Zed is the master of shadows and an edgy individual. He comes from the Ionian region in search of power. He became triggered after Shen defeated him in a duel and went fully to the dark side, learning the sacred arts of the shadows. Sure, his methods are illegal, but does he care? Absolutely not. He's also a pain to deal with while laning, so buy as much armor as you can before heading off to lane when you recall.

That's just one of many ways to trigger a Zed player. Zed is a powerful champion who excels at eliminating single targets. That is his sole goal. So don't try to fight three people at once because it's almost impossible to do that with him. Lock on to one target, preferably a squishy, and ruin their day. Thankfully, Zed's W “Living Shadow” summons a shadow that mimics his Q “Razor Shuriken” and E “Shadow Slash” when cast.

If you use your R “Death Mark” ability on a target, you can also cast three shadows on the field. When the timer expires, the damage will be dealt. His Q “Razor Shuriken” and E “Shadow Slash” are excellent for pushing lanes or poking a target. A great combo would be to use your W “Living Shadow” and then immediately press E “Shadow Slash” to slow down your opponent before throwing a shuriken aka the Q at their face. There are many Zed players, but one stands out above the rest: ZED99. This dude makes playing Zed look like an art form.

5. Goredrinker Zed

“Mom said it’s my turn to play with the shadows.” (Video by Godzu)

The first build I'll show you is the tank zed with goredrinker. When lethality isn't cutting it during a match, you'll have to go tanky. Don't worry, you'll still deal a ton of damage, but your chances of bursting someone down will be significantly lower, but your life expectancy will be much higher. Also, the items you'll purchase with this build will ensure that you don't run out of HP too quickly.

Don't be afraid to dive headfirst into a team fight or even start one yourself. If you know your team will win, go in first. You can always flee with your W “Living Shadow” if you didn't use it in a fight. Furthermore, if you know what you're doing with your abilities, it will be difficult for the opposing team to hit you. However, even if you quickly run out of HP, you can easily recover it thanks to the massive life steal that this build provides.

Use This Build If:

• You don’t mind sacrificing a bit of burst for survivability. 
• If your team doesn’t have a strong frontline and needs someone to engage in fights. 
• Don’t be afraid to go into battle first as this build gives you enough life steal to get all your lost HP back quickly. 

Runes:

Precision:

• Conqueror
• Triumph
• Legend: Tenacity
• Last Stand

Resolve: 

• Bone Plating
• Overgrowth

Abilities:

Level 1: Razor Shuriken

Level 2: Shadow Slash

Level 3: Living Shadow

Level 4-5: Razor Shuriken

Level 6: Death Mark

Level 7-8: Razor Shuriken

Level 9-10: Shadow Slash

Level 11: Death Mark

Level 12-13: Shadow Slash

Level 14-15: Living Shadow

Level 16: Death Mark

Level 17-18: Living Shadow

Analysis Of Abilities Allocation:

This is the standard champion ability allocation, and you can only change a few starting abilities depending on the match-up. The Q “Razor Shuriken” is your main source of damage, while the E “Shadow Slash” is great for slowing down opponents and making it easier to hit them. Depending on the situation, your W “Living Shadow” serves as an engagement or escape tool.

Items (are sorted from the early game to the late game):

Doran’s Shield, Health Potion, Boots, Serrated Dirk, Ironspike Whip,  Ionia’s Boots Of Lucidity, Goredrinker, Edge Of Night, Ravenous Hydra, Black Cleaver, and Sterak’s Gage. 

4. Crit Zed Build

“Do not fear the shrouded path.” (Video by Laceration)

This is a unique Zed build that allows you to deal massive amounts of critical damage due to the champion's insane AD scaling, combined with his passive ability to execute people who are below a certain threshold of HP. You will have a lot of fun playing against this build. There is also a catch to this build: you must choose between two mythical items: "Duskblade" and "Eclipse." Both have their applications in various situations.

If the enemy team has a lot of mobility and you can't catch up to them quickly, you can even use "Prowler's Claw." When should you use Duskblade or Eclipse? You should use Duskblade in a composition with a lot of point-and-click abilities or auto-attacks, and the item's invisibility will come in handy. The reason to go with Eclipse is if the enemy team has a lot of tanky or melee opponents.

