Vel'Koz vs Zilean
Build vs Zilean
The champion's reference build, for lack of enough games in this matchup
Recommended items for Vel'Koz: Luden's Echo, Shadowflame, Zhonya's Hourglass, Sorcerer's Shoes, Rabadon's Deathcap, Horizon Focus, Banshee's Veil, Stormsurge.
Starting items
Core build
Standard
Summoner spells
Anti CC
Other options
Power Spikes
Strength by game phase
Zilean's abilities
Passive, spells and ultimate
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
| Level | Q | W | E | R |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 10s | 14s | 15s | – |
| 6 | 9s | 14s | 15s | 2m |
| 9 | 8s | 12s | 15s | 2m |
| 11 | 8s | 10s | 15s | 1m30 |
| 16 | 8s | 6s | 15s | 1m |
| 18 | 8s | 6s | 15s | 1m |
Playing as Vel'Koz
Tips to maximize your impact
- Three spells for the burst
Hit the same target with three spells: at three stacks, Organic Deconstruction (passive) bursts and deals true damage to them.
- Poke and farm with your rift
Stay back and poke with Void Rift (W): its two charges let you kill minions while stacking your passive on your opponent.
- Split your plasma to hit at an angle
Recast Plasma Fission (Q) to split it: the two bolts fly off at 90 degrees, which lets you hit a target hiding behind their minions.
- Start your ray after a knock-up
Cast Life Form Disintegration Ray (R) after the Tectonic Disruption (E) knock-up: your target can't escape, and the ray deals true damage to targets of Organic Deconstruction (passive).
Playing against Zilean
How to counter and exploit weaknesses
- Move away from the bomb
Spread out from your allies when Time Bomb (Q) is stuck on you or one of them: a second bomb makes it explode instantly and stuns every enemy around.
- Focus Zilean as a team
In teamfights, focus Zilean with your team: he's fragile under pressure, and without him, there's no Chronoshift (R) to save his carry.
- Switch targets under his rune
If an enemy has the Chronoshift (R) rune, hit someone else or wait for the effect to end: if they die with the rune, they come back to life.
- Force fights without his ult
Force an objective or a fight when Chronoshift (R) is on cooldown: without it, he revives no one, and it takes 120 to 60 seconds to come back.
Other Vel'Koz matchups
Patch 16.21.1