Mordekaiser

Mordekaiser is the textbook juggernaut: a melee fighter-mage that has no mana pool, no dashes, and no need for either. Shield replaces a resource bar for him, and his rhythm is simple wearing down. He closes on the enemy, lands three hits or spells to trigger Darkness Rise, and then the damage aura and movement speed bonus it grants slowly erode opponents. Top and mid lane suit him best, since long trades let the aura tick away the whole time.

Obliterate is his go-to mace smash, hitting an area and hitting harder on a lone target, so splitting enemies apart pays off. Indestructible turns the damage he deals and receives into a banked shield that he can spend on healing, meaning the longer a fight drags, the more protection he builds up. Death’s Grasp drags every enemy in an area toward him. It is his only means of closing distance and it sets up everything else: a successful pull gives him a full Obliterate and guaranteed passive stacks.

Realm of Death: the 1v1 button

His ultimate is among the oddest abilities in the game. Realm of Death pulls a single target into a separate dimension, siphons some of their stats, and keeps those stats for him until the victim respawns, provided he gets the kill inside. In effect it removes the enemy’s strongest teamfighter from the battlefield and forces a one-on-one that Mordekaiser is designed to win, which is the core of his contribution in team fights.

The drawbacks come straight from the kit: with no mobility, ranged champions can kite him, and he seldom reaches backline targets unless Death’s Grasp lands. Mordekaiser appeals to players who value steady, inevitable pressure over flashy plays and like winning fights the opponent cannot afford to lose.