Xin Zhao vs Kha'Zix
Skill matchup
You are stronger early. Look to snowball before your opponent scales.
Build vs Kha'Zix
Build adapted to this matchup
Recommended items for Xin Zhao: Titanic Hydra, Black Cleaver, Death's Dance, Plated Steelcaps, Sundered Sky, Guardian Angel, Sterak's Gage, Dusk and Dawn.
Starting items
Core build
Standard
Summoner spells
Anti CC
Other options
Power Spikes
Strength by game phase
Kha'Zix's abilities
Passive, spells and ultimate
Nearby enemies that are Isolated from their allies are marked. Kha'Zix's abilities have interactions with Isolated targets.When Kha'Zix is not visible to the enemy team, he gains Unseen Threat, causing his next basic attack against an enemy champion to deal bonus magic damage and slow them for a few seconds.
Cooldowns
Cooldowns by spell rank
| Level | Q | W | E | R |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 4s | 9s | 20s | – |
| 6 | 4s | 9s | 20s | 1m40 |
| 9 | 4s | 9s | 20s | 1m40 |
| 11 | 4s | 9s | 20s | 1m25 |
| 16 | 4s | 9s | 16s | 1m10 |
| 18 | 4s | 9s | 12s | 1m10 |
Playing as Xin Zhao
Tips to maximize your impact
- Land your three hits
After Three Talon Strike (Q), land your three autos: the third one is a knock-up, and each one lowers your other spells' cooldowns by 1 second.
- Thrust first, charge second
Land the thrust of Wind Becomes Lightning (W) before Audacious Charge (E): the Challenged target is revealed, and your charge reaches farther on them.
- Isolate your target with your ult
Hit your target right before Crescent Guard (R): Challenged, they stay with you while the others are knocked back, and damage from outside can't reach you for a moment.
- Get ahead early
Gank and skirmish as much as you can early on: Audacious Charge (E) and the Three Talon Strike (Q) knock-up matter most before everyone has their items.
Playing against Kha'Zix
How to counter and exploit weaknesses
- Stay near an ally
Stay near an ally: alone, Unseen Threat (passive) marks you as isolated, and Taste Their Fear (Q) hits you much harder.
- Fight back if his leap misses
If he leaps in without a kill, fight back: Leap (E) has a 20 to 12 second cooldown, which a takedown only resets once the spell is evolved.
- Ward his paths
Ward his paths: out of sight, Unseen Threat (passive) empowers his next auto against a champion, which damages and slows.
Other Xin Zhao matchups
Patch 16.21.1