Akali vs Zed

Akali
vs
Not enough games
Zed
High burstCountered by stasisHeavy AD damageDive threat

You are stronger early. Look to snowball before your opponent scales.

Build vs Zed

Build adapted to this matchup

Recommended items for Akali: Hextech Gunblade, Shadowflame, Zhonya's Hourglass, Sorcerer's Shoes, Stormsurge, Dark Seal, Rabadon's Deathcap, Seeker's Armguard.

Starting items

Doran's Ring
Health Potion
x2

Core build

Hextech Gunblade
1
Shadowflame
2
Zhonya's Hourglass
3

Standard

Sorcerer's Shoes
4Magic pen
Stormsurge
5

Summoner spells

FlashDot86%
FlashTeleport9%

Anti CC

Mercury's Treads
4vs CC

Other options

Stormsurge
Dark Seal
Rabadon's Deathcap
Seeker's Armguard
Void Staff
Hextech Rocketbelt
Mejai's Soulstealer
Lich Bane
Banshee's Veil
33.3% WR12 games
DominationDomination
ElectrocuteElectrocute
Sudden ImpactSudden Impact
Grisly MementosGrisly Mementos
Ultimate HunterUltimate Hunter
ResolveResolve
Second WindSecond Wind
OvergrowthOvergrowth
Adaptive ForceAdaptive ForceHealth Scaling

Power Spikes

Strength by game phase

Zed's abilities

Passive, spells and ultimate

Contempt for the Weak (P)

Zed's basic attacks against low health targets deals bonus Magic Damage. This effect can only occur once every few seconds against the same enemy champion.

Cooldowns

Cooldowns by spell rank

LevelQWER
36s20s5s–
66s20s5s2m
96s19s5s2m
116s18s5s1m50
166s16s4s1m40
186s16s3s1m40

Playing as Akali

Tips to maximize your impact

  1. Leave the ring for your auto

    After each spell that hits, step out of the Assassin's Mark (passive) ring: your next auto gains range and damage.

  2. Mark before you leap

    Mark your target with Shuriken Flip (E) before leaping with Perfect Execution (R): recasting Shuriken Flip takes you back to them, even after your leap.

  3. Dive inside your smoke

    Cast Twilight Shroud (W) to dive under the enemy tower: inside the smoke you are invisible and untargetable, but an auto or a spell reveals you briefly.

  4. Save your second dash to finish

    Save the second dash of Perfect Execution (R) to finish: its damage grows with the target's missing health.

Playing against Zed

How to counter and exploit weaknesses

  1. Trade when his shadow is down

    Take a trade when he has used Living Shadow (W): while it's on cooldown, he has no double shuriken and no way out.

  2. Don't stay in lane at low health

    Back rather than staying in lane at low health against him: Contempt for the Weak (passive) adds magic damage to his autos against low-health targets.

  3. Get ready for his mark to pop

    If you have invulnerability or a shield, use it right before Death Mark (R) pops, 3 seconds after his dash: it repeats part of the damage he dealt you.

  4. Watch the shadow from his mark

    After his dash onto you, spot the shadow left at his starting point: if he recasts Death Mark (R), that's where he reappears.

Patch 16.21.1