Zyra Build Guide by MissWitch

Greeting Summoner.

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This is my second guide on Mobafire, featuring the newest champion to join the league as of July 24th. Zyra is a new archetype Riot had been planning to try. Zyra has a free 30 second ward, a poke a snare, a knockup, and two different kind of summons to fight for you. Awesome right? Right? Well! Join me as I help explain to you an efficient way to play her! This guide WILL get updated so be sure to check it out often :D
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Pros / Cons

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Pros + Easy to farm. + Has alot of crowd control. + Delightful Range. + Free 30 Second Ward. + Lots of ways to mix and match your abilities!~ + Fun to Play!

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Cons - Naturally Slow. - Build is expensive. - Thorn Spitters and Vine Lashers don't last forever. - Takes practice to dish out her combos

Masteries

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When Ignite is on cooldown, it supplies you with 5 AP and 5 AD.

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A small boost to your attack damage. This is viable for your auto attacks. This is useful for last hitting.

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A small boost to ability power. I take 3/4 because I already used one point in Summoner's Wrath . Because of Summoner's Wrath , you get 5 more AP.

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4% Cool Down Reduction. Zyra needs all the CDR she can get in order to fulfill her combos and use her plants frequently.

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Magic pen is great. It equals more damage to slice through your opponent's magic resist.

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18 Ability power at level 18. The more AP you have the better for your burst.

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Increases your ability power by 5%. MOAR AP.

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Increases damage dealt by 6% to targets below 40% health. This could help with your burst and last hitting.

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Flash's cooldown is reduced because of this.

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216 Mana at level 18. This is a nice boost :3

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This is a nice mastery for Zyra because she gains and additional +3 mana regen.

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This is a nice mastery for Zyra as she naturally slow.

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Zyra is pretty neat with this as she maintains blue buff and red buff more.

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Runes

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Summoner Spells

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Yay! Escape ganks, flash over walls!

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It's your finisher spell. I usually take this spell on almost ALL casters.

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A good spell. It helps you get around lanes quicker if you need to.

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Really this spell should be used if you're forced playing support bot lane. Don't take this if your going mid because usually mid laners are ranged and your plants are stationary.

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This works somewhat well to go with her sustain.

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The extra attack speed is not very useful for an AP Carry. The AP is nice, however with the long cool down and for how low it actually gives, there are better options.

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No. What a waste of a summoner spell slot. The boosted minion gets easily focused by a enemy champion for gold and it doesn't even focus champions!

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No. Just because you passive involves you dying doesn't mean you can revive and die again. The cooldown is too long to make useful anyway.

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No. You are not a jungler (At least not in this guide).

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No. I mean, you all ready have Flash for a escape mechanism. The second summoner spell slot should be filled with something more useful.

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Why take this when you have a ability that supplies a FREE longer lasting ward? ( Rampant Growth). This is a waste of summoner spell slot.

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No. If you're worried about CC and all then get a Quicksilver Sash and perhaps a Banshee's Veil. Take THAT Malzahar!

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No. We have plenty of mana regen from our runes and masteries. If you have sacrificed any of my recommendations for mana regen, you should be confident enough to not need this spell.

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Skill Sequence

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- Upon death, Zyra returns to her plant form. After 2 seconds, she can press any ability to fire a Vengeful Thorn towards her cursor, dealing 99 + (25 × current level) true damage to each enemy it strikes.

Tips
- This is more of a matter of common sense but: If you die because of multiple enemies, aim and quickly shoot the one with the lowest health.
-If you don't die because of a enemy champion but because of a turret, minion/monster or trap; aim and shoot at any nearby minions to kill them. You will still get the gold.
Zyra grows a bud at target location. After a brief delay it explodes, launching damaging thorns at all nearby enemies dealing 75 / 115 / 155 / 195 / 235 (+60% of ability power) magic damage to enemies within the area. If cast on a seed, Deadly Bloom grows a Thorn Spitter plant, which fires at enemies from afar dealing magic damage. Lasts 10 seconds.

Tips
- This is your poke.
- Try activating this ability slightly behind the enemy champion so they will attempt to run back into it.


Zyra plants a seed, granting vision of an area for up to 30 seconds. Other spells cast on seeds will turn them into plants who fight for Zyra.

Tips
- Remember that using Deadly Bloom on a seed creates a Thorn Spitter. Thorn Spitters are RANGED. Using Grasping Roots on a seed creates a short ranged/melee attacker that slows upon each hit. Each hit activates the ability of Rylai's Crystal Scepter and applies spell vamp.
- Plant a seed in the brush to reveal it for 30 seconds.


Zyra sends forth vines through the ground to ensnare her target, dealing 60 / 105 / 150 / 195 / 240 (+60% of ability power) magic damage and rooting enemies they come across. If cast on a seed, Grasping Roots grows a Vine Lasher, whose short range attacks reduce enemy Movement Speed.

