The laning phase isn't too bad; just don't get hit by her charm. It gets harder once she hits 6, as you'll never be able to stun her again with 3 dashes! You'll need a frontline in order to deal with this, as no squishy can really afford to tank her charm. If your team is all squishy, I suggest dodging in champ select.
Akali
Hitting Akali once is fine, but twice is near to impossible because of the smoke. Unfortunately, Zilean has to land 2 Q's in order to combat Akali, which will never happen unless your Jungler helps to CC her first. Therefore, focus on farming safely and follow her roams; if Akali can't get fed, she can't snowball the game in her favour. In teamfights, she has absurd dive potential, so get ready to Chronoshift whoever she's trying to assassinate.
Aurelion Sol
Shoves way too hard in the first few levels, making it difficult for you to farm under tower. A'Sol needs to be pressured early because he is a lategame monster; Zilean has literally no kill potential whatsoever, meaning that it is a free lane for A'Sol. I would like to say "follow his roams", but it really isn't possible, since he literally flies. If your team composition is not cut out to win lategame, I would consider dodging in Champ Select.
Aurora
Aurora's mobility is a real problem for Zilean, because landing 2 Q's is near impossible. Focus on farming safely and avoid her poke; once you have Lost Chapter, it's time to push wave and roam. In skirmishes, use E to slow her, so that you immediately force her hop; this will mean she has to use her ultimate to reposition, if she wants to deal damage to your carries. Treat Aurora like you would any Assassin: Chronoshift whoever she is trying to assassinate. Remember: Summoner's Rift is a 5V5, not a 1v1. You don't have to stay in lane and suffer a losing matchup!
Azir
Azir is notorious for bullying champs under tower; that's literally Zilean's early-game-plan. You will have a hard time staying in lane, until you get Lost Chapter. When you do, wait for Azir to clear your minion wave first, then you do the same. By being patient like this, he can't "Shurima Shuffle" you, since you have not overextended. Always play passively in lane with Azir, but aggressively roam when possible and start skirmishes. After laning phase, Azir will look for engages; if he wastes his dash, he is a free E+Q+W+Q(stun), which should result in a kill if your allies follow up. Remember: Summoner's Rift is a 5V5, not a 1v1. You don't have to stay in lane and suffer a losing matchup!
Cho'Gath
Shoves way too easily with his E in the early levels, making it difficult for Zilean to farm under tower. Cho'Gath is notorious for his lategame scaling, so you really have to set him behind quickly; Zilean has no kill potential whatsoever, so you must rely on your Jungler ganking you. Cho'Gath has no escapes, so E+Q+W+Q(stun) is ever so easy to land. However, all this is reliant on your Jungler; if you let Cho'Gath farm, it's game over.
Ekko
Ekko is the only assassin that is strong early, mid and lategame. Most assassins have to risk themselves in order to waveclear, but Ekko's Q allows him to do that without fear. His ultimate is on a low CD and allows him to escape, whilst dealing damage as well! As Zilean, you need to ult the person he focuses, then Q+W+Q his rewind location to stun him, which is extremely difficult. Not impossible, but all I can say is... try your best! If your team is all squishy, I suggest dodging in champ select.
Fizz
If your team is all squishy or has no cc, I suggest dodging in champ select. There is a myth out there saying that Zilean counters Fizz. In reality, Zilean is actually weak against Fizz, because he can't pressure him hard enough early game. Fizz has the perfect kit for trading (a dash in and a playful/trickster out); Zilean is weak against this, because you have to land 2 Q's in an effective trade, which simply isn't possible with something as slippery as Fizz. For the entire game after laning phase, it will be you and Fizz trading Ults back and forth; this really limits your options as Fizz can literally catch out anyone with his long-ranged Ult. Thus, it is crucial that you always follow his roams, but be ready to dodge his Ult if he tries to engage on you.
Heimerdinger
The lane dominance and bullying that Heimerdinger is capable of will put you under turret all throughout laning phase. Try your best to CS under turret. Donβt waste your mana trying to destroy his turrets with your bombs, as you will get pushed in anyways due to your high cooldowns early on. Remember: Summoner's Rift is a 5V5, not a 1v1. You don't have to stay in lane and suffer a losing matchup!
