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the Master of Shadows

Zed Mid build & stats

Assassin B 1,203 games · patch 16.17
Win rate
49.4%
Pick rate
6.7%
Ban rate
17.7%

Recommended build

Chosen by win rate among builds with enough games, from ranked matches of high-elo players on patch 16.17

Solid sample

Start with

Long Sword
Long Sword
350 g
Health Potion
Health Potion
50 g
Health Potion
Health Potion
50 g
Health Potion
Health Potion
50 g
54.5% 55 games

Build in this order

Voltaic Cyclosword 1
Voltaic Cyclosword
3,000 g
Bastionbreaker 2
Bastionbreaker
3,000 g
Edge of Night 3
Edge of Night
3,000 g
9,000 g
81.0% WR 21 games

Boots

Immortal Path
Immortal Path
1,000 g
54.5% 189 games

Runes

Inspiration Inspiration + Precision Precision
68.9% WR
74 games · 6% pick
First Strike
First Strike

When you initiate champion combat, deal 7% extra damage for 3 seconds and gain gold based on damage dealt.

Cash Back Cash Back
Triple Tonic Triple Tonic
Jack Of All Trades Jack Of All Trades
Cut Down Cut Down
Legend: Haste Legend: Haste
Shards AF AF HP

Summoner spells

Exhaust Flash 62.5% 8 games

Max order

Razor Shuriken Q Shadow Slash E Living Shadow W 52.5% 284 games

Each line is the variant with the best win rate among those played enough times, not simply the most popular one. Win rates are smoothed so a lucky three-game build can't top the list. Sample sizes are shown next to every choice.

Tips for Zed

Generated from this patch's numbers

  • Zed wins 49.4% of games as Mid on patch 16.17 (1,203 games).
  • Most common core: Voltaic Cyclosword → Bastionbreaker → Lord Dominik's Regards — 54% win rate over 26 games.
  • Take First Strike as keystone: picked in 75% of games with a 51% win rate.
  • Best matchup: Talon (85% over 13 games). Hardest: Azir (22% over 9 games) — consider a ban or a different pick when you see it.
  • Banned in 18% of games — have a backup pick ready.

Items

Core build in purchase order (from match timelines)

Core build

Voltaic Cyclosword 1
Voltaic Cyclosword
Bastionbreaker 2
Bastionbreaker
Lord Dominik's Regards 3
Lord Dominik's Regards
53.8% WR
26 games · 2% pick
Voltaic Cyclosword 1
Voltaic Cyclosword
Bastionbreaker 2
Bastionbreaker
Edge of Night 3
Edge of Night
81.0% WR
21 games · 2% pick
Voltaic Cyclosword 1
Voltaic Cyclosword
Bastionbreaker 2
Bastionbreaker
Serylda's Grudge 3
Serylda's Grudge
38.9% WR
18 games · 1% pick

Starting items

Doran's Blade
Doran's Blade
Health Potion
Health Potion
52.6% WR
175 games · 15% pick
Long Sword
Long Sword
Health Potion
Health Potion
Health Potion
Health Potion
Health Potion
Health Potion
54.5% WR
55 games · 5% pick
Long Sword
Long Sword
Refillable Potion
Refillable Potion
43.6% WR
39 games · 3% pick

Boots

Crimson Lucidity
Crimson Lucidity
49.7% WR
796 games · 66% pick
Immortal Path
Immortal Path
54.5% WR
189 games · 16% pick
Chainlaced Crushers
