Mid Matchup

Vel'Koz vs Sylas

Patch: 15.24 (25.24)
League: Platinum+
Vel'Koz

Vel'Koz

the Eye of the Void
Mid
Vel'Koz Mid Overall Win Rate
52.72%

Matchup Win Rate

55.4%
Vel'Koz vs Sylas Wins
⚔
44.6%
Sylas vs Vel'Koz Wins
Sylas

Sylas

the Unshackled
Mid
Sylas Mid Overall Win Rate
49.78%

Vel'Koz vs Sylas - Mid Matchup Guide Patch 15.24 (25.24)

Vel'Koz Mid vs Sylas Mid - Who is stronger?

Vel'Koz Mid performs well against Sylas (55.4% win rate) based on 470 games. This matchup works well for Vel'Koz players.

View detailed statistics below: items, runes, and counter builds for Vel'Koz Mid vs Sylas Mid in patch 15.24 (25.24), including win rates and pick rates. With proper study, this can improve your chances of victory up to 58.0% in this matchup.

Statistical Matchup Analysis

While Vel'Koz remains a niche pick (1.3% pick rate, 45th place out of 58 Mid champions), Sylas dominates the current meta mid lane with 7.0% popularity. Mastering this matchup is crucial for Vel'Koz players - you'll face Sylas in the majority of your games. Meta strength confirmed: Vel'Koz's superior tier rating (A+ vs B+) translates into a solid 55.4% matchup win rate. This performance explains why Vel'Koz ranks 3rd in win rate among Mid champions. Vel'Koz shows excellent consistency, combining a strong 52.7% overall win rate with matchup success. Amplify your advantage: The Arcane Comet + Manaflow Band rune setup achieves 54.2% win rate (10.5% popularity), while the core build Blackfire Torch > Liandry's Torment > Shadowflame with Sorcerer's Shoes (58.0% win rate) lets you snowball advantages into guaranteed victories by 15 minutes.

Lane dominance: Vel'Koz not only wins the matchup but crushes CS (6.01/min vs 4.89 for Sylas). This 1.12 CS/min advantage generates significant gold leads that compound your already favorable position. Quality over quantity: Vel'Koz wins through smart play rather than raw damage - despite lower DPS (853 vs 884/min), the 55.4% win rate shows superior utility, positioning, and team fight impact. Statistical dominance: Vel'Koz leads in both matchup win rate (55.4%) and KDA (2.50 vs 2.10) - complete superiority across all metrics.

Vel'Koz vs Sylas - Mid Stats Comparison

Vel'Koz Mid
Vel'Koz Mid		Versus
Sylas Mid
Sylas Mid
A+TierB+
55.4%Matchup Winrate44.6%
52.72%Role Winrate49.78%
#3Winrate Rank#36
1.3%Pickrate7.0%
2.5Average KDA2.1
411Gold per Minute394
6.01CS/Min4.89
0.34Wards per Minute0.29
853Damage per Minute884

How to Beat Sylas as Vel'Koz (Mid)

The Vel'Koz versus Sylas matchup in the mid lane is favorable with proper positioning. Use your statistical advantage and prevent the opponent from realizing their potential.

The magic damage that Vel'Koz deals remains relevant in the late game. Look for opportunities to initiate or counter-initiate. Meanwhile, Sylas deals primarily magic damage (91.58%), additional magic resistance may be required.

An important advantage of Vel'Koz is higher farming statistics (ranked 47th among role champions) (versus 58th for Sylas), which provides a stable gold advantage in extended games and allows faster access to key items. Meanwhile, their lower KDA (2.1 versus 2.5) suggests they are less effective in team fights.

Key aspects of the Vel'Koz Mid versus Sylas Mid matchup

Despite the statistical advantage in the matchup, overconfidence can be the main mistake. It is important for the Vel'Koz player to maintain constant pressure on Sylas, not allowing the opponent to safely scale up, and actively use the advantage gained to help their team.

