Zyra Counters
The best Zyra counters in League of Legends patch 26.1 are Rakan, Maokai, Yuumi, Lulu, Milio. The best Zyra counter is Rakan, with Zyra having only a 33.33% win rate in this matchup. Secondary patch 26.1 Zyra counter choices are Janna, Blitzcrank, Leona, Bard, Brand. Below are the top Zyra counters and matchups alongside their win rates.
Garden of Thorns
Seeds spawn around Zyra periodically, becoming faster with level. Zyra can cast Deadly Spines or Grasping Roots near seeds to grow plants, who fight for Zyra.
Deadly Spines
Thick vines spread through the ground and explode into spines, dealing magic damage to enemies within the area. If cast near a seed, Deadly Spines grows a Thorn Spitter plant, which fires at enemies from afar.
Cost:- 55
Cooldown:- 7/
- 7/
- 6/
- 6/
- 5
Range:- 800
Rampant Growth
Zyra plants a seed, lasting up to 60 seconds. Deadly Spines and Grasping Roots cast near seeds will turn them into plants who fight for Zyra. Zyra can store multiple seeds at once, and killing enemies reduces Rampant Growth's recharge time.
Cost:- 0
Cooldown:- 0
Range:- 850
Grasping Roots
Zyra sends forth vines through the ground to ensnare her target, dealing damage and rooting enemies they come across. If cast near a seed, Grasping Roots grows a Vine Lasher, whose short range attacks reduce enemy Move Speed.
Cost:- 70/
- 75/
- 80/
- 85/
- 90
Cooldown:- 11
Range:- 1100
Stranglethorns
Zyra summons a twisted thicket at her target location, dealing damage to enemies as it expands and knocking them airborne as it contracts. Plants within the thicket are enraged.
Cost:- 100
Cooldown:- 110/
- 100/
- 90
Range:- 700
- Mage,
- Support
These champions are Zyra's hardest counters in League of Legends patch 26.1. Rakan is Zyra's biggest counter with only a 33.33% win rate for Zyra. When facing these Zyra counter picks, focus on safe farming and waiting for jungle assistance. Avoid extended trades and play around your power spikes to survive difficult Zyra matchups.
Rakan
Maokai
Yuumi
Lulu
Milio
Janna
Blitzcrank
Leona
Bard
Brand
When facing Zyra in League of Legends, understanding Zyra's primary damage profile is essential for building effective counter strategies. Zyra deals primarily magic damage, which means prioritizing magic resist in your defensive itemization will significantly reduce Zyra's threat in fights. Top defensive items against Zyra include Mercury's Treads, Spirit Visage, Force of Nature, and Banshee's Veil. These items provide substantial magic resist stats that directly mitigate Zyra's damage output throughout all stages of the game.
From a champion selection perspective, the strongest Zyra counters are Rakan, Maokai, Yuumi, and Lulu. These champions either out-trade Zyra in lane, have abilities that negate Zyra's core mechanics, or scale better into team fights. Rakan in particular exploits Zyra's weaknesses by providing consistent pressure while being difficult to punish.
Beyond item builds and counter picks, successful counter play against Zyra involves understanding Zyra's power spikes and cooldown windows. Engage on Zyra when key abilities are on cooldown, and coordinate with your team to focus Zyra in team fights before Zyra can output maximum damage. Vision control is also crucial when playing against Zyra to avoid getting caught out of position. By combining proper defensive itemization with smart champion selection and strategic gameplay, you can effectively neutralize Zyra's impact and secure victory.
Understanding Zyra's power curve is essential for effective counter play. Here's when Zyra is most vulnerable throughout the game.
EARLYEarly Game (Levels 1-6)
Zyra 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)
Zyra's poke and zone control peaks mid game. Engage quickly to close the gap before Zyra can kite. Use flanks and hard engage to bypass poke damage.
LATELate Game (Levels 14-18)
Zyra provides strong team fight damage late. Prioritize diving Zyra or use assassins to reach the backline. Magic resist items become crucial.
Use these actionable tips to gain an advantage when facing Zyra in lane or team fights.
- Pick Rakan or similar champions with kits that exploit Zyra's weaknesses
- Build Mercury's Treads or Hexdrinker early to reduce Zyra's damage in lane
- Track Zyra's cooldowns and engage when key abilities are unavailable
- Ward Zyra's common roam paths and ping missing immediately
- Coordinate with your jungler to gank Zyra during vulnerable windows
- Dodge Zyra's skill shots by moving unpredictably
- All-in Zyra when mana is low from spell rotations
Zyra performs exceptionally well against these champions in patch 26.1. Karma is Zyra's best matchup with a 66.67% win rate. When playing Zyra into these favorable matchups, look for early aggression and lane dominance. Zyra can capitalize on these champions' weaknesses to snowball leads and carry games.
Karma
Diana
Mel
Pantheon
Tahm Kench
Nami
Zilean
Braum
Lux
Swain
Zyra Counters - Frequently Asked Questions
Who counters Zyra?
The best Zyra counters are Rakan, Maokai, and Yuumi. These champions have favorable matchups against Zyra and can exploit Zyra's weaknesses effectively in League of Legends patch 26.1.
What is Zyra's hardest counter?
Rakan is Zyra's hardest counter with Zyra having only a 33.33% win rate in this matchup. Maokai (37.5% WR) and Yuumi (38.33% WR) are also strong Zyra counters.
Who does Zyra counter?
Zyra performs well against Karma, Diana, and Mel. These are Zyra's best matchups where Zyra has favorable win rates and can dominate lane in patch 26.1.
How do I beat Zyra in lane?
To beat Zyra in lane, pick a counter champion like Rakan or Maokai. Focus on trading when Zyra's key abilities are on cooldown, and build magic resist items to reduce Zyra's damage output. Ward defensively and call for jungle assistance if Zyra gains an advantage.
What items counter Zyra?
The best items to counter Zyra are Mercury's Treads, Spirit Visage, Force of Nature, and Banshee's Veil. These items provide magic resist which directly reduces Zyra's damage. Consider building these items early if you're struggling against Zyra in lane.
When is Zyra weakest?
Zyra is typically weakest during specific power troughs between item spikes. Exploit windows when Zyra's ultimate or key abilities are on cooldown. Coordinate with your team to engage on Zyra before Zyra can set up fights on Zyra's own terms.
How do I play Zyra into counter matchups?
When playing Zyra into counters like Rakan, 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 Zyra's counters?
If Rakan, Maokai, or Yuumi are banned or picked, look for champions with similar kits that can exploit Zyra's weaknesses. Champions with crowd control, burst damage, or sustained damage (depending on Zyra's vulnerabilities) can serve as alternative counters.