WARNING! - i am a noob with mobafire so theres no pretty pictures (ill learn...eventually). Its not exactly the most exciting read either. I do suggest reading it so as a new player you dont get f'd by a chinese guy with a sharp stick.


Xin Zhao

This is gonna be a quick guide on Xin Zhao - the op mofo who sticks sharp things up ***es
Xin Zhao as a AD carry/off-tank is often considered OP by many players (that is because in pub no one knows how to counter him). He is a devastating force to have on the team that fulfills many roles (jungler/ganker, tank, ad carry).

Pros
- Great survivability (your passive)
- Hard CC (q for disable)
- Insane Dps (all your skills basically contribute to ur damage output in some way)
- One of best ults in teamfights (melts anyone it hits)
- Can play either jungler/offtank/AD carry
- Unrivaled Initiator (E & Q)
- easy farm after q is above 3
- decent pusher
- Hes the more badass version of garen
- PUBSTOMP

CONS
- Hard to master
- Can be squishy if early game items arnt completed
- Almost always banned or not played in Ranked
- No real escape except for summoners
- Food for ranged characters like cait/ashe/leblanc due to range problem

Masteries are the standard AD carry masteries 21/9/0. 9/21/0 is also recommended. Really depends on team comp. If your teammates need the off-tank dont go dps. If theres already 2 tanks go DPS. Customize your own preferred slots in the masteries according to these values.

NEVER GO 0/9/21 or 9/0/21 just ignore the utility tree (other than mabye 1 in ghost) altogether.

On xin zhao summoners are really just the icing on the cake. He is already such a sturdy champion that summoners make him more awsome. Ghost and Exhaust are just my own choices.

Recommended

Ghost - Run Awayyyy, Chaseeee. Great versatility. In my opinion a must have because xin really must have a mobile spell.

Exhaust - Good for those early laning phase kills. Also makes ur 1v1 win probability go up to 100%. Another versatile skill to either shut down their carries or help ur teamates run away or fight.

Other spells

Flash - Switch it for Ghost. A good escape or chasing skill. Also can be used to initiate. I prefer ghost because the movement speed (and unit collision) and duration offers a option more reliable than flash (which can fail if cast wrong). Also because flash might be taken out.

Ignite - Switch it for Exhaust. Great for early game kills but lategame its usefulness is near none. Since this is a guide on carrying therefore Exhaust over ignite.

Cleanse - Ad carries best friend. "OH IM CC'd can't do anything...CLEANSE....Back to demolishing the other team who'd just wasted all their skills on me". But with Randuins and FON you can laugh at anything the other team might throw at you. Switch this skill for exhaust.

Smite - Jungle Xin, must have (if possible leave the jungling to some more hardcore junglers like ww or shaco).

Teleport - I dont like this skill on Xin at all because its a waste of a slot but some people might do. Up to you. Its not that bad because atleast it is useful but xin zhaos spells should have some offensive aspect not just utility.

Xin Zhao + These skills = lose games
Heal- you have passive. why waste a slot. Let your tank or support or something other noob take it.

Clarity - if you are always in serious need of mana you are playing Xin Wrong... his costs are nothing compared to other Ad carries like jarvan or yi. Let your support take this.

Fortify - Xin Zhao + tower = best friend? .... HELL NO waste a slot when u can simply exhaust. LEt YOUR SUPPORT TAKE IT!

Clairvoyance - i think you should know by now how it goes

Rally - seriously you should know by now

Promote - : ( if only........

WTF

Revive - insert troll face here and then keep up the feeding spree

Passive - heals you every third attack. thats alot of heals late game when your constantly stabbing. No need for life steal this makes him so durable in lane and teamfights. Dont ever try to 1v1 a xinzhao with alot of Attack speed unless your positive you can win.

Priorities

R
Q
W
E

(R) Crescent sweep - your ult is a must have. This is one godly initiating skill. Charge into enemy team press R. Base dmg and 20% health. Ignoring tanks and their armors since beta :D. Everyone around you is suddenly melted to half health and ready for your teammates to eat. The psychological factor is insane too. Imagine : enemy team "we're ready to do this, we have BAron...xin combo....wtf health now we're suddenly killable...frozen in fear, noob teammates start running away...OH GAWDDDDD...use some lube with that lance....ACE! :( -sniff- he raped us". Oh and dont forget the extra magic resist. Riot gave this guy everything.

(Q) Three Talon Strike - Bread and Butter skill. Damage increase plus a knock up at the end this is what you are trying to land everytime you fight. 10 second cool down hard cc -> super happy fun time. Great synchro with W because of the Attack speed. This is the first skill that you should max in order to deal as much damage and CC as possible.