Hwei
Has enough range to poke you down in lane and good waveclearing abilities; Hwei is the perfect mage. You will be constantly under tower when laning against him; try your best to farm until you get Lost Chapter. He is somewhat gankable, because his abilities do have high cooldowns, but a good Hwei will use his CC to deny any gank. Thus, what your strategy should be, is to push wave and roam. In teamfights, he will outshine you simply because of the insane AoE damage he can output; as the game goes on, he gets even stronger. Therefore, try to end the game early by getting your bot lane super fed. Remember: Summoner's Rift is a 5V5, not a 1v1. You don't have to stay in lane and suffer a losing matchup!
Irelia
Ban her every time. Do not let her get into range to stun you and when she jumps onto your allies, use E+Q+W+Q to stop her. She will try to dash away, so you must followup quick. If she has an enchanter like Lulu or Yuumi protecting her, she will be extremely powerful so I would ban her if possible. If your team is all squishy, I suggest dodging in champ select. Remember: Summoner's Rift is a 5V5, not a 1v1. You don't have to stay in lane and suffer a losing matchup!
Jayce
There's not many AD poke champions out there (off the top of my head maybe Varus and Senna). He will bully you hard in lane and is the perfect counter to Zilean. If your team is all squishy, I suggest dodging in champ select. He has insane poke and is one of the best lane bullies out there, making your life hell. Luckily, he has no escapes so if you GLP him, your Q+W+Q combo is guaranteed. Remember: Summoner's Rift is a 5V5, not a 1v1. You don't have to stay in lane and suffer a losing matchup!
Kassadin
Pre-6 it's not a problem, but after that you'll never stun him again... His entire kit is perfect for destroying mages. Sadly, Zilean doesn't have enough aggression to bully him in the early game, which means Kassadin will gain free access to mid-lategame. I suggest dodging in champ select as it's just too risky to play against him. Your jungler has to be on point and camp him enough to shut him down, but that rarely happens in solo Q.
Katarina
If your team is all squishy or has no cc, I suggest dodging in champ select. You need to E her if she engages so that she wastes her Shunpo earlier. If she starts to spin, Q+W+Q her as quickly as you can; the less time she spins for the less damage she does. Don't let her Shunpo onto you, as you don't want to waste your ult on yourself. Remember: Summoner's Rift is a 5V5, not a 1v1. You don't have to stay in lane and suffer a losing matchup!
LeBlanc
Follow her roams and don't let her snowball off your allies. Stay far away and don't let her land her full combo on you, as you don't want to waste your ult on yourself. Remember: Summoner's Rift is a 5V5, not a 1v1. You don't have to stay in lane and suffer a losing matchup!
Lux
If your team is all squishy or has no cc, I suggest dodging in champ select. Very frustrating snare and burst combo. She's designed burst down your team at range, but when her Q is down she's a sitting duck! Look to engage as soon as she misses her Q, as she is very squishy and easy to burst down. Similarly to how you would play against Xerath, make sure you try your best to dodge her skillshots.
Pyke
Rarely seen in the Mid Lane, but if you come across it, you will be surprised at how strong it is! Pyke's only weakness is his lack of waveclear, so Pyke Mid players will rush Tiamat. Before he obtains Tiamat, it really is just a farm lane. Be wary of his hook however, as he can burst you down. The problem comes once he starts to push and roam... You have no means to follow him, since he is designed for roaming. Therefore, if your team is all squishy or has no cc, I suggest dodging in champ select. Literally impossible to stun with Q+W+Q as he has too many opportunities to dodge things. It's true that your ult can negate his one, but his roaming potential is too strong for Zilean to deal with. It's important to bully Pyke in the laning phase and shutting him down early will help you win the game. However, Zilean just isn't that great for bullying as he only has one damage ability. Overall, Zilean isn't a strong laner but shines in teamfighting, so call for ganks and use your jungler to shut down Pyke.
Qiyana
If your team is all squishy or has no cc, I suggest dodging in champ select. Aight, don't underestimate her burst damage. Respect her like you're respecting Talon's level 2 first blood potential. She is very difficult to hit and has a devastating stun which separates her from other assassin champions. This means that your positioning in teamfights is highly important; if you get stunned it's game over since you can't ult. Once her dashes are down, you must E+Q+W+Q her so that she can't escape. It's important to coordinate ganks with your jungler to shut her down early. Remember: Summoner's Rift is a 5V5, not a 1v1. You don't have to stay in lane and suffer a losing matchup!
