Please verify that you are not a bot to cast your vote.
Not Updated For Current Season
This guide has not yet been updated for the current season. Please keep this in mind while reading. You can see the most recently updated guides on the browse guides page
Unless you are meeting a Challenger 5000+ season 1 Azir main, you are gonna win lane. But in case he is, You can poke out Azir as he farms using your Plasma Fission (Q), however repsect that he can respond with potent poke if you aren't careful. Also ensure that Azir is not close when you use Lifeform Disintegration Ray (R) as his Emperor's Divide (R) can cancel it with ease. Heal/Barrier is an appropriate summoner spell for this match-up.
Malzahar
Use your Void Rift (W) to proc his passive and look to follow with small combos. Eventually you can look to kill him with Lifeform Disintergration Ray (R) but make sure he isn't in range to use Nether Grasp (R) on you and cancel you.
Aurelion Sol
Aurelion Sol's requirement to be up close and personal to execute trades with you is easy to exploit. Tectonic Disruption (E) can be very useful for this specific opponent also since the knock-away can ensure his stars don't get in range. Heal is an appropriate summoner spell for this match-up.
Orianna
Have lots of vision to prevent ganks as they can be deadly vs. Orianna. Take advantage of her low early damage and be aware of her ball. Heal is an appropriate summoner spell for this match-up.
Anivia
You may be immobile so dodging her Flash Frost (Q) isn't exactly easy, punish her when it is down. Never ult with her Crystallize (W) displacement and Flash Frost (Q) stun up. Kill her with ease with a gank. Barrier/Heal is an appropriate summoner spell for this match-up.
Cho'Gath
Don't get caught and poke him down, one of his combos will kill you mid-game and you can only poke him down with your true damage. Barrier is an appropriate summoner spell for this match-up.
Ziggs
Make sure to respect his all-in and barrier is recommend. Only ult after he has used his satchel since he can displace you or jump away. Heal/Barrier is an appropriate summoner spell for this match-up.
Xerath
Similar playstyles, however his E is blocked by minions and yours isn't. Take advantage of this by fighting him from inside your minion wave. Heal/Barrier is an appropriate summoner spell for this match-up.
Twisted Fate
Twisted Fate cannot pose much kill pressure on a safe champion like Vel'koz alone, however a flash gold card into a gank can pose disastrous. Have good vision and consider taking cleanse if their team has lots of CC on top of the gold card. Barrier/Heal/Teleport/Cleanse is an appropriate summoner spell for this match-up.
Varus
You will have a poke war, punish him for having higher mana costs out bursting him. Use his immobility to your advantage. Barrier/Heal/Cleanse is an appropriate summoner spell for this match-up.
Brand
If you dodge his poke and engage it should be easy to win - keeping in mind you play smart. Otherwise you'll be doomed since his damage can be rather insane. Barrier is an appropriate summoner spell for this match-up.
Swain
Keep away from his close range and poke him down till you can all-in and out pace his healing. Morellonomicon is essential. Heal/Barrier is an appropriate summoner spell for this match-up.
Jayce
Exploit his low range by poking him down consistently. Save TEctonic Disruption (E) for his melee engage (you'll need it he has a lot of burst). Barrier/Heal is an appropriate summoner spell for this match-up.
Karma
You out-range her, long as you use minion waves to your advantage you should be able to avoid her poke. However, her shields and potential heals make it incredibly hard for you to kill her and her snare makes ganks insanely deadly. Ensure you have plenty of wards around your lane. Barrier/Heal is an appropriate summoner spell for this match-up.
Viktor
Keep your Void Rift (W) for waveclear to avoid being shoved in by his. Respect his all-in potential if you are low. However, if his Gravity Field is down and he mispositions it is a free kill. Remember that a smart Viktor will use his ult to cancel the channel of yours. You can usually get kill pressure after level 6 but the match up can still be tricky as he can output so much damage over time. Heal is an appropriate summoner spell for this match-up as the movement speed bonus can help you escape his Chaos Storm (R) and he likely wont take Ignite.
