Vel'Koz vs Zilean

Vel'Koz
vs
Not enough games
Zilean
Heavy AP damageHeavy CCHeavy pokeCountered by spell shield

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

Doran's Ring
Health Potion
x2

Core build

Luden's Echo
1
Shadowflame
2
Zhonya's Hourglass
3

Standard

Sorcerer's Shoes
4Magic pen
Rabadon's Deathcap
5

Summoner spells

FlashTeleport50%
FlashBarrier50%

Anti CC

Mercury's Treads
4vs CC

Other options

Rabadon's Deathcap
Horizon Focus
Banshee's Veil
Stormsurge
Void Staff
SorcerySorcery
Arcane CometArcane Comet
Manaflow BandManaflow Band
TranscendenceTranscendence
ScorchScorch
DominationDomination
Ultimate HunterUltimate Hunter
Cheap ShotCheap Shot
Adaptive ForceAdaptive ForceHealth Scaling

Power Spikes

Strength by game phase

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 as Vel'Koz

Tips to maximize your impact

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

Patch 16.21.1