Hi. I am a support main that mainly play Zyra to carry from the support role. I hate the enchanter play style where I just hope that I get an ADC that knows how to play the game. As a Zyra I enjoy being more independent from my ADC and controlling team fights. I plan on slowly developing this guide to explain every decision making to help others climb with Zyra. S13 started out with a bang and ended strong with rank 5 overall zyra & Rank 1 Zyra NA.


Thoughts on S13 Zyra
Zyra from release to S13 has significantly changed in playstyle. On release Zyra was a burst mage looking to one shot opponents. This is similar to how Lux support might be played. S13 Zyra is more alligned as a control mage focused on team fights and zone control. This is similar to how Heimerdinger and AP Maokai is played. Big factors in controlling team fight is focusing on utility and survivability, while also outputting consistent damage. Patch 13.1b came with a buff to Oblivion Orb which is why Liandry's Torment rush is now the bis.

With patch 13.1B Liandry's Torment is significantly stronger than any other build

Pro of Rushing Liandry's Torment
- Great damage in early game
- Fast access to relavent Oblivion Orb


Con of Rushing Liandry's Torment
- Significantly squishier compared to Rylai's Crystal Scepter rush
- less utility in team fights until Rylai's Crystal Scepter

Pro of Rushing Rylai's Crystal Scepter
- Slow works off of plants which creates good engage/disengage options
- Provides good health pool to allow Zyra to survive fights
- Faster first item power spike compared to Liandry's Torment rush

Con of Rushing Rylai's Crystal Scepter
- Lower damage compared to Liandry's Torment
- Slows down Oblivion Orb purchase

Radiant Virtue on Zyra Seems Troll

Pro of Radiant Virtue
- Good sustain for team
- Zyra builds all HP-AP items which works well off of radient virtue
- Survive one shot assasins, i.e. Rengar, Zed, Kha'Zix
- Allow ADC to survive team fights

Con of Radiant Virtue
- Lower damage compared to Liandry's Torment
- Slower to reach this build since playing to survive, less kill potential

I personally ban Kayn every game. Blue Kayn feels unplayable against after 2 items. I would highly focus banning champions that are outside of your lane and are a hyper carries: Kassadin, Zed, Evelynn

Starting the game it is always Spellthief's Edge with two Health Potion
core build 1: Liandry's Torment + Oblivion Orb + Rylai's Crystal Scepter
core build 2: Rylai's Crystal Scepter + Liandry's Torment + Oblivion Orb
core build 3: Rylai's Crystal Scepter + Radiant Virtue + Oblivion Orb

First Item Thought Process

Goal with the newest patch is to rush Liandry's Torment and then Oblivion Orb with Sorcerer's Shoes before completion of Liandry's Torment. With buffs to Oblivion Orb, the item rush is insanely gold efficient.

Goal pre 13.1b was to buy Rylai's Crystal Scepter first; however buy order is important. Plated Steelcaps or Mercury's Treads should be second buy.
Blasting Wand> Amplifying Tome> Ruby Crystal> Boots

Considerations when resetting early
If you are resetting pre level 4 with 450 gold Boots + Refillable Potion is a consideration that I often take. This gives me movement speed to dodge as well as get in good placement to cast Grasping Roots. Refillable Potion after third back or after level 6+ does not feel good and will slow down tempo.

Tier Two Boots Thought Process

Plated Steelcaps VS Mercury's Treads VS Sorcerer's Shoes
- Sorcerer's Shoes biggest power spike early and carries you into first item
- Plated Steelcaps if all enemies are attack damage based
- Mercury's Treads if all enemies are magic damage based
- If mixed damage look at the biggest threat champions. If enemy Zed is fed but no one else Plated Steelcaps might make sense. Tier two boots should never be bought before Rylai's Crystal Scepter so it will give you time to see where the game is going. Also consider how Zyra might die. If there is Lux, Morgana types of champions and Zyra could die before joining team fight heavy focus on Mercury's Treads. If there is an enemy Renekton Plated Steelcaps is a good consideration since it will work against Ruthless Predator and potential stop his one shot combo.

Second Item Thought Process
Liandry's Torment vs Radiant Virtue

- Liandry's Torment is the standard item on Zyra and if you want to play without brain just buy this item. Liandry's Torment will work with plant autos and provide consistent damage. Liandry's Torment is preferred in a standard front to back team fighting comps.
Purchase priority: Lost Chapter > Fiendish Codex

- Radiant Virtue is a great item when facing multiple assassins that are focused on resets and will struggle if they can not get resets. For example Rengar, Zed and Katarina. Radiant Virtue will allow Zyra to bait assassins but the active of increasing HP and the natural tankiness will prevent one shot and allow your plants to cause assassins to be stuck in the middle of the team fight due to Rylai's Crystal Scepters passive. Another consideration with Radiant Virtue is team damage. Radiant Virtue will significantly reduce Zyras damage output.
Purchase priority: Aegis of the Legion > Kindlegem > Ruby Crystal

When to buy Oblivion Orb
With the Liandry's Torment build, NEVER buy Oblivion Orb before completing Liandry's Torment. the healing reduced is often negligible compared to completing Liandry's Torment. If healing is a big issue, fight around Ignite.
With Radiant Virtue build also preferred to complete Radiant Virtue before building Oblivion Orb; however often gold is harder to come buy. Consider buying if 3+ enemy champions are healing based ( Soraka, Nilah, Aatrox).

After Core Items

Morellonomicon is a great way to improve anti heal (with 13.1b update no longer improves anti heal but still good consideration for cheaper item completion
Demonic Embrace is a great potential into tanky teams. Also great synergy with the Radiant Virtue build since plants will cause burn. Also the HP scaling is amplified in Radiant Virtue build. DO NOT CONSIDER w/ Liandry’s Anguish
Shadowflame is a consideration against heavy shield focused team and also provides HP. DO NOT CONSIDER w/ Radiant Virtue build.
Anathema's Chains is great when there is 1 carry. The HP also works great with Radiant Virtue build.
Zhonya's Hourglass is a consideration against champions like Zed and Kayn I am not a fan of this item. Personal survivability for Zyra should be low priority as long as plants are spawned and Stranglethorns is cast

Phase Rush Reasoning
- Take phase rush into melee supports that lack gap closers specifically taric. This allows you to dodge the stun and win skirmish in lane. Also comet damage becomes negligible mid to late game while phase rush will always be relavent providing MS to set up potential fights.
- Phase rush is significantly more useful outside of lane; hwoever the early game damage is noticible. This is something I mainly consider in high elo games where kiting becomes significantly m ore important and abusing inproper spacing by enemy support and ADC becomes harder. I do nto go this rune often; however late game phase rush feels great when out running champions like Yone.

Glacial Augment Reasoning
- Glacial augment is great into supports with high engage potential such as Leona and Nautalis. This allows for your ADC to be caught and minimize their all in by reducing damage. Also the slow will cause the melee supports to be stuck in fights longer than entended. This is further complimented by Rylai's rush due to multiple sources of slows.

Let me know if you have any questions or comments. I would liek to see if anyone has any other thoughts on Zyra and improve my mastery of the champion.

Discord link: https://discord.gg/eAZ2Jnq8R8
Stream: https://www.twitch.tv/rebaulten
Highlight Video: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQmrA51MXQqlZlbp7L_6hpw