Sylas
He will steal your ultimate and give his team a free revive, meaning that your speciality is no longer... well, special. Your jungler can gank him early and shut him down, so that even if he does steal your ult, he won't have the damage himself to be useful. Remember: Summoner's Rift is a 5V5, not a 1v1. You don't have to stay in lane and suffer a losing matchup!
Syndra
Many players misunderstand her role, thinking that she is a poke mage. She is actually an upgrade to Veigar, a mage assassin type champion. That's why Exhaust is so good against her. She has short range to deal her burst combo, so make sure you E+Q+W+Q her as punishment! Syndra is very good at shoving in the wave and bursting you down post-6. This means that you need to farm the best you can pre-6 and ensure that you don't fall too farm behind. Use TS+GLP to setup Q+W+Q stuns from afar; you can't afford to get close and let her stun you. If she focuses your ally, revive them quickly as her ult waits for no-one! Remember: Summoner's Rift is a 5V5, not a 1v1. You don't have to stay in lane and suffer a losing matchup!
Talon
You need to be able to save your allies as he will do his very best to roam and snowball. Shutting down Talon early is the only way to beat him, so make sure you don't let him get fed. He can only jump onto you if he gets too close, so respect his range and his W in lane, so that he can't get you low. Remember: Summoner's Rift is a 5V5, not a 1v1. You don't have to stay in lane and suffer a losing matchup!
Vel'Koz
Understand that he has highly potent waveclear and poke, so don't waste your mana trying to poke him in lane. Focus on waveclear and let him push, so that your jungler can gank. Be smart about which angle you engage on him, as running together in a straight line with your teammates means he can hit you all with his ult simultaneously. Remember: Summoner's Rift is a 5V5, not a 1v1. You don't have to stay in lane and suffer a losing matchup!
Vex
Good waveclear and strong all-in potential post-6, meaning that Zilean struggles to do much in lane against her. The lane will be in a farming state early, so try to get your jungler to gank. The problem is that her ult will always result in you having to Chronoshift her target. Therefore, make sure to always follow her roams. She's a mid-game monster, but you will outshine her in the lategame.
Vladimir
Vladimir is notorious for becoming a monster in the mid-late game, if not punished early. Therefore, Zilean is just free farm for him. You have no kill potential and no real way of stunning him, because you have to land 2 Q's. In the lategame, his AoE damage will be too much to bear and outshine you. In conclusion, if your team comp has no CC, it's definitely time to dodge. Your gameplan should always be this: once you have Lost Chapter, push the wave and roam bot; get your ADC as fed as possible and quickly end the game. Remember: Summoner's Rift is a 5V5, not a 1v1. You don't have to stay in lane and suffer a losing matchup!
Wukong
By the time you realise he's engaged onto you, it's already too late. His stealth makes him impossible to predict and the only way to beat him is to shut him down early. If you let him pickup kills on your allies, you have not done a good job. Be sure to follow his roams and don't let him get fed. As the game goes on, he will become useless since he will dive in and kill himself with no burst damage. However, if he has enough kills, he will be able to burst down several targets. Remember: Summoner's Rift is a 5V5, not a 1v1. You don't have to stay in lane and suffer a losing matchup!
Xerath
Use GLP to setup Q+W+Q stuns on him, but never get too close to let him stun you. In lane, try your best to move diagonally as soon as he releases his Q, so that you can dodge it. It takes tons of practise to react quick enough, which is why he's one of the best poke mages out there! Remember: Summoner's Rift is a 5V5, not a 1v1. You don't have to stay in lane and suffer a losing matchup!
Yasuo
If your team is all squishy or has no cc, I suggest dodging in champ select. His windwall will make you waste your Q+W+Q combo, so you need to approach him at a different angle if he uses it. Use your E to slow him, then throw out one Q. He will windwall to stop your second Q, so W+E yourself to re-position yourself, then try and land your bomb from a different angle. It's difficult, I know, so don't feel disheartened if you can't do it. Yasuo is a superb duelist, so it's better off ganging up on him with your teammates. In lane, dodge his tornado and let your jungler gank. Shutting down Yasuo early is the way to beat him, so make sure you follow his roams and don't let him get fed. Remember: Summoner's Rift is a 5V5, not a 1v1. You don't have to stay in lane and suffer a losing matchup!