Use This Build If:

• Use Duskblade if you’re against a team composition that has a lot of point-and-click abilities that you can’t escape. 
• Use the Eclipse build if you are going against a lot of tanky or melee champions. 
• Since Zed has decent AD scaling the critical strikes from your auto-attacks will feel like a truck hitting the opponent. 

Runes:

Domination:

• Electrocute
• Taste Of Blood
• Eyeball Collection 
• Ultimate Hunter

Sorcery: 

• Transcendence 
• Gathering Storm

Abilities: 

Level 1: Razor Shuriken

Level 2: Shadow Slash

Level 3: Living Shadow

Level 4-5: Razor Shuriken

Level 6: Death Mark

Level 7-8: Razor Shuriken

Level: 9-10: Shadow Slash

Level 11: Death Mark

Level 12-13: Living Shadow

Level 14-15: Shadow Slash

Level 16: Death Mark

Level 17-18: Living Shadow

Analysis Of Abilities Allocation:

Because you'll be going mid and dealing most of your damage with auto-attacks, having a much lower cooldown on your W “Living Shadow” is ideal. The reason for this is so you can easily approach a target and then slip away after killing them. The lower the cooldown, the more often the ability can be used.

Items (are sorted from the early game to the late game):

Long Sword, Refillable Potion, Serrated Dirk, Boots, Eclipse/Duskblade, Ioania’s Boots Of Lucidity, Yoomuu’s Ghostblade, The Collector, Lord Dominik’s Regards, and Essence Reaver.

3. Bruiser Zed 

“I am scared of the dark.” (Video by Laceration)

This build is similar to the "Goredrinker" build, but this one provides significantly more burst potential and damage output. You also can't expect to survive by assembling a team of three people all at once. This build excels at pushing lanes alone and fighting champions alone. You should split-push as much as possible while also completing objectives like turrets.

You cannot have anyone else on the lane with you while pushing because of this build, so please tell your team to back off if they try to join you. You can choose between two runes, but I strongly recommend conqueror and resolve. If you don't like conqueror, you can always use electrocute, but be aware that you will lose some sustain as a result, and obtaining objectives will be difficult and time-consuming.

Use This Build If:

• You want to 1v1 opponents and successfully get out alive. 
• You will be constantly split pushing and doing objectives. 
• You can choose between two rune paths either domination or conqueror. 
• With this build, you will have enough sustain to survive a gank or an ambush.

Runes: 

Precision:

• Conqueror 
• Triumph 
• Legend: Tenacity
• Last Stand

Resolve:

• Demolish
• Bone Plating

Abilities:

Level 1: Razor Shuriken

Level 2: Living Shadow

Level 3: Shadow Slash

Level 4-5: Razor Shuriken

Level 6: Death Mark

Level 7-8: Razor Shuriken

Level 9-10: Shadow Slash

Level 11: Death Mark

Level 12-13: Shadow Slash

Level 14-15: Living Shadow

Level 16: Death Mark

Level 17-18: Living Shadow

Analysis Of Abilities Allocation:

Depending on the match-up, you might want to take W “Living Shadow” as a secondary ability to help you escape a bad situation or save some HP. To maximize damage output while also having lower cooldowns on the abilities, you will max out your Q “Razor Shuriken” first and E “Shadow Slash” second. Because remember, you want to be split pushing as much as possible, and having E maxed second is ideal in that situation.

Items (are sorted from the early game to the late game):

Doran’s Shield, Health Potion, Serrated Dirk, Boots, Eclipse, Ioania’s Boots Of Lucidity, Hullbreaker, Black Cleaver, Ravenous Hydra, and Serylda’s Grudge. 

2. Ingenious Hunter Build

“Secrets are meant to be found.” (Video by Challenger LoL Replays & VODS)

This build is entirely focused on you roaming and squishing people. During team fights, you should try to get behind the tanks and eliminate the most dangerous threat, which is sometimes the ADC or even the enemy mid-laner. If you want to go full lethality, keep in mind that you won't have any survivability. You're done if you get caught, and you can kiss that precious try goodbye.

