Xin Zhao Counters
The best Xin Zhao counters in League of Legends patch 26.1 are RekSai, Belveth, DrMundo, Zac, Lillia. The best Xin Zhao counter is RekSai, with Xin Zhao having only a 27.78% win rate in this matchup. Secondary patch 26.1 Xin Zhao counter choices are Gwen, Talon, Amumu, Viego, Ekko. Below are the top Xin Zhao counters and matchups alongside their win rates.
Determination
Every third attack deals bonus damage and heals Xin Zhao.
Three Talon Strike
Xin Zhao's next 3 standard attacks deal increased damage with the third attack knocking an opponent into the air.
Cost:- 30
Cooldown:- 7/
- 7/
- 6/
- 6/
- 5
Range:- 375
Wind Becomes Lightning
Xin Zhao slashes in front of himself with his spear, then thrusts it forward, slowing affected enemies and marking them as Challenged.
Cost:- 60/
- 55/
- 50/
- 45/
- 40
Cooldown:- 12/
- 11/
- 10/
- 9/
- 8
Range:- 1000
Audacious Charge
Xin Zhao charges to an enemy, gaining increased Attack Speed and dealing damage to all enemies in the area, slowing them briefly. This Ability gains increased range against Challenged targets.
Cost:- 50
Cooldown:- 11
Range:- 650
Crescent Guard
Xin Zhao passively challenges an enemy he damaged recently. When activated, Xin Zhao deals damage to nearby enemies based on their current Health and knocks non-challenged targets back, becoming impervious to damage dealt by champions outside of the circle created.
Cost:- 100
Cooldown:- 120/
- 110/
- 100
Range:- 500
- Fighter,
- Tank
These champions are Xin Zhao's hardest counters in League of Legends patch 26.1. RekSai is Xin Zhao's biggest counter with only a 27.78% win rate for Xin Zhao. When facing these Xin Zhao counter picks, focus on safe farming and waiting for jungle assistance. Avoid extended trades and play around your power spikes to survive difficult Xin Zhao matchups.
Rek'Sai
Bel'Veth
Dr. Mundo
Zac
Lillia
Gwen
Talon
Amumu
Viego
Ekko
When facing Xin Zhao in League of Legends, understanding Xin Zhao's primary damage profile is essential for building effective counter strategies. Xin Zhao deals primarily physical damage, which means prioritizing armor in your defensive itemization will significantly reduce Xin Zhao's threat in fights. Top defensive items against Xin Zhao include Plated Steelcaps, Frozen Heart, Randuin's Omen, and Thornmail. These items provide substantial armor stats that directly mitigate Xin Zhao's damage output throughout all stages of the game.
From a champion selection perspective, the strongest Xin Zhao counters are RekSai, Belveth, DrMundo, and Zac. These champions either out-trade Xin Zhao in lane, have abilities that negate Xin Zhao's core mechanics, or scale better into team fights. RekSai in particular exploits Xin Zhao's weaknesses by providing consistent pressure while being difficult to punish.
Beyond item builds and counter picks, successful counter play against Xin Zhao involves understanding Xin Zhao's power spikes and cooldown windows. Engage on Xin Zhao when key abilities are on cooldown, and coordinate with your team to focus Xin Zhao in team fights before Xin Zhao can output maximum damage. Vision control is also crucial when playing against Xin Zhao to avoid getting caught out of position. By combining proper defensive itemization with smart champion selection and strategic gameplay, you can effectively neutralize Xin Zhao's impact and secure victory.
Understanding Xin Zhao's power curve is essential for effective counter play. Here's when Xin Zhao is most vulnerable throughout the game.
EARLYEarly Game (Levels 1-6)
Xin Zhao may look for extended trades. Avoid long fights and kite with slows. Short trades favor you against sustained damage.
MIDMid Game (Levels 7-13)
Xin Zhao becomes increasingly tanky mid game. Focus on kiting and percent health damage. Avoid fighting in choke points.
LATELate Game (Levels 14-18)
Xin Zhao is very durable late game. Use armor penetration or anti-tank items. Focus squishier targets first if Xin Zhao is too tanky.
Use these actionable tips to gain an advantage when facing Xin Zhao in lane or team fights.
- Pick RekSai or similar champions with kits that exploit Xin Zhao's weaknesses
- Build Plated Steelcaps or Seeker's Armguard early to reduce Xin Zhao's damage in lane
- Track Xin Zhao's cooldowns and engage when key abilities are unavailable
- Ward Xin Zhao's common roam paths and ping missing immediately
- Coordinate with your jungler to gank Xin Zhao during vulnerable windows
- Avoid extended trades where Xin Zhao can stack sustained damage
- Kite Xin Zhao with slows and crowd control
Xin Zhao performs exceptionally well against these champions in patch 26.1. Udyr is Xin Zhao's best matchup with a 70.37% win rate. When playing Xin Zhao into these favorable matchups, look for early aggression and lane dominance. Xin Zhao can capitalize on these champions' weaknesses to snowball leads and carry games.
Udyr
Zaahen
Elise
Warwick
Teemo
Shyvana
Graves
Sylas
Nocturne
Briar
Xin Zhao Counters - Frequently Asked Questions
Who counters Xin Zhao?
The best Xin Zhao counters are RekSai, Belveth, and DrMundo. These champions have favorable matchups against Xin Zhao and can exploit Xin Zhao's weaknesses effectively in League of Legends patch 26.1.
What is Xin Zhao's hardest counter?
RekSai is Xin Zhao's hardest counter with Xin Zhao having only a 27.78% win rate in this matchup. Belveth (33.33% WR) and DrMundo (36.67% WR) are also strong Xin Zhao counters.
Who does Xin Zhao counter?
Xin Zhao performs well against Udyr, Zaahen, and Elise. These are Xin Zhao's best matchups where Xin Zhao has favorable win rates and can dominate lane in patch 26.1.
How do I beat Xin Zhao in lane?
To beat Xin Zhao in lane, pick a counter champion like RekSai or Belveth. Focus on trading when Xin Zhao's key abilities are on cooldown, and build armor items to reduce Xin Zhao's damage output. Ward defensively and call for jungle assistance if Xin Zhao gains an advantage.
What items counter Xin Zhao?
The best items to counter Xin Zhao are Plated Steelcaps, Frozen Heart, Randuin's Omen, and Thornmail. These items provide armor which directly reduces Xin Zhao's damage. Consider building these items early if you're struggling against Xin Zhao in lane.
When is Xin Zhao weakest?
Xin Zhao is typically weakest during specific power troughs between item spikes. Exploit windows when Xin Zhao's ultimate or key abilities are on cooldown. Coordinate with your team to engage on Xin Zhao before Xin Zhao can set up fights on Xin Zhao's own terms.
How do I play Xin Zhao into counter matchups?
When playing Xin Zhao into counters like RekSai, 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 Xin Zhao's counters?
If RekSai, Belveth, or DrMundo are banned or picked, look for champions with similar kits that can exploit Xin Zhao's weaknesses. Champions with crowd control, burst damage, or sustained damage (depending on Xin Zhao's vulnerabilities) can serve as alternative counters.