League of Legends Zed Guide: Best Build, Runes, Combos

Zed is one of the most iconic assassins in League of Legends, known for his explosive burst damage, high mobility, and ability to delete squishy targets in seconds. He thrives on quick decision-making, sharp mechanics, and smart positioning, making him a favorite pick for players who love outplays and solo kills. In this guide, we’ll break down everything you need to dominate the game with Zed—from the best build and rune choices to the most effective item path and deadly combos that let you take over the map and snowball fast.

Zed Abilities Overview In League of Legends

Zed is a lethal AD assassin built to punish squishy champions and snowball leads through quick picks and high mobility. His shadows make him slippery and unpredictable, and when used right, his combo can one-shot enemies before they have time to react. Here’s a breakdown of Zed’s abilities and how to use them effectively:

Passive – Contempt for the Weak
Zed’s basic attacks deal bonus magic damage to enemies below 50% HP.
Why it’s strong: This passive helps finish off low-health targets and adds extra damage during all-ins or quick trades.

Q – Razor Shuriken
Zed throws a shuriken that deals physical damage to all enemies it passes through. If cast from a shadow, both shurikens hit in a line.
Tip: Position your shadow carefully to hit your target with both shurikens for maximum poke or burst damage.

W – Living Shadow
Zed throws out a shadow that mimics his abilities. Reactivating W swaps positions with the shadow.
Use it to: Harass in lane, dodge skill shots, or reposition during engages or escapes. Mastering W timing is key to playing Zed well.

E – Shadow Slash
Zed and his shadow slash in a circle, damaging and slowing enemies. Hitting the same target with multiple slashes amplifies the slow.
Best use: Combine with W or R to double up on damage and crowd control. Helps confirm your Q hits too.

R – Death Mark
Zed dashes to a target, marking them for death and leaving behind a shadow. After a few seconds, the mark explodes for bonus damage based on how much you dealt while it was active. You can reactivate the ult to return to the shadow.
Pro tip: Use Death Mark to burst your target, then return to safety. It’s also a great setup for comboing with W and landing all your abilities.

Zed’s entire kit is about mobility, positioning, and timing. Mastering his shadows and knowing when to strike—or retreat—is what separates casual Zed players from true assassins.

How To Play Zed In League of Legends

Best Summoner Spells for Zed

The best summoner spell combo for Zed in League of Legends is Flash and Ignite, giving him both mobility and kill pressure to dominate lane and snowball fast.
• Flash – A must-have on Zed. It helps you reposition during combos, escape tight situations, or finish off targets after your shadow combo. Flash also opens up aggressive outplays like Flash + W + R for surprise kills.
• Ignite – Perfect for early kill pressure and securing takedowns. The extra true damage and healing reduction help you finish off targets after your combo, especially against healing-heavy champs.

In rare cases, Teleport can be taken for macro play, but Flash + Ignite is by far the best combo for carrying games with Zed through lane dominance and snowball potential.

Best Runes for Zed

Zed’s best rune setup is built around burst damage, mobility, and snowballing early leads. The ideal choice is the Domination tree as primary with Sorcery as secondary. This setup helps Zed secure kills, roam effectively, and deal huge damage with every combo.

Primary: Domination
• Electrocute – The perfect keystone for Zed. It activates when you land three separate hits in a short time, which syncs perfectly with Zed’s fast combos. Great for burst damage in lane and all-ins.
• Sudden Impact – Grants bonus lethality after using your dash or shadow, making your burst even stronger.
• Eyeball Collection – Gives you bonus AD as you get takedowns. Helps you scale damage with each kill.
• Ultimate Hunter – Reduces the cooldown of Death Mark (R), which is critical for Zed’s pick potential and team fight pressure.

Secondary: Sorcery
• Transcendence – Gives Ability Haste and a burst of cooldown refund on takedowns, letting you snowball harder in fights.
• Scorch – Adds extra poke damage during laning phase, helping you chip away at enemies before going all-in.

Stat Shards
• • Adaptive Force
• • Adaptive Force
• • Armor or Magic Resist (depending on lane opponent)

This rune setup gives Zed everything he needs: burst for early kills, scaling with takedowns, and lower cooldowns on his ult for constant pressure across the map.

