Zaahen vs Mordekaiser

Zaahen
vs
40.2%

over 97 games

Mordekaiser

Hard matchup

Heavy AP damageSplit pushSustained DPSHigh burst

You are stronger late game. Farm safe and avoid early trades.

Build vs Mordekaiser

Build adapted to this matchup

Recommended items for Zaahen: Trinity Force, Stridebreaker, Death's Dance, Mercury's Treads, Maw of Malmortius, Black Cleaver, Sundered Sky, Tiamat.

Starting items

Doran's Blade
Health Potion

Core build

Trinity Force
1
Stridebreaker
2
Death's Dance
3

Standard

Boots of Swiftness
4vs Slow
Maw of Malmortius
5

Summoner spells

FlashDot70%
FlashTeleport22%

Other options

Maw of Malmortius
Black Cleaver
Sundered Sky
Tiamat
Endless Hunger
Ravenous Hydra
Serpent's Fang
Sterak's Gage
Executioner's Calling
Spear of Shojin
Guardian Angel
66.7% WR9 games
PrecisionPrecision
ConquerorConqueror
TriumphTriumph
Legend: HasteLegend: Haste
Coup de GraceCoup de Grace
ResolveResolve
RevitalizeRevitalize
Bone PlatingBone Plating
Attack SpeedAdaptive ForceHealth

Power Spikes

Strength by game phase

Mordekaiser's abilities

Passive, spells and ultimate

Darkness Rise (P)

Mordekaiser gains a powerful damage aura and Move Speed after landing 3 attacks or spells against champions or monsters.

Cooldowns

Cooldowns by spell rank

LevelQWER
38s12s16s–
66s12s16s2m
94s11s16s2m
114s10s16s1m50
164s8s12s1m40
184s8s8s1m40

Playing as Zaahen

Tips to maximize your impact

  1. The Darkin Glaive, then recast

    Cast The Darkin Glaive (Q) for an auto that strikes twice and heals you, then recast the spell: your next auto knocks your target into the air.

  2. Pull them in with your stab

    Cast Dreaded Return (W) at a target out of your range: the stab damages them, then pulls them toward you for a second hit.

  3. Hit with the edge of your slice

    Place Aureate Rush (E) so your target is at the edge of the slice: at the tip, they take bonus damage based on their max health.

  4. Build up your Determination

    Hit champions with your autos and spells: each Determination stack from Cultivation of War (passive) gives you attack damage, and at max stacks, you can revive.

  5. Dive in with your ult

    Cast Grim Deliverance (R) in the middle of a fight: you take less damage as you rise, then your dive heals you based on the damage dealt to champions.

Playing against Mordekaiser

How to counter and exploit weaknesses

  1. Stay near your minions

    Stay near your minions against Obliterate (Q): its damage increases when it hits only one enemy.

  2. Dodge his Death's Grasp

    Dodge Death's Grasp (E): it pulls you toward him, into his other spells, and it has a 16 to 8 second cooldown.

  3. At range, kite him

    If you have range, kite him: Mordekaiser has no dash, and only Death's Grasp (E), which pulls you in, closes the distance.

  4. Save your mobility in his R

    In Realm of Death (R), save your mobility spells to escape him rather than for the duel: he steals part of your stats, and keeps them if he kills you.

Patch 16.21.1