Vel'Koz vs Sylas: Mid Lane Summoner Spells

Most Popular

Flash
Flash Teleports you a short distance toward your cursor.
Barrier
Barrier Gain a brief Shield.
53.2% Win Rate23.1% Pick Rate

Highest Win Rate

Flash
Flash Teleports you a short distance toward your cursor.
Ignite
Ignite Deals true damage over time to target enemy champion and reduces healing effects on them for the duration.
66.3% Win Rate4.3% Pick Rate

Vel'Koz vs Sylas: Mid Lane Runes

Most Frequent Runes

Primary Path
Sorcery
Arcane Comet
Arcane Comet Damaging a champion with an ability hurls a comet at their location, or, if Arcane Comet is on cooldown, reduces its remaining cooldown.

Adaptive Damage: 30 - 130 based on level (+0.05 AP and +0.1 bonus AD)
Cooldown: 20 - 8s

Cooldown Reduction:
Single Target: 20%.
Area of Effect: 10%.
Damage over Time: 5%.

Arcane Comet

Damaging a champion with an ability hurls a comet at their location, or, if Arcane Comet …

Manaflow Band
Manaflow Band Hitting an enemy champion with an ability permanently increases your maximum mana by 25, up to 250 mana.

After reaching 250 bonus mana, restore 1% of your missing mana every 5 seconds.

Cooldown: 15 seconds

Manaflow Band

Hitting an enemy champion with an ability permanently increases your maximum ma…

Transcendence
Transcendence Gain bonuses upon reaching the following levels:
Level 5: +5 Ability Haste
Level 8: +5 Ability Haste
Level 11: On Champion takedown, reduce the remaining cooldown of basic abilities by 20%.

Transcendence

Gain bonuses upon reaching the following levels:Level 5: +5 Ability Haste Level…

Scorch
Scorch Your next damaging ability hit sets champions on fire dealing 20 - 40 bonus magic damage based on level after 1s.

Cooldown: 10s

Scorch

Your next damaging ability hit sets champions on fire dealing 20 - 40 bonus mag…

Secondary Path
Precision
Legend: Haste
Legend: Haste Gain 1.5 basic ability haste for every Legend stack (max 10 stacks).

Earn progress toward Legend stacks for every champion takedown, epic monster takedown, large monster kill, and minion kill.

Legend: Haste

Gain 1.5 basic ability haste for every Legend stack (max 10 stacks).Earn progre…

Cut Down
Cut Down Deal 8% more damage to champions who have more than 60% health.

Cut Down

Deal 8% more damage to champions who have more than 60% health.

Adaptive
Adaptive Force
Adaptive Force Grants 9 Attack Damage or 9 Ability Power

Adaptive Force

Grants 9 Attack Damage or 9 Ability Power

Adaptive Force
Adaptive Force Grants 9 Attack Damage or 9 Ability Power

Adaptive Force

Grants 9 Attack Damage or 9 Ability Power

Scaling Health
Scaling Health Increases health from 10 to 180 HP across levels 1-18

Scaling Health

Increases health from 10 to 180 HP across levels 1-18

52.4% Win Rate44.2% Pick Rate

Best Win Rate Runes

Primary Path
Sorcery
Arcane Comet
Arcane Comet Damaging a champion with an ability hurls a comet at their location, or, if Arcane Comet is on cooldown, reduces its remaining cooldown.

Adaptive Damage: 30 - 130 based on level (+0.05 AP and +0.1 bonus AD)
Cooldown: 20 - 8s

Cooldown Reduction:
Single Target: 20%.
Area of Effect: 10%.
Damage over Time: 5%.

Arcane Comet

Damaging a champion with an ability hurls a comet at their location, or, if Arcane Comet …

Manaflow Band
Manaflow Band Hitting an enemy champion with an ability permanently increases your maximum mana by 25, up to 250 mana.