Yone
New champ in S10 and many players are getting used to his kit. He can tower dive quite well and with a few crit items, can burst you down fast. Put your Q+W+Q where his jump back location is for a guaranteed stun. Beware his dash engage during the lane phase, as he can easily chunk your health! Once his dash is down, you can E+Q+W+Q him!
Zed
If your team is all squishy or has no cc, I suggest dodging in champ select. There is a myth out there saying that Zilean counters Zed. In reality, Zilean is actually weak against Zed, because he can't pressure him hard enough early game. His W+E+Q shadow switch combo can easily catch you out and kill you, so respect his W range. Just farm and stay alive until you have purchased Lost Chapter. Then, you can shove the wave and pressure bot or top. If Zed roams, ward and follow. You can prevent him from killing your allies and turn a bad situation into your favour (e.g. Zed roams bot -> 3V2 situation -> Zed All-ins your ADC -> You save your ADC with Ult -> Zed has burned his W -> You E yourself up to him and land Q+W+Q combo -> Your ADC respawns and your support also follows up -> Enemy ADC and support join the fight -> 3v3 situation, but Zed is now low on health -> Zed dies -> 3V2 -> Enemy backs off). Ping Drake whenever it is up, so that your jungler is aware. Zilean outshines Zed in skirmishes and teamfights, but will always lose in a 1v1. Remember: Summoner's Rift is a 5V5, not a 1v1. You don't have to stay in lane and suffer a losing matchup!
Ziggs
Understand that he has highly potent waveclear and poke, so don't waste your mana trying to poke him in lane. Focus on waveclear and let him push, so that your jungler can gank. Remember: Summoner's Rift is a 5V5, not a 1v1. You don't have to stay in lane and suffer a losing matchup!
Zoe
Zoe's bubble on its own can force you to burn Zilean's ultimate ability, making it very hard to deal with. Treat her similarly to Leblanc, where you rush Lost Chapter so that you can shove in the wave and roam to other lanes. Don't waste time trying to kill something you can't! Remember: Summoner's Rift is a 5V5, not a 1v1. You don't have to stay in lane and suffer a losing matchup!
Alistar
Alistar must get in range in order to knockup his enemies, so Zilean's E is perfect for this. The amount of cc he provides is just too good for Zilean, since they can both lock down enemies for days!
Amumu
Amumu must get in range in order to cc his enemies, so Zilean's E is perfect for this. The amount of cc he provides is just too good for Zilean, since they can both lock down enemies for days!
Darius
Darius gets kited very easily and if he doesn't get to his enemies quick enough, his efforts will be wasted. Therefore, Zilean's E would be the perfect tool to help him get into range. Furthermore, Zilean can revive Darius if they manage to focus him down, so they will have waste resources to kill him again!
Diana
Now that Diana can dash pre-6, her jungle ganks are a lot more potent. You have a crazy combo-combo with her: E her so that she gets in range to dash in then followup with Q+W+Q. She will reel in all the enemies around her for multiple stuns, then combo that down with her ult to deal serious damage. It's like a Malphite engage, but with a lot more damage. You can then ult her if she doesn't have Zhonya's yet.
Dr. Mundo
His biggest weakness is that he gets kited easily, but with Zilean's E it completely resolves this issue. Your opponents will expend all their abilities just to finally kill him, but then Zilean's R will revive him again! Since you'll be building AP as Mid Lane Zilean, you'll be able to revive him almost back to full health!
Evelynn
Synergy approved by KingStix himself! The speed boosts that Zilean provides is just too good and lets her get into range to cast her charm much easier. This leads into a free Q+W+Q stun! However, there are moments where his ult could be wasted since she escapes situations anyway using her own ult.
Fiddlesticks
Fiddlesticks has a fear ability which can be easily chain cc'ed by Zilean's Q+W+Q. You can also use Zilean's E to speed him up while he's ulting into the enemy team. Zilean's R can revive Fiddle if Zhonya's is not available.
Garen
The beyblade must enter the arena before it starts spinning, so Zilean's E is perfect for this. Garen is already hard enough to kill, so Zilean's R makes it even worse!