However, if you are successful in eliminating the enemy and even escaping alive, you will receive numerous honors and be praised by your entire team for such a brave act. That's where this build shines, and you should take advantage of it as much as possible. While going through this build, you should try to snowball in a match because it will only improve the build's quality.

Use This Build If:

• There is someone on the enemy team that you need to assassinate. 
• For easy get in and get out kill. 
• If you get caught you will be killed there is no other way around that fact. 
• For every kill that you rack up, you will gain item haste. 

Runes: 

Domination:

• Electrocute
• Sudden Impact
• Eyeball Collection 
• Ingenious Hunter

Sorcery: 

• Transcendence 
• Gathering Storm

Abilities:

Level 1: Razor Shuriken

Level 2: Shadow Slash

Level 3: Living Shadow

Level 4-5: Razor Shuriken

Level 6: Death Mark

Level 7-8: Razor Shuriken

Level 9-10: Shadow Slash

Level 11: Death Mark

Level 12-13: Shadow Slash

Level 14-15: Living Shadow

Level 16: Death Mark

Level 17-18: Living Shadow

Analysis Of Abilities Allocation:

If the opposing laner isn't being aggressive or you know the jungler won't be able to gank you, take E “Shadow Slash” as level 2 so you can push the lane more easily. Get W “Living Shadow” on your third level to begin poking the target. Maxing out Q “Razor Shuriken” is the norm because it is the primary ability used by all Zed players.

Items (are sorted from the early game to the late game):

Long Sword, Reffialble Potion, Boots, Serrated Dirk, Prowler’s Claw, Ioania’s Boots Of Lucidity, Edge Of Night, Serylda’s Grudge, Yoomuu’s Ghostblade, and Black Cleaver.

1.  New Meta Build

“There is no balance in the world.” (Video by Godzu)

We have the most recent Zed build with "First Strike" as your primary rune. The reason for using this rune is that your economy will skyrocket and you will be able to get your items much faster than your opponent. You'll need to take advantage of this and snowball the hell out of a match before it's too late. Because your champion and build will begin to deteriorate as the game progresses. Try not to put yourself in that situation. 

Depending on the current match, you can also choose between two mythic items such as "Eclipse" or "Duskblade." This build excels at providing you with the gold required to kill your opponent simply by having more items. This build even works against someone who is a complete counter to Zed. You'll also get a lot of sustain during the laning phase because you'll be using "Biscuit Delivery" to get three extra health pots. Useful if your attempts at trading with the enemy have failed.

Use This Build If:

• With this build, even the champions that counter Zed won’t be a match for him.
• You will get more sustain during the laning phase thanks to the biscuits that you will get. 
• Attacking a target first means you will get gold for it. Doesn’t work if the target attacked you first. 
• If you play the match to your strengths with this build you will be able to end it before it gets to the late game. 

Runes: 

Inspiration:

• First Strike
• Magical Footwear
• Biscuit Delivery
• Cosmic Insight

Sorcery:

• Transcendence 
• Gathering Storm

Abilities: 

Level 1: Razor Shuriken

Level 2: Shadow Slash

Level 3: Living Shadow

Level 4-5: Razor Shuriken

Level 6: Death Mark

Level 7-8: Razor Shuriken

Level 9-10: Shadow Slash

Level 11: Death Mark

Level 12-13: Shadow Slash

Level 14-15: Living Shadow

Level 16: Death Mark

Level 17-18: Living Shadow

Analysis Of Abilities Allocation:

The main reason for starting with your Q “Razor Shuriken” is so that you can easily proc "First Strike" as soon as your opponent enters the lane. You'll want to keep poking them in order to collect as much gold as possible. After the laning phase, level up your abilities as you would in any other match.

Items (are sorted from the early game to the late game):

Long Sword, Three Health Positions, Serrated Dirk, Boots, Eclipse/Duskblade, Ioania’s Boots Of Lucidity, Axiom Arc, Yoomuu’s Ghostblade, Edge Of Night, and Lord Dominik’s Regards. 

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