Vex Build Guides, Runes and Items

From the fog-shrouded heart of the Shadow Isles, a lone yordle emerges, a creature of magic and misery. With a shadow at her side and a storm of teen angst within her, Vex walks a path of her own making, far from the cheerful hordes of the “normie” world. She is a guardian of darkness, quick to strike down those who would bring color and light to her realm of gloom. Join us as we delve into the world of Vex, and learn the secrets of her magical malaise. We will explore her motivations, her abilities, and her role in the world of League of Legends, as well as providing tips and strategies for playing as and against her in the game.

Pros and Cons

As a champion in League of Legends, Vex possesses a unique set of abilities that set her apart from the rest. In this section, we will delve into the advantages and disadvantages of playing as Vex, and provide tips on how to unlock her full potential in battle. Whether you are new to the game or a seasoned veteran, understanding the strengths and weaknesses of Vex can help you make better decisions on the rift and emerge victorious.

Pros

1. Versatility: Vex can be played in multiple roles, making her a valuable addition to any team composition.
2. Power spike: Vex becomes one of the strongest champions in the game during the mid-game, thanks to her abilities and numbers.
3. Long range: Vex has several abilities with long range, allowing her to engage or disengage from fights at a safe distance.
4. Protective abilities: Vex’s passive ability allows her to shield her allies from incoming damage, providing protection and peeling for her team.
5. Crowd control: Vex has several abilities that can disable and control enemies, making it difficult for them to engage or escape.
6. Survive: Vex has an ability that allows her to become invulnerable for a short period of time, making her difficult to kill in fights.

Cons

1. Outscaled: Vex may become weaker compared to other champions as the game progresses, especially if they are able to itemize effectively against her.
2. Vulnerable: Vex’s ability, Personal Space, provides her with a shield that can absorb incoming damage. If she uses it at the wrong time or it is countered by the enemy team, she becomes vulnerable and squishy.
3. Immobile: Vex has low mobility, making it difficult for her to reposition in fights or chase down enemies.

Abilities

Vex’s abilities are what make her a formidable opponent on the Rift. From long range damage to powerful crowd control, her kit allows him to adapt to a variety of situations and excel in team fights. In this section, we will explore each of her abilities and discuss how to use them effectively.

Doom N Gloom

Doom N Gloom is Vex’s passive ability. Every 25-16 seconds (depending on Vex’s level), she becomes afflicted with Doom, causing her next basic ability to interrupt dashes and fear enemies for 0.75 / 1 / 1.25 / 1.5 seconds (depending on her level).

Whenever a nearby enemy champion dashes or blinks, Vex marks them with Gloom for 6 seconds. Vex’s next attack against a gloomed enemy deals an additional 32 magic damage and reduces Doom N Gloom’s cooldown by 25%.

Vex’s passive is an important part of her kit, as it allows her to interrupt enemy dashes and gain bonus damage against marked targets. The Doom and Gloom effects are indicated by a bar underneath Vex’s mana bar, and her abilities take on a light green color when Doom is active. This ability can be used to surprise enemies with additional burst damage, disrupt their movements, and gain an advantage in fights.

This is the anti mobility ability and something that all of these 1v9 champions hate!

Mistral Bolt

Mistral Bolt is Vex’s Q ability. When activated, Vex launches a wave of mist that deals 60 / 105 / 150 / 195 / 240 (+70% of her ability power) magic damage to all enemies it passes through. After a brief delay, the wave becomes smaller and faster, allowing it to hit enemies in a smaller area but with greater speed and precision.

Mistral Bolt is an important part of Vex’s kit, as it provides her with waveclear and damage in one ability. The initial wave is slow, so it’s important to learn the range and timing of the ability to hit enemies effectively. Consuming Gloom on enemies hit with Mistral Bolt will also reduce the cooldown of Doom N Gloom, allowing Vex to use it more frequently. This ability can be used to clear minions, harass enemies, and deal damage in team fights.

Personal Space

Personal Space is Vex’s W ability. When activated, Vex gains a shield that absorbs 50 / 75 / 100 / 125 / 150 (+75% of her ability power) damage for 2.5 seconds. She also emits a shockwave that deals 80 / 120 / 160 / 200 / 240 (+30% of her ability power) magic damage to all enemies in a cone in front of her.

Personal Space is an important part of Vex’s kit, as it provides her with a strong shield and damage in one ability. The shield has a high ability power scaling, making it one of the strongest shields in the game for a carry champion. However, it also has a high mana cost and cooldown, so it should be used wisely to avoid running out of mana or being left vulnerable.

