Zac Build Guide by ChoppedRamen

Introduction

Hey summoners, and welcome to my Zac guide. When i first saw him, i knew he was an instant buy for me. The green goo blob suited me perfectly and when i saw his abilities... well i was talking about him to my friends until he finally came out. I researched all things i could find about him. When i played him for the first time, i knew he was a keeper.

About Zac

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Zac is a tank/tanky ap champion whose role is to soak up damage and cause havoc within the enemy team. He is perfect in the jungle and is an amazing ganker. He excels in initiation using his E, Elastic Slingshot and ultimate, let's bounce.

Disclaimer

Although i haven't played him for too long, I've seen too many Zacs fail all their abilities and just getting not so good items. Ive won nearly all the games i have played with him with this build, but this is only a suggestion. You may agree or disagree with how i play Zac, but it works for me and this is how i play him. So without further ado, lets bounce right in to one of my favorite bouncing blobs.

Pros/Cons

Powerful Pros Amazing Jungler and good jungle speeds Not mana relient Possibly game-changing ult Massive Jump Great Ganks Death defying and healing Passive Very fun Tanky Green blob goo thingy mcdoohicky

Crummy Cons Abilites cost percent of current health Missed Jump = Not so good gank Jump roots you (although you can get a net gain of distance after jump) Cannot change direction after rooted during jump Skin isn't very good :(

Abilites

Each time Zac hits an enemy with an ability, he sheds a chunk of himself that can be reabsorbed to restore 4% of his maximum health.
Upon taking fatal damage, Zac splits into 4 chunks that attempt to recombine. If any of these chunks remain after 8 seconds, he will revive with 10-50% health depending on the health of the surviving chunks. Each chunk has 12% of Zac's maximum health, and 50% of his armor and magic resistance. This ability has a static cooldown and is unaffected by cooldown reduction.

• Try to grab the blobs at the last minute if you are going to use more abilities. Because the your abilities cost current health, the less current health you have, the less health your abilities will cost, but the amount of health regained per blob is still the same. This will allow MAXIMUM HEALTH GAIN through your passive.

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Zac lashes out with an elastic punch, dealing 70 / 110 / 150 / 190 / 220 (+ 50% AP) magic damage to all enemies hit and slowing them for 20 / 25 / 30 / 35 / 40% 2 seconds.

• Try to use this after you jump to someone during ganks or when initiating team fights . If you are going to use your ultimate in the battle, use this before the ult to try to slow them so you can use it again when your ultimate ends.

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Zac's body erupts, dealing 40 / 60 / 80 / 100 / 120 magic damage equal to a base amount plus a percentage of 4 / 4.5 / 5 / 5.5 / 6% (+ 2% per 100 AP) of their maximum health to all nearby enemies (max 200 damage against minions and monsters).

• This is your main and best ability (other than your ult). Spam it!
• Many people do not know that this ability CAN BE USED DURING ULT. Use it when ulting for maximum damage output.

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Zac faces the cursor and begins charging for up to 1 second. After 1 second or after reactivating the ability he launches himself towards the target location, dealing 80 / 130 / 180 / 230 / 280 (+ 70% AP) magic damage to all enemies hit and knocking them back for 0.5 seconds.

Can be cancelled by moving; refunding 50% of the health cost.

• This ability charges in the direction of your cursor, not the way you are currently facing
• This ability is a massive jump, and gets longer range as you level it up. If you feel like you need more range on it, spare a point into it instead of Stretching Strike.
• Once cancelled, it will refund health and reduce the cooldown. If you face the wrong way during a gank, just stop and wait out the shorter cooldown to make the most out of your gank
• This spell will stay charged for about 5 seconds (Comment if I'm wrong). Use the ability before its timer runs out.

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Zac leaps into the air and begins to bounce on the ground, up to a maximum of 4 bounces. Each bounce deals 160 / 240 / 320 (+ 25% AP) magic damage to nearby enemies, knocks them up for 1 second, and slows them by 20% for 1 second. Enemies hit more than once take half damage and are not knocked up or slowed. Zac gains an accelerating movement speed buff (20-50%) while active.

Zac can right-click and can activate Unstable Matter to move while in the air. While active, Zac is unable to activate Stretching Strike or Elastic Slingshot.

• This spell is best used in conjunction with Elastic Slingshot. Jump in with the Elastic Slingshot and start your ult.
• When Zac is using his ultimate, he has 75% reduced CC duration. This does not include knockbacks like Xin Zhao's Crescent Sweep or Tristana's Buster Shot.
• Try to use this in every fight you can. It adds so much damage to Zac's combo and can often win 1v1, as the enemy will have a hard time targeting a bouncing blob of death.
• This ultimate has a decently low cooldown, which can be almost 60 seconds with this build end game. Don't be afraid to use it.
• Zac bounces only 4 times. Keep this in mind when in combat.
• Not only is this great for battle, but it is also good when things go haywire. The accelerating movement buff, knock back, and slow can be used for a great escape combined with Stretching Strike, Elastic Slingshot, and Flash.

Masteries, Runes, and Summoner Spells

Masteries

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These masteries are actually the same ones used in Zac's champions spotlight. They work quite well for him and i decided to keep it. Why tinker with something that's already good?

Runes

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So these runes are the ones i bought a LONG TIME AGO. I still use them today and now i can't play most champs without this extra durability. Works well with everyone in my opinion.

Summoner Spells

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Flash: One of the best summoner spells in my opinion, even after the nerf. It is so versatile that I use it in virtually every game I play. Whether using it to position yourself, chase, escape, this spell can do it all.

Smite: You are jungling, so dont forget this. Secure your buffs and steal the enemy's buffs quicker. Time it to make sure your Baron Nashor or Dragon doesn't get stolen, or use it steal when the enemies are fighting either monster.

