Hey my name is Cameron, currently username "Born_on_2_Sides" on the Vietnamese server, at a rank of Diamond 1 (note that Vietnam server is generally a bit easier than NA and EU)

I've been playing League for almost 3 years, with 5 years on dota 1 before that. This is my first guide, and it is on Zed, one of my best champions and one I am very comfortable on.

This guide will include some nooby details for those who have never played Zed before, but mainly it is for moderate players who want to improve a lot. This guide will improve your mechanics, use of abilities, overall game awareness and to understand the zed mindset (his role). If you are familiar with Zed, and think you know all the basics, go to the bottom to the "advanced" section of the guide. Although, i don't recomend this, becasue i'm sure there might be a thing or two you didn't know _^. If you have comments or questions, feel free to ask or even critisize, i'm happy to hear them. (ps go easy on criticism :p)

PS: Items are REALLY important, make sure you read the Item "notes" to get the order, and choose the right items. only new players, stick to one build!!

Pro's:
- High Burst
- High mobility
- Fun to play
- Strong in Lane

Con's:
- Need skill and mechanics to play well
- Need to think fast
- Somewhat Unique style of play to adapt too
- Without many kills you can be at times, ineffective

Mentality + Tips:
- Your aim is to outfarm and poke opponent down (dont aim to necessarily get a kill pre 6)

tips:
- Don't use W+E+Q combo if no sight on enemy jungler, and your pushed in lane
- Q pretty much whenever possible (keeping in mind, that first opponent hit, is dealt more dmg), I tend to shoot out my Q right after last hitting a CS, or when opponent pauses to hit a CS.
- If enemy is half health, ALWAYS remember that your passive will prock on them when you go in
- Always keep in mind your W shadow, try and bait out opponent skill shots. So for example, after you have used your W+E+Q combo, let the LB "Q" you, and dodge her "W" with your "W". This means her poke is now on CD and allows you to play aggressive with Q's since your CD should be almost back.

Mentality: Kill! Kill!! Kill!!! and farm and roam

Tips:

If winning lane:
- if winning lane, and the opponnent is playing safe as balls, then push lane hard and go to wraith camp and clear it. Do this several times, and once in a while roam, mix it up. (since everytime you take wraiths enemy mid laner will be pinging mia. eventually after taking wraiths multiple times, enemy lanes will relax when the mia ping comes up. This is when you roam ;)
- If you are winning lane, but enemy mid laner is not playing safe enough, farm with auto-attacks, and W+E+Q combo the enemy. When they are about half health usually, bait out one of there abilities, then Ulti them. (eg. ult right after ori sends out her ball to farm, or Q+W from LB, as explained earlier in "early game".

HOW DO YOU KNOW IF THERE PLAYING TOO SAFE? Or Not?: if you can hit shurikens and W+E+Q combo, and your winning lane, they aren't playing safe enough. If they just farm under turret, use the wrait camp method.

If losing lane:
- farm with Q, and when you have an opportunity poke the enemy, with W+Q. Mainly farm under turret, and call for jungler help if enemy mid laner is playing too agressive. When the opponent recalls or roams, I like to roam to the same lane they go too, and get a kill to gain back an edge in lane.

Several options you may follow:

Splitpush route:
- choose this option when you are pretty fed, and no single enemy opponent can 1v1 you. Get blue, and go splitpush top or bot. Let your team know what your doing, and tell them to push another lane HARD, if more than one opponent comes down to stop you splitpush. If only one opponent comes down to stop you, than you must attempt to poke him a bit, and simply tower dive and kill him. Your Zed, 1v1, you can do that ****. Once he is dead, push the turret. If more than one guy comes, try and stall time, or get a kill atleast, or simply run if you can.
This method requires teamwork, because if lets say three people come and kill you, make sure your team knows they must PUSHH. becuase if you die, but your team get's a turret, it's worth.

Assasin method:
- Your an assasin, so go assasinate people. for advanaced guide on how to do this, read the "assasin" chapter below. The main idea is simply hide in bushes, and catch one guy out. When you kill him, you and your team get an objecive while the one enemy remains dead.

The video below, shows Berjson's zed highlights. It is important to note, whether he is doing the "assasin" method, the "split pushing" method, or simply solo kills. Don't let all the CRAZY PRO MOVES distract you :))
Play Video

Zed combo's: There are many Zed combo's that can be used, and they are all institutional. These may also be hard to understand, so read carefully

Combo 1: Cooldown reset Zed (use this when you can't burst, and are at risk of dying)
- Go in with your ultimate (usually to dodge there ability from a gank), quickly E + auto + bork, then W+W away from enemy. Wait for E cooldown to reset, and usually if enemy can kill you, they'll stay around and maybe chase. When E comes back, use it if opponent is standing on your original ulti shadow. if not, simply R back, E+Q the enemy. (you must know they will die from this last part to go back in)

Combo 2: Ulti, then when you come up W+W away (usually to dodge ability), press E to slow (you must be quick, the shadow you used to get away with W should be near them still). then Q, attempting to hit all three Q's, a squishy opponent should die. Add in ignite or bork somewhere in the combo to ensure their death.

This video is Faker from korea in SoloQ performing this "combo 2" perfectly, with maximum range hit on all three shurikens, and dodging a bunch of abilities with his W+W. Play Video
Tip:
- Always shoot out your W after you ulti, almost always, to try and hit 3 shurikens. The difference between a good, and a godly zed, is how often can you hit those shurikens. When you get better, start considering fast the best place to leave that W shadow, for positional, escape, and angled purposes.
- Whenever you move from one shadow to another, only do it when NECESSARY, this means either you don't get the kill unless you swap shadows, or to dodge an ability. 50% of the time i swap between shadows, is to simply dodge stuff.

There are many ways to do this, you must be risky but also safe at the same time to really be successful at this method. Always pay attention to the map, and note enemy movement to see whether you have stepped on a ward.

Tips:
1. Look at lanes, is anyone pushing too far? that you can burst? (make sure they dont have backup)
2. if no lanes are pushing hard, push a lane a bit, and let it push itself. Stay close to minion line, in the shadows, farming jungle minions if available. When the lane is fairly far pushed, hide near the minions, even in enemy jungler (sweeper trinket is advised here). Someone from the enemy team must eventually come and push out the minion wave, (hopefully it is the greedy adc getting farm). You want to aim to catch him out, as he is moving to the minion wave, rather than kill him in lane, so foresee where his path will be, and stand there hiding.

Zed's role in a teamfight is of high importance, because people target him and if you don't get atleast a kill, you failed your team, simply dealing damage isn't good enough.

tip: Don't W+E+Q combo, if a teamfight is eminent, you need to save that W.


Ulti when these conditions are met:
1. Really TRY, to not ulti anyone that won't die instantly from your burst (even a support is ok)
2. Don't be the first to start the team fight, unless you are really confident you can kill and escape, or simply kill their "super" carry and die yourself. (super carry, meaning enemy team relies on them)
3. ulti, when opponents are focusing attacking something else
4. ulti when you are confident you can hit atleast 2 shurikens.

IF! you are definately dead, it is important to recognize when this is, and simply deal as much dmg as possible, getting in auto's on everyone under half health to proc that passive.

your role is in and out. you only have the energy for one full combo, after that either auto, or go out and reset cd and energy.

Thanks for reading my guide,

And please, give me supportive criticism and I will attempt to fix any problems. Any questions please, ask, i might have easily have forgotten important details or overlooked simple things. Keep in mind this is my first guide... Im still a rookie at making guides :p

Hope you guys find it useful!!