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ARAM · Howling AbyssMatchup guidePatch 16.20.1

Draven vs Mel

Build, runes, abilities and practical pre-game checks in one queue-aware reference.

DravenVSMel

Matchup guide

Choose the matchup

Search any two champions. ARAM uses one shared lane, so no Rift role selection is required.

VS
FormatOne shared lane

Choose two champions from the list.

ARAM context

One shared lane, one champion-specific plan

The page uses ARAM starting, shopping and teamfight rules. Its internal build source is not shown as a Rift assignment.

Howling Abyss
Review patch unknownRecommendation review pending

These patches track recommendation review, build validation and item lookup separately. Updating item data does not complete a build review.

Recommendation patch
— Data Dragon
Build validation patch
16.19.1 Data Dragon
Item lookup patch
16.20.1 Data Dragon

Howling Abyss rules

Prepare for one shared lane

ARAM removes the normal Rift role map. Build around the champion, the five-player team and the next fight instead.

01
Start together

Review rerolls and the shared bench, then leave with an opening that fits this champion and the team around it.

02
Shop while dead

You cannot Recall to buy. Plan components before leaving the shop and use each death timer deliberately.

03
Share health relics

A relic heals nearby allies after a short delay. Signal it and avoid taking the trigger when a lower-health teammate needs the area.

04
Fight with the wave

Minions create structure pressure and safer space. Clearing first can be more useful than forcing another low-health engage.

ARAM · Howling Abyss

ARAM marksman reference

Compare the opening with Riot's ARAM Recommended shop before leaving base. After that, purchases happen only while dead; the six usable inventory slots do not increase.

Death-only shopping
S
ARAM opening · separate from item 1

Guardian's Hammer

950 gold

An ARAM attack-damage and sustain starter to compare with the current Recommended shop.

1
Attack-speed Boots

Berserker's Greaves

1,100 gold

Adds attack speed and movement for repeated attacks.

2
Repeated-attack core

Kraken Slayer

3,000 gold

Builds a reliable repeated-attack damage core.

3
Critical damage

Infinity Edge

3,500 gold

Increases critical-strike damage after critical chance is established.

4
Against armour

Lord Dominik's Regards

3,300 gold

Adds percentage armour penetration against meaningful armour.

5
Late sustain

Bloodthirster

3,400 gold

Adds high attack damage and sustain for extended late fights.

6
Final option

Immortal Shieldbow

3,000 gold

Completes the permanent inventory with critical strike and a low-health shield after the damage core is established.

Buy this only after selling the Guardian starter when all six permanent slots are needed.

Complete build choices

Choose the route before play

Recommendation review pending

AlternativeToo much healingMortal Reminder combines armour penetration with anti-heal.View full route

Best when: Mortal Reminder combines armour penetration with anti-heal.

  1. Attack-speed BootsBerserker's Greaves
  2. Repeated-attack coreKraken Slayer
  3. Critical damageInfinity Edge
  4. Mortal Reminder
  5. Late sustainBloodthirster
  6. Final optionImmortal Shieldbow

Buy this only after selling the Guardian starter when all six permanent slots are needed.

AlternativeMagic damage reaches meWit's End adds magic resistance without giving up attack speed.View full route

Best when: Wit's End adds magic resistance without giving up attack speed.

  1. Attack-speed BootsBerserker's Greaves
  2. Repeated-attack coreKraken Slayer
  3. Critical damageInfinity Edge
  4. Wit's End
  5. Late sustainBloodthirster
  6. Final optionImmortal Shieldbow

Buy this only after selling the Guardian starter when all six permanent slots are needed.

Complete build comparison

Complete build comparison

Recommendation review pending

Build review neededARAM marksman referenceRecommendation review pendingView full route

Recommendation review pending

  1. Attack-speed BootsBerserker's Greaves
  2. Repeated-attack coreKraken Slayer
  3. Critical damageInfinity Edge
  4. Against armourLord Dominik's Regards
  5. Late sustainBloodthirster
  6. Final optionImmortal Shieldbow

Buy this only after selling the Guardian starter when all six permanent slots are needed.

AlternativeToo much healingMortal Reminder combines armour penetration with anti-heal.View full route

Best when: Mortal Reminder combines armour penetration with anti-heal.

  1. Attack-speed BootsBerserker's Greaves
  2. Repeated-attack coreKraken Slayer
  3. Critical damageInfinity Edge
  4. Mortal Reminder
  5. Late sustainBloodthirster
  6. Final optionImmortal Shieldbow

Buy this only after selling the Guardian starter when all six permanent slots are needed.

AlternativeMagic damage reaches meWit's End adds magic resistance without giving up attack speed.View full route

Best when: Wit's End adds magic resistance without giving up attack speed.

  1. Attack-speed BootsBerserker's Greaves
  2. Repeated-attack coreKraken Slayer
  3. Critical damageInfinity Edge
  4. Wit's End
  5. Late sustainBloodthirster
  6. Final optionImmortal Shieldbow

Buy this only after selling the Guardian starter when all six permanent slots are needed.

Runes and summoner spells

Runes and summoner spellsDravenHowling Abyss

The marksman page preserves sustained damage and spacing. Flash and Ghost provide two player-controlled movement tools on the narrow Howling Abyss.

ARAM
Primary tree

Precision

Lethal TempoPresence of MindLegend: AlacrityCut Down
Secondary tree

Sorcery

CelerityGathering Storm
Summoner spells
FlashGhost
Howling Abyss only

Mark and Clarity are mode-specific choices. Do not copy this pair onto a Summoner's Rift page.

Protect the next fight

Choose the second spell around access, survival and team resources rather than treating every ARAM champion as a diver.

Matchup notes

What changes when Mel is opposite you?

