Mordekaiser, the Iron Revenant, is a formidable AP juggernaut in League of Legends, known for his sustain, powerful area-of-effect abilities, and his game-changing ultimate, Death Realm. However, several champions excel at countering him by exploiting his weaknesses, such as his lack of mobility and predictable spellcasting.
Based on extensive match data, the champions best equipped to counter Mordekaiser in the top lane are Vayne, Kled, Kayle, Riven, and Warwick.
Understanding Mordekaiser's Weaknesses
Mordekaiser thrives in extended brawls and can quickly turn the tide of a fight with his shields and burst damage. His ultimate, Death Realm, isolates a single enemy, making him incredibly dangerous in one-on-one scenarios. However, his primary weaknesses include:
- Low Mobility: Mordekaiser lacks dashes or significant movement speed boosts, making him susceptible to kiting and ranged harass.
- Predictable Abilities: His Q (Obliterate) and E (Death's Grasp) are relatively slow and telegraphed, allowing mobile champions to dodge them.
- Vulnerability to True Damage and Disengage: While tanky, he can be shredded by true damage, and champions with strong disengage can escape his engage or his Death Realm.
Top Counters to Mordekaiser
Here's a breakdown of champions that effectively counter Mordekaiser and why they are strong picks against him:
| Champion | Primary Strength Against Mordekaiser | Why They Counter |
|---|---|---|
| Vayne | Ranged harass, true damage, high mobility, strong disengage | Vayne's ranged auto-attacks allow her to consistently poke Mordekaiser without getting in range of his abilities. Her Silver Bolts (W) deal true damage, shredding his health and shields. Her Tumble (Q) provides crucial mobility to dodge his Q and E, and Condemn (E) can knock him away if he tries to engage or use his ultimate. |
| Kled | High burst damage, multiple health bars, anti-heal, mobility | Kled's aggressive early game and ability to dive onto Mordekaiser can give him an advantage. His Pocket Pistol (Q) applies grievous wounds, reducing Mordekaiser's sustain. Kled's ability to dismount and remount effectively gives him a second health bar, making him harder to burst down, especially in the Death Realm. |
| Kayle | Ranged scaling, invulnerability, consistent damage | Kayle starts as a melee champion but quickly becomes ranged, allowing her to harass Mordekaiser from a safe distance. Her Divine Judgment (R) provides invulnerability, negating Mordekaiser's ultimate or burst damage entirely, allowing her or an ally to survive or turn the fight. |
| Riven | High mobility, burst damage, shields, outplay potential | Riven's multiple dashes (Q, E) and stun (W) allow her to easily dodge Mordekaiser's slow abilities and engage or disengage at will. Her shields provide survivability, and her high burst damage can quickly overwhelm Mordekaiser if she successfully dodges his abilities and lands her combos. |
| Warwick | Strong dueling, sustain, point-and-click suppress, movement speed | Warwick's incredible sustain and strong early-game dueling potential make him a difficult opponent for Mordekaiser. His Blood Hunt (W) gives him movement speed to chase or kite. His Jaws of the Beast (Q) follows dashes, making it hard for Mordekaiser to escape, and his Infinite Duress (R) is a powerful suppress that locks Mordekaiser down. |
These champions leverage their mobility, range, true damage, or specific abilities (like invulnerability or suppressions) to mitigate Mordekaiser's strengths and exploit his weaknesses.
Champions Mordekaiser Counters
Conversely, Mordekaiser performs exceptionally well against champions who are typically melee, less mobile, or rely heavily on being part of a teamfight. He can effectively isolate and defeat them in his Death Realm. Champions Mordekaiser notably counters include:
- Zac
- Illaoi
- Maokai
- Malphite
- Sett
These champions often struggle against Mordekaiser's sustained damage, shields, and the isolation provided by his ultimate, which negates their team-oriented strengths.
