Matchup

Heavy AD damageSustained DPS

Build vs Zeri

Build adapted to this matchup

Starting items

Doran's Shield
Health Potion

Core build

Stridebreaker
1Bruiser
Phantom Dancer
2DPS
Spear of Shojin
3Bruiser

Standard

Berserker's Greaves
4AS
Dead Man's Plate
5vs AD

Summoner spells

41495%
465%

Anti AD

Plated Steelcaps
4vs AD
Dead Man's Plate
5vs AD

Anti Heal

Mortal Reminder
6vs Hybride

Anti AP

Mercury's Treads
4vs CC
Force of Nature
5vs AP

Anti Tank

Youmuu's Ghostblade
5vs Tank

DPS

Infinity Edge
DPS

Other options

Sterak's Gage
Survival
100.0% WR3 games
PrecisionPrecision
ConquerorConqueror
TriumphTriumph
Legend: HasteLegend: Haste
Last StandLast Stand
SorcerySorcery
Axiom ArcanistAxiom Arcanist
CelerityCelerity
Adaptive ForceAdaptive ForceHealth Scaling

Power Spikes

Strength by game phase

Early (0-15)
Mid (15-30)
Late (30+)
GarenGaren
ZeriZeri
Favorable
Favorable
Passive

Zeri's abilities

Passive, spells and ultimate

Living Battery (P)

Zeri's Attacks deal magic damage and are treated as Abilities. Moving and casting Burst Fire stores up energy in Zeri's Sparkpack. When fully charged her next Attack deals bonus damage.

Cooldowns

Cooldowns by spell rank

LevelQWER
30s12s24s
60s12s24s1m20
90s11s24s1m20
110s10s24s1m15
160s8s21s1m10
180s8s18s1m10

Playing against Zeri

How to counter and exploit weaknesses

1

Point-and-click CC is the best counter to Zeri: she's too mobile for skillshots when her R is active.

2

Her E can go through walls but has a long cooldown — punish her after the dash.

3

Zeri is weak in the early game and needs items to be effective — force fights early.

4

Her R speed disappears out of combat — disengage and re-engage when R expires.

Source: op.gg + LTL Engine · Patch 16.9.1 · May 9, 2026