Champion Guide

Mid · Mage

Vex Guide

The the Gloomist

A Tier Patch 16.9.1 Mage
50.5%
Win Rate
3.5%
Pick Rate
4.5%
Ban Rate
0.3%
vs Last Patch
Vex
Vex
Current Tier
A
Role
Mid
Difficulty
Easy

Vex is the anti-mobility mage. Her passive fears dashing champions, making her the best counter to mobile assassins. R homes in on enemies for reliable engage. 52.0% win rate.

50.5%
Win Rate
↑ + 0.3% from 16.8.1
3.5%
Pick Rate
↑ + 0.2%
7.5
KDA (Avg)
↑ + 0.2
25.2k
Avg Damage
7.8
Avg CS/min
Skills Build Gameplay Teamfight Tips & Tricks Counters Synergies

Abilities

Skills Overview

P
Doom 'n Gloom
Doom 'n Gloom
Passive
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.
Doom 'n Gloom: Doom = next ability fears. Gloom = nearby enemy dashes mark them for bonus damage. Anti-mobility.
Q
Mistral Bolt
Mistral Bolt
Skillshot · AoE
Launch a damaging missile that accelerates mid-flight.
CD: 8/7/6/5/4 · Cost: 45/50/55/60/65
Q fires a wave. Deals more damage close range.
W
Personal Space
Personal Space
AoE · Shield · Fear (passive)
Gain a shield and damage nearby enemies.
CD: 16/15/14/13/12 · Cost: 75
W shields you and deals AoE around you. If Doom passive is ready, W FEARS nearby enemies.
E
Looming Darkness
Looming Darkness
AoE · Mark · Gloom
Summon a damaging and slowing zone that applies Gloom to enemies.
CD: 13 · Cost: 70/80/90/100/110
E marks an area with Gloom. Marked enemies take bonus damage from next ability.
R
Shadow Surge
Shadow Surge
Homing · Dash · Reset
Fire a missile that marks an enemy champion. Recast to dash to them and deal damage.
CD: 140/120/100 · Cost: 100
R fires a homing missile. If it hits, you can RECAST to dash to the target. Resets on kill.
Skill Leveling Order — Max Q first, then W, then E · R at 6 / 11 / 16
Level Q W E R Note
1
Take Q
2
Take E — gloom
3
Take W — shield/fear
4
Level Q
5
Level Q
6
R — Shadow Surge
7
Level Q
8
Level W
9
Q maxed ✓
10
Level W
11
R rank 2
12
Level W
13
Level W
14
W maxed ✓
15
Level E
16
R rank 3
17
Level E
18
E maxed ✓

Itemization

Recommended Builds

Summoner Spells
Flash
Primary
Flash
Best repositioning tool — engage, escape and combo extension
Ignite
Secondary
Ignite
Kill pressure and Grievous Wounds to deny enemy healing
Situational
Teleport Teleport
Core Build
Malignance
Malignance
R CDR.
2700g
Sorcerer's Shoes
Sorcerer's Shoes
Magic pen.
1100g
Rabadon's Deathcap
Rabadon's Deathcap
AP multiplier.
3600g
Void Staff
Void Staff
Magic pen.
2800g
Situational
Zhonya's Hourglass
Zhonya's Hourglass
Stasis after R dive.
3250g
Banshee's Veil
Banshee's Veil
Spell shield.
2600g
Rylai's Crystal Scepter
Rylai's Crystal Scepter
Q slow.
2600g
Malignance → Deathcap → Void. R engage + Doom fear for reliable picks.
Runes
Domination Primary
Electrocute
Electrocute
E + Q + auto procs.
Taste of Blood
Taste of Blood
Sustain.
Eyeball Collection
Eyeball Collection
Free AP.
Ultimate Hunter
Ultimate Hunter
Lower R cooldown.
Inspiration Secondary
Magical Footwear
Magical Footwear
Free boots.
Cosmic Insight
Cosmic Insight
CDR.
Shards
Adaptive Force · Adaptive Force · Health

Gameplay

How to Play Vex

Vex counters mobile champions. Her passive FEARS anyone who dashes near her, and Gloom marks dashing enemies for bonus damage. R homes in on enemies for reliable engage.

