9 | 4s | 15s | 12s | 2m20 |
| 11 | 4s | 14s | 12s | 2m |
| 16 | 4s | 12s | 12s | 1m40 |
| 18 | 4s | 12s | 12s | 1m40 |
Playing as Locke
Tips to maximize your impact
- 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.
- Finish them with autos
Finish off wounded targets with autos: Silver Stake (passive) adds magic damage that grows with their missing health.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 Vex
How to counter and exploit weaknesses
- Dodge her mist early
Get out of the line of Mistral Bolt (Q) early: after a short delay, the mist narrows but speeds up.
- No dashes near her
If you have a dash, avoid using it near her: it marks you with Gloom, and if Doom 'n Gloom (passive) is ready, her next spell interrupts it and fears you.
- Trade after her fear
Start a trade right after she fears someone: her next spell empowered by Doom 'n Gloom (passive) then takes a while to come back.
- Dodge her Shadow
Get out of the path of Shadow Surge (R): Vex can only dash to the first champion hit by Shadow.
Other Locke matchups
Patch 16.21.1