Ghost: It dont usually run this, but if you dislike Flash like i know some people do, this can be a pretty good substitution. It also works with your ult(comment if im wrong) if you use it before using the ultimate to make yourself bounce a bit farther.

Items

Starting the game

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Hunter's Machete is the basic Season 3 jungle start. Not much explaining here.

5 Health Potion are pretty basic also. Potion = Health = Good.

Core Items

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Spirit Visage is a necessary on Zac. The passive makes his blobs alot more valuable and the CDR and health go very well to Zac's playstyle.

The Spirit of the Ancient Golem is very nice on Zac. It gives him very good tenacity, health, regen, armor and more 25% more damage against monsters.

Ninja Tabi is my preferred boots on Zac. The balance out his armor and magic resist and provide a very good passive of blocking 10% of damage from basic attacks. Good against auto-attack reliant champions like ADCs and some AD bruisers.

After the Core

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Rylai's Crystal Scepter is a great item for Zac, it gives health, damage and the ability to slow. This adds to his CC during let's bounce. Very good all around item for him.

Warmog's Armor is when your tankiness skyrockets, and you get insane regen. 1000 health and the unique health regen passive make it very good on a health-user like Zac.

Rounding off your build

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Sunfire Cape is a great ending choice for Zac. The health and armor are very beneficial, and the passive makes you deal a lot more damage in teamfights while you are in the middle of everything.

Guardian Angel has great synergy with your passive, allowing you to live 3 times, assuming your passive and this is up. The armor and magic resist also round off your build very nicely, but unfortunately this provides no health.

Runic Bulwark adds a nice finishing touch to your build, and also provides armor and magic resist to your allies.[/center]

Gameplay

Spawning

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When you spawn in the game, grab a Hunter's Machete and 5 Health Potion. Put your first ability point into Unstable Matter. Not much explaining here.

Into the Jungle

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Head over to the Wolf camp first. Ask for a leash. Spam Unstable Matter and try to collect blobs at the last second. By the time you are finished, the Ancient Golem should have spawned and you should be heading over there. Once there, you should initiate the fight while the people who are giving you a leash autoattack it. Do the same as the Wolf camp except use your Smite on it. If all went well, you should be able to level up your Stretching Strike. Head over to the wraith camp and spam your abilities, same as before. When you're done, remember to use your Health Potion when you are missing about 300 of your health, as your blobs should be able to heal up the 100. Go to your wolf camp and do the same, and then get Elder Lizard Your Smite should be back by now or under 10 seconds. Go to the wraith camp one more time and if nobody took any experience, you should have leveled up and point your 4th point into Elastic Slingshot.

Ganking

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Check to see if anyone is gankable, this means if anyone is about halfway up the lane or pushing the lane. Ping the laner to get ready for the initiate and charge your Elastic Slingshot and aim a little behind the enemy. This will make it so if he moves back a bit because your laner may put a bit more pressure than usual, you will still get the knockback off. Even if you don't get the knockback off, your gank can still work if you slow and your laner follows up immediately. Keep doing this and if you don't find any gankable lanes, just jungle. Once you get your let's bounce, your ganks will be devastating, assuming your laner realizes. To gank with your ult, do the same thing except when you jump to them, immediately hit your let's bounce (or try to fit a Stretching Strike in there before ulting). This will make it so your enemy has NO time to react and will try to run in vain while you jump and explode all over them and your fellow laner demolish them.

*PRO TIP: "Securing the kill" is easy if you use your Unstable Matter when the enemy has about 1-3 bars of health depending on how much Magic Resist he has.

Mid-Game

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This is when all the teamfights start and when your let's bounce truly shines. Since you are the tank, you should be the one jumping in first and causing mayhem. Just jump in and start ulting, and follow the highest priority while bouncing around. It's hard for them to target you (assuming they have no AOE) but its easy to target them. While you are in the middle of the fight, i tend to spam all my abilities in the general direction of the priority (assuming he isnt dead). Not much else to do but spam and try to get blobs if they are within reach during fights. Grab dragon whenever it is up, baron nashor if you are up to it, start pushes, etc...

Late Game

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By now your build should be almost complete, and you should be either pushing or defending. You can tank the towers if you have enough health, blah blah blah. The game should start to see a winner, and hopefully that will be you.

Into The Jungle

O.K. So, i go the blue route. You may be thinkin, "But Zac doesn't use mana! Why should he start blue??" I'll tell you why:

If you didnt get my little equation there, what im saying is that although Zac doesn't benefit from the mana regen, he still gets the CDR, and CDR is VERY IMPORTANT on Zac. This route also leaves more Buff of the Elder Lizard for your ganks. Anyways here is the route i go:

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Getting Counter-Jungled

In an all-perfect world, Shacos would just stay in their little jungle and not bother you. Unfortunately, that's not gonna happen most of the time. But fortunately, you aren't as susceptible to ganks as other champions. Your passive allows you to rise from the dead, and further continue on your merry way. This also allows you to counter counter-jungling. Unless the other champion didnt take any damage from you and is still healthy, by the time you die and activate your passive, he should be low enough that if he doesnt AOE your blobs to death, you should be able to take him down, especially if you happen to have your Elastic Slingshot. Unless you know that the counter-jungler is going to kill your blobs or your mid/top isnt going to help you, then just fight till the death. Most people won't remember your passive and this can net you a kill.

Summary

So that's my guide! Hope you enjoyed and thanks for reading! Leave some constructive criticism/comments/votes whatever. I'll try to look and incorporate some ideas. Again, this is just a guideline, and by no means how you HAVE to play Zac. Im just sayin how i play him and how it works with me. Anyways, thats all, and i hope you have a great time bouncin around on Summoner's Rift.

Change Log

4/6/13: Released the Guide!