Hecarim
Zilean's E will make Hecarim's engage even scarier and you can chain cc with Q+W+Q when he ults in and fears the target. You can then use R to revive him as well, since he will often take a lot of damage diving into the backline.
Jarvan IV
J4's ult is the perfect arena for a Q+W+Q combo. Zilean's AoE stun is guaranteed if J4 is able to lock in some enemies. Using Zilean's E, J4 can get into range easier and setup magnificent engages.
Kayn
Whether it's Assassin or Bruiser Kayn, Zilean can compliment them both. Zilean can get Kayn into range with his E, or chain cc if Bruiser Kayn does a knockup. We all know how hard Kayn is to kill right? Well Zilean's R makes it even harder!
K'Sante
K'Sante really benefits from Zilean's E, because he doesn't have to waste his dash to gap close anymore. Out of all the tanks, K'Sante has the most mobility, so giving him a free "Guardian Angel" on-top would be absolutely busted.
Lillia
Lillia synergises really well with movement speed, so Zilean's E is perfect for that! You can also land a free Q+W+Q if she puts a target to sleep!
Malphite
Malphite's main issue is that he gets kited easily, so Zilean's E is perfect for him to get in range. Malphite's ult is also the perfect opportunity for Zilean's Q+W+Q AoE stun; a beautiful wombo combo!
Maokai
Maokai must get in range in order to root enemies, so Zilean's E is perfect for this. The amount of cc he provides is just too good for Zilean, since they can both lock down enemies for days!
Master Yi
Master Yi is the notorious hypercarry that works wonders with speed boosts, so who better to pick than Zilean? The revive makes Yi even deadlier, as focusing him down once will not be enough to stop him!
Nautilus
Nautilus must get in range in order to cc enemies, so Zilean's E is perfect for this. The amount of cc he provides is just too good for Zilean, since they can both lock down enemies for days!
Nunu & Willump
Nunu gets kited easily and lacks reliable engage, so Zilean's E is the perfect remedy. The slows and CC that Nunu provides really synergises well with Zilean, as a followup Q+W+Q means that Nunu can channel his ult without fear of his enemies escaping. Furthermore, Zilean is fantastic at helping Nunu escape after counter jungling!
Olaf
With Zilean's E, Olaf is even more unstoppable. How do you beat something that is already immune to cc but has a speed boost, plus a free Guardian Angel? Exactly, you can't!
Pyke
Pyke needs movement speed which Zilean can provide with E. Also, Pyke benefits from having a free "Guardian Angel", simply because of his diving playstyle. It truly is a deadly combo; no squishy opponent is safe now.
Quinn
Quinn works very well with movement speed, so her synergy with Zilean's E is extremely overpowered! She's a very unique marksman that is designed to assassinate, rather than deal consistent DPS, meaning that she gets herself into dangerous situations in order to burst down opponents. Therefore, Zilean's ultimate would be perfect for her to survive after annihilating her chosen target.
Rammus
Rammus must get in range in order to taunt his enemies, so Zilean's E is perfect for this. The amount of cc he provides is just too good for Zilean, since they can both lock down enemies for days!
Sejuani
Sejuani must get in range in order to cc her enemies, so Zilean's E is perfect for this. The amount of cc she provides is just too good for Zilean, since they can both lock down enemies for days!
Sett
Just like Darius, Sett gets kited easily and needs to get real close to deal damage. That's why Zilean's E is perfect for this scenario! Your revive will also make Sett even harder to deal with!
Singed
Singed relies on speed, which Zilean's E can provide. Zilean's R can also make Singed even more annoying! Make sure to followup with E+Q+W+Q after Singed flings his target towards you!
Skarner
Skarner needs as much movement speed as possible to get in range and drag his chosen target towards his team. Zilean's E can provide this, making him unstoppable!
Udyr
Udyr synergises perfectly with movement speed, which Zilean can provide with his E. Zilean can also give Udyr clean escapes after counter jungling, similarly to how Nunu works.
Urgot
To stop getting kited easily, Zilean can E Urgot and get him into range to deal damage. Urgot needs to land his ult on a squishy target, so often risks taking a lot of damage just to get close enough. Fear not, as Zilean has a revive!
Veigar
If Veigar manages to trap an enemy in his cage, Zilean can cast a guaranteed Q+W+Q. A glass cannon really would benefit from a free GA, which Zilean can provide everytime Veigar risks himself to oneshot a target!