Tips
- Try using Grasping Roots on a target before you start your combo.
- Use Grasping Roots on a seed to grow a Vine Lasher. Vine Lashers slow your opponents with each hit.
-Use Grasping Roots to ensure your escape if you're being chased.

Zyra summons a twisted thicket at her target location, dealing 200 / 325 / 450 (+75% of ability power) magic damage to enemies as it expands and knocking them airborne as it contracts. Plants in the area are enraged, increasing their Attack Speed by 50 %.

Tips
- Its best to use this over at least two plants. This will increase their attack speeds while they keep hitting your opponent.
- Remember that Stranglethorns can interrupt and stop some ultimates if timed right. Try stopping Galio, or Nunu.

Items

Start with:

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We take boots first as a starting item because without boots, it would be extremely difficult to dodge Swain's Nevermove, or Cassiopeia's Miasma. With Boots of Speed, this allows you to dodge and safely farm. One of the bad things about starting with Doran's Ring is you get no extra cash to buy Health Potion's.
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Get Mana & Sustain Items:

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We get Doran's Ring first because we would like the health, ability power, and mana regeneration. For the next item, we buy Catalyst the Protector. This would help you get health and mana EVERY time you level up. Besides. This also builds into Rod of Ages.
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Get Movement Speed/Boots:

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We take Sorcerer's Shoes for the juicy magic penetration -and If you decide to get Void Staff as one of the last items, you can sell these and buy Ionian Boots of Lucidity or Mercury's Treads for added cooldown reduction or tenacity.
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First Big Items:

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Rod of Ages is a near must for Zyra. You get everything Zyra needs. AP, Health, and Mana. We take Rabadon's Deathcap because its a must on all caster mages. You get a whopping 140 AP alone. You also get a bit more from the passive it provides. After this, we get Rylai's Crystal Scepter because the health AND AP is useful. PLUS, the slowing ability applies to ALL of your abilities. Even each attack from your plants slow, no matter which one you pick.
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Situational Last Two Items:

- Tank Items
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If the enemy team is bombarded with AD carrys, you can build a Guardian Angel. This actually makes it okay when you die. because you can use your passive TWO times. Force of Nature. I really like this item on Zyra when she needs to go up against someone like Veigar. Plus she gets movement speed. Frozen Heart makes you more useful scary as the AD Carries will tend to flee. Banshee's Veil is great. I would take this if Karthus is getting to annoying with Requiem.
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- Ability Power Items

Void Staff is a stunningly good item for Zyra. With this her burst rips through magic resist. Zhonya's Hourglass is a also a good choice. You can protect your self for a few second while your opponent is batted by your plants. Abyssal Scepter has a large range and I'd rather use this item when playing support. Athene's Unholy Grail is a somewhat good item if you are also playing support but occasionally at mid lane if the enemy team has lots of AP casters and you use up your mana frequently. The cooldown reduction is also fun. Deathfire Grasp basically adds another ability to your burst and is a REALLY good item if your enemies are tanky. It also adds bonus cooldown reduction. Finally we have Rod of Ages. This is a REALLY good item as you get everything Zyra standardly needs. Health, AP and mana.

Gameplay

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Playing Aggressive

• Be a bully. Hog all of the creeps by using Deadly Bloom under a enemy if they get too close. During Deadly Bloom's brief delay, place your seeds in the center to grow a Thorn Spitter and punish them.
• Being chased? Use Grasping Roots and before it hits the target, quickly place a seed in front or behind them to create a vine lasher. These will slow your opponent after the are released from the snare.

Playing Passive

• Of course we have that opponent that zones you. So? Play passive. If you cant last hit the creeps, your plants can.
• For what ever reason you need a bit more gold, attack the wraiths! Place 1-2 seeds and use Deadly Bloom on them at get easy gold.

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______Early game you should play passive until you get to level 3. You should have Deadly Bloom, Rampant Growth,and Grasping Roots by then. Once you get to level three harass your opponent by spamming Deadly Bloom on your seeds. The plant should cut down your opponents health each time they sprout -causing them to port back if they don't have any potions. You shouldnt have much of a mana problem because you're getting a Doran's Ring and Catalyst the Protector.
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______Mid game you should be spamming the heck out of you skills using your seeds with them EVERY TIME. The minions will be killed by your plants giving you plenty of gold income.
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______Late game you should be as much utility as you can to your team. Initiating teamfights by using Grasping Roots ands if the enemy team tends to clump together, use Stranglethorns. It will help the team as they pop up. Spam your plants on your enemies as they get bashed.

Lane Matchups

What happens when you play Zyra?

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Conclusion

Woooo! Second guide ever! Hope you liked it! Be sure to leave some feedback or Zyra will unleash terrible thorny wrath upon you. o3o

Credit

To dem people who need dat credit:

• JhoiJhoi for: Making a Guide.
• Myself for learning how to use Photoshop and do ALL of my headers and banners.