Darius vs Zyra

Darius
vs
Not enough games
Zyra
Heavy AP damageHeavy pokeHeavy CCHigh burst

Build vs Zyra

The champion's reference build, for lack of enough games in this matchup

Recommended items for Darius: Youmuu's Ghostblade, Dead Man's Plate, Death's Dance, Boots of Swiftness, Force of Nature, Stridebreaker, Sterak's Gage, Randuin's Omen.

Starting items

Doran's Blade
Health Potion

Core build

Youmuu's Ghostblade
1
Dead Man's Plate
2
Death's Dance
3

Standard

Boots of Swiftness
4vs Slow
Force of Nature
5

Summoner spells

FlashHaste83%
FlashDot17%

Anti CC

Mercury's Treads
4vs CC

Other options

Force of Nature
Stridebreaker
Sterak's Gage
Randuin's Omen
Guardian Angel
SorcerySorcery
Stormraider's SurgeStormraider's Surge
Nimbus CloakNimbus Cloak
CelerityCelerity
Gathering StormGathering Storm
PrecisionPrecision
Legend: AlacrityLegend: Alacrity
TriumphTriumph
Attack SpeedAdaptive ForceHealth Scaling

Power Spikes

Strength by game phase

Zyra's abilities

Passive, spells and ultimate

Garden of Thorns (P)

Seeds spawn around Zyra periodically, becoming faster with level. Zyra can cast Deadly Spines or Grasping Roots near seeds to grow plants, who fight for Zyra.

Cooldowns

Cooldowns by spell rank

LevelQWER
37s0s11s–
66s0s11s1m50
95s0s11s1m50
115s0s11s1m40
165s0s11s1m30
185s0s11s1m30

Playing as Darius

Tips to maximize your impact

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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 Zyra

How to counter and exploit weaknesses

  1. Dodge her roots

    Get out of the line of Grasping Roots (E): the roots pass through minions and root every enemy hit, then her plants hit the trapped target.

  2. Step on her seeds

    Step on her seeds to destroy them before she grows them: Rampant Growth (W) seeds reveal you for a moment, but leave her no plant.

  3. Kill her plants

    Take down the plants born from Garden of Thorns (passive), or back off until they die: they take fixed damage, like a ward, and don't live long.

  4. Get out of her thorns

    Get out of the Stranglethorns (R) zone as soon as it appears: the vines knock you into the air 2 seconds later, and her plants are empowered inside.

  5. Engage when her plants are far

    If you can engage, go for Zyra when her plants are far from her: the Thorn Spitter from Deadly Spines (Q) only fires at 575 range.

Patch 16.21.1