Vi
Zilean's E can give Vi that little extra distance to gap close instantly on a squishy target with her R. Afterwards, Zilean can followup with Q+W+Q and a sweet revive.
Vladimir
Getting Vlad into the backline is all you need to do to win teamfights, so Zilean's E is perfect for this situation! What's more, is that your revive can be used to save Vlad who's already extremely difficult to kill, how annoying!
Warwick
Warwick synergises well with movement speed and his fear will give Zilean an easier time landing Q+W+Q.
Wukong
The ultimate wombo combo! Zilean casts E on Wukong, so that he can stealth in and knockup several targets! This will allow Zilean to land a gorgeous AoE stun with Q+W+Q! Moreover, Zilean has a free Guardian Angel for Wukong!
Yasuo
Use your E to get him roaming/dashing all over their team! Your Q+W+Q stun can setup clean tornadoes and giving him a free GA to dive their backline sounds juicy too!
Yorick
Yorick can trap enemies to setup Zilean's Q+W+Q combo! The speedboost is also crucial for helping Yorick stick to enemies.
Zac
Zac's engage is now even deadlier with Zilean's Q+W+Q wombo combo! Giving Zac double revives with his passive makes it even more annoying!
Synergies
IdealStrongOkLowNone
Alistar
Alistar must get in range in order to knockup his enemies, so Zilean's E is perfect for this. The amount of cc he provides is just too good for Zilean, since they can both lock down enemies for days!
Amumu
Amumu must get in range in order to cc his enemies, so Zilean's E is perfect for this. The amount of cc he provides is just too good for Zilean, since they can both lock down enemies for days!
Darius
Darius gets kited very easily and if he doesn't get to his enemies quick enough, his efforts will be wasted. Therefore, Zilean's E would be the perfect tool to help him get into range. Furthermore, Zilean can revive Darius if they manage to focus him down, so they will have waste resources to kill him again!
Diana
Now that Diana can dash pre-6, her jungle ganks are a lot more potent. You have a crazy combo-combo with her: E her so that she gets in range to dash in then followup with Q+W+Q. She will reel in all the enemies around her for multiple stuns, then combo that down with her ult to deal serious damage. It's like a Malphite engage, but with a lot more damage. You can then ult her if she doesn't have Zhonya's yet.
Dr. Mundo
His biggest weakness is that he gets kited easily, but with Zilean's E it completely resolves this issue. Your opponents will expend all their abilities just to finally kill him, but then Zilean's R will revive him again! Since you'll be building AP as Mid Lane Zilean, you'll be able to revive him almost back to full health!
Evelynn
Synergy approved by KingStix himself! The speed boosts that Zilean provides is just too good and lets her get into range to cast her charm much easier. This leads into a free Q+W+Q stun! However, there are moments where his ult could be wasted since she escapes situations anyway using her own ult.
Fiddlesticks
Fiddlesticks has a fear ability which can be easily chain cc'ed by Zilean's Q+W+Q. You can also use Zilean's E to speed him up while he's ulting into the enemy team. Zilean's R can revive Fiddle if Zhonya's is not available.
Garen
The beyblade must enter the arena before it starts spinning, so Zilean's E is perfect for this. Garen is already hard enough to kill, so Zilean's R makes it even worse!
Hecarim
Zilean's E will make Hecarim's engage even scarier and you can chain cc with Q+W+Q when he ults in and fears the target. You can then use R to revive him as well, since he will often take a lot of damage diving into the backline.
Jarvan IV
J4's ult is the perfect arena for a Q+W+Q combo. Zilean's AoE stun is guaranteed if J4 is able to lock in some enemies. Using Zilean's E, J4 can get into range easier and setup magnificent engages.
Kayn
Whether it's Assassin or Bruiser Kayn, Zilean can compliment them both. Zilean can get Kayn into range with his E, or chain cc if Bruiser Kayn does a knockup. We all know how hard Kayn is to kill right? Well Zilean's R makes it even harder!
K'Sante
K'Sante really benefits from Zilean's E, because he doesn't have to waste his dash to gap close anymore. Out of all the tanks, K'Sante has the most mobility, so giving him a free "Guardian Angel" on-top would be absolutely busted.