After reaching 250 bonus mana, restore 1% of your missing mana every 5 seconds.

Cooldown: 15 seconds

Manaflow Band

Hitting an enemy champion with an ability permanently increases your maximum ma…

Transcendence
Transcendence Gain bonuses upon reaching the following levels:
Level 5: +5 Ability Haste
Level 8: +5 Ability Haste
Level 11: On Champion takedown, reduce the remaining cooldown of basic abilities by 20%.

Transcendence

Gain bonuses upon reaching the following levels:Level 5: +5 Ability Haste Level…

Scorch
Scorch Your next damaging ability hit sets champions on fire dealing 20 - 40 bonus magic damage based on level after 1s.

Cooldown: 10s

Scorch

Your next damaging ability hit sets champions on fire dealing 20 - 40 bonus mag…

Secondary Path
Inspiration
Biscuit Delivery
Biscuit Delivery Biscuit Delivery: Gain a Total Biscuit of Everlasting Will every 2 mins, until 6 min.

Biscuits restore 12% of your missing health. Consuming or selling a Biscuit permanently increases your max health by 30.

Biscuit Delivery

Biscuit Delivery: Gain a Total Biscuit of Everlasting Will every 2 mins, until …

Cosmic Insight
Cosmic Insight +18 Summoner Spell Haste
+10 Item Haste

Cosmic Insight

+18 Summoner Spell Haste+10 Item Haste

Adaptive
Adaptive Force
Adaptive Force Grants 9 Attack Damage or 9 Ability Power

Adaptive Force

Grants 9 Attack Damage or 9 Ability Power

Adaptive Force
Adaptive Force Grants 9 Attack Damage or 9 Ability Power

Adaptive Force

Grants 9 Attack Damage or 9 Ability Power

Scaling Health
Scaling Health Increases health from 10 to 180 HP across levels 1-18

Scaling Health

Increases health from 10 to 180 HP across levels 1-18

54.2% Win Rate10.5% Pick Rate

Vel'Koz vs Sylas: Mid Lane Item Builds

Most Popular Build

Starting Items
Stealth Ward
Stealth Ward (0 gold) Active (210 - 120s, max 2 charges)
Places an Invisible Stealth Ward that grants vision for 90-120 seconds.
Tear of the Goddess
Tear of the Goddess (400 gold) 240 Mana
Manaflow (8s, max 4 charges)
Landing Abilities grants 3 max Mana (doubled vs. champions), up to 360.
Helping Hand
Attacks deal an additional 5 physical damage to minions.
Health Potion
Health Potion (50 gold) Consume
Restores 120 Health over 15 seconds.
49.5% Win Rate3.0% Pick Rate
Popular Boots
Sorcerer's Shoes
Sorcerer's Shoes (1100 gold) 12 Magic Penetration
45 Move Speed
50.7% Win Rate67.4% Pick Rate
Ionian Boots of Lucidity
Ionian Boots of Lucidity (900 gold) 10 Ability Haste
45 Move Speed
Ionian Insight
Gain 10 Summoner Spell Haste.
50.4% Win Rate12.2% Pick Rate
Boots of Swiftness
Boots of Swiftness (1000 gold) 60 Move Speed
Fleetfooted
Reduce the effectiveness of Slows by 25%.
51.6% Win Rate5.3% Pick Rate
Core Build
Lost Chapter
Lost Chapter (1200 gold) 40 Ability Power
300 Mana
10 Ability Haste
Enlighten
Levelling up restores 20% max Mana over 3 seconds.
->
Luden's Companion
Luden's Companion (2850 gold) 100 Ability Power
600 Mana
10 Ability Haste
Fire
Damaging Abilities fire 6 Shots that deal bonus magic damage to the target and nearby enemies. Remaining Shots fire on the primary target, dealing 20% damage.
Shadowflame
Shadowflame (3200 gold) 110 Ability Power
15 Magic Penetration
Cinderbloom
Magic and true damageCritically Strikes enemies below 40% Health, dealing 20% increased damage.
Rabadon's Deathcap
Rabadon's Deathcap (3600 gold) 130 Ability Power
Magical Opus
Increases your total Ability Power by 30%.
51.7% Win Rate5.6% Pick Rate
Final Build
Zhonya's Hourglass
Zhonya's Hourglass (3250 gold) 105 Ability Power
50 Armor

