Unfortunately at the time of this guide's creation, Mobafire didn't have the Champion icon for Vel'Koz yet.



"WHY SUPPORT VEL'KOZ INSTEAD OF MID?"
Vel'koz is played as a squishy poke support, very similar to Sona
This is the question most people tend to ask, but usually approach it in a much more aggressive way. Vel'Koz is a competent and effective mid-laner. This guide is not intended to convince you that Vel'koz is a superior support, but rather that he is an effective and viable counter-support. I haven't ever had as much fun with a champ as i have Vel'Koz, much less enough fun to write a guide. There's your introduction, now let's get into the meat of things.

-PASSIVE Organic Deconstruction

Vel'Koz's damaging abilities apply stacks of Deconstruction for 7 seconds, stacking up to 3 times. Upon reaching 3 stacks, the stacks detonate and the target suffers 25 + (10 × level) true damage. Basic attacks will refresh the duration, but will not add additional stacks.
- Deals true damage,
therefore very effective against tanky supports such as , , , etc.

-Q ABILITY Plasma Fission

ACTIVE: Vel'Koz fires a bolt of energy that deals magic damage and slows the first enemy hit by 70% for a few seconds. The slow decays over the duration. Upon hitting an enemy, reaching maximum range or being reactivated, the bolt splits in two: each travelling in opposite directions perpendicular to the direction of cast. Each of the secondary bolts deal magic damage and slow the first enemies they hit, respectively.
- Excellent poke tool
- Procs passive stacks
- Easy to land in 2v2 lanes
- Unexpected angles make for easy behind-tower harass.
- Potential to hit two targets at once
- 70% slow for up to 2 seconds

-W ABILITY Void Rift

Vel'Koz stores a charge of Void Rift every few seconds and can store up to 2 charges. The recharge time is affected by cooldown reduction.ACTIVE: Vel'Koz opens a rift to the void that cuts through the ground in a line, dealing magic damage and leaving behind a trail. After a 0.25 second delay, the entire trail detonates, dealing magic damage to enemies standing upon it.
- Applies 2 stacks of passive
- Great zoning tool
- Guaranteed both hits when combo'd with E
- No cast timem
- Great for weakening minions for your ADC,
- Amazing burst damage in team fights.

-E ABILITY Tectonic Disruption

ACTIVE: Vel'Koz hurls an anomaly at the target location. When it lands, it collapses, dealing magic damage and suspending enemies hit for 0.75 seconds. Enemies close to Vel'Koz at the time of impact are also slightly knocked back.
- A knock-up as well as a good disengage, almost crucial in a supporting role.
- Knocks enemies away from the casting point. Great for saving your ADC's bum or countering gap-closers
- Gives vision

-R ABILITY Life Form Disintegration Ray

ACTIVE: Vel'Koz roots himself in place and unleashes a laser forward in a line, damaging all enemies caught in its wake at 0.25 second intervals and slowing them by 20% for 1 second. The ray's trajectory will update over the duration to face the cursor and will end after either 2.5 seconds have elapsed or Vel'Koz recasts the ability.
Organic Deconstruction can not be applied more frequently than once every 0.5 seconds.
- INCREDIBLE level 6 damage
- Great range (1575)
- Constantly procs passive
- Very high base damage

Note: Do not substitute Mpen runes for flat AP

Gold Per 10: The Gp 10 runes + Spellthief's Edge passive provides 8gp/10, this in turn rushes you towards Tear of the Goddess which helps you get stacks earlier, resulting in a fully stacked tear by the time it turns into archangels staff. The bonus income also rushes you into your all-important Mpen items like Sorcerer's Shoes, therefore resulting in a strong early game as well. These runes may not be as flashy as AP, but they passively secure a strong early game, a strong mid game with Vel's power spike at level 12, and a stronger late game with an archangels staff multiplied by Rabadon's Deathcap for tons of damage.

Mpen Marks: Provides one of the most important stats for Vel'Koz. Important for level 6 power spike where Vel might only have Sorcerer's Shoes.


Seal of Armor: Very important for Vel since he's inherently very squishy. Crucial at early levels.

Scaling MR Glyphs: In place of MR that is provided by common AP items that Vel shouldnt buy in a support role such as Abyssal Mask and Athene's Unholy Grail, as well as staying alive long enough to deal damage lategame where AP snowballs are prevalent and dangerous.

Starting Items
First Back
Early Game Items
Early Backs Core Items
Full APC Transition point Late Game Final Build Frost Queen's Claim: A great Active disengage, Gp/10 which provides consistent income since Vel'koz has a natural long AA range(525), and great poke. Plus solid early game AP,Mana regen, and 10% CDR.

Sorcerers Shoes (Alacrity): Raw Mpen and Movespeed(Crucial for Vel's positioning capabilities), can rarely be exchanged for Ionian Boots of Lucidity.

Void Staff: Good AP, and %30 PENETRATION(not reduction) which makes it very difficult for enemies to stack MR against him all phases of the game. Very cost efficient.

Rabadon's Deathcap: No reason to not pick this up. Raw AP is devastating with early game Mpen itemization. Vel has very good AP ratios.

Archangel's Staff: Solves mana issues all phases of the game as well as great damage output with Rabadon's Deathcap. Active effect provides much needed survivability since Vel is much squishier without Athene's Unholy Grail or Zhonya's Hourglass.

Lich Bane: Great AP, extra mana, a 5x movement speed multiplier which provides a lot extra with the Alacrity enchantment. Vel'Koz can efficiently use Lich Bane's passive with his ranged autoattacks and move speed. This item is debatable and interchangeable with any of the suggested substitute items below, and may just represent a personal playstyle preference.

Elixers: Nothing to be said here, no reason not to pick them up.

Below are some alternate items that work very well on Vel'Koz. These items are all pretty great and cover almost any situation you could need. Use at your own discretion, obviously.

Zhonya's Hourglass Athene's Unholy Grail Morellonomicon Liandry's Torment Twin Shadows

Combos
- E,W
- Q,E,W
- Q,W,Q
- E,W,R
- E,W,Q,W,R


Shoot the first Plasma Fission bolt through the outer walls to guarantee a hit on your enemies, they'll never have time to react.


Vel'Koz excels at harassing enemies under tower, or who otherwise think that they're safe
In the situation below, the enemy minions provide an illusion of safety.


I'll be working on a Mid Lane guide soon, time permitting.