Pre-game kit comparison
Shared-lane interaction

Compare reliable reach and repeatable value

Track which champion can apply damage, control or protection without crossing the enemy team's safe space. ARAM does not turn this kit comparison into a lane-counter claim.

Team context first

Rerolls, allied range, engage and protection can matter more than either champion in isolation.

Your plan

Use the route you prepared

Use the champion-specific ARAM build as a starting reference, then check the current Recommended shop, your five-player composition and the next available death shop.

Ability reminders

Draven reminders

  • If Draven doesn't move, Spinning Axe will fall near his present location. It will fall directly on him, or just to the right or left.
  • If Draven does move after attacking, Spinning Axe will lead him in the direction of his movement. Use this to control where the Spinning Axe will go.
Ability reminders

Against Mel

  • Mel can reflect enemy projectiles, including powerful spells. Wait until she casts Rebuttal before throwing powerful projectiles her way.
  • The more Mel hits you, the more Overwhelm stacks she applies. If your health drops too low her next hit will kill you, so back off for a couple seconds to let the Overwhelm stacks fall off.

Static alternatives

Compare the problem before changing the plan

These choices are not selected from live scores. Use one only after you identify the stated match problem yourself.

Too much healing

Mortal Reminder

Mortal Reminder combines armour penetration with anti-heal.

Magic damage reaches me

Wit's End

Wit's End adds magic resistance without giving up attack speed.

Ability reference

Compare both kits

Ability reference Data Dragon 16.20.1

Cooldown (s) / Cost / Listed range (units) Data Dragon 16.20.1

Draven

  1. P
    League of Draven

    Draven gains his fans' Adoration when he catches a Spinning Axe or kills a minion, monster, or tower. Killing enemy champions grants Draven bonus gold based on how much Adoration he has.

  2. Q
    Spinning Axe

    Draven's next attack will deal bonus physical damage. This axe will ricochet off the target high up into the air. If Draven catches it, he automatically readies another Spinning Axe. Draven can have two Spinning Axes at once.

    Cooldown (s) 12/11/10/9/8 · Cost 45 · Listed range (units) 300
  3. W
    Blood Rush

    Draven gains increased Move Speed and Attack Speed. The Move Speed bonus decreases rapidly over its duration. Catching a Spinning Axe will refresh the cooldown of Blood Rush.

    Cooldown (s) 12 · Cost 40/35/30/25/20 · Listed range (units) 1000
  4. E
    Stand Aside

    Draven throws his axes, dealing physical damage to targets hit and knocking them aside. Targets hit are slowed.

    Cooldown (s) 16/15/14/13/12 · Cost 70 · Listed range (units) 1050
  5. R
    Whirling Death

    Draven hurls two massive axes to deal physical damage to each unit struck. Whirling Death slowly reverses direction and returns to Draven after striking an enemy champion. Draven may also activate this ability while the axes are in flight to cause it to return early. Deals less damage for each unit hit and resets when the axes reverse direction. Executes enemies who have less health than Draven's number of Adoration stacks.

    The exported range is not a verified gameplay distance. Check the current ability tooltip.

    Cooldown (s) 100/90/80 · Cost 100

Mel

  1. P
    Searing Brilliance

    Whenever Mel uses an ability, she gains three bonus projectiles (up to nine maximum) on her next attack. When Mel deals damage through an ability or attack, she applies Overwhelm, which can stack infinitely. If the enemy is hit by Mel with enough Overwhelm damage, the stacks are consumed to execute the target.

  2. Q
    Radiant Volley

    Mel fires a barrage of projectiles that explode around a target location, dealing damage repeatedly to enemies within the area.

    Cooldown (s) 10/9/8/7/6 · Cost 70/75/80/85/90 · Listed range (units) 950
  3. W
    Rebuttal

    Mel forms a barrier around herself that reflects enemy projectiles back at the attacker, prevents her from taking damage, and grants her movement speed.

    Cooldown (s) 38/35/33/29/26 · Cost 80/60/40/20/0 · Listed range (units) 250
  4. E
    Solar Snare

    Mel fires a radiant orb forward, rooting those at its center while the area around it slows enemies and deals damage over time.

    Cooldown (s) 11/10.5/10/9.5/9 · Cost 50/60/70/80/90 · Listed range (units) 1000
  5. R
    Golden Eclipse

    Mel strikes all enemies marked with Overwhelm regardless of their distance from her, dealing additional damage for each stack of Overwhelm. Ranks of Golden Eclipse increase Overwhelm's damage.

    The exported range is not a verified gameplay distance. Check the current ability tooltip.

    Cooldown (s) 120/100/80 · Cost 100

Adapt the plan

What to do when the game changes

Judge the whole lane or map state, not only personal kills. Choose the situation closest to the current game.

Even plan

Trade around health, range and the next wave

1
Wave

Let the team clear without spending every important cooldown at once.

2
Map play

Track the shared lane, brush control and available relics rather than looking for a Rift rotation.

3
Fights

Use the champion's reliable range, protection or control before forcing a low-percentage engage.

Shared-lane plan

Draven on Howling Abyss

Read health, range, wave position and respawn timing together. ARAM has no side-lane rotation, neutral-objective setup or normal ward-control loop.

ARAM only
1
Before the fight

Clear or escort the wave, check which allies are alive and preserve enough health to use the champion's reliable range, protection or engage.

2
During the fight

Use the nearest safe target and the team's reachable follow-up. Do not cross the whole enemy formation for a single low-health champion.

3
After the fight

Push with surviving minions, take the safe structure damage available and reset only through a real death rather than donating one alone.

Keep preparing

Stay with Howling Abyss information

Open the complete ARAM build or compare another champion. Rift role counters are intentionally kept out of this page.

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