Looming Darkness

Looming Darkness is Vex’s E ability. When activated, Vex commands Shadow to fly to a location, increasing in size as it travels. When it reaches its destination, it deals 50 / 70 / 90 / 110 / 130 (+40 / 45 / 50 / 55 / 60% of her ability power) magic damage and slows all enemies hit by 30 / 35 / 40 / 45 / 50% for 2 seconds.

Looming Darkness is an important part of Vex’s kit, as it provides her with a long range ability that can slow enemies and apply Gloom. The ability has a relatively low mana cost and can be used to harass enemies from a safe distance. Consuming Gloom on enemies hit with Looming Darkness will also reduce the cooldown of Doom N Gloom, allowing Vex to use it more frequently. This ability can be used in combination with Mistral Bolt to deal damage and apply Gloom, making it an effective harassing combo.

Shadow Surge

Shadow Surge is Vex’s R ability. When activated, Vex commands Shadow to surge forward, dealing 75 / 125 / 175 (+20% of her ability power) magic damage and marking the first enemy champion hit.

Recasting Shadow Surge allows Vex to dash to the marked champion, dealing 150 / 250 / 350 (+50% of her ability power) magic damage on arrival. If the marked champion dies within 6 seconds of taking damage from Shadow Surge, its cooldown is temporarily reset.

Shadow Surge is an important part of Vex’s kit, as it provides her with a long range, gap-closing ability that can deal a lot of damage and reset its cooldown. The ability has a relatively low mana cost and can be used to initiate fights or chase down enemies. It’s important to note that the initial damage of Shadow Surge is low, so it’s best to use it in combination with other abilities to apply Gloom and Doom, allowing Vex to consume them and deal additional damage with her dash. It’s also important to be careful when using Shadow Surge, as misusing it can waste its reset potential and leave Vex vulnerable. This ability can be used to surprise enemies, secure kills, and gain an advantage in fights.

Runes and Summoner spells

Vex is a powerful champion with a lot of potential, but to unlock her full potential, players need to choose the right runes and summoner spells. In this section, we will discuss the most effective runes for Vex, including the primary and secondary trees, and explain how they can enhance her abilities, playstyle, and overall performance in game.

Dark Harvest

Dark Harvest, while slightly weaker early on, can scale very hard if you get a decent amount of stacks. Vex’s playstyle is resetting in teamfights with Shadow Surge, and Dark Harvest also resets on kill or assist, so this rune goes perfectly with her, and allows you to chain resets a lot easier! Dark Harvest deals bonus damage to enemies below 50% health, and the damage increases with each stack. Stacks are gained by dealing damage to enemies below 50% health, and they reset on kill or assist.

Taste of Blood

Taste of Blood is a secondary rune that grants a small amount of health when you damage an enemy champion, and a larger amount of health when you damage an enemy champion below 50% health. This can help Vex sustain in lane and trade more effectively against her opponent.

 

Eyeball Collection

Eyeball Collection is a primary rune that grants bonus ability power based on the number of enemy champions you have killed or assisted. This can help Vex increase her damage output and become more effective in fights.

 

Ultimate Hunter

This rune is a must have on Vex, as she’s a champion that relies on her ultimate to get those early picks and snowball hard, and her ultimate has a long 2 minutes and 20 seconds cooldown before any ability haste, so we want to have it available as much as possible. Ultimate Hunter is a secondary rune that reduces the cooldown of your ultimate ability by 10% every time you score a champion takedown.

Secondary Runes

For Vex’s secondary runes, we recommend Manaflow Band, which grants bonus mana regen, and Transcendence, which grants bonus ability haste and reduces the remaining cooldown of basic abilities on champion takedowns. These runes can help Vex sustain her mana pool, use her abilities more frequently, and deal more damage and support her team. 

 

Summoner Spells 

Exhaust is a strong choice for Vex when facing a high burst or assassin-heavy enemy team. It provides a significant amount of protection against damage and is especially useful against champions like Akali and Veigar. It has a shorter cooldown than Heal and is also effective against Ignite, as it doesn’t reduce the power of shielding abilities.

Cleanse is a good option against enemy teams with powerful crowd control abilities, especially from champions like Twisted Fate, Veigar, and Sejuani. It’s important to note that you don’t have to take Cleanse just because one champion has CC, but it can be useful if the enemy jungler or mid laner has strong, unavoidable CC abilities.

Teleport is useful in AP matchups where both teams are likely to have Teleport. It allows you to match base timings and follow enemy Teleports with your own. If you do choose to take Teleport, consider pairing it with Boots of Lucidity to further reduce its cooldown.

How to play early game as Vex?

In the early game, Vex’s primary objective is to poke the enemy while also farming minions. To do this, use your full combo when the enemy is trying to last hit minions, making sure to position yourself in a way that allows you to farm as well.