(W) Battle Cry - Free attack speed (up to 60% at full + youmuus = STAB at over 9000 times/s). Did i mention this makes his cooldowns go down?. (hello 5 sec available knockups). Always W and Q

(E) Audacious Charge - A big vital skill to xin zhao. This is the gap closer that makes squishies fear your. This skill also slows which combined with your knock up makes you one of the best chasers in the game. Sadly we dont max this until lategame because its for the gap closer not the damage. Unless someone wants to go AP xin and nuke squishies with this skill. Standard combo W-Q-E with exhaust and ghost should be a free kill.

Heres why most people come to guides. This build for items gives Xin ZHao immense durability making him impossible to kill and still dish out heavy damage at the same time.

Early Game

Dorans Shield - i like this item because of the armor, health, and regen makes your laning phase (combined with your passive) safer and longer. Youll be able to stay in lane never having to go back and always at above 75% health while your enemies waste their efforts trying to harass you.

Berserker Greaves - Best movement for xin because of the attack speed. Switch it for Merc Treads if enemy is cc or AP heavy.

Brutalizer - this is a great item because of the CDR and AD. Cheap and efficient for the early game. Combined with the fact that this builds into yoummuus is a definite must have on Xin Zhao.

Randuins Omen - This is where people start to question me. "WHY are you building randuins!, where is your Damage.". The reason is this makes Xin Zhao great survivability and another great active for CC. At an early game randuins combined with Yoummus makes you a one man army. I prefer less deaths and a safe route to the road of Xin Zhao carry. Not like crazy people who go for phantom dancers on Xin first......say hello to being CC'd then raped...wheres your AS now.

Yoummus - This item is all that you would ever need for a AD carry. Crit chance, attack speed, movement speed, CDR. This will compensate for the lack of AS in this build and it will be enough in exchange for the unkillable Xin Zhao. Some may argue that a black cleaver is better but i rather have an cheaper and easier to obtain AD carry item.

Mid Game

Force of Nature - Add some extra protection on Xin Zhao (too much AP nukes in this game). The regen makes it so you never have to go back between teamfights with anything less than 3 kills. Combined with Randuins this mother***** has just made Xin Zhao a ******** mobile fortress. You can laugh at everything they throw at you as your health bar barely notice the damage.

Mid to late game

Infinity Edge - With this much survivability (hope you have a good team). You should be getting fed (either alot of kills or assists). IE is a easy buy this late in the game. Your damage, which was already scary enough for them to try and focus you (LOL.....FON and Randuins..stupid kids) is not increase to an ridiculous amount. Have fun killing squishies in less than 3 secs and making their tanks pay for playing a character with out damage. The other team by this point would've wished they had someone to shut you down before the FON and Randuins.

Guardians Angel - GG!...seriously GG if you've come this far you are fed enough to 1v3 or 4. Magic resist armor and free revive makes you laugh in deaths face. In teamfights ull never go below half health ever again.

Situational Items

Banshees Veil - A good tool for survival and health and MR is great plus. If they have alot of CC be sure to fit this somewhere into your build

Quicksilver Sash - the cheaper version of banshees. Free clense, a good item to get if you are getting focused early game.

Tri-force - if you are so fed theres not even a need for FON just get this and continue to enjoy your meal.

Sunfire Cape - a replacement for RAnduins if you feel like. Not as good but definetly a good item to have.

In this guide - with the survivability. Your job is to initiate fights (unlike pure dps Xin Zhaos). Go in their and melt the enemy team. Pop yoummus and randuins. You have enough Armor and MR to tank whatever they dish at you in the 1 to 2 secs of the beginning of fights, DONT BE AFRAID (unless your team is reluctant so always tell them that you want to initiate). Then be sure to always go to disable their heaviest damage output. Remember to keep in mind to stay in range of your team in case anyone needs help (thats what E is for). Then mop up and push.

As xin Zhao it is important to know whether you can for sure land a kill or not. With your E and Q+knockup with exhaust anyone below half health is a guaranteed kill unless they have flash or a stun.

Try to gank as much as possible with xin Zhao but do not neglect farming (easy with Q). A higher level Xin Zhao really just eats through lower level enemies due to insane damage difference.

Priorities are:

Disable enemy Carry
Save your Carry or squishie
Give Chase

note - Xin Zhao is great (with teamates) in controlling the jungle. Stealing Baron or dragon is easy because of your ult.

Always HAVE Sight! ....buy a lot of wards. You should leave it to your jungler or support but if no one is buying wards and you dont have a teemo. Strive to have sight of enemy jungle and the river.

Lastly but not least. Press Q and W to successfully push down towers in no time.

YOU've made it!
NOw you are stacked with knowledge about the mighty Xin Zhao and a way to play him.

Xin Zhao is THE man representin Damacia (f ***** garen and ****** jarvan)

You shall play the Seneschal of Demacia and carry your team to victory.

Please remember to vote and Comment :D!