Zilean Build Guide by FranVarian8

Introduction

Hi!
My name is FranVarian8 and I'm new here. I've been playing LoL for... 9 months, yes, not much, maybe you're playing since it went out, so yes, I'm a newbie. But I want to show you my way of playing Zilean because potato. Nah, it's just that when I'm close to the final exams I always get afraid because I'm not afraid of the examns (Yeah, no sense) so I'm going to make this guide with only one purpose: not to study.

And, ok, my english sucks, but if you find something wrong, mistakes or you don't understand something... gtfo mada***ers! I don't want your opinion! ... ... ... Nah, just comment or tell me, please^^

Why Zilean, why mid and not support, why that amount of ap?

I think this video will answer all your questions.
All credits for the YouTube usermcr00sterD0TA, don't forget to visit his channel, specially his "This is why we hate" series xD

Pros / Cons

Awesome pros

+Average amount of damage, watch the video above.
+Easy to play.
+Q + W + Q = Enemy carry dies.
+Annoying to play against him, really.
+Fun is directly proportional to the damage you do.
+ Time Warp saves lifes and secures deaths.
+ Chrono Shift will revive you and your mates almost full
+¡TIME CONTROL!
+You have beard, I love beards, you too, even if you don't think so, you will find out that you love in this guide.
+Feel free to sing "Who's the boss playa? I'm the madafackin boss" when you kill them.
+You can troll really hard.

"Who cares?" Cons

-If don't get a little feed you will act as a simple support and die in every teamfight.
-He isn't fat, but he eats a lot of mana.
-Failing an ulty is horrible, your team will hate you and you will hate yourself.
-You're slow, really, very slow. Time Warp won't be enough to always save you.
-Sometimes is hard to choose who to ult or E.
-Zilean's beard and all his hair depends on his amount of AP and deaths, if you don't follow this guide he will became bold and sad.

Build Introduction

Ok this is the build I use in most of the games, and my favourite. Good damage, nice def thanks to Guardian Angel, Athene's Unholy Grail and Abyssal Scepter and the most important: 35% of cooldown reduction.

The cooldown reduction allows you to spam your abilities whenever you want, it makes your life easier. Your Q+W+Q becomes infinite, you can boost speed an ally and yourself at the same time (E+W+E). Without cooldown reduction you would have to wait even if you use your W, and if your R is on cooldown, don't worry, just spam your W, and if you are in fight better, you deal damage with your combo and your R become able.

For me, cooldown reduction is the key to own with Zilean.

Runes

Runes are really simple:
Greater Mark of Magic Penetration for a nice armor pen.
Greater Seal of Scaling Mana Regeneration for mana regen, that helps you to stay in lane, and late, being able to fight faster.
Greater Glyph of Scaling Ability Power and Greater Quintessence of Ability Power provides you nice AP in order to deal more damage.

But talking about runes, you can go as you want, I use this combination because of the damage and the mana regen, if your preferences are different do what you want, there isn't any special reason for use my runes.

Masteries

For masteries I take 9/0/21

In the offensive side the basic, +4 ap and cooldown reduction that will help you early game and the bonus penetration.

In utility I take the Expanded Mind , Meditation , Swiftness and Good Hands because you NEED them. You need mana to spam, you need speed to survive and arrive to the teamfights, and you need to be always ready, that 7% of reduction can make you win a game. Runic Affinity is really useful, if your jungle gives you the second blue (he needs the first) you will win and stay lane for a looooooong long time, that means farming a lot.

Improved Recall time may seem useless, but that second saves lifes. Sometimes when you're low health and you go back to your tower to B you get chased by the enemy jungler, or simply, your rival try to kill you under the tower. In those situations, recalling one second faster can save your life.

Summoner's Insight + Mastermind = Flash Party (and more effective Clarity)

Items

Coming soon...

Skill Sequence

Coming soon...

Playing Zilean

Q+W+Q+W+Q+W+Q+W+Q+W+Q+W+Q = GG&WP

Laning Phase

In lane, your main goal is to farm, kill your enemy and, if possible, destroy his turret.
How? It's really easy, when farming, try always to last hit minions, until level 4 or 5. In those levels you must start trying to place a Time Bomb on your enemy's head (if there are opportunities on the first levels do it too) or Q+W+Q combo, and harass him. Spam your bombs also on the Caster Minions in order to push and farm, but be careful if you go near his turret and they have a jungler.

Try to recall when you can buy at least your Kage's Lucky Pick and ask your jungler for the blue buff.

When you get level 6, killing your enemy is really easy, when you found an opportunity, Q+W+Q, Time Warp and try to kill, if you start near you turret it would be better, you'll have more lane to chase him, and if he attemps to kill you, ult yourself :)

Clarity must only be used if you're running out of mana and you are TOTALLY SURE that you can kill your enemy with one combo, if not, don't use it at all. Late game seems useless, but really, in an overextended fight or another situations your mates can lose their mana, it can help you a lot. If you don't like taking clarity just take Ignite, it will help you also on getting kills, even more than clarity. Sincerely, the reason I take Clarity instead is because my luck leads my strange situations in every games.

Teamfights

Teamfights are the most important part when playing Zilean, doing it wrong in a teamfight can make you losing the game. In lane your job is to stay, farm and if you can, kill, it's not necessary to start ganking top and both unless they really need it. But when the time to fight comes you must prove you can control this old bearded.

You must enter when the fight has already started, thereby you won't be focused first, and if you're lucky, the enemy team won't notify your presence until it's too late. First of all, focus the carry or the weakest champion, Time Warp an enemy that runs making him easy to chase, or save your allies, and if someone is going to die, save him. Don't autoattack. Just get in, put bombs and get out of range for a moment, or take a better position for the next bombs. And don't forget to Clarity if someone needs mana.

If enemies start to run feel free to chase them with your teammates, and, why not, if you can kill, do it. Don't care if KS xD


Q+W+Q+W+Q+W+Q+W+Q+W+Q+W+Q = GG&WP

Summary

What can I say, just remember...