Nami vs Vel'Koz
Skill matchup
Build vs Vel'Koz
Build adapted to this matchup
Recommended items for Nami: Echoes of Helia, Moonstone Renewer, Ardent Censer, Ionian Boots of Lucidity, Dream Maker, Staff of Flowing Water, Imperial Mandate, Solstice Sleigh.
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 Nami
Tips to maximize your impact
- Bubble a slowed target
Cast Aqua Prison (Q) on a slowed or immobile target, or where they're heading: the bubble lands in an area and stuns every enemy on impact.
- Bless your ADC before their trade
Cast Tidecaller's Blessing (E) on your ADC just before they trade: their next autos and abilities slow and deal bonus magic damage.
- Bounce your Ebb and Flow
Cast Ebb and Flow (W) so it bounces from one champion to another: it heals each ally, damages each enemy, and only hits the same champion once.
- Tidal Wave to engage or disengage
Cast Tidal Wave (R) to engage or to break an enemy engage: enemies hit take a knock-up and a slow, which lasts longer on those farther away.
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 Nami matchups
Patch 16.21.1