Hello and welcome to my guide to Zachary the floppy tank. Hopefully after reading this you will know how to build, lane, sustain, farm and kill everything with your wobbly arms. I hope you enjoy reading. :)

As with most guides, it would probably be better to try this in a bot PvAI game just to try the order in which you buy items etc, but you won't reach the end of the build and laning will be easier than in a PvP game.

Pros:

Easy to farm minions due to all his moves being AOE.
Sustains very well due to his Blob passive.
Short cooldowns means you can move spam.
Lots of mobility with his E and worst case scenario, your R
Playing defensive benefits your passive, Dieing under your turret increases your chances of revival.


Cons:

Long cooldowns on the Revival passive and Ultimate.
Blob Passive can disrupt ganks, and spamming too hard can kill you if you don't collect them.
Blobs can land behind enemy lines.
Revival blobs are easily killed, vulnerable and smitable. AOE moves tend to counter his passive.
Forced to build a Hybrid AP/Health Build.

The masteries are a tricky one. You may feel that it would be better to build Defensive Masteries as you get health and armour which benefit your Rivival passive. However the majority of the items you will build give you what you need for Health and Armour/Magic Resist therefore your masteries and runes will give you the damage you need early game, and for mid game.

Flash and Ignite are both interchangeable with Ghost and Exhaust, depending on your play style, however I would Recommend Flash due to the fact it's instant, you can jump over walls, and you can create a gap for his E leap move. I would recommend ignite as it helps Zac get the kills early in game, His Q and W have a very short range meaning unless you have his E getting that last hit can be a problem.

Cell Division

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.

Stretching Strike

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.

Unstable Matter

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).

Elastic Slingshot

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.

Let's Bounce

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.

Use your Q and W to kill minions as best as possible, it's best to do this whenever you see minions or come near Wraiths and can E over the wall (Do this late game or without a jungler to respect their position) Because of your passive you will always get the health you used back from using your abilities. Be wary of using your E to clear minions as it is a useful escape method.

Depending on how close your enemy is your sequence can change.
For instance if you are close to your enemy your Abilities are as follows:
Q (Stretching Strike)
W (Unstable Matter)
E (Elastic Slingshot)
R (Let's Bounce) (E whilst doing so)

This allows you to Slow with your Q, Damage with your W, Chase with your E
Then finish with your Ultimate if needed. (Your Q and W have 4 and 8 second cooldowns meaning they can be spammed and should be done unless you are low on health.

However if your opponent is further away your sequence would be as follows:
E (Elastic Slingshot)
W (Unstable Matter)
Q (Stretching Strike)
R (Let's Bounce)(E whilst doing so)

This way Your E brings you into the fight, W Damages quickly, Q Slows, then your Ultimate finished if needed.

Ignite before using your ultimate if they are low enough and try and basic attack or Q/W if possible. keep your flash with you just in case you need to turret dive and need a quick escape.

Zac's build can be quite awkward to get right, building too healthy at the start can mean you do no damage, and building heavy damage means you die to easily, so it's quite hard to get this order right, but what I have found seems to work very well with sustaining in top lane and damaging at around 15 minutes in.

I have tried to explain the order in which you buy the items at the top of the guide, so here I will only explain the reason I get these items and why I get them before other items.

Boots of Mobility

1000
I buy these boots as they help with roaming and supporting other lanes, Zac is extremely mobile with his E so used with these boots he can defend top lane, then run and leap into mid lane with enough time to save your allies. They are effectively interchangeable with whatever play style you have, you can use Sorcerers shoes to benefit your AP or Ninja Tabi/Mercury's Treads to benefit your Revival Passive.

Rylai's Crystal Scepter

2900
This item I try and build As soon as possible with my Boots, I build this first as it gives more AP than say, a Void staff or abyssal scepter, and it gives a nice lump of 500 health. It's the perfect item to build for early game.

Warmog's Armor

2830
I build Warmogs after Rylai's because your Runes and masteries should mean you have around 100 AP at this point, however your enemy should be building up whatever items they have too, so you need a warmogs to help you sustain in the ganks whilst helping damage champions.

Rabadon's Deathcap

3300
Now this is where you'll start to annoy your enemies. You'll have around 3000 health and around 280 AP meaning you're going to be a pain to take down. This is where the 'preferably set order' ends, and buying items after this is dependent on what your team needs, and what the game is asking from you.

Abyssal Scepter

2650

AND/OR

Void Staff

2295
These two are interchangeable, or if you want lots of damage. Have them both! Your moves will hit harder and being offensive will be easier, however you will take up potential inventory slots for Armour or Health.

Sunfire Cape

2650

AND/OR

Aegis of the Legion

2150

AND/OR

Locket of the Iron Solari

1850
These three are kind of a mix and match with eachother, or the two damaging items said before. Sunfire cape gives you extra health and armour for your passive, the Unique passive for this item will help you if you use your E or R in the middle of a gank, This should also persist when you're in your revival state assisting the gank. The Aegis of the Legion This item is effectively the same as a Sunfire cape with it's uses but it gives you different stats.

Zac is a very fun champion to play as and you will always be busy chasing your blobs, Leaping around and double fisting minions.

This build was first tested with two top lane, however it is perfectly viable as a solo top.

Early Game

What you need to be doing is spamming your Q and W to farm minions, If the enemy champion gets too close don't be afraid to Q in their direction to remind them who's boss. Don't go all out until you have you E, this will either save your life or kill your enemy depending on your first fight with them. Once you have killed them or need to go back, get your second set of items and don't be afraid to go offensive on your opponent, Just sit in a bush every now and again and Leap onto them, You'll do enough damage for them to use a potion (Unless they have healing moves or insane lifesteal.).

Mid Game

Once you have your Rylai's and boots You should be able to roam around if your lane is pushed or missing, Help Mid lane if possible and Bot lane if needed. When fighting with an ally try and Leap in, Slow them with your Q Then spam your E like you normally would.

Late Game

Late game you want to be the first person to start the teamfights, make sure you are with your team and try to direct all fire towards yourself but whilst being mobile with your ulti so as your team.

Team Fights

When fighting with your Team make sure you're at the front and first to engage, you can knock up enemies and slow so make sure you do this as quick as possible, Your moves are AOE and hit either in a line or circle. Just be in the centre of the fight and chase you enemies. Even if you die in the gank, having teammates nearby can take the focus off your passive and cause you to revive at the last second and get a sneaky kill.

Thank you for reading this, I hope it has helped you. As with most guides adapt this to however you play, I wouldn't take it literally to a T. You may play better or worse than I do and find a better way to build or a quicker, more substantial one, or the inverse, you may not be able to follow this due to the required kills, assists etc.

Have fun and all the best,
Sergeant Squell