Zed is one of those champions who can take over a game if you let him. His high damage and quick movements make him a tough opponent, especially if you are not ready for his tricks.
Many players struggle to stay alive in the lane or protect their team once they hit their power spikes. That’s where knowing how to handle him makes all the difference.
I’ve had games where he seemed unstoppable, but once I learned the right way to play against him, the match felt much easier.
I’ll share tips and strategies to help you stay safe and turn the fight around.
I want this to be simple and clear, so you will have tips you can use right away in your next game without feeling lost or overthinking every move.
Best Champions to Counter Zed
When playing against Zed, picking the right champion can make the lane much easier. Some champions naturally deal with his burst, while others punish his all-ins or outlast him in fights.
1. Top Lane Counters
When Zed is flexed top, he struggles against tanks or scaling champions. Malphite is one of his hardest matchups, as his natural armor scaling nearly nullifies Zed’s physical damage.
With Frozen Heart or Thornmail, Zed can’t hurt Malphite, who wins with his engage.
On the other hand, Kayle plays the long game. While weak early, she can farm safely with range and punish Zed once she scales.
Her ultimate (Divine Judgment) directly shuts down Zed’s all-in attempts, making assassination impossible.
2. Mid Lane Counters
The mid lane has some of Zed’s toughest matchups. Lissandra and Malzahar both bring point-and-click crowd control, denying Zed from slipping away with shadows.
Lissandra freezes him in place and survives his burst, while Malzahar’s suppression can completely stop his all-in.
Galio also works extremely well; his tankiness and magic damage force Zed into awkward trades where he spends energy but barely scratches Galio’s health.
Galio’s ult shuts down Zed’s assassination attempts. These champs limit his impact in both lanes and fights.
3. Champions with Strong CC
Zed lives off mobility, using shadows for quick ins and outs. However, against hard crowd control (CC), his mobility means little.
Lissandra’s ult and Malzahar’s suppression are point-and-click locks Zed can’t dodge.
Once he’s locked in place, he loses the ability to finish off a target quickly. Your team can then collapse and punish him, removing Zed before he resets his shadows.
Champs with reliable CC turn him from a slippery assassin into a sitting duck, which is the best way to neutralize him.
4. High Sustain Picks
Another way to counter Zed is with champions who heal constantly and outlast trades. Vladimir is the best example here. His Q heals off poke, and Sanguine Pool dodges Zed’s combo.
This frustrates Zed players, since they can’t finish him even when all abilities land.
As the game scales, Vladimir grows stronger, dealing massive AoE damage in fights while staying unkillable. This makes him a tough pick for Zed, dragging fights out of his favor.
Best Runes to Use Against Zed
Picking the right runes is just as important as choosing the right champion, since they can make Zed’s damage much easier to handle.
- For Mages: Aftershock gives extra durability when Zed dives in, while Phase Rush helps you escape his all-in by creating space after trading.
- For Marksmen: Fleet Footwork offers sustain to deal with Zed’s poke, and pairing it with Exhaust tech can reduce his burst during critical engages.
- For Utility Picks: The Resolve tree adds staying power with runes like Bone Plating or Second Wind, helping you absorb trades and survive Zed’s combos.
Champions to Ban when Facing Zed
When you go up against Zed, bans can play a big role in making the game easier.
If you pick a strong counter to Zed, think about banning champions that either get rid of your answer or work too well with him.
For example, Katarina often snowballs quickly and pairs with Zed to overwhelm your team in fights. Akali is another good ban since she fills a similar role, dodges damage easily, and can counter some of Zed’s counters.
Removing these picks keeps Zed’s team from stacking too many assassins and lowers the overall pressure on your backline.
Matchups: How Zed Performs vs Others
Knowing which matchups favor Zed and which ones work against him helps you prepare better.
| Category | Matchups | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Favored for Zed | Kassadin, Annie, Yone, Veigar, Syndra, Lux, Viktor, Azir, Orianna, Ahri | Zed outplays fragile mages with burst and mobility. |
| Skill-Based | Akali, Katarina, Fizz, Yasuo, Talon, Qiyana, Ekko | Assassin duels depend on mechanics, positioning, and timing. |
| Hard Counters | Malzahar, Lissandra, Kayle, Morgana, Galio, Anivia, Vladimir, Braum | These champs lock Zed down or survive his burst. |
Tips and Tricks to Win Against Zed
Beating Zed is not just about picks and runes; it is also about smart choices during the game. Some tips that really help are:
- Save CC or Mobility for His R: Keep a stun, root, or dash ready to escape or punish when he uses Death Mark.
- Build Defensive Items Early: Items like Seeker’s Armguard or Zhonya’s Hourglass cut his burst damage and give you tools to survive his combos.
- Play Around Power Spikes: Avoid fighting him at level 6 when he gains his ultimate. Wait for safer timings to trade or all-in.
- Learn Zed’s mechanics to counter better: Understanding how Zed players think helps you predict their moves.
Conclusion
Dealing with Zed is easier once you know his weak points and timing. The key is to stay calm when he looks scary and remember that he must get close to do damage.
Try the strategy in normal games first so you can practice before using it in ranked.
Do not worry if it takes a few tries; many players still struggle against strong Zed players. Focus on one tip at a time instead of trying to do everything at once.
Most importantly, talk with your team about where Zed is and when his skills are down.
With patience and practice, you can turn him from a big threat into just another matchup you can handle.
If you’d like to learn how Zed works so you can counter him even more effectively, see my blog: Win Games with Zed: Combos, Tips, Matchups, and Builds.