Cassiopeia
Beware of the level 2 powerspike, she can 100-0 you in seconds. Try and face away from her ults and make sure to capitalise on it if her ult is down using your full combo. Otherwise she is a mid-range mage and as long as you respect her damage and don't be foolish you should be able to have kill pressure. Barrier is an appropriate summoner spell for this match-up.
Talon
Kite back out of his Noxian Diplomacy (Q) jump range at all times. Place large portions of vision around mid lane for three reasons. 1. Talon can quickly roam to other lanes with Assassin's Path (E), you need to know when and where he is doing it for your team. 2. Assassin's Path (E) can catch you off-guard from a flank if you aren't careful putting you in Noxian Diplomacy (Q) leap range. 3. Shadow Assault's (R) movement speed and invisibility can be used as an engage from the fog of war. If you know where he is and at all times it is unlikely that he can use this technique and still output his full damage by catching you off-guard. Barrier/Exhaust is an appropriate summoner spell for this match-up.
Ekko
If you win early game you can always beat him. Just use Tectonic Disruption (E) on yourself when he dashes onto you. Try and predict his ult (when retreating) before ulting him in your combo. Heal/Barrier/Exhaust is an appropriate summoner spell for this match-up.
Annie
You have longer range, punish her for this by poking her constantly. Only fight her with her Pyromania (Passive) stun down and her squishy body should feel the wrath of your tentacles. Respect her flash tibbers as it will certainly kill you if your defensive summoners are on cooldown. Barrier is an appropriate summoner spell for this match-up.
Syndra
Consider taking MR glyphs, only ult when her stun is down and basically dodge her poke. Barrier is an appropriate summoner spell for this match-up.
Veigar
You can bully him early game and even have kill pressure if he doesn't play too safe. However as mid game comes around he can be VERY deadly and if you aren't careful and get caught by Event Horizon (E) it could cost you your life rather easily. Ensure to play safe if your Flash is on cooldown as Event Horizon (E) paired with an enemy gank can be incredibly lethal. Barrier/Cleanse is an appropriate summoner spell for this match-up.
Lissandra
This match-up is often considered to be good for Vel'Koz, you outrange her significantly and has been used competitively in the LCK. However, it gets hard for Vel'Koz in SoloQ. In order to solo kill her you need to have her self-cast Frozen Tomb (R) on cooldown, other wise she will just survive your combo (Although she may be forced to recall afterwards and miss minion waves which may can give you an advantage). In order to make sure it is down it often takes constant aggression to poke her out of lane which is where enemy jungle pressure can be fatal. Lissandra holds enough crowd control to make ganks a guaranteed kill if you have no summoners off cooldown. Be VERY cautious of this. However, since Vel'Koz does have the superior poke range, Vel'Koz may be able to win lane with a farm advantage by poking her out of lane. Barrier/Cleanse is an appropriate summoner spell for this match-up.
Zed
His juking ability is deadly to your skillshot kit. Make sure to punish him before level 6 for being melee by poking him hard. Also, if he gapcloses with his Living Shadow (W) you can still likely win the trade if you walk back and then poke him whilst he retreats after the trade. After level 6 NEVER use your Tectonic Disruption (E) in lane until he uses Death Mark (R) on you, proceed to use Tectonic Disruption (E) behind yourself. Rush Zhonya's Hourglass. Barrier/Exhaust is an appropriate summoner spell for this match-up.
Diana
Watch out for her burst and never ult with her E available. Exhaust/Barrier is an appropriate summoner spell for this match-up.
Kennen
Kennen can dominate the lane with his constant poke, stay far back and respect his level 6 flash all-ins. Barrier/Heal is an appropriate summoner spell for this match-up.
