Zyra is an AP caster who's kit revolves around quick burst and the summoning of plants. Zyra had good zoning potential and AMAZING combos with her seeds. The has a high skill ceiling meaning that for someone who spends the time to learn her she will do very well. She is relatively safe from ganks due to the free warding her seeds giving her sight.

(Passive) Rise of the Thorns- Upon death, Zyra returns to her plant form. After 2 seconds, she can press any ability to fire a Vengeful Thorn towards her cursor, dealing 99 + (25 × current level) true damage to each enemy it strikes.
Zyras passive is a nice revenge passive (Like Kog'Maw's but 1 less damage and a skillshot). This passive allows you to get those kills from really close fights and actually makes you feel SATISFIED when your dead.

Deadly Bloom- Zyra grows a bud at target location. After a brief delay it explodes, launching damaging thorns at all nearby enemies dealing 75 / 115 / 155 / 195 / 235 (+60% of ability power) magic damage to enemies within the area. If cast on a seed, Deadly Bloom grows a Thorn Spitter plant, which fires at enemies from afar dealing magic damage. Lasts 10 seconds.
Zyras Q ability is a quick AoE circle on target location that deals a good amount of damage. The damage is very nice and it turns seeds into ranged plants.

Rampant Growth- Zyra plants a seed, granting vision of an area for up to 30 seconds. Other spells cast on seeds will turn them into plants who fight for Zyra. This skill also passively gives cooldown reduction based on its rank.
Zyras W ability lays a seed at target location (instantly lain no cast time). This skill has about a .5 second CD BUT you need seeds to lay( which generate every ~10 seconds as a buff, same as Teemo mushrooms). This skill also passively gives you CDR getting up to about 20%.
After 3 seconds of being lain the enemy can step on them to remove them from the map (This gives you sight of the enemy who stepped on your plant for a few seconds).
These seeds have special interactions when hit with your skills.
Your Q turns the seeds into plants that shoot the target from a distance. These are strong in teamfights and for harass as the plants will keep attacking despite players being on the move.
Your E turns the plants into close range plants with a slow. These plants are better to lay on retreat or position guarding in a bush due to the low attack range and slow effect they provide.

Grasping Roots- Zyra sends forth vines through the ground to ensnare her target, dealing 60 / 105 / 150 / 195 / 240 (+60% of ability power) magic damage and rooting enemies they come across. If cast on a seed, Grasping Roots grows a Vine Lasher, whose short range attacks reduce enemy Movement Speed.
Zyra's E ability is a skillshot root such as Morgana's or Lux's that will go through as many targets as it hits and root them. This allows her a great initiate to her combo.

Stranglethorns- Zyra summons a twisted thicket at her target location, dealing 200 / 325 / 450 (+75% of ability power) magic damage to enemies as it expands and knocking them airborne as it contracts. Plants in the area are enraged, increasing their Attack Speed by 50 %.
Zyra's ultimate is like a giant Cho'Gath Rupture. Except much bigger and the damage is instant on the cast. This skill does a good amount of burst damage and the CC is an amazing threat in teamfights. This ultimate also strengthens any plants hit making them bigger and have increased attack speed. This part makes plants a crucial part of your damage combo and will increase their damage immensely.

Skill Order:
Combos:

Zyra's combo is snare the enemy lay a seed on them and immediately lay your Q and another seed right after. Your E will keep the enemies locked in place to get hit by your Q and they will be stuck in the middle of 2 ranged plants you could also lay a seed before the root hits if you want a melle plant for the slow. This combo does insane burst and can easily kill many enemies even from full hp.

Video Example:



Yorick (Plants vs Zombies! Plants outdue his sustain)

Rumble ( If he runs at you to try and burn you, your plants will mess him up)

Darius (He won't be able to get you with your range)

Garen (See Darius)

Nasus (He can't handle her laning phase damage)

Irelia (Shes kinda annoying due to the fact her tenacity can screw with your combo early on, BUT once you get a few ranks in E she won't have enough tenacity to avoid it all)

Trundle (Burst combo rips him apart)

Gangplank (He can't cleanse every snare)

Vladimir (Burn his pool then get the root and you win)

Udyr (Tigers insane damage won't help when he gets rooted running at you)

Teemo (Poor teemo, he was dead before he knew what hit him)

Riven (Dodges your skillshots and has a heavy burst)

Olaf (You have an advantage vs most olafs, BUT good olafs have the tools needed to beat out your kit Ignores your CC runs up and bursts)

Akali (her burst and spam dash)

Galio (TO TANKY)

Talon (His poke is really strong and he has the ability to silence you when he comes in for the kill)

Xin Zhao (He will jump to you and burst you down before you can even combo)

Nunu & Willump (Plants freeze to death. It also doesn't help they can be eaten...)

Zyra vs Rumble Matchup Video



Some Funny Interactions zyra has with some other champions(From Lolwiki):

- Sion: When either Sion or Zyra kills the other, they receieve a bonus +2 gold (a reference to Plants Vs. Zombies).(I still think it should be vs yorick but whatever)
- Maokai: Maokai gets +1 movement speed if he's on the same team as Zyra.
- Leona: Leona's passive causes Zyra to increase in size for a short time.

• Use your seeds for sight if you are going to be pushing up or your wards have faded
• When you get some CDR or ranks in your E, you can lay seeds in the brush and bait enemies to it. As they are about to come in lay down your combo and let your plant army slaughter them (You can get ~ 4 plants doing this.)
• Your plants will attack what you auto, you this to command them in teamfights on who to target.

• AVOID HER ROOT AT ALL COSTS. Zyras root is her core damage move, if you are able to avoid it you are in the clear to avoid any other component of her burst.
• Do not fight her plants, they only give 5 gold but will take out a good amount of your hp if you try and kill them.
• Zyras range is decently long, if you are standing near a wall she may be able to burst you through it even if it is one by your turret.

Rod of Ages - This item gives you the tankiness needed to survive many things in top lane as well as giving you that mana regen that you wont get from blue buff because your not mid.

Rabadon's Deathcap- This item makes your damage go up very high and your plants murder even harder.

Deathfire Grasp- This will keep your single target burst high.

Void Staff- The penetration is nice if the enemy team is stacking MR.

Abyssal Mask- This item is strong if you are vs another magic damage user.

Will of the Ancients- Gives you sustain, only get this if your mid laner will use it.

Zhonya's Hourglass- Good for when you start to get focused and have skills on CD.

Zyra can stomp games in soloQ as her AoE burst is PHENOMENAL. She has good matchups and she has a free sight ability (Making it hard for the enemies to bait baron.)

Zyra works very well in ranked fives teams due to her combat strength as well as the utility she provides.

Pros:

-High burst
-Free Wards
-Revenge passive
-Plant minions
-Decent CC
-Good last hit animation

Cons:

-Can't carry if the game goes past 40 minutes
-No strong escape moves
-Plants do not shoot turret and die in 1 shot to it, making them unreliable for diving damage.

This is Top Facts Zyra. I was kinda skeptical when I first player he about whether or not she would be a good top laner, but I ended up pleasantly surprised. Her kit was fun and I don't have a very big AP carry top roster so this was a nice addition. I recommend you all try her next week during her free week and have some fun. As always summoners have fun and good luck on the fields of justice!

SERIES UPDATE: Guide release will be Tomorrow. =D