Time Stop
Enter Stasis for 2.5 seconds.
55.6% Win Rate18.7% Pick Rate

Best Win Rate Build

Starting Items
Stealth Ward
Stealth Ward (0 gold) Active (210 - 120s, max 2 charges)
Places an Invisible Stealth Ward that grants vision for 90-120 seconds.
Dark Seal
Dark Seal (350 gold) 15 Ability Power
50 Health
Glory
Takedowns grant Glory, up to 10. 5 Glory is lost on death.
Gain 4 Ability Power per Glory.
Refillable Potion
Refillable Potion (150 gold) Active (2 charges)
Restores 100 Health over 12 seconds.
Refills upon visiting the shop.
62.6% Win Rate0.7% Pick Rate
Highest Winrate Boots
Symbiotic Soles
Symbiotic Soles (900 gold) 40 Move Speed
Voidborn
Gain Empowered Recall.
Symbiosis
After traveling 150000 units of distance, transform into Synchronized Souls.
56.5% Win Rate4.9% Pick Rate
Mercury's Treads
Mercury's Treads (1250 gold) 20 Magic Resist
45 Move Speed
30% Tenacity
52.6% Win Rate1.1% Pick Rate
Boots of Swiftness
Boots of Swiftness (1000 gold) 60 Move Speed
Fleetfooted
Reduce the effectiveness of Slows by 25%.
51.6% Win Rate5.3% Pick Rate
Core Build
Lost Chapter
Lost Chapter (1200 gold) 40 Ability Power
300 Mana
10 Ability Haste
Enlighten
Levelling up restores 20% max Mana over 3 seconds.
->
Blackfire Torch
Blackfire Torch (2800 gold) 80 Ability Power
600 Mana
20 Ability Haste
Baleful Blaze
Damaging Abilities deals bonus magic damage for 3 seconds.
Blackfire
For each enemy champion, epic and large monster affected by your Baleful Blaze, gain 4% Ability Power.
Liandry's Torment
Liandry's Torment (3000 gold) 70 Ability Power
300 Health
Torment
Damaging Abilities burn enemies for 2% max Health magic damage per second for 3 seconds.
Suffering
For each second in combat with enemy champions, deal 2% bonus damage, up to 6%.
Shadowflame
Shadowflame (3200 gold) 110 Ability Power
15 Magic Penetration
Cinderbloom
Magic and true damageCritically Strikes enemies below 40% Health, dealing 20% increased damage.
58.0% Win Rate1.8% Pick Rate
Final Build
Mejai's Soulstealer
Mejai's Soulstealer (1500 gold) 20 Ability Power
100 Health
Glory
Takedowns grant Glory, up to 25. 10 Glory is lost on death.
Gain 5 Ability Power per Glory and 10% Move Speed at 10 or higher Glory.
69.4% Win Rate4.2% Pick Rate
Other Items
Banshee's Veil
Banshee's Veil (3000 gold) 105 Ability Power
40 Magic Resist
Annul
Grants a Spell Shield that blocks the next enemy Ability.
65.3% Win Rate11.8% Pick Rate
Void Staff
Void Staff (3000 gold) 95 Ability Power
40% Magic Penetration
60.8% Win Rate10.5% Pick Rate
Horizon Focus
Horizon Focus (2700 gold) 75 Ability Power
25 Ability Haste
Hypershot
Dealing Ability damage to champions at 600 range or greater Reveals them for 6 seconds.
Deal 10% increased damage to enemies Revealed by this item.
Focus
When Hypershot is triggered, Reveal all other enemy champions within 1400 range of them for 3 seconds.
49.4% Win Rate9.6% Pick Rate
Liandry's Torment
Liandry's Torment (3000 gold) 70 Ability Power
300 Health
Torment
Damaging Abilities burn enemies for 2% max Health magic damage per second for 3 seconds.
Suffering
For each second in combat with enemy champions, deal 2% bonus damage, up to 6%.
38.1% Win Rate8.1% Pick Rate
Morellonomicon
Morellonomicon (2950 gold) 75 Ability Power
350 Health
15 Ability Haste
Grievous Wounds
Dealing magic damage to champions applies 40% Wounds for 3 seconds.
60.6% Win Rate4.6% Pick Rate
Mejai's Soulstealer
Mejai's Soulstealer (1500 gold) 20 Ability Power
100 Health
Glory
Takedowns grant Glory, up to 25. 10 Glory is lost on death.
Gain 5 Ability Power per Glory and 10% Move Speed at 10 or higher Glory.
69.4% Win Rate4.2% Pick Rate
Cryptbloom
Cryptbloom (2850 gold) 60 Ability Power
30% Magic Penetration
15 Ability Haste
Life from Death
When a champion that you damaged within 3 seconds dies, a nova spreads from their corpse that heals.
53.2% Win Rate3.7% Pick Rate

