Top 5 Counter Picks for Mel in LoL

It is clearly too early to evaluate which champions are the best counters to Mel in the mid lane. Since Mel has just been released, League of Legends players are still unfamiliar with her entirely new skill set. However, statistics from numerous mid-lane matchups suggest that Mel is struggling significantly. As a result, many champions are proving to be effective counters to Mel, such as Cassiopeia, Vel'Koz, Kassadin, Aurelion Sol, Ekko, Syndra, Zoe, Akshan, and more.

In this article, I will discuss countering Mel with the five best champions.

Cassiopeia has a clear advantage over Mel in the mid lane due to her strong zoning, sustained damage, and ability to punish Mel's playstyle. Here’s why Cassiopeia counters Mel effectively:

• Grounding with Miasma (W): Mel relies on mobility to maximize her abilities and position for her combos. Cassiopeia’s Miasma prevents movement abilities, restricting Mel's repositioning and ability to escape or engage effectively.
• Sustained Damage vs. Mel’s Burst: Cassiopeia thrives in extended trades, especially with Twin Fang (E), which deals increased damage to poisoned targets while healing her. This sustainability outlasts Mel’s bursty damage from Searing Brilliance and Golden Eclipse.
• Poke and Zoning: Cassiopeia's Noxious Blast (Q) and Miasma allow her to poke Mel safely from a distance while maintaining zone control. This keeps Mel at bay and limits her ability to land Radiant Volley (Q) effectively.
• Countering Overwhelm Stacks: Mel’s Overwhelm passive is crucial to her damage output, but Cassiopeia can disengage or burst Mel down before she fully capitalizes on stacking damage.
• Petrifying Gaze (R): Cassiopeia’s ultimate can stun Mel when she attempts to engage, turning the fight in Cassiopeia’s favor. Even if Mel is not facing her, the slow allows Cassiopeia to kite effectively.

With a 55.2% win rate, Cassiopeia’s tools make her a natural counter to Mel, exploiting her weaknesses and minimizing her strengths in the mid lane.

Kassadin is a natural counter to Mel in the mid lane, leveraging his mobility, durability, and scaling potential to outmaneuver and outlast her. Here’s how Kassadin has the edge over Mel:

• Magic Damage Resistance: Kassadin’s Void Stone (Passive) reduces magic damage, significantly mitigating Mel’s ability to deal burst damage, especially from her Radiant Volley (Q) and Solar Snare (E).
• Shield with Null Sphere (Q): Kassadin’s Null Sphere not only damages Mel but also grants him a shield that absorbs magic damage, allowing him to trade effectively and negate a portion of Mel’s burst.
• Mobility with Riftwalk (R): Kassadin’s Riftwalk enables him to dodge Mel’s skill shots, such as Solar Snare or Radiant Volley, while closing the gap to punish her for overextending. His mobility also allows him to avoid her Golden Eclipse (R) execution.
• Sustain in Trades: With Nether Blade (W), Kassadin restores mana and sustains himself in prolonged fights, enabling him to pressure Mel even when resources are low.
• Scaling Advantage: Kassadin naturally scales into a late-game powerhouse, where Mel’s effectiveness can drop if she fails to secure early leads. Kassadin’s damage and mobility make it difficult for Mel to stay relevant in extended games.

With a 54.4% win rate against Mel, Kassadin’s toolkit effectively counters her burst and poke-focused playstyle, allowing him to dominate the mid lane as the game progresses.

Vel’Koz has several tools in his kit that make him a strong counter to Mel in the mid lane. His ability to poke, burst, and control the battlefield gives him a clear advantage.

• True Damage with Organic Deconstruction (Passive): Mel’s barrier from Rebuttal (W) can block projectiles, but it cannot prevent Vel’Koz’s true damage from Organic Deconstruction. This allows him to deal consistent damage despite her defenses.
• Long-Range Poke: Vel’Koz’s Plasma Fission (Q) and Void Rift (W) provide excellent long-range poke, keeping Mel at a distance and making it difficult for her to stack Overwhelm.
• Crowd Control with Tectonic Disruption (E): Vel’Koz’s knock-up can interrupt Mel’s engages and disrupt her attempts to set up abilities like Solar Snare (E) or Radiant Volley (Q).
• High Burst Potential with Life Form Disintegration Ray (R): Vel’Koz’s ultimate deals massive magic and true damage, allowing him to burst Mel down before she can stack Overwhelm or retaliate effectively.
• Superior Zoning: Vel’Koz excels at controlling space, making it hard for Mel to close the gap without taking significant damage. His ability to punish her movement makes him difficult to engage on.

With a 55% win rate against Mel, Vel’Koz’s long-range poke, true damage, and zoning capabilities counter her burst-reliant playstyle, securing his dominance in the lane.

Aurelion Sol is a strong counter to Mel in the mid lane, using his sustained damage, crowd control, and scaling power to outclass her. Here’s why Aurelion Sol has the edge:

• Sustained Damage with Breath of Light (Q): Aurelion Sol’s channeled damage can consistently punish Mel during trades, especially when she tries to land her abilities. The bonus damage from collected Stardust amplifies his power over time.
• Zoning and Control with Singularity (E): Aurelion Sol’s black hole can pull Mel into dangerous positions, making it difficult for her to dodge or counterattack. The execution effect also prevents her from relying on her barrier for survival.
• High Mobility with Astral Flight (W): Aurelion Sol’s ability to reposition across the lane or map lets him dodge key abilities like Solar Snare (E) or disengage from Mel’s Radiant Volley (Q).
• Area Impact with Falling Star / The Skies Descend (R): Aurelion Sol’s ultimate provides powerful crowd control and burst damage, punishing Mel during team fights or lane skirmishes. The increased area from Stardust ensures she cannot escape its effect easily.
• Scaling Advantage: Aurelion Sol’s Stardust mechanic allows him to grow stronger as the game progresses, while Mel’s power spikes diminish if she fails to secure early kills.

With a 53.7% win rate, Aurelion Sol’s sustained pressure, crowd control, and late-game dominance make him an excellent counter to Mel’s bursty and execution-focused playstyle.

Ekko is an effective counter to Mel in the mid lane due to his mobility, burst potential, and ability to avoid her key abilities. Here’s how Ekko outplays Mel:

• Mobility with Phase Dive (E): Ekko’s mobility allows him to dodge Mel’s skill shots like Radiant Volley (Q) and Solar Snare (E), making it hard for her to land Overwhelm stacks.
• Stun and Shield with Parallel Convergence (W): Ekko can use Parallel Convergence to zone Mel or turn trades in his favor by stunning her and gaining a shield. This disrupts her combos and mitigates her damage.
• Burst Damage with Z-Drive Resonance (Passive) and Timewinder (Q): Ekko’s burst damage lets him quickly punish Mel during her ability cooldowns, preventing her from stacking Overwhelm or sustaining in fights.
• Chronobreak (R) to Negate Mel’s Execution: Mel’s Golden Eclipse (R) relies on stacking Overwhelm for its execute effect. Ekko can use Chronobreak to rewind time, heal, and avoid her damage, turning a fight around instantly.
• Scaling Advantage: Ekko’s ability to scale into a powerful late-game assassin outmatches Mel’s mid-game power spike, allowing him to dominate her as the game progresses.

With a 53.2% win rate, Ekko’s kit excels at countering Mel’s bursty playstyle and punishes her reliance on landing key abilities.

Thanks for Reading! If you want to gain more in-depth knowledge about LOL, check out many helpful articles here!

Good luck to you! – Cheng