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ARAM · Howling AbyssMatchup guidePatch 16.20.1

Akshan vs Vex

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

AkshanVSVex

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 spellsAkshanHowling Abyss

Dark Harvest supports repeated low-health finish windows in ARAM. Mark supplies optional access without replacing the player's normal movement decisions.

ARAM
Primary tree

Domination

Dark HarvestSudden ImpactGrisly MementosUltimate Hunter
Secondary tree

Precision

Presence of MindCoup de Grace
Summoner spells
FlashMark
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 Vex 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

Akshan reminders

  • Raising an eyebrow in the face of danger, Akshan fights evil with dashing charisma, righteous vengeance, and a conspicuous lack of shirts. He is highly skilled in the art of stealth combat, able to evade the eyes of his enemies and reappear when they least expect him. With a keen sense of justice and a legendary death-reversing weapon, he rights the wrongs of Runeterra's many scoundrels while living by his own moral code: “Don't be an ass.”

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

Akshan

  1. P
    Dirty Fighting

    Every three hits from Akshan's Attacks and Abilities deals bonus damage and grants him a Shield if the target was a champion. When Akshan Attacks, he fires an additional Attack for reduced damage. If he cancels the additional Attack, he instead gains Move Speed.

  2. Q
    Avengerang

    Akshan throws a boomerang that deals damage going out and coming back, extending its range each time it hits an enemy.

    Cooldown (s) 9/8/7/6/5 · Cost 60/65/70/75/80 · Listed range (units) 850
  3. W
    Going Rogue

    Akshan passively marks enemy champions as Scoundrels when they kill his ally champions. If Akshan kills a Scoundrel, he resurrects the allies they killed, gains bonus gold, and clears all marks. When activated, Akshan enters camouflage and gains Move Speed and Mana Regen while moving towards Scoundrels. Akshan loses the camouflage quickly while he is not in brush or near terrain.

    Cooldown (s) 18/14/10/6/2 · Cost 40/30/20/10/0 · Listed range (units) 5500
  4. E
    Heroic Swing

    Akshan fires a grappling hook into terrain then swings around it, repeatedly firing at the nearest enemy while swinging. He can jump off early or gets knocked off when colliding with champions or terrain.

    Cooldown (s) 18/16.5/15/13.5/12 · Cost 70 · Listed range (units) 800
  5. R
    Comeuppance

    Akshan locks onto an enemy champion and starts storing bullets. When released, he fires all stored bullets, dealing damage based on missing health to the first champion, minion, or structure hit.

    Cooldown (s) 100/85/70 · Cost 100 · Listed range (units) 2500

Vex

  1. P
    Doom 'n Gloom

    Vex periodically becomes empowered, causing her next basic Ability to fear enemies and interrupt dashes. Whenever a nearby enemy dashes, Vex applies a mark that can be consumed for bonus damage that also reduces the cooldown of her empowered state.

  2. Q
    Mistral Bolt

    Launch a damaging missile that accelerates mid-flight.

    Cooldown (s) 8/7/6/5/4 · Cost 45/50/55/60/65 · Listed range (units) 1200
  3. W
    Personal Space

    Gain a shield and damage nearby enemies.

    Cooldown (s) 16/15/14/13/12 · Cost 75 · Listed range (units) 475
  4. E
    Looming Darkness

    Summon a damaging and slowing zone that applies Gloom to enemies.

    Cooldown (s) 12 · Cost 70/80/90/100/110 · Listed range (units) 800
  5. R
    Shadow Surge

    Fire a missile that marks an enemy champion. Recast to dash to them and deal damage.

    Cooldown (s) 140/120/100 · Cost 100 · Listed range (units) 2000/2500/3000

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

Akshan 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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