Changes
February 1st, 2012
Guide made

// Hello, this is Mikuroo with his guide on Mobafire! This is my take on the new champion, Ziggs! In my opinion he is a very fun character to play with a high skill cap and endless utility. This champion has only been out a little while, and I am not saying I know how to play him perfectly. I am expressing my opinion. If you have something to say, It will help me, so I suggest you critize, but please do not downvote for a tiny error. 

Credits to jhoijhoi for the template, which you can find here.

+ // nice range on all attacks
+ // nice escape mechanism/ganking
+ // Good damage
+ // Almost Global Ultimate?
+ // Early, Mid and Late game are all good
- // Quite Squishy in his own way.
- // Does not have reliable burst damage
- // Skill shots!
- // Mana dependant, as all AP Carries
- // You must learn to play this new champion! :O

// The 21 points in the Offensive tree are quite straightforward, for any AP carry in the game. Also, note that the 4 points in Mental Force aren’t really needed and you can put them into Butcher or even Brute Force for last hitting power early game.

// The points in the Utility tree are needed for the mana regen from Meditation , and also when you get blue buff from a kill or your jungler, Runic Affinity is SO helpful.

• : // The 15 extra AP makes your harass that much better.
  
• : // Magic penetration.
  
• : // So that you don't get demolished by Ap Carries.
  
• : // We need mana regen to sustain in mid lane. You many also use greater seal of replenishment if you feel like only your early game is lacking strength.

[Flash]: // This spell makes you that much harder to kill because you are pretty damn squishy. With this and Hexplosive Minefield and Satchel Charge it makes you hard to gank or kill.

[Teleport]: // This spell is actually pretty good for mid lane sustaining. It allows you to not miss any farm, so you can buy your items and have an advantage over your opponents.

[ignite]://I would not recommend getting this skill but many people would, so it’s all up to you. Personally, I do not like this skill on [[ziggs]

• Short Fuse: // This passive was made for last hitting basically, because as Ziggs you do not want to get in close for an autoattack. Late game, this skill won’t matter as much, however, this is a super free easy last hit every 12 seconds. That is amazing for a solo mid. Another note about this skill though, is that it scales off of your AP. This means in order for it to be useful early game, you need some AP.
  
• Bouncing Bomb (Q): // This ability has a really long range which makes it good for harassing. Plus the fact that you can lob it over the creep wave, or bounce it through if you are skilled enough, this skill will dominate your opponent.
  
  //Tip: You cannot spam this skill, but that being said you should not be at full mana all the time. Use this to harass your opponent from time to time so that jungle ganks will be more successful.
  
• Satchel Charge (W): // This skill is honestly so good. You can use it to chase, run away, hit opponents back, or any of those combined, and it is fairly easy to use. When using it on yourself, you go quite far and you can jump through walls too. However, this is not like Kassadin’s Riftwalk, ok? Do not think you will have it with you 24/7. Use wisely.
  
• Hexplosive Minefield (E): // This skill is like your aoe damage slow, and has pretty awesome mechanics. When your opponent steps on one bomb, it will explode, dealing damage. Use this skill to block off passageways in the jungle, slow your opponent when going for a kill, or just for the damage. Do not use this skill to harass, please. Bouncing Bomb is better suited for that.
  
• Mega Inferno Bomb (R): // This ulti nuke is pretty sweet. However, it adds a whole new level of skill onto your play. You now have to watch over all your teammates to make sure they are doing okay, and protect them if they are in trouble. I would suggest using this skill on cooldown unless you know a gank is going to happen. This skill has quite a large lag time, but the opponent will not see it coming the whole way. They will only see if a tiny bit before it lands. If you hit this properly, you can devastate any lane you want.

• : // I get this first because they are so useful in running around to get last hits or avoiding skill shots. I also buy this because accidents happen, and if your opponent gets a lucky shot or combo off on you, you can use your Health Potion’s to stay in lane rather than recall .
  
• Sorcerer’s Shoes: // These will increase your damage, obviously. Of course, these are the normal shoes for AP carries. However, you can buy mercury’s treads also. I do not recommend you buy Ionian Boots of Lucidity. They really aren’t worth it on Ziggs.
  
• : // I buy this because Ziggs is pretty damn squishy, and buying these first gives you two advantages from it that are worse than buying later. 1. The hp and mana regen, they don’t really do anything once you hit level 17ish. 2. The AP and HP and mana stacks so that Rod of Ages is actually a good item once the laning phase is over! You should buy the Blasting Wand first so your damage in lane isn’t horrible, or the catalyst the protector if you are facing a really harassy champion.
  
• Rabadon’s Deathcap: // This item is so good because it gives enormous amounts of AP. I would get this first, but then I would be forced into not buying Rod of Ages for above reasons, and have to buy something like rylai’s crystal scepter, which I believe is not necessary because of our skill-less Hexplosive Minefield.
  
• : // Void staff is almost necessary on AP carries, and it also gives a good chunk of AP, for a pretty low cost in total. This is your last main item before you split off into what you want to buy. Of course, if they do not have much Magic Resist, you do not really have to buy this, and can skip to the other items. A Haunting Guise would suffice.
  
