Zyra Build Guide by pauloxisto

Introtucing Zyra, the Rise of The Thorns!

In this guide, I'll show you the true power of Zyra as a mage, playing Mid Lane like no one other did it, and her singular beauty playing as a suport at bot lane. Zyra is a ranged mage with a unique ability: plant seeds that grows and turn into plants that helps her in the game.

This is the common way of playing with Zyra. Many Phreaks like to jungle with her, I'm not saying that is useless, just impracticable on a normal META game. Using Magic Resist Seals and Glyphs will help her to survive at the mid lane against another mages early game. With Zyra you can push your lane without being there, being an awesome pusher with your thorns.

Pros / Cons

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Pros ♔ ~ High Ap Rate; ~ Seeds prevent from jungle ganks; ~ Spell Vamp provides great survivability; ~ Great Sustain Early and Mid Game;

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Cons ♟ ~ Weak and Hard to play; ~ Mana dependant; ~ Hard to survive on a teambattle; ~ Hard do play against spamming mages (ex: Ryze)

Zyra's Second Build, the AP Support

This is an alternative way of playing with Zyra. Playing as an AP Support, Zyra helps her allies harassing the enemies with her thorns, being able to sustain the lane and to kill when she pleases. With a great spellvamp aura from Will of the Ancients, Zyra gains health from Thorns too!

Pros / Cons

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Pros ♔ ~ Great Sustain all the Game; ~ Can subistitute an AD Carry early and mid game; ~ Great survivability at Late Game; ~ Maxing Grasping Roots first will be awesome!

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Cons ♟ ~ Not so good as the classic supports (ex: Sona and Karma); ~ Might not help her AD Carry, acidentally lasthitting his minions; ~ Does not have common support skills, like heals or shields; ~ Not recommended on a normal META game.

Unique Skills

Icathian Surprise

Zyra

• Just because [[rise of the thorns is good doesn't mean that you would be suicide. THATS INSANITY MAN.
• If you know that there's no option, run into your enemy before dies, then your shot will be deadly good.
• If you die being stupid, shoot it on a minion wave, to get some extra gold for the shop.
  

Nevermove

• Deadly Bloom has a incredible low cooldown. Cast it whenever is possible, and try to avoid mana problems.
• Rylai's Crystal Scepter procs with plants too, you can use it to slow them like a portable Frozen Mallet.
• Use it on seeds, then use Stranglethorns. This will enrage the plants, turning them into deadly destroyers.

Amumu

Alistar

• Seeds have no mana cost, you can use them or as a ward, or as a plant.
• This ability has a great passive: Cooldown Reduction. This is why I didn't choose Ionian Boots of Lucidity for her.
• Don't be mad! Seeds can be destroyed just passing trough them. Put them on strategic places, like inside bushes, inside turrets (yes, this is possible) and inside minion aggro. This will prevent them to be destroyed.

• Take Care! If you are running away from a ranged champion, this will not help enoguh. If they are with low health, a sacrifice must be done! (or you can just ult.)
• These plants are melee, so don't be stupid if the enemy is about 2 kilometers from you and you use the plants to catch it.
• Trapping the enemies with these plants can be awesome, getting extra slow and root!

• Use it after the plants have been growth.
• Hide into a bush to get a perfect combo with your plants and this ability!
• Fast Champions can get out of it, so use it with knowledge.

Deadly Combos with Zyra

I really like Zyra for two things: She has a unique ability on MOBA Games and she is able to do a lot of combos, being one of the best mages I've ever seen!

Lanning Mid:

• Summon only one plant with Deadly Bloom. The 2nd one will be used as a ward to prevent junglers. I needs to be refreshed every 30 seconds.

Lanning Bot:

• The lane maintience is the job for an AD Carry, that will lasthit the minions. You work is defending ganks with both seeds and preventing surprise attacks with Grasping Roots.

Pushing:

• Take care, do not waste mana.
• Summon Plants with Deadly Bloom and/or Grasping Roots.

Harrassing:

• Summon the first plant with Grasping Roots and the second one with Rampant Growth.

Ganking:

• The Interrogation is the selected Summoner Spell ( Exhaust or Ignite).
• Summon Plants with Deadly Bloom.
• You are not stupid. Flash it's optional.
• Deathfire Grasp can be great to start destroying after rooting with Grasping Roots.

Trapping:

• Summon Plants with Deadly Bloom and/or Grasping Roots.
• Exhaust will increase its effectiveness.
• Deathfire Grasp can initiate here perfectly.

Teamfights:

• Summon Plants with Deadly Bloom and/or Grasping Roots.
• You WILL be focused, so after using Stranglethorns, immediately use Zhonya's Hourglass (mid) or Flash (mid/bot).
• If you die, die inside the battle. Rise of the Thorns will give an amazing revenge and damage to the enemy team.

Escaping:

• Grasping Roots' plants will slow the enemy preventing you to die.
• In some rare cases (ex: being chased by Vayne or Ashe), use Stranglethorns after rooting them.

Jungling:

• Of course you are bringing Smite if you are planning to do this.
• This combo can be performed only after lv 3. A Video will explain how to jungle with her.
• Wait for the 3rd seed can be annoying and its a waste of time. Summon the first and the second one with Deadly Bloom and the third one with Grasping Roots.
• When you were fed, you don't need to waste time summoning 3 plants. Just two will finish the jungle.

Soon...

Soon I'll add the Items, masteries and runes explanation from each build.