Zed How to Play: Tips & Power Spikes

When Zed Jungle gets stronger, in the order it happens in a typical ranked game: ability unlocks from the most common skill order, item spikes at the median minute players finish them, and the game length Zed wins most.

1. Lv 3
   All three basic abilities at level 3

   Zed's full combo is online — the first point where trading all-in is realistic.
2. Lv 6
   Ultimate rank 1 at level 6

   The biggest early spike: look for a kill or a roam as soon as Zed hits it.
3. Lv 12
   Ultimate rank 2 at level 12

   Lower ultimate cooldown means more fights Zed can start or win.
4. Lv 17
   Ultimate rank 3 at level 17

   Lower ultimate cooldown means more fights Zed can start or win.
5. 0.2 min
   First item at 0.2 min

   Scorchclaw Pup is done — Zed's first real damage or durability spike.
6. 10.6 min
   Two items at 10.6 min

   ›Scorchclaw Pup + Voltaic Cyclosword: the window to group and take objectives.
7. 17.7 min
   Three-item core at 17.7 min

   ››Scorchclaw Pup + Voltaic Cyclosword + Bastionbreaker completes Zed's core build.
8. 25 min
   Strongest in games of about 25 minutes

   Zed wins 51.6% of games that end around this point.

Item timings are medians: half of players finish later. Fall behind in farm and every item spike moves back with it.

Zed is a lane bully: trade early and often, push the advantage, and turn the gold lead into the first item spike. On average Zed Jungle is 245 gold ahead of the lane opponent at 15 minutes and ahead in 59% of games. A 1,000-gold lead at 15 turns into a 65% win rate; a 1,000-gold deficit leaves 22%. Zed averages 0.17 solo kills by 15 minutes.

Zed win rate by gold at 15

• 1,000+ gold ahead64.9%
• Ahead58.6%
• Behind29.1%
• 1,000+ gold behind22.2%

Lane matchups that decide the plan

Press these lanes

Kayn+428 gold at 15

What Zed does better or worse than other champions after laning, from this patch's ranked games — percentiles where 100 is the highest of every champion.