Matchup

Heavy AD damageHigh burstCountered by stasisDive threat

You are stronger early — look to snowball before your opponent scales.

Build vs Zed

Build adapted to this matchup

Starting items

Doran's Shield
Health Potion

Core build

Trinity Force
1DPS
Serylda's Grudge
2vs Tank
Spear of Shojin
3Bruiser

Standard

Boots of Swiftness
4vs Slow
Hullbreaker
5Bruiser

Summoner spells

41261%
41424%

Anti AD

Plated Steelcaps
4vs AD
Thornmail
5vs Hybride
Iceborn Gauntlet
vs AD
Death's Dance
vs AD
Dead Man's Plate
vs AD
Randuin's Omen
vs AD
Guardian Angel
vs AD

Anti AP

Mercury's Treads
4vs CC
Spirit Visage
5vs AP
Kaenic Rookern
vs AP

Anti Tank

Black Cleaver
5vs Tank
Voltaic Cyclosword
vs Tank
Bastionbreaker
vs Tank
Youmuu's Ghostblade
vs Tank
Edge of Night
vs Tank
Serpent's Fang
vs Tank

DPS

Hullbreaker
Bruiser
Eclipse
DPS
Liandry's Torment
Mage tank
Titanic Hydra
Bruiser
Sundered Sky
Bruiser

Other options

Sterak's Gage
Survival
Executioner's Calling
Jak'Sho, The Protean
vs Hybride
100.0% WR2 games
ResolveResolve
Grasp of the UndyingGrasp of the Undying
DemolishDemolish
Bone PlatingBone Plating
OvergrowthOvergrowth
PrecisionPrecision
Presence of MindPresence of Mind
Legend: BloodlineLegend: Bloodline
Attack SpeedAdaptive ForceHealth Scaling

Power Spikes

Strength by game phase

Early (0-15)
Mid (15-30)
Late (30+)
YorickYorick
ZedZed
Passive
Favorable
Favorable

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 against Zed

How to counter and exploit weaknesses

1

Buy Zhonya's Hourglass: it completely negates Death Mark damage if activated before the pop triggers.

2

After his R, Zed always reappears behind you — place your CC or skillshot at that spot to hit him as soon as he exits invulnerability.

3

If Zed uses his W (shadow) in lane, he loses all his trade potential for 20s — punish him aggressively.

4

Control Wards and Oracle Lens disable his shadow vision-wise, but his W is still a dash — focus on timing his cooldowns instead.

Source: op.gg + LTL Engine · Patch 16.9.1 · May 9, 2026