01
Early Game
E + Q Poke, Fear Dashers
  • E mark → Q through marked area for Gloom bonus damage.
  • Passive Doom: next ability fears. W with Doom = AoE fear.
  • Passive Gloom: enemies who dash near you get marked for bonus damage. Counter assassins.
  • Q close range deals more damage. Hit the fat part.
  • Farm with Q through wave.
02
Mid Game
R Homing Engage
  • R homes in on enemies. Recast to dash to them.
  • R → W (fear) → E → Q = guaranteed burst combo.
  • R resets on kill. Chain kills with R resets.
  • Pick Vex INTO mobile teams (Yasuo, Katarina, Akali).
  • Doom fear when assassins dash onto you. They're feared mid-dash.
03
Late Game
Anti-Mobility Control
  • R homing into backline → fear → burst = dead carry.
  • R resets on kill for chain assassinations.
  • Passive fears every dashing champion. Anti-mobility queen.
  • Zhonya's after R dive.
  • Counter-pick into Yasuo, Katarina, Akali, Zed.
Power CurveLow → High
Lvl 1–5
Lvl 6
1st Item
2 Items
Full Build

Teamfighting

How to Teamfight as Vex

Vex R homes into the backline, fears with Doom, and bursts. R resets on kills.

1
Engage — R Homing
Reliable gap-close
01
R fires homing missile.
02
If it hits, recast to dash to target.
03
R resets on kill.
⚠ WARNING
R missile is slow. It HOMES but enemies can sidestep at close range. Use from mid range.
2
Fear — Doom W
AoE CC
01
W with Doom passive = AoE fear.
02
E mark → Q for Gloom bonus damage.
03
Electrocute procs.
3
Reset — Chain R
Cleanup
01
R resets on kill.
02
Dash to next target with reset R.
03
Chain through the team.
💡 PRO TIP
Vex passive FEARS enemies who DASH near her. Pick her vs Yasuo, Katarina, Akali, Zed — they literally fear themselves by dashing.

Video Guide

Watch the Full Guide

HOW TO PLAY VEX MID & ONE-SHOT | Build & Runes Season 16

Credits to Eternal Hero


Tips & Tricks

Advanced Mechanics & Hidden Tech

Advanced mechanics for Vex.

Basic
Anti-Mobility
Passive FEARS enemies who dash near you. Pick Vex INTO mobile champions.
Intermediate
Doom Fear
When Doom passive is ready, your next ability fears. W with Doom = AoE fear around you.
Basic
E + Q Combo
E marks area with Gloom. Q through Gloom deals bonus damage.
Advanced
R Reset
R resets on champion kill. Chain R dashes through the team.
Basic
R Homing
R fires a homing missile. If it hits, recast to dash to the target.
Intermediate
Counter-Pick
Pick Vex INTO Yasuo, Katarina, Akali, Zed, Irelia. Their dashes = your fear procs.

Matchups

Counters & Matchups

Vex struggles against immobile mages who don't trigger her anti-dash passive. She excels against mobile assassins and fighters.

Click any matchup to expand tips & how to play against them
Loses Against
Syndra
Syndra Hard
Immobile mage — your anti-dash passive is wasted.
Play standard Q + E poke. No anti-mobility advantage.
Anivia
Anivia Hard
Immobile. Wall blocks your R dash.
R around her wall. Not through it.
Viktor
Viktor Hard
Outranges you. Doesn't dash.
Farm and look for R engage opportunities.
Wins Against
Yasuo
Yasuo Easy
Every dash = fear proc. He fears himself.
Let him dash into you. Doom fear → burst.
Katarina
Katarina Easy
E blink = fear proc. Her mobility is her weakness vs you.
Doom fear when she E's in. She's dead.
Akali
Akali Easy
E dash = fear proc. R dash = fear proc.
Every dash she does = fear. Free kills.
Team Comp

Best Synergies

Amumu
AoE Teamfight
Amumu
Amumu R groups dashing enemies into Vex's passive Doom fear range, chaining Amumu's CC into Vex's anti-mobility burst.
Malphite
Engage
Malphite
Malphite R groups mobile enemies for Vex R to home in on, and multiple dashing targets trigger her Doom passive fears.
Lulu
Peel
Lulu
Lulu's shields and Whimsy protect Vex while she waits for enemies to dash into her passive and trigger fear procs.
Jarvan IV
Engage
Jarvan IV
Jarvan's cataclysm confines enemies with dashes inside the walls, letting Vex R engage and chain fear through the trapped group.