Akali vs Zed
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
Core build
Standard
Summoner spells
Anti CC
Other options
Power Spikes
Strength by game phase
Zed's abilities
Passive, spells and ultimate
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
| Level | Q | W | E | R |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 6s | 20s | 5s | – |
| 6 | 6s | 20s | 5s | 2m |
| 9 | 6s | 19s | 5s | 2m |
| 11 | 6s | 18s | 5s | 1m50 |
| 16 | 6s | 16s | 4s | 1m40 |
| 18 | 6s | 16s | 3s | 1m40 |
Playing as Akali
Tips to maximize your impact
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Other Akali matchups
Patch 16.21.1