Zilean General Guide by The Fancy Pancake

Introduction

Hello! I've recently picked up Zilean and found that there aren't too many guides that fit the play style in which I use with Zilean. This champion is not a support, he is a f***ing time lord. Not only that, but he's a sadistic old man who has a laugh the haunts the very last few seconds of an enemies life as the timer above their head ticks down. Most people dislike playing him due to the fact that he's fairly squishy late game, especially if you want to do damage, but his ultimate and slow/speed compensate for this. If you know how to fly in and kite the enemies, the small amount of health you have will be nothing to worry about!

Runes

I find that Greater Quintessence of Ability Power and three flat Greater Glyph of Ability Power, combined with six Greater Glyph of Scaling Ability Power, allow for Zilean to throw out damage at the start of the game, along with continuing to be able to do so throughout the rest of it. Seals of armor are taken due to the fact that you're most likely going to be facing an ADC that will try and poke you whenever you run up to throw a bomb on them or their support. Greater Mark of Magic Penetration are a must for early game, enabling you to shred through the small amounts of MR they will most likely begin with.

Masteries

Double-Edged Sword allows for you to throw out a little extra damage with your bombs, plus you shouldn't be taking too much damage as you fly in with your giddy arse and two bombs on them before flying out.

Sorcery is necessary if you want to be throwing bombs on enemies every time they come up to try and last hit. Although after getting your first two core items this isn't very useful, it provides an advantage early on.

Expose Weakness is nice to have if you're playing with someone you're going to stick with so that you can show them the right way to carry. With your bombs and insane slow, you're laning buddy will have a chance to throw out quite a bit of damage.

Arcane Blade can be replaced with something else if you'd like, but being the sadistic old man that you play, it's always fun to toss a few clocks at the enemies while death is quickly approaching.

Recovery I take this just because any other defense masteries don't provide too many benefits to Zilean. Considering you have so little health, this health regen is actually a nice amount to have so that you can remain in lane for a while longer. You can replace this if you'd like.

Phasewalker is another mastery that you can replace if you'd really like to, but it's always nice to be able to B a little faster before getting caught.

Items

Doran's Ring combined with Meditation gives you a nice amount of mana regen. to start with so that you don't have to ask your jungler for blue, but you won't need it after taking it when the enemy jungle comes to gank you.

Chalice of Harmony this ensures that you won't run out of mana too quickly and provides for some magic resist when you're at war with the enemy support. Plus, it builds into the ever so wonderful Athene's Unholy Grail, which gives you half of the CDR cap!

Morellonomicon bumps you up to the CDR cap and prevent any enemies from healing back up in their final moments. Make sure that you spam your laugh when you place the final bomb on them, let them know not to f*** with your lane when the respawn, which is only because you allow them to.

Void Staff is usually taken because the enemies build some MR, and this practically makes your bombs do true damage. Nothing like dropping their ADC to a quarter life and then flying you giddy a** around them while waiting for the final one to take them out.

Zhonya's Hourglass provides for a fair amount of armor, and an insane amount of ability power when combined with your Rabadon's Deathcap. I prefer it over Deathfire Grasp because the CDR on Deathfire isn't really needed, and it gives the same amount of AP. Not only that, but you can't use that beautiful active which gives you a chance to turn into a statue of gold right before your enemies explode.

Skill Sequence

Ability Sequence
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18

Spells

Flash and Ignite are usually the bread and butter of every champion. Flash provides for a beautiful escape, and Ignite allows you to watch enemies slowly die even if they manage to survive your endless rain of bombs.

Skill Combo

Typically, you want to run in with your Time Warp and then throw a Time Bomb on an enemy. Immediately after using your first bomb, cast Rewind and use Time Warp to slow the enemy before tossing a final Time Bomb on them. By this point, the enemies are completely terrified by the fact that a crazy old man just flew up to them, tossed two bombs on them, and took them down to below half health, all while laughing like a maniac. If they're not, and they happen to be dealing quite a bit of damage to you, go ahead and cast Chronoshift on yourself if no one else is nearby that needs it. You pretty much rinse and repeat, and make sure that you keep out of their range when your moves on cooldown.

Handy tip: Right before you B, make sure to cast Rewind if your ultimate's on cooldown. In late game, you can probably just spam in whenever you want.

Handy Tip #2: When you do have a massive amount of mana regeneration, cast Time Warp on yourself, immediately followed by Rewind. Right before your Time Warp is about to finish it's buff, cast it again, along with casting Rewind right when it comes off cooldown. This is the most efficient way to get around the map. Enemies will be confused as to how you B'd and got a penta simultaneously.