Vex
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Excellent (8.5/10)
High Investment Required
Epic Relics
Rare Relics OK
Vex is a highly potent control champion who excels at dismantling enemy boards while simultaneously burning the Nexus. However, her base power at 3 stars is considered underwhelming compared to other top-tier champions. She requires significant investment—specifically her 4th Star and the 'Star of Discovery' constellation node—to transition from mediocre to a powerhouse capable of clearing the hardest content in the game. She is incredibly fun for players who enjoy spell-slinging and chain-reaction board wipes.
Draft & Discovery (Spell Slinging)
The Best-in-Slot choice for Vex once her 'Star of Discovery' constellation node is unlocked. This relic allows you to aggressively reroll shop offers to find damaging spells, which then receive massive damage buffs from her constellation.
Ensures Vex enters the board safely and essentially for free (mana-wise) on a later turn, allowing you to keep mana open for reactive spells in the early game.
Strategy
This build capitalizes on Vex's 'Star of Discovery' node, which grants +4 damage to all acquired spells. Use Loaded Dice to fish for cheap multi-target spells in shops. Big Guns ensures your starting spells hit hard enough to stabilize early, while Frozen Tomb protects your engine (Vex) once she arrives.
Gloom Scaling
Synergizes perfectly with Vex's kit by boosting the amount of Gloom applied. This scales her stats and accelerates the demise of enemy units.
Applies Gloom to all enemies on play. When combined with the Fear-Cleaving Axe, this creates a massive board-wide debuff instantly.
Allows Vex to attack safely to trigger her on-attack Gloom application without risking death against high-stat enemies in Nightmare adventures.
Strategy
Focuses on maximizing the application of Gloom to control the board. This build makes Vex a stat-stick that debuffs the entire enemy field, allowing her to attack safely and whittle down high-health targets.
Chaotic Control
Doubles all spells once you reach 6 mana. This creates exponential Gloom application and damage output, usually ending the game shortly after activation.
Provides consistency by shuffling copies of Vex (and her champion spell, which is a decent cantrip) into the deck. Helps prevent running out of steam.- Provides immediate board impact upon playing Vex, helping to stabilize before Chemtech Duplicator comes online.
Strategy
A slower, more control-oriented build that aims to survive the early game and then dominate with doubled spells. It is particularly effective against high-health targets where single casts aren't enough.
Other Relic Options
A strong defensive option for Nightmare adventures where enemy removal is abundant. It forces the AI to waste resources or protects Vex from instant obliteration.
A solid option for spell-heavy builds, providing mana recovery and damage upon playing Vex.
Can replace Utmost Despair for immediate Nexus damage and Gloom triggers on summon, though it is generally less consistent for board control.
A standard Rare alternative to Big Guns for increasing spell damage.
Avoid 'The Beast Within' as Vex relies on spells, not unit combat. 'Wicked Harvest' is also a trap because its damage logic does not synergize well with Gloom application rules. 'Dreadway Chase Gun' is ineffective because Vex's powers convert the damage into Gloom, negating the relic's damage scaling.
Constellation
Vex is heavily reliant on her constellation upgrades. At 3 stars, she is widely considered underwhelming or 'meh'. Her power spike comes from specific nodes rather than just the star level itself. The 'Star of Discovery' node (which grants +4 damage to found spells) is arguably the most critical upgrade in her entire tree, even more so than her 4th Star power for some strategies.
Looming Darkness
Round Start: If you have the attack token, Boost all enemies.
Psychological Warfare
+1 Starting Mana. Your spells and Skills damage enemies in the form of Gloom.
Looming Darkness II
Round Start: Boost all enemies.
Explosive Finale
When an enemy dies outside of combat, deal 4 Damage to the enemy Nexus.Review
Essential. This power deals 4 damage to the enemy Nexus whenever an enemy dies outside of combat. It provides Vex with a reliable win condition (burn damage) that allows her to focus entirely on board control without needing to attack the Nexus directly.
Manaflow
Game Start: Get a mana gem.Review
Solid utility. Manaflow is always good for tempo, allowing Vex to stabilize a turn earlier. However, many players skip this to rush for the 6th Star if resources are limited.
Everything is Misery
When an enemy dies outside of combat, grant other enemies Gloom.Review
Game-changing. When an enemy dies outside of combat, Gloom is applied to all other enemies. This creates a 'domino effect' or 'fireworks' chain reaction where killing one small unit can wipe the entire enemy board. It turns Vex into a premier board-clear champion.
Gameplay Tips
Gloom Mechanics
Gloom is not classified as 'damage'. This means it bypasses keywords like Tough, Barrier, and Regeneration. It also does not trigger 'on damage taken' effects (like Scargrounds), making Vex an exceptional counter to Freljord nodes. Conversely, it does not trigger 'on damage dealt' synergies (like Swain support).
Drafting Spells Over Units
Once you have the 'Star of Discovery' constellation node, your primary goal in any adventure is to visit shops and draft damage spells. These spells receive a massive damage buff, often becoming 1-mana nukes. You should actively cut units from your deck at healers to ensure you draw your overpowered spells.
The 'Do Nothing' Strategy
Vex excels at winning without ever attacking. With her 4th Star power, simply killing enemy units with spells deals damage to the Nexus. Against enemies with stuns or high-stat blockers (like Yasuo or Malphite adventures), you can win by purely controlling the board and letting the burn damage finish the game.
Targeting Limitations
Be wary of adventure mutators that grant enemies 'Cannot be targeted by spells'. This hard-counters Vex's primary game plan. In these specific scenarios, you must rely on non-targeting AoE spells (like 'Withering Wail') or relic effects to impact the board.