Vladimir
Vladimir isn't exactly deadly to you due to him being a mid-range mage however he is particulary annoying. Early game he can zone you off minions if he's aggressive and constantly heals through your poke. He may also rush Spirit Visage too, the laning phase is just frustrating as you can't kill him unless you have an effective gank. His Sanguine Pool (W) makes it very hard to use Lifeform Disintergration Ray (R) too. Because you basically have very little kill pressure. Look to farm and roam to other lanes.
Katarina
Katarina is the the queen of mobility with her Shunpo (E) resets. Best advice I can offer is to learn how she works (perhaps even play her) so you know when he Shunpo (E) should be off and on cooldown. Make sure it's on cooldown before firing any important skillshots. Exhaust/Barrier is an appropriate summoner spell for this match-up.
Yasuo
You can poke around his windwall with Q. Your ult can also pierce windwall. Don't attempt to poke with q whilst he can dash through your minion wave. Always AA him to remove the shield before poking if possible. Stay away from minion waves with him around since he is willing to continuously aggress to refresh his sheild and force basic attack trades (which you will lose). Rush Seeker's Armguard. Also watch out because windwall can have some confusing interactions with your abilties where they look like they are going through but are actually being blocked. Barrier is an appropriate summoner spell for this match-up.
Ahri
Spirit Rush (R) will be incredibly hard to deal with as a full skillshot champion. Bursting her from the fog of war with a fake roam or random jungle encounter is probably your best bet (however if you aren't strong enough to kill her before she charms you don't bother). Beware, her mobility with an enemy gank is especially threatening. Barrier/Cleanse is an appropriate summoner spell for this match-up.
Kassadin
Kassadin's passive can nullify some of your magic damage so look to use true damage as much as possible (True Damage Ultimate is best). At level six wait for him to Rift Walk (R) upon you and respond with your more potent combo. Ensure his Null Sphere (Q) is on cooldown before you use Lifeform Disintergration Ray (R) since it can cancel the channel. He will consistently be a menace, by using shields and tankiness to out damage you. Barrier/Heal is an appropriate summoner spell for this match-up.
Akali
Her usual 4 potion start can make it hard to kill her pre-6 but you can definitely poke her till she runs out of them. At level 6 you can have kill pressure if you do a full combo with researched true damage ultimate (otherwise she is too tanky). Be incredibly careful however because if she's not on low health from your poke nothing is stopping her from straight up killing you solo or with a gank. If she can't kill you in laning phase she will likely roam so make sure to warn teammates and IMMEDIATELY answer with your own roam. Barrier is an appropriate summoner spell for this match-up.
LeBlanc
Try to rush level two before her (Take Savagery mastery to help do so), don't use your abilties however until she engages as her laning engage is very linear - allowing you to answer with equal damage early. Using your Tectonic Disruption (E) to stop her mid Distortion (W) is a VERY hard to execute trick but can win you trades if pulled off correctly. Once you reach level 6 farming with just abilities is recommended because she can absolutely butcher you. Only use Life Form Disintergration Ray (R) if her Distortion (W) is on cooldown. Overall try to aim your AOE skillshots at both her and the clone so you don't get tricked. Due to your safe playstyle for this match-up she will likely roam, ensure you warn teammates very early and answer IMMEDIATELY with a follow-up roam. Do not follow her roaming path exactly unless you have vision of her as she could be doing a fake roam to bait you and assassinate you in the jungle. Barrier is an appropriate summoner spell for this match-up.
Fizz
He has high mobility and he can interrupt your ult with his own. Poke him before level 6, but respect that once your spells are on cooldown he can all-in you no matter what level he is. When he is level 6 take extra precaution, I'd recommend only playing aggressive with your jungler ganking. You generally just want to shove him in with your wave clear and roam around the map. Fizz becomes harder to deal with as time progresses for you so try to punish him early. Barrier is an appropriate summoner spell for this match-up.
You must be logged in to comment. Please login or register.