Best Build for Zed

Zed’s best build in League of Legends focuses on maximizing his burst damage, mobility, and ability to snowball the game. You’ll want items that give lethality, cooldown reduction, and bonus effects that let you delete squishy targets in seconds. Here’s the strongest item path for dominating as Zed:

Core Items
• Eclipse (Mythic)
This is Zed’s most reliable Mythic item. It grants lethality, cooldown reduction, and a shield when you burst enemies—perfect for surviving during all-ins.
• Ionian Boots of Lucidity
Gives you cheap cooldown reduction for both abilities and summoner spells. Helps with more frequent kill pressure and faster shadow combos.
• Youmuu’s Ghostblade
Grants you extra lethality and active movement speed for better roams, escapes, and chase-downs. It’s key for early-mid game tempo.

Situational / Late-Game Items
• Serylda’s Grudge – Adds armor penetration and slows your targets when you deal ability damage. Helps Zed stick to mobile champs and cut through tanks.
• Edge of Night – Provides a spell shield and more lethality. Great against teams with heavy CC or single-target burst.
• Prowler’s Claw – A viable alternative to Eclipse if you want more aggressive, one-shot potential. Best when you’re snowballing hard and not worried about survivability.
• Guardian Angel – Late-game safety net that lets you dive into fights without throwing your shutdown gold.
• Maw of Malmortius – A good pickup if the enemy team has strong AP burst. Gives magic resist, lifesteal, and a lifesaving shield.

Example Full Build
• Eclipse
• Ionian Boots of Lucidity
• Youmuu’s Ghostblade
• Serylda’s Grudge
• Edge of Night
• Guardian Angel or Maw of Malmortius (based on enemy comp)

This build gives Zed deadly one-shot power, high mobility, and just enough survivability to keep making aggressive plays. Time your combos right, play around shadows, and you’ll be a constant threat from lane to late game.

Best Combos to Learn for Zed

Zed’s power lies in his ability to burst targets with quick, clean combos using his shadows. Mastering these combos is key to deleting squishies, outplaying opponents, and snowballing games. Here are the most important combos every Zed player should know:

1. Basic Poke Combo (W → Q → E)

Use W to place your shadow, then immediately cast Q and E.
Use it for: Safe poke in lane. If both your shuriken and shadow hit, it deals solid damage and procs Electrocute.
Pro tip: Angle your W to line up both Qs for double hit.

2. All-In Kill Combo (R → W → E → Q → Auto → Return)

R (Death Mark) → W toward escape path or follow-up → E to slow → Q for burst → Auto if needed → Return to R or W
Use it for: Full burst combo when going for a kill. Use W right after R lands to guarantee a triple shadow setup.
Pro tip: You can wait until your target uses Flash or dash, then re-engage using your R shadow to finish them off.

3. Quick Burst Combo (W → E → Q)

Fast and simple: W forward, E instantly, then Q.
Use it for: Mid-fight skirmishes where you need fast damage without using your ult. Also good for trades.

4. Tower Dive Combo (R → Q → E → W → Return)

R under tower → Q + E immediately → W away from tower while comboing → Return to W or R shadow
Use it for: Clean dives. Drop all your damage, then escape with your W or ult shadow.

5. Flash Engage Combo (W → Flash → Q → E)

W toward enemy → Flash mid-cast to reposition → Q and E instantly
Use it for: Catching enemies off guard with an unexpected combo from a different angle. Great for one-shotting carries with fast hands.

6. Triple Shadow Combo (R → W → Q → E → Auto → Return)

R into target → W to flank or extend shadow → Q + E for triple ability hit → Auto → Escape
Use it for: Max damage and Electrocute procs. Triple shadows = triple threat.

Conclusion

Zed is a deadly assassin who rewards precision, fast decision-making, and clean execution. With the right build, optimal runes, and well-timed combos, he can snowball early leads into complete map control. Whether you’re looking to dominate lane, roam for picks, or delete carries in team fights, mastering Zed’s shadows and mechanics will make you a constant threat from start to finish. If you’re aiming to carry games through raw outplay potential and high mobility, Zed is the perfect champion to master.