Xin Zhao vs Talon

Xin Zhao
vs
53.0%

over 132 games

Talon

Skill matchup

Heavy AD damageHigh burstDive threat

You are stronger early. Look to snowball before your opponent scales.

Build vs Talon

Build adapted to this matchup

Recommended items for Xin Zhao: Titanic Hydra, Black Cleaver, Death's Dance, Plated Steelcaps, Guardian Angel, Sundered Sky, Dusk and Dawn, Statikk Shiv.

Starting items

Gustwalker Hatchling
Health Potion

Core build

Titanic Hydra
1
Black Cleaver
2
Death's Dance
3

Standard

Boots of Swiftness
4vs Slow
Guardian Angel
5

Summoner spells

FlashSmite100%

Anti CC

Mercury's Treads
4vs CC

Other options

Guardian Angel
Sundered Sky
Dusk and Dawn
Statikk Shiv
Spirit Visage
B. F. Sword
Maw of Malmortius
Sterak's Gage
Riftmaker
Eclipse
Stridebreaker
Executioner's Calling
Randuin's Omen
The Collector
Phantom Dancer
56.8% WR37 games
PrecisionPrecision
ConquerorConqueror
TriumphTriumph
Legend: AlacrityLegend: Alacrity
Coup de GraceCoup de Grace
InspirationInspiration
Magical FootwearMagical Footwear
Cosmic InsightCosmic Insight
Attack SpeedAdaptive ForceHealth Scaling

Power Spikes

Strength by game phase

Talon's abilities

Passive, spells and ultimate

Blade's End (P)

Talon's spells Wound champions and large monsters, stacking up to 3 times. When Talon attacks a champion with 3 stacks of Wound, they bleed for heavy damage over time.

Cooldowns

Cooldowns by spell rank

LevelQWER
38s9s0s–
67s9s0s1m40
96s8.5s0s1m40
116s8s0s1m20
166s7s0s1m
186s7s0s1m

Playing as Xin Zhao

Tips to maximize your impact

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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 Talon

How to counter and exploit weaknesses

  1. Dodge his blades on the return

    Get out of the path of Rake (W), especially on the return: the returning blades slow you, and each spell that hits brings you closer to Blade's End (passive).

  2. Push to keep him in lane

    Push your wave whenever you can: he then has to stay and farm instead of roaming by vaulting walls with Assassin's Path (E).

  3. Engage when his ult is on cooldown

    If you can engage, go for him while Shadow Assault (R) is on cooldown: it's his main way out of a fight, and it comes back in 100 to 60 seconds.

  4. Ping as soon as he disappears

    Ping your team as soon as he leaves your vision, and ward the paths behind walls: Assassin's Path (E) lets him vault walls to roam through the jungle.

Patch 16.21.1