Lillia
Lillia synergises really well with movement speed, so Zilean's E is perfect for that! You can also land a free Q+W+Q if she puts a target to sleep!
Malphite
Malphite's main issue is that he gets kited easily, so Zilean's E is perfect for him to get in range. Malphite's ult is also the perfect opportunity for Zilean's Q+W+Q AoE stun; a beautiful wombo combo!
Maokai
Maokai must get in range in order to root enemies, so Zilean's E is perfect for this. The amount of cc he provides is just too good for Zilean, since they can both lock down enemies for days!
Master Yi
Master Yi is the notorious hypercarry that works wonders with speed boosts, so who better to pick than Zilean? The revive makes Yi even deadlier, as focusing him down once will not be enough to stop him!
Nautilus
Nautilus must get in range in order to cc enemies, so Zilean's E is perfect for this. The amount of cc he provides is just too good for Zilean, since they can both lock down enemies for days!
Nunu & Willump
Nunu gets kited easily and lacks reliable engage, so Zilean's E is the perfect remedy. The slows and CC that Nunu provides really synergises well with Zilean, as a followup Q+W+Q means that Nunu can channel his ult without fear of his enemies escaping. Furthermore, Zilean is fantastic at helping Nunu escape after counter jungling!
Olaf
With Zilean's E, Olaf is even more unstoppable. How do you beat something that is already immune to cc but has a speed boost, plus a free Guardian Angel? Exactly, you can't!
Pyke
Pyke needs movement speed which Zilean can provide with E. Also, Pyke benefits from having a free "Guardian Angel", simply because of his diving playstyle. It truly is a deadly combo; no squishy opponent is safe now.
Quinn
Quinn works very well with movement speed, so her synergy with Zilean's E is extremely overpowered! She's a very unique marksman that is designed to assassinate, rather than deal consistent DPS, meaning that she gets herself into dangerous situations in order to burst down opponents. Therefore, Zilean's ultimate would be perfect for her to survive after annihilating her chosen target.
Rammus
Rammus must get in range in order to taunt his enemies, so Zilean's E is perfect for this. The amount of cc he provides is just too good for Zilean, since they can both lock down enemies for days!
Sejuani
Sejuani must get in range in order to cc her enemies, so Zilean's E is perfect for this. The amount of cc she provides is just too good for Zilean, since they can both lock down enemies for days!
Sett
Just like Darius, Sett gets kited easily and needs to get real close to deal damage. That's why Zilean's E is perfect for this scenario! Your revive will also make Sett even harder to deal with!
Singed
Singed relies on speed, which Zilean's E can provide. Zilean's R can also make Singed even more annoying! Make sure to followup with E+Q+W+Q after Singed flings his target towards you!
Skarner
Skarner needs as much movement speed as possible to get in range and drag his chosen target towards his team. Zilean's E can provide this, making him unstoppable!
Udyr
Udyr synergises perfectly with movement speed, which Zilean can provide with his E. Zilean can also give Udyr clean escapes after counter jungling, similarly to how Nunu works.
Urgot
To stop getting kited easily, Zilean can E Urgot and get him into range to deal damage. Urgot needs to land his ult on a squishy target, so often risks taking a lot of damage just to get close enough. Fear not, as Zilean has a revive!
Veigar
If Veigar manages to trap an enemy in his cage, Zilean can cast a guaranteed Q+W+Q. A glass cannon really would benefit from a free GA, which Zilean can provide everytime Veigar risks himself to oneshot a target!
Vi
Zilean's E can give Vi that little extra distance to gap close instantly on a squishy target with her R. Afterwards, Zilean can followup with Q+W+Q and a sweet revive.
Vladimir
Getting Vlad into the backline is all you need to do to win teamfights, so Zilean's E is perfect for this situation! What's more, is that your revive can be used to save Vlad who's already extremely difficult to kill, how annoying!
Warwick
Warwick synergises well with movement speed and his fear will give Zilean an easier time landing Q+W+Q.
Wukong
The ultimate wombo combo! Zilean casts E on Wukong, so that he can stealth in and knockup several targets! This will allow Zilean to land a gorgeous AoE stun with Q+W+Q! Moreover, Zilean has a free Guardian Angel for Wukong!
