Matchup

Heavy CCCountered by spell shieldHeavy AP damage

You are stronger late game — farm safe and avoid early trades.

Build vs Zilean

Build adapted to this matchup

Starting items

Doran's Shield
Health Potion

Core build

Nashor's Tooth
1DPS
Rabadon's Deathcap
2Mage
Rylai's Crystal Scepter
3Mage tank

Standard

Boots of Swiftness
4vs Slow
Dusk and Dawn
5Mage tank

Summoner spells

41264%
4623%

Anti AD

Plated Steelcaps
4vs AD
Zhonya's Hourglass
5vs AD

Anti CC

Mercury's Treads
4vs CC

Anti Tank

Shadowflame
5vs Tank
Void Staff
vs Tank

DPS

Dusk and Dawn
Mage tank
Statikk Shiv
DPS
Phantom Dancer
DPS
100.0% WR2 games
PrecisionPrecision
Press the AttackPress the Attack
Absorb LifeAbsorb Life
Legend: AlacrityLegend: Alacrity
Last StandLast Stand
SorcerySorcery
CelerityCelerity
Gathering StormGathering Storm
Attack SpeedAdaptive ForceHealth Scaling

Power Spikes

Strength by game phase

Early (0-15)
Mid (15-30)
Late (30+)
KayleKayle
ZileanZilean
Careful
Careful
Aggressive

Zilean's abilities

Passive, spells and ultimate

Time In A Bottle (P)

Zilean stores time as Experience and can grant it to his allies. When he has enough Experience to finish an ally's level up, he can right-click them to impart it. Zilean receives as much Experience as he gives.

Cooldowns

Cooldowns by spell rank

LevelQWER
310s14s15s
69s14s15s2m
98s12s15s2m
118s10s15s1m30
168s6s15s1m
188s6s15s1m

Playing against Zilean

How to counter and exploit weaknesses

1

Track his R (revive): it has a long cooldown (120-60s). Engage when it's on CD.

2

If an enemy has Zilean's R (golden aura), don't burst that target — focus someone else and come back after.

3

Double bombs are his only CC: if he misses, he has nothing impactful left.

4

Focus Zilean first in fights to prevent him from R'ing his carry.

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