Mordekaiser is a S tier Top Lane champion in League of Legends Patch 16.5 with a 50.5% win rate in Emerald+ ranked games, according to OP.GG data. The optimal Mordekaiser build starts with Doran's Shield and Health Potion, with core items being Riftmaker, Rylai's Crystal Scepter, Zhonya's Hourglass and Plated Steelcaps. For runes, run Conqueror from Precision with Resolve as the secondary tree. Skill priority is Q > E > W. Mordekaiser is best played with Flash and Teleport as summoner spells. The most challenging matchup in Top Lane is Anivia (S+ tier, 55.3% win rate).
Source: OP.GG Emerald+ ranked data, Patch 16.5 · Last updated: March 2026 · Meridian Zero Analytics
Best Build — Patch 16.5
Start
Doran's ShieldHealth Potion
Core
RiftmakerRylai's Crystal ScepterZhonya's Hourglass
Boots
Plated Steelcaps
Spells
FlashTeleport
Priority
Q > E > W
Expert Tips
- Passive (Darkness Rise) DPS starts at 3 ability hits. Prioritize landing 3 fast spells to activate it quickly.
- Death Realm (R) removes all external buffs and summons. Never use R on a Zilean target or if the enemy has barrier.
- Indestructible (W) stores damage taken and dealt. Never waste this passive shield — activate it for every trade.
Top Lane Matchups — Difficulty by Opponent
| Opponent | Tier | Difficulty | |
|---|---|---|---|
Anivia
|
S+ | Hard | Analyze → |
Shen
|
S+ | Hard | Analyze → |
Kayle
|
S+ | Hard | Analyze → |
Garen
|
S+ | Hard | Analyze → |
Ornn
|
S+ | Hard | Analyze → |
Malphite
|
S+ | Hard | Analyze → |
Irelia
|
S+ | Hard | Analyze → |
Renekton
|
S+ | Hard | Analyze → |
Aatrox
|
S+ | Hard | Analyze → |
Vayne
|
S | Medium | Analyze → |
Fiora
|
S | Medium | Analyze → |
Camille
|
S | Medium | Analyze → |
Runes — Patch 16.5
KeystoneConqueror
Primary TreePrecision
Slot 1Triumph
Slot 2Legend: Haste
Slot 3Last Stand
Secondary TreeResolve
Secondary 1Second Wind
Secondary 2Overgrowth