Zilean Counters
The best Zilean counters in League of Legends patch 26.1 are Velkoz, Rell, Pyke, Janna, Zyra. The best Zilean counter is Velkoz, with Zilean having only a 26.09% win rate in this matchup. Secondary patch 26.1 Zilean counter choices are Leona, Karma, Soraka, Nautilus, Lulu. Below are the top Zilean counters and matchups alongside their win rates.
Time In A Bottle
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.
Time Bomb
Tosses a bomb to target area that sticks to units that come near it (prioritizes Champions). It detonates after 3 seconds, dealing area of effect damage. If a Time Bomb is detonated early by another Time Bomb, it also stuns enemies.
Cost:- 60/
- 65/
- 70/
- 75/
- 80
Cooldown:- 10/
- 10/
- 9/
- 9/
- 8
Range:- 900
Rewind
Zilean can prepare himself for future confrontations, reducing the cooldowns of his other basic abilities.
Cost:- 35
Cooldown:- 14/
- 12/
- 10/
- 8/
- 6
Range:- 600
Time Warp
Zilean bends time around any unit, decreasing an enemy's Move Speed or increasing an ally's Move Speed for a short time.
Cost:- 50
Cooldown:- 15
Range:- 550
Chronoshift
Zilean places a protective time rune on an allied champion, teleporting the champion back in time if they take lethal damage.
Cost:- 125/
- 150/
- 175
Cooldown:- 120/
- 90/
- 60
Range:- 900
- Support,
- Mage
These champions are Zilean's hardest counters in League of Legends patch 26.1. Velkoz is Zilean's biggest counter with only a 26.09% win rate for Zilean. When facing these Zilean counter picks, focus on safe farming and waiting for jungle assistance. Avoid extended trades and play around your power spikes to survive difficult Zilean matchups.
Vel'Koz
Rell
Pyke
Janna
Zyra
Leona
Karma
Soraka
Nautilus
Lulu
When facing Zilean in League of Legends, understanding Zilean's primary damage profile is essential for building effective counter strategies. Zilean deals primarily magic damage, which means prioritizing magic resist in your defensive itemization will significantly reduce Zilean's threat in fights. Top defensive items against Zilean include Mercury's Treads, Spirit Visage, Force of Nature, and Banshee's Veil. These items provide substantial magic resist stats that directly mitigate Zilean's damage output throughout all stages of the game.
From a champion selection perspective, the strongest Zilean counters are Velkoz, Rell, Pyke, and Janna. These champions either out-trade Zilean in lane, have abilities that negate Zilean's core mechanics, or scale better into team fights. Velkoz in particular exploits Zilean's weaknesses by providing consistent pressure while being difficult to punish.
Beyond item builds and counter picks, successful counter play against Zilean involves understanding Zilean's power spikes and cooldown windows. Engage on Zilean when key abilities are on cooldown, and coordinate with your team to focus Zilean in team fights before Zilean can output maximum damage. Vision control is also crucial when playing against Zilean to avoid getting caught out of position. By combining proper defensive itemization with smart champion selection and strategic gameplay, you can effectively neutralize Zilean's impact and secure victory.
Understanding Zilean's power curve is essential for effective counter play. Here's when Zilean is most vulnerable throughout the game.
EARLYEarly Game (Levels 1-6)
Zilean may be mana-dependent early. Punish after spell rotations when abilities are on cooldown. All-in when mana is depleted for advantageous trades.
MIDMid Game (Levels 7-13)
Zilean's poke and zone control peaks mid game. Engage quickly to close the gap before Zilean can kite. Use flanks and hard engage to bypass poke damage.
LATELate Game (Levels 14-18)
Zilean provides strong team fight damage late. Prioritize diving Zilean or use assassins to reach the backline. Magic resist items become crucial.
Use these actionable tips to gain an advantage when facing Zilean in lane or team fights.
- Pick Velkoz or similar champions with kits that exploit Zilean's weaknesses
- Build Mercury's Treads or Hexdrinker early to reduce Zilean's damage in lane
- Track Zilean's cooldowns and engage when key abilities are unavailable
- Ward Zilean's common roam paths and ping missing immediately
- Coordinate with your jungler to gank Zilean during vulnerable windows
- Dodge Zilean's skill shots by moving unpredictably
- All-in Zilean when mana is low from spell rotations
Zilean performs exceptionally well against these champions in patch 26.1. Bard is Zilean's best matchup with a 56.76% win rate. When playing Zilean into these favorable matchups, look for early aggression and lane dominance. Zilean can capitalize on these champions' weaknesses to snowball leads and carry games.
Bard
Brand
Senna
Sona
Pantheon
Nami
Blitzcrank
Xerath
Milio
Seraphine
Zilean Counters - Frequently Asked Questions
Who counters Zilean?
The best Zilean counters are Velkoz, Rell, and Pyke. These champions have favorable matchups against Zilean and can exploit Zilean's weaknesses effectively in League of Legends patch 26.1.
What is Zilean's hardest counter?
Velkoz is Zilean's hardest counter with Zilean having only a 26.09% win rate in this matchup. Rell (35% WR) and Pyke (37.78% WR) are also strong Zilean counters.
Who does Zilean counter?
Zilean performs well against Bard, Brand, and Senna. These are Zilean's best matchups where Zilean has favorable win rates and can dominate lane in patch 26.1.
How do I beat Zilean in lane?
To beat Zilean in lane, pick a counter champion like Velkoz or Rell. Focus on trading when Zilean's key abilities are on cooldown, and build magic resist items to reduce Zilean's damage output. Ward defensively and call for jungle assistance if Zilean gains an advantage.
What items counter Zilean?
The best items to counter Zilean are Mercury's Treads, Spirit Visage, Force of Nature, and Banshee's Veil. These items provide magic resist which directly reduces Zilean's damage. Consider building these items early if you're struggling against Zilean in lane.
When is Zilean weakest?
Zilean is typically weakest during specific power troughs between item spikes. Exploit windows when Zilean's ultimate or key abilities are on cooldown. Coordinate with your team to engage on Zilean before Zilean can set up fights on Zilean's own terms.
How do I play Zilean into counter matchups?
When playing Zilean into counters like Velkoz, focus on safe farming, waiting for jungle assistance, and playing around power spikes. Avoid extended trades in unfavorable matchups and look for opportunities to scale into mid and late game.
What champions are similar to Zilean's counters?
If Velkoz, Rell, or Pyke are banned or picked, look for champions with similar kits that can exploit Zilean's weaknesses. Champions with crowd control, burst damage, or sustained damage (depending on Zilean's vulnerabilities) can serve as alternative counters.