49.8%
Win Rate
Mid Lane · Assassin
Zed Counters
Zed is a burst assassin whose entire kill combo depends on closing the gap with Shadow Slash and Living Shadow — deny that gap-close, and he has almost no way to threaten a kill.
9.1%
Pick Rate
13.4%
Ban Rate
Moderate
Difficulty
Zed Overview
Zed is played across 1 roles, most commonly mid lane. Use the role links above to jump to role-specific counters — the data on this page reflects mid lane, his primary role.
How to Counter Zed
Ward his flank approach, hold a defensive tool for his ultimate's delayed damage window, and punish him whenever Living Shadow is down.
Best Picks Against Zed
Ranked by win-rate difference in mid lane, Patch 14.14.
| Champion | Win Rate Diff | Games | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lissandra | +6% | 610 | Root chains lock him down before he can reach his combo range. |
| Diana | +4.1% | 560 | True damage burst and a ring stun punish his all-in directly. |
| Malzahar | +3.6% | 480 | Suppression shuts him down before Death Mark can be used safely. |
| Galio | +2.5% | 440 | Magic shield and taunt neutralize his burst window. |
| Kayle | +0.7% | 390 | Invulnerability on ultimate voids a perfectly landed Death Mark. |
Computed by our stats engine from synthetic seed data, not live Riot match results — same aggregation pipeline that will process real match data once available.
See the full Mid Lane counters breakdown, including worst matchups and lane-phase gold data →
Zed Strengths & Weaknesses
Strengths
- Extremely high single-target burst once his combo lands
- Living Shadow provides strong mobility and combo extension
- Can safely clear waves and roam with Razor Shuriken
Weaknesses
- Almost no safe engage without vision on his approach
- Mobility is entirely dependent on one spell's cooldown
- Very low durability if his burst combo is survived
Abilities Overview
P
Contempt for the Weak
Deals bonus true damage to low-HP non-champion targets — mostly relevant for clearing waves and jungle camps fast.
Q
Razor Shuriken
A piercing throwing blade — his primary poke and wave-clear tool.
W
Living Shadow
Deploys a shadow clone he can swap places with — his core mobility and combo-extension tool.
E
Shadow Slash
A slash around him and his shadow that slows — sets up his all-in.
R
Death Mark
Marks a target for delayed true damage and repositions behind them — his assassination combo finisher.
Build, Runes & Setup
Best Items
Eclipse
Shields the dash-heavy burst combo
Youmuu's Ghostblade
Extra mobility to close gaps and escape after a kill
Serylda's Grudge
Slow amplifies his all-in follow-up
Counter Items (for the enemy)
Zhonya's Hourglass
Survives Death Mark's delayed burst window
Quicksilver Sash
Removes a landed Shadow Slash slow before he closes in
Runes & Skill Order
Primary: Domination (Electrocute or Hail of Blades) → Sudden Impact → Eyeball Collection → Ravenous Hunter. Secondary: Manaflow Band, Gathering Storm. Max order: Q → W → E, taking R whenever available.
Playbook
Buy a defensive item or hold a spell specifically for his ultimate's delayed damage window.
Ward flanks — he needs to reach you unseen for Death Mark to be a safe engage.
Punish him hard if Living Shadow is on cooldown; his mobility is entirely tied to that one spell.
Common Mistakes
Grouping without vision on his flank approach.
Panicking and using your escape the instant Death Mark lands, instead of waiting out the delayed damage.
Fighting him in a bush or unwarded area where he can set up Living Shadow safely.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who counters Zed?
Lissandra, Diana, and Malzahar all bring lockdown or burst that punishes him before his combo lands.
How do you survive Zed's ultimate?
Death Mark's damage is delayed — use a defensive spell or item during that window rather than immediately after it lands.