Mordekaiser

A Tyrant Who Refused to Remain Buried

Mordekaiser was a warlord across Runeterra long before its modern nations existed, and his cruelty kept going after his body gave out. He has been killed at least twice and has come back every time, which is why he is known as the twice slain and thrice born. He now works through necromancy, binding souls and condemning them to endless service instead of allowing them to move on. The empire he once led has faded from public memory, yet a few ancient beings still remember it, and they see his full return as a real danger to the living and the dead alike.

Combat Makes Him Stronger

Nearly every ability he has turns a fight into power for him. Darkness Rise grants him a damage aura and added movement speed after he hits three attacks or spells against champions or monsters, so the longer a clash drags on, the more it works in his favor. Obliterate slams his mace into the ground and deals its greatest damage when it strikes a single target. Indestructible stores the damage he takes and deals as a shield, which he can then consume to restore health. Death’s Grasp drags all nearby enemies toward him and prepares the way for Realm of Death, his ultimate, which yanks one victim into a separate dimension with him and removes part of their stats. Those stats stay removed for good if the enemy dies before they respawn. Among champions with no allegiance to a single nation, ranging from Fiddlesticks to Evelynn, Mordekaiser stands out as one of the most openly hostile.

Momentum Instead of Mana

Mordekaiser does not rely on mana or energy in the usual way. There is no bar to watch; his resource is a shield that builds up through the fight itself, and he feels most comfortable in the Top or Mid lane. Darkness Rise triggers fastest when several champions are hit by the same ability, so he charges into crowds instead of holding back, turning both the damage he deals and the damage he absorbs into Indestructible shields that he can later use to heal. When Realm of Death cuts a target off from their team completely, the best answer is to have a mobility spell held in reserve, because nothing else will pull an ally out of that dimension before the fight inside it is over.