Vel'Koz vs Sylas: Mid Lane Skill (abilities) Orders

Most Frequent Skill Order

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
Q
Q
Plasma Fission Vel'Koz shoots a bolt of plasma that splits in two on reactivation or upon hitting an enemy. The bolt slows and damages on hit.
Q
Q
Q
Q
Q
W
W
Void Rift Vel'Koz opens a rift to the void that deals an initial burst of damage, then explodes for a second burst of damage after a delay.
W
W
W
W
W
E
E
Tectonic Disruption Vel'Koz causes an area to explode, knocking up enemies, and knocking close enemies slightly away.
E
E
E
E
E
R
R
Life Form Disintegration Ray Vel'Koz unleashes a channelled beam that follows the cursor for 2.5 seconds that deals magic damage. Organic Deconstruction Researches enemy champions causing them to take true damage instead.
R
R
R
Max Order: Q > W > E
54.7% Win Rate27.2% Pick Rate

Highest Win % Skill Order

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
R
Q
Plasma Fission Vel'Koz shoots a bolt of plasma that splits in two on reactivation or upon hitting an enemy. The bolt slows and damages on hit.
Q
Q
Q
Q
Q
R
W
Void Rift Vel'Koz opens a rift to the void that deals an initial burst of damage, then explodes for a second burst of damage after a delay.
W
W
W
W
W
R
E
Tectonic Disruption Vel'Koz causes an area to explode, knocking up enemies, and knocking close enemies slightly away.
E
E
E
E
E
R
R
Life Form Disintegration Ray Vel'Koz unleashes a channelled beam that follows the cursor for 2.5 seconds that deals magic damage. Organic Deconstruction Researches enemy champions causing them to take true damage instead.
R
R
R
Max Order: Q > W > E
97.7% Win Rate1.9% Pick Rate

Vel'Koz tips:

  • When laning, use Void Rift to kill minions while building stacks of Organic Deconstruction on your opponent. You can then follow up with your other abilities.
  • Shooting Plasma Fission diagonally and splitting at maximum range allows you to hit opponents that are out of the range of the initial missile, but is more challenging to pull off.
  • Be very careful about when to use Life Form Disintegration Ray. Many champions have abilities that can interrupt the spell.

Playing Against Sylas

  • Sylas's healthbar can be deceptive, watch out for his Kingslayer!
  • Try to fight Sylas when he isn't able to take your ultimate.

Vel'Koz Mid other Matchups

Vel'Koz
+3.3%
Ahri

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