  
• Morello’s Evil Tomb: // This item is actually pretty decent, and I would get this over will of the ancients. The only reason is because it is much more useful for team fights. It gives you only 5 less Ap, but much more utility with 20% CDR. This means more Bouncing Bombs.
  
  DO NOT GET THIS
• : // This item is fairly good, but it is not for Ziggs as you will get the 33% derease for all your attacks, cuz all you do is aoe damage
  
  OPTIONAL ITEM THAT MAY HELP A LOT
• : // If you are having troubles last hitting, you are allowed to buy this for that extra help. By using this proc and your passive, you can easily last hit. Also, your passive does not really have much damage yet, because it scales off of your AP. So this item does help, but note, you do not need this, and if you buy it you will sell it later.
  
  READ THIS NEXT PART, IT IS SOMETHING I THINK WILL SAVE A LOT OF ZIGGS PLAYERS
  
  Why do I not buy Lich Bane? This is because it is not very useful late game and only at its best point mid game. For Ziggs, you do not want to get in the middle of a fight. Sure, you have a bit of health from Rod of Ages, but that isn’t enough to keep you alive. Lich Bane requires you to get fairly close to the fight.
  
  Another thing is that if you want to buy Lich Bane in mid game, this means that you cannot buy either Rod of Ages or rabadon’s deathcap. Both of these items are pretty damn useful, and rabadon’s will give you most of your AP, most of your damage. If you do not get Rod of Ages early game, it will not stack up to its fullest potential by the time you want it too. Also, the passive is worth almost nothing.

// This guide is really not here to teach you about how to play the game. However, it is important that you ward and such because you will suffer if you don’t. Why? Mid is the most easy lane to gank, and if you die by a successful gank, or even get down to low hp, you will have to recall. Your opponent gets higher leveled, and more farm. Good game.

// If you can actually last hit properly, wards should not be expensive. Seriously. So learn how to last hit before taking the role of mid lane, because you are carrying a big sign on your head saying “Carry, please kill me ASAP.”

Fighting is not as hard as it sounds on Ziggs. Sure, all of your attacks are skill shots, but they aren’t insanely hard skill shots like letsay, Lux. They are basically a click attack, except that your Bouncing Bomb can really go past the radius in which you can throw it!

When bursting someone down, throw Bouncing Bomb as much as possible, you have to abuse its low cooldown. Then make sure you have Hexplosive Minefield down, for the damage and slow. The slow is IMPORTANT.
It is pretty easy to set up kills with Satchel Charge, because by setting it in front and knocking them back into a slow or another cc, they are practically dead.

//Another thing is ganking. If one of your lanes is having a lot of difficulties, you can push your lane hard and then gank. Ziggs is an amazing ganker, but unfortunately he has no jungle potential (I think?). However, now you can use this potential. Land your Hexplosive Minefield first, then throw them back with Satchel Charge. Now burst them down.

//When you chase, do not chase with Satchel Charge unless you have your teammates to back you up after you walk away. Satchel Charge has a long cooldown, so if you get into a bad situation, all you can really do is Hexplosive Minefield, aka not very effective.

//Remember that your Bouncing Bomb has superb range. Remember also that you have a basically global ultimate, Mega Inferno Bomb. If there is only one route for the enemy to go, feel free to throw this and continue your chase, they will have to stop and wait for the bomb to land.

//Ziggs actually has a pretty good escape mechanic. He has two skills, Satchel Charge, and Hexplosive Minefield. Satchel charge can be used to run away through walls, and a lot of things. Use it most efficiently by knocking both yourself and your opponent away. Satchel Charge is amazing against AD carries this way, it works perfectly against them.

// Hexplosive Minefield lasts on the ground for 10 seconds, so if you can get it to block a pathway somewhere in the jungle, you can usually get away. However, if the opponent is on you, and Satchel Charge is on CD, then throw the mines right in front of you so that the opponent steps on them, and takes a continual slow all throughout the circle of mines.

//If last comes to last, Flash away. Do not go into a situation intending to use this to get away unless you are 100% sure you are not going to be ganked, and 100% you are going to get a kill/ assist. This is your LAST RESORT.

// What you want to do is last hit as much as possible so that you can beat their mid laner. This requires you to be mana efficient. The thing about Ziggs is that his passive, Short Fuse which helps last hitting, requires you to use skills. So by harassing your opponent, you make last hitting technically easier for you! Yet if you throw too many Bouncing Bombs you will go out of mana and have to recall because if your opponent is good he will zone you after this.

// Thank you for reading my guide, hopefully it will make you a better Ziggs Player! As everyone knows, this is a guide in process because I cannot obviously master a champion so fast, I doubt anyone can.

// I will be glad to explain anything in this guide if it helps. Please do not troll downvote this guide unless you have a legit reason that actually makes sense. It is in my best interest to make this guide better, so do not say LOLOL THIS GUIDE SUCKS. GIVE ME A REASON.

Credits to jhoijhoi for the template, which you can find here.