Try to get to level 2 before your opponent, as the first minion in the second wave will grant you level 2. This can give you an advantage in trades, so use it to your advantage by slowly pushing the wave and showing the third wave under the turret, then roaming and creating deep vision.

If you manage to get first blood, prioritize purchasing Lost Chapter and a Control Ward. If you have less gold, opt for a Dark Seal, Amplifying Tome, and Boots, along with a Control Ward.

If you get ahead in the early game, use that lead to zone your opponent from minions and constantly poke them. Pay attention to your priorities and roam when appropriate, such as when the enemy is sitting under their tower. This is a good opportunity to slow push and use the cannon minion to clear the wave under the turret, then roam without assistance from the bottom or top lanes or your jungler. If the enemies are under their tower, consider invading the enemy jungle and creating deep vision on their camps.

Teamfighting as Vex

 

In team fights, Doom N Gloom can be used to interrupt enemy dashes and gain bonus damage against marked targets. This ability can be used to surprise enemies with additional burst damage, disrupt their movements, and gain an advantage in fights. Pay attention to the timing of Doom N Gloom, as it can be used to interrupt key abilities or disrupt the positioning of enemy champions. Consuming Gloom on enemies hit with Mistral Bolt will also reduce the cooldown of Doom N Gloom, allowing Vex to use it more frequently. This ability can be used in combination with Looming Darkness to deal damage and apply Gloom, making it an effective harassing combo.

In team fights, it’s also important to identify the enemy champion who is doing the most damage and make them your priority target. You can initiate the fight by using Shadow Surge to dash to the marked champion, and then use Personal Space to fear them and deal damage. This will allow you to quickly take out the enemy’s main damage dealer, giving your team an advantage in the fight. If you’re able to kill the fed enemy, it’s likely that your team will win the team fight.

Here is a poem that might help you remember what your role in the teamfight is: 

• Vex, the swift and sly,
• With shadow’s surge and doom n’ gloom,
• She strikes with deadly precision,
• Taking out the enemy’s chief doom.

Counter or Get Countered!

Vex’s kit is well-rounded and effective in many situations, but there are some champions that she fares better against, and others that give her a tough time. In this section, we’ll examine the champions that Vex has an advantage against, and those that pose a greater challenge for her to overcome.

Vex’s Prey: Champions that Vex excels against

 

Yasou: 

Against Yasuo, Vex has a strong advantage. Yasuo’s main source of damage is his auto attacks and his Q ability, Steel Tempest. To counter this, Vex can use her long range abilities, Mistral Bolt and Looming Darkness, to harass Yasuo and prevent him from getting close enough to deal damage. Vex’s passive ability, Doom N Gloom, can also be used to interrupt Yasuo’s dashes and disrupt his positioning. Additionally, Vex’s Personal Space ability can be used to shield herself from Yasuo’s damage, and the fear effect can prevent Yasuo from getting close enough to deal damage. Overall, the key to defeating Yasuo as Vex is to keep your distance and use your long range abilities to harass him while avoiding his damage.

Katarina: 

Against Katarina, Vex has a strong advantage due to her ability to disrupt Katarina’s movements and apply Gloom with her passive ability, Doom N Gloom. However, it’s important to be aware of Katarina’s mobility and her E ability, Shunpo, which allows her to blink to Vex and deal damage. To counter this, Vex can use Doom N Gloom to interrupt Katarina’s blink and apply fear, or use Personal Space to shield herself and deal damage. Additionally, it’s important to pay attention to Katarina’s cooldowns and avoid standing in the area where she is casting Death Lotus, as it can deal significant damage to Vex.

Yone: 

Vex’s Personal Space ability is particularly effective against Yone, as it can neutralize his entire identity and allow Vex to take a strong trade. By leading with the W combo and fearing Yone away with Personal Space, Vex can disrupt Yone’s positioning and prevent him from dealing damage. Additionally, Vex’s Shadow Surge ultimate can be used to deal significant damage to Yone, and the mark can be used to follow up with more damage or disrupt Yone’s positioning.

Leave her alone!: Champions that Vex isn’t strong against

Ahri:

Ahri’s mobility can be a problem for Vex in a few different ways. First, Ahri’s Charm ability allows her to disrupt Vex’s positioning and prevent her from getting close enough to deal damage or apply Gloom. Additionally, Ahri’s ultimate, Spirit Rush, allows her to dash to Vex and deal significant damage, making it difficult for Vex to get close enough to deal damage or apply Gloom.

