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Smolder vs Zed

Smolder
vs
42.7%

over 281 games

Zed
Analyze a draft with Smolder

Hard matchup

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 Smolder: Essence Reaver, Black Cleaver, Spear of Shojin, Plated Steelcaps, Rapid Firecannon, Infinity Edge, B. F. Sword, Hubris.

Starting items

Doran's Blade
Health Potion

Core build

Essence Reaver
1
Black Cleaver
2
Spear of Shojin
3

Standard

Boots of Swiftness
4vs Slow
Rapid Firecannon
5

Summoner spells

FlashTeleport42%
FlashBarrier34%

Anti CC

Mercury's Treads
4vs CC

Other options

Rapid Firecannon
Infinity Edge
B. F. Sword
Hubris
Lord Dominik's Regards
Guardian Angel
Endless Hunger
Mortal Reminder
Immortal Shieldbow
Death's Dance
Zhonya's Hourglass
Trinity Force
Muramana
Hexoptics C44
Frozen Heart
Randuin's Omen
Tear of the Goddess
Mercurial Scimitar
58.1% WR31 games
SorcerySorcery
Deathfire TouchDeathfire Touch
Nimbus CloakNimbus Cloak
CelerityCelerity
Gathering StormGathering Storm
InspirationInspiration
Magical FootwearMagical Footwear
Jack Of All TradesJack Of All Trades
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 Smolder

Tips to maximize your impact

  1. Last-hit minions with your fireball

    Last-hit minions with Super Scorcher Breath (Q): each kill with the spell gives you a Dragon Practice (passive) stack, which empowers your basic spells.

  2. Poke with your sneeze

    Poke with Achooo! (W): the sneeze slows, explodes on champions hit, and each champion hit gives you a Dragon Practice stack.

  3. Aim for the final tier

    Build enough stacks for the final tier of Super Scorcher Breath (Q): it burns its target, and kills a champion who drops below a health threshold.

  4. Take flight to escape

    Escape or reposition with Flap, Flap, Flap (E): you fly over obstacles, bombarding the enemy with the lowest health.

  5. Call your mom from far away

    Cast MMOOOMMMM! (R) to finish or slow from far away: the center of the breath hits harder and slows, and if it hits you, your mom heals you.

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.

Other Smolder matchups

Patch 16.21.1