Having a non-meta Character as your beloved one isn't easy, but it's fun. I played 150 Games with Xin Zhao in the last weeks, mostly on mid, and collected many pieces of information to create and expand this guide. Well, I'm still not done yet, as there is always more to uncover!

WARD, RUSH, BACK WHEN YOU WANT TO NOT WHEN THE ENEMY WANTS YOU TO, REPEAT.

You generally need to watch out where you place yourself on lane as the only escape tools you have, are flash (ghost) and your E on a enemy minion. Rush when you are confident and poke with your W if you have the mana needed to defend from ganks.

Always look out to help people around you with your RUSH, you can even take Drakes by using W behind the wall on dragon and E inside.

Farming is a funny question, as it will be done different depending on your situation. Farm with your AA until your second item to preserve mana. Last hit if you need to get the enemy onto the lane or to play defensive.

Lethal Tempo

Speedy Damage output in longer fights + precision perks (More into lategame)

Conqueror

More sustain + precision perks (Even more into lategame)

Hail of Blades

Early dominance through E + Hail of Blades attack speed (Early to Midgame)
(MY PREFERED WAY TO PLAY RN)

Passive:

Every third basic attack deals 15 / 25 / 35 / 45% of total AD as bonus physical damage and restores 10-112 (based on level)
(+ 10% AD) (+40% of ability power) health.

Q:

Range: 375
Cooldown: 7 / 6.5 / 6 / 5.5 / 5
Cost: 30

Xin Zhao prepares to unleash a fearsome combo, causing his next 3 standard attacks to deal his attack damage + 20/28/36/44/52 (+ 40% bonus AD) to enemy targets, with the final attack knocking his opponent into the air. Each strike while active reduces the cooldown of his other skills by one second.

W:

Range: 1000
Cooldown: 12 / 11 / 10 / 9 / 8
Cost: 45

Xin Zhao performs two swift strikes over a 0.5-0.4 second period (based on bonus attack speed), the first dealing 30 / 40 / 50 / 60 / 70 (+ 30% AD) physical damage to all enemies in an arc and the second dealing 40 / 75 / 110 / 145 / 180 (+ 75% AD) damage and slowing all enemies in a line by 50% for 1.5 seconds.

E:

Range: 650
Cooldown: 12
Cost: 50

Xin Zhao charges and challenges an enemy. The charge deals 50 / 75 / 100 / 125 / 150 (+60% of ability power) magic damage to all nearby enemies and slows them for 30% for 0.5 seconds.

Casting Audacious Charge grants Xin Zhao 40 / 45 / 50 / 55 / 60% attack speed for 5 seconds.

R:

Range: 188
Cooldown: 120 / 110 / 100
Cost: 100

Passive: The last enemy champion targeted by Xin Zhao's basic attacks or Audacious Charge is Challenged for 3 seconds.

Active: Xin Zhao sweeps around him, dealing 75 / 150 / 225 (+ 100% bonus AD) (+ 15% of target's current health) physical damage to enemies hit, capped at 600 (+ 100% bonus AD) against monsters. Non-Challenged enemies are also knocked back and stunned for 0.75 seconds.

For the next 3 seconds Xin Zhao has Awareness, negating all damage received from enemies 450-units away from him. Basic attacks and other spell casts extend the duration by 0.3 seconds, but the remaining duration cannot exceed 3 seconds.