In contrast, Yasuo’s mobility is more limited and relies on his Steel Tempest ability, which can be interrupted by Vex’s passive ability, Doom N Gloom. Additionally, Yasuo’s dash has a shorter range than Ahri’s charm, so it’s easier for Vex to keep her distance and avoid being caught by Yasuo.

Overall, Yasuo’s mobility is less of a problem for Vex due to her ability to disrupt his dashes and apply fear, while Ahri’s mobility and charm ability can be more difficult for Vex to deal with due to the disruption and damage they can cause. 

Galio:

Against Galio, Vex may have a tougher time due to Galio’s ability to set up plays for his team and disrupt Vex’s positioning. Galio’s ultimate, Hero’s Entrance, allows him to teleport to a location and deal significant damage to all enemies in the area, making it difficult for Vex to get close enough to deal damage or apply Gloom. Additionally, Galio’s E ability, Righteous Gust, allows him to knock Vex back and disrupt her positioning, while his Q ability, Winds of War, can be used to harass Vex and prevent her from getting close enough to deal damage.

Lissandra:

Against Lissandra, Vex may have a tougher time due to Lissandra’s ability to disrupt Vex’s positioning and deal significant damage. Lissandra’s ultimate, Frozen Tomb, allows her to encase herself or an enemy in ice, rendering them unable to move or attack for a brief period of time. This ability can be used to disrupt Vex’s positioning and prevent her from getting close enough to deal damage or apply Gloom. Additionally, Lissandra’s E ability, Glacial Path, allows her to dash to a location and deal damage to all enemies in the area, making it difficult for Vex to get close enough to deal damage or apply Gloom.

Overall, the key to defeating Lissandra as Vex is to use your long range abilities to harass her and disrupt her positioning, and to use your shields and crowd control effects to prevent her from setting up plays for her team. However, it’s important to be aware of Lissandra’s abilities and try to avoid getting caught out.

Tips and Tricks/Combos

 

Now that you understand Vex’s abilities and how to use them effectively, let’s dive into some advanced tips and tricks to help you take your Vex gameplay to the next level.

Disrupt and Damage

As Vex strides across the battlefield, she wields her abilities with deadly precision, disrupting her foes and raining down destruction upon them. With a flick of her wrist, she summons a shield of swirling energy, sending a shockwave crashing through her enemies. A burst of shadowy magic follows, slowing her foes as they struggle to escape her grasp. And with a final burst of mist, she unleashes a wave of destruction, decimating her foes and leaving them reeling in the wake of her might. This is the Disrupt and Damage combo, a deadly combination of Vex’s abilities that leaves her enemies shaking in fear and despair.

To execute the Disrupt and Damage combo, you will need to use Vex’s Personal Space (W) ability to gain a shield and emit a shockwave that deals damage to enemies in a cone in front of her. Immediately after using Personal Space, activate Looming Darkness (E) to command Shadow to fly to a location, increasing in size as it travels. When it reaches its destination, it will slow all enemies hit by it. After using Looming Darkness, use Mistral Bolt (Q) to launch a wave of mist that deals damage to all enemies it passes through. The wave becomes smaller and faster after a brief delay, allowing it to hit enemies in a smaller area but with greater speed and precision. Finally, after using Mistral Bolt, use basic attacks (AA) to deal additional damage to the enemy. This combo can be used to disrupt enemies, slow them down, and deal damage in a team fight or 1v1 situation.

It’s important to note that the abilities in this combo have relatively high mana costs and cooldowns, so it’s important to use them wisely and not waste them unnecessarily.

Initiate and Surprise

To execute the Initiate and Disrupt Combo, you will need to use Shadow Surge (R) to mark an enemy champion and dash to them, dealing damage along the way. This ability can be used to initiate fights, chase down enemies, or escape danger. After using Shadow Surge, activate Personal Space (W) to gain a shield and emit a shockwave that deals damage to enemies in a cone in front of Vex. Finally, use Mistral Bolt (Q) to launch a wave of mist that deals damage to all enemies it passes through. The wave becomes smaller and faster after a brief delay, allowing it to hit enemies in a smaller area but with greater speed and precision. This combo can be used to initiate fights, disrupt enemies, and deal damage in a team fight or 1v1 situation.

Conclusion

As Vex strides across the battlefield, she is a force to be reckoned with, unleashing a storm of destruction upon her foes and leaving them trembling in the wake of her might. Though she may desire solitude and to be left alone, she is a formidable opponent on the Rift, adapting to any situation and excelling in team fights. With her powerful abilities and formidable kit, she disrupts her enemies and rains down destruction upon them, striking fear into the hearts of her foes. So beware, summoners, for Vex is a champion not to be underestimated, and those who dare to face her will soon find themselves on the receiving end of her might.