Yasuo
Use your E to get him roaming/dashing all over their team! Your Q+W+Q stun can setup clean tornadoes and giving him a free GA to dive their backline sounds juicy too!
Yorick
Yorick can trap enemies to setup Zilean's Q+W+Q combo! The speedboost is also crucial for helping Yorick stick to enemies.
Zac
Zac's engage is now even deadlier with Zilean's Q+W+Q wombo combo! Giving Zac double revives with his passive makes it even more annoying!
Glacial Augment:
- Creates a frozen zone that slows down the enemies and reduces their damage dealt!
- E(yourself) and Q+W+Q to engage for your team! A fantastic stun setup!
- If you get close enough, you can E the target to make it a much easier Q+W+Q.
- Q+W+Q is a perfect disengage tool for peeling or slowing down an enemy chase!
Magical Footwear:
- You need to use all your gold to buy Lost Chapter as early as possible, so it's a no-brainer for free boots.
Biscuit Delivery:
- If only Minion Dematerializer was still around... But anyways, who doesn't like a biscuit right?
Cosmic Insight:
- Your summoner spells are essential for this build's success rate.
Presence of Mind:
- Presence helps out with skirmishes with your jungler in the early game, as your mana depletes very quickly. Having that extra mana replenished after a takedown allows you to continue the fights or clear an extra wave before backing!
Legend: Haste
- If only Legend: Tenacity still existed... Oh well, I guess the only viable option now is the CDR one.
BONUS STATS RUNES: +8% CDR is always a good stat for Zilean Mid, since you have gold to purchase AP. +9 AP will help out your waveclear in the Mid Lane. +10% Tenacity will make our Merc Tread's even spicier! Subsequently, you have the farm so the enemy team will obviously focus you... Extra Tenacity will give you more reaction time in general to cast your spells, especially when a clutch R is needed!
Lane Trading:
E(Enemy) + Q + W + Q + Auto Attack + E(Yourself) (Enemy) + + + + Auto Attack + (Yourself)
How To Actually Guarantee Landing Your Bombs?
The trick is to use your E to slow your enemies and WAIT 2 seconds! Your E duration lasts for 2.5 seconds, meaning that after 2 seconds you still have half a second to cast your Q+W+Q combo.
This works because your target will often think that you're not going to use your Q+W+Q combo, since you did not cast Q straight away. Also, by being patient and waiting it out, they might even burn their flash, who knows!
All-in-all, patience is key. Just wait out the 2 seconds, then quickly cast Q+W+Q. They won't suspect it!
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4οΈβ£ Tips and Tricks!
MINDSET: Summoner's Rift is a 5v5 and not a 1v1! Help your allies and work together as a team! That's what MOBA games are all about: TEAMWORK!
In order to play Zilean Mid effectively and gain some sweet winstreaks in Solo Q, you must relax and respect your opponents. Your objective is to win the game, not your lane.
Zilean is a weak laner and can't compete with the meta mid laners in 1-to-1 combat. However, you have fantastic waveclear and roaming potential, so you can use this to your advantage! Carry by influencing other lanes and lead your teammates to victory! GHOST to where youβre ganking and save your E to slow the enemy!
HOW TO WAVECLEAR EFFICIENTLY:
When your Q reaches level 3:
- One Q+W+Q combo to clear the backline caster minions.
- Fastest way to push before your Q reaches level 4.
- Rely on your minions to lower the health of the melee minions, or lure them into your turret.
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When your Q reaches level 4:
- One Q+W+Q combo to clear the frontline minions and bring caster minions down to single autos.
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Once your Q reaches level 5:
- Stun duration will last long enough to clear both melee and caster minions (the entire wave of minions, except the Large Cannon minion):
1. Walk up to the wave, approaching the first three melee minions
2. Melee minions start bunching together horizontally
3. Q+W+Q the melee minion in the middle
4. Run away from the wave horizontally
5. As the caster minions catch up to the melee minions whilst they're stunned, the bomb explodes, clearing the entire wave
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You can also wait till your opponent pushes the wave first:
1. As they last hit your final minion, throw out a Q+W+Q on the ground.
2. Let the enemy minions walk up to the bombs.
3. The melee minions get stunned and the caster minions catch up, getting cleared.
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6οΈβ£ INSPIRING Zilean Clips! (Please wait several minutes for the videos to load)
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