Mel · Mid
Mel Matchups and Counters
More Mel guides
This guide is assembled by the site from match data and the game's own information — nobody wrote it by hand. Official and community guides appear alongside it when they exist.
Overview
This guide covers Mel's matchups and how to adapt to them. Riot publishes no matchup statistics, so the matchups below come from the champions' own stats and kits: attack range, starting durability, crowd control and mobility. They describe an advantage on paper, not a measured result.
Strengths
- Crowd control: Solar Snare applies a root to set up kills.
- Sustain from Rebuttal.
- Golden Eclipse hits several enemies: a strong team fight tool.
Weaknesses
- No dash or blink in the kit: vulnerable to ganks without vision.
- Mana-hungry early: spamming abilities leaves you empty before the fight.
Build cheat sheet
Pick the build that fits what you want to do this game.
- Against physical damageDefensiveRecommendedFor a lane or a team that hits with attacks: armor boots and an armor item in the core.
- Against magic damageDefensiveSituationalFor a team that kills with abilities: magic resist boots and a magic resist item in the core.
- Against healingDefensiveSituationalFor games against healers, life steal or regeneration: the anti-heal item goes into the core instead of waiting.
Builds
Against physical damage
When to use it
For a lane or a team that hits with attacks: armor boots and an armor item in the core.
Where it's played
Picked before the game: the main lane first, then the alternatives.
237%163%- MidMain63% of matches
- SupportPriority 237% of matches
Starting items
Core items
- 1Cryptbloom
- 2Archangel's Staff
- 3Zhonya's Hourglass
Boots
Situational
Runes
Primary· Sorcery
Secondary· Resolve
Shards
Summoner spells
Flash
Ignite
Against magic damage
When to use it
For a team that kills with abilities: magic resist boots and a magic resist item in the core.
Where it's played
Picked before the game: the main lane first, then the alternatives.
237%163%- MidMain63% of matches
- SupportPriority 237% of matches
Starting items
Core items
- 1Cryptbloom
- 2Archangel's Staff
- 3Banshee's Veil
Boots
Situational
Runes
Primary· Sorcery
Secondary· Resolve
Shards
Summoner spells
- Flash
- Ignite
Against healing
When to use it
For games against healers, life steal or regeneration: the anti-heal item goes into the core instead of waiting.
Where it's played
Picked before the game: the main lane first, then the alternatives.
237%163%- MidMain63% of matches
- SupportPriority 237% of matches
Starting items
Core items
- 1Cryptbloom
- 2Archangel's Staff
- 3Morellonomicon
Boots
Situational
Runes
Primary· Sorcery
Secondary· Resolve
Shards
Summoner spells
- Flash
- Ignite
Abilities
Searing BrilliancePassiveWhenever Mel uses an ability, she gains three bonus projectiles (up to nine maximum) on her next attack. When Mel deals damage through an ability or attack, she applies Overwhelm, which can stack infinitely. If the enemy is hit by Mel with enough Overwhelm damage, the stacks are consumed to execute the target.
QRadiant Volley10/9/8/7/6s70/75/80/85/90 mpMel fires a barrage of projectiles that explode around a target location, dealing damage repeatedly to enemies within the area.- Cooldown
- 10·9·8·7·6
- Cost
- 70·75·80·85·90
- Range
- 950
WRebuttal38/35/33/29/26s80/60/40/20/0 mpMel forms a barrier around herself that reflects enemy projectiles back at the attacker, prevents her from taking damage, and grants her movement speed.- Cooldown
- 38·35·33·29·26
- Cost
- 80·60·40·20·0
- Range
- 250
ESolar Snare11/10.5/10/9.5/9s50/60/70/80/90 mpMel fires a radiant orb forward, rooting those at its center while the area around it slows enemies and deals damage over time.- Cooldown
- 11·10.5·10·9.5·9
- Cost
- 50·60·70·80·90
- Range
- 1000
RGolden EclipseUltimate120/100/80s100 mpMel strikes all enemies marked with Overwhelm regardless of their distance from her, dealing additional damage for each stack of Overwhelm. Ranks of Golden Eclipse increase Overwhelm's damage.- Cooldown
- 120·100·80
- Cost
- 100
- Range
- 25000
Strategy
1Good matchups
Mel does well against these:
- Akali: Mel attacks from 550 units and Akali from 125: every trade in lane happens at a distance they cannot answer.
- Katarina: Mel attacks from 550 units and Katarina from 125: every trade in lane happens at a distance they cannot answer.
- Locke: Mel attacks from 550 units and Locke from 125: every trade in lane happens at a distance they cannot answer.
2Tough matchups
Mel struggles against these:
- Malzahar: Call of the Void silences Mel, whose damage comes from abilities.
- Fiddlesticks: Reap silences Mel, whose damage comes from abilities.
- Cho'Gath: Feral Scream silences Mel, whose damage comes from abilities.
3Synergies
Mel works well alongside these, because their kits fit together:
4Adapting the build
The situational builds in this guide answer specific threats: Against physical damage, Against magic damage and Against healing.
5Playing against Mel
If you're on the other side, this is what to exploit:
- Mel can reflect enemy projectiles, including powerful spells. Wait until she casts Rebuttal before throwing powerful projectiles her way.
- The more Mel hits you, the more Overwhelm stacks she applies. If your health drops too low her next hit will kill you, so back off for a couple seconds to let the Overwhelm stacks fall off.
Matchups
Strong against
Mel attacks from 550 units and Akali from 125: every trade in lane happens at a distance they cannot answer.
Mel attacks from 550 units and Katarina from 125: every trade in lane happens at a distance they cannot answer.
Mel attacks from 550 units and Locke from 125: every trade in lane happens at a distance they cannot answer.
Weak against
Call of the Void silences Mel, whose damage comes from abilities.
Reap silences Mel, whose damage comes from abilities.
Feral Scream silences Mel, whose damage comes from abilities.
Changelog
- Guide created for patch 16.19.1.
Was this helpful?
Your vote helps other players find the best guides.