Darius vs Zac
Favorable matchup
Build vs Zac
Build adapted to this matchup
Recommended items for Darius: Youmuu's Ghostblade, Dead Man's Plate, Death's Dance, Mercury's Treads, Sterak's Gage, Stridebreaker, Force of Nature, Executioner's Calling.
Starting items
Core build
Standard
Summoner spells
Other options
Power Spikes
Strength by game phase
Zac's abilities
Passive, spells and ultimate
Each time Zac hits an enemy with an ability, he sheds a chunk of himself that can be reabsorbed to restore Health. Upon taking fatal damage, Zac splits into 4 bloblets that attempt to recombine. If any bloblets remain, he will revive with an amount of Health depending on the Health of the surviving bloblets. Each bloblet has a percentage of Zac's maximum Health, Armor and Magic Resistance. This ability has a 5 minute cooldown.
Cooldowns
Cooldowns by spell rank
| Level | Q | W | E | R |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 14s | 5s | 21s | – |
| 6 | 11s | 5s | 21s | 2m |
| 9 | 8s | 5s | 21s | 2m |
| 11 | 8s | 5s | 21s | 1m45 |
| 16 | 8s | 5s | 15s | 1m30 |
| 18 | 8s | 5s | 9s | 1m30 |
Playing as Darius
Tips to maximize your impact
- Hit with the edge of your axe
Aim the outer edge of Decimate (Q): only the blade heals you and applies Hemorrhage (passive). The handle, in the center, deals less damage.
- All-in at five stacks
Go all-in when your target has five Hemorrhage (passive) stacks: you gain a massive AD bonus, and Noxian Guillotine (R) hits harder with each stack.
- Save Apprehend for runners
Save Apprehend (E) to pull back an enemy who retreats, not to start a trade: it's your only pull, on a 26 to 16 second cooldown.
- Execute to recast your R
Cast Noxian Guillotine (R) on the lowest-health target: its true damage ignores armor, and if it kills, you can recast it right away.
Playing against Zac
How to counter and exploit weaknesses
- Step on his Goo
Walk over the chunks of Goo he sheds: you destroy them, and Cell Division (passive) can't heal him with them anymore.
- Spread out after his Stretching Strikes
If Stretching Strikes (Q) grabs you, spread out from your allies and minions: his next auto on one of them flings you into each other.
- Interrupt his Slingshot
If you have a stun, a silence, a root or a knock-up, use it while he charges Elastic Slingshot (E): his charge is interrupted before the jump.
- Kill all his bloblets
When he dies, kill his bloblets: Cell Division (passive) splits him into 4, and if any remain, he comes back to life. This passive has a 5-minute cooldown.
Other Darius matchups
Patch 16.21.1