Zilean Build Guide by

Zileanaire - OTP In-Depth Guide -UPDATED-

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League of Legends Build Guide Author Zileanaire

Build Guide By 36 5

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17 Comments

36 5

52,539 Views

17 Comments League of Legends Build Guide Author Zileanaire

Zilean Build Guide By Updated on

Guide Discussion (17) More Zilean Guides

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what would be the objects to play it AP?

(2) |

To play Zilean full AP? As support it's not the greatest because a full AP build is quite expensive on a support salary, though I will do it from time to time. Generally if I am the only AP on the team I will consider it but it will depend on whether I think the AP damage will genuinely help that particular game or not. Sometimes I just get bored and play AP and take all the kills because people underestimate how much damage it does. :) Hope that helps?

What do you think of Arcanist's Axiom, I've been playing it recently and i Like it for more health on ult and it's Ult reducing CD. I know it would be instead of Manaflow, but i think it maybe worth the trade off as Axiom is very powerful.

(2) |

It’s definitely a powerful rune but not for Zilean I don’t think. Admittedly I haven’t used it yet though. The healing factor isn’t typically the selling point for his ult and it’s not making it significantly better or guaranteeing it will make someone survive. Zilean’s ult cooldown can get down to 25-35 seconds depending on build so reducing it by a handful of seconds isn’t going to be game changing either I wouldn’t think.
This isn’t to say the runes garbage for Zilean, it could definitely be taken, but I place a pretty high value on the early mana from Manaflow Band. Your early game is already bad and taking that away makes it even worse. I might trial it over a few games and if my opinion changes you’ll be the first to know :)

how comes you dont build imperial mandate

(2) |

On occasion I do, but honestly I find most of the time I don't need it. The items ability doesn't feel useful enough to me to make it a priority pick. At least for now, I prefer the utility the other items provide because I can come equip for literally any team rather than just building the same thing game after game (even though that works too lol).
If you google the top Zilean players from around the world and have a look through their builds, you'll find the majority of them aren't using Imperial Mandate, and if they are it's not every game.
If I am being perfectly honest though, the build really doesn't matter that much. Use what works for you. There's at least 3 or 4 good builds getting around for Zilean at the moment and all of them are viable. Just depends on your playstyle and what you find works for you.

Hello again, Zileanaire. I have a new question, if i can.
I realized i just use my passive every time it available. I believe this is not the best usage of it.
So, maybe you have some tips how to use it correctly, having the biggests profit?
Thank you

(2) |

I am honestly not a huge fan of his passive or how it works. If I could change one thing about Zilean, it would be his passive. The original passive was broke (it gave 8% bonus exp to your entire team GLOBALLY lol.) Your team would just outscale the enemy and I agree it was overtuned, but I think the current passive is very underwhelming.

When I am in lane I will often just use it on cooldown if my ADC will not level on the current wave.

A good way to use it however is to save the exp and only use it on important levels. For example don’t use any of it until you can give your ADC level 6 or your jungler level 6 etc. There’s not really a “this is the way” to use the passive. At the end of the day you’re giving someone exp and exp is important in the early/mid game to either stay even or get ahead of the enemy. I might write something up and add it to the guide, you ask a good and valid question. Thanks :)

(4) |

I am lost for words; absolutely inspirational guide! The multiple Kindlegems is total genious! Well done sir!

(2) |

I appreciate it friend. You'll be happy to know I limit tested the build playing with Glacial last night and it was quite enjoyable! I still prefer Aery though haha

Good day, Zileanaire. Thanks a lot for your guide helping me so much with a champion i found after 10+ years playing league. Champion shines brighter when you know him properly, and you work here make him shine in my eyes.
I have several questions for you, if i can:
1)Why Cosmic Drive works so good with Zilean? Why you reccomend build it every game?
2)IS it worth still to build Warmog and use Grasp?
3)Are there any matchups or situations, when i must max E first instead of Q?
Thanks again, Merry Christmas and have a good day!

(2) |

Hey thanks for the comment!

1) I don’t think you’ll find a Zilean player or build guide anywhere that won’t recommend it. The stats more than anything are the best. The passive is ok, not amazing for Zilean but ok.

2) Look you can definitely still do it, but since the nerf to Warmogs making the passive need 1500 bonus hp instead of 1300 it’s not possible to rush Warmogs first item anymore. You could build it second but it’s a very expensive item.

3) I will occasionally max E first but it’s in very select situations and usually only when I’m building tank. It’s good against champs that depend on or have high mobility. So Vayne for example I like E max because her Q makes it more difficult to bomb her even when slowed. Maxing E takes away her ability to kite which she desperately needs to outplay people. An immobile adc is a dead adc.

Merry Christmas to you too!
Hope this helps. If you have any other questions feel free to ask.

Thanks again, i still have a question, yes: for me personally, i found Spellbook as good rune for Zilean. What do you think about it? Aery doesn't look like perfect Zilean's rune, aslike any another, to be honest. I usually use Spellbook when can't find perfect rune for champion. Also, what about Glacial Augment? Can it work sometimes? Did you try it?
I appriciate your answers, thank you!

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(2) |

So I haven't used Spellbook on Zilean before and doubt I ever would. I usually pick particular summoner spells like exhaust or ignite for a reason depending on the current game I'm in and wouldn't need to swap it much if at all.
I also don't like Glacial because it has a fairly long cooldown (25s) and can only be used if you land the double bomb, which means you'll most likely only be able to use it once in a team fight. This also means you have to land it at crucial times mid team fight to even make use of it. The slow isn't really necessary for Zilean either. The damage reduction is ok, but again it has to be timed at the right times having such a long cooldown.

I pick Aery for a few reasons. It can't be missed so it's free damage. Landing a bomb on someone actually procs it instantly, you don't need the bomb damage to make it go off. This means you can instantly proc something like Yasuo or Malzahars passive shields and the bomb still goes off afterwards. It also procs on allies when you speed them up with E meaning you can give them a tiny shield as they engage or even use it defensively. It also procs as they revive from your ultimate because the ult counts as a heal. I've saved so many people with that tiny shield.
To me it's an invaluable spell. The sorcery tree in general HAS to be taken regardless of what you're playing because you need Manaflow Band and Transcendence.

Hope that helps explain the choice a little better.

I see you pick both but if I was to pick domination or any other prymary tree that is not sorcery, do you go for manaflow+transendemce or presence of mind+legend haste for secondary tree?

(2) |

If I do happen to take something else as the primary I always take Sorcery as the secondary. Manaflow for the much needed mana early game, and Transcendence because Ability Haste is Zilean's most important stat.