Cho'Gath vs Zed

Cho'Gath
vs
Not enough games
Zed
High burstCountered by stasisHeavy AD damageDive threat

You are stronger late game. Farm safe and avoid early trades.

Build vs Zed

Build adapted to this matchup

Recommended items for Cho'Gath: Hextech Rocketbelt, Riftmaker, Dead Man's Plate, Plated Steelcaps, Heartsteel, Thornmail, Unending Despair, Jak'Sho, The Protean.

Starting items

Doran's Ring
Health Potion
x2

Core build

Hextech Rocketbelt
1
Riftmaker
2
Dead Man's Plate
3

Standard

Boots of Swiftness
4vs Slow
Heartsteel
5

Summoner spells

FlashTeleport73%
FlashDot23%

Anti CC

Mercury's Treads
4vs CC

Other options

Heartsteel
Thornmail
Unending Despair
Jak'Sho, The Protean
Hollow Radiance
Sunfire Aegis
Kaenic Rookern
Randuin's Omen
Bramble Vest
Force of Nature
Warmog's Armor
Frozen Heart
62.5% WR8 games
DominationDomination
Hail of BladesHail of Blades
Cheap ShotCheap Shot
Grisly MementosGrisly Mementos
Ultimate HunterUltimate Hunter
SorcerySorcery
Axiom ArcanistAxiom Arcanist
CelerityCelerity
Adaptive ForceMove SpeedHealth 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 Cho'Gath

Tips to maximize your impact

  1. Aim Rupture where they're going

    Aim Rupture (Q) where your opponent is going, not where they are: the area knocks them into the air and slows them.

  2. Silence after the knock-up

    Follow a successful Rupture (Q) with Feral Scream (W): the silence stops them from casting spells, dashes included.

  3. Charge your spikes before a trade

    Cast Vorpal Spikes (E) before a trade: your next 3 autos launch spikes that slow enemies in front of you and deal damage based on their max health.

  4. Eat as soon as Feast is up

    Finish with Feast (R) as soon as it's up: each kill gives you permanent max health, but minions and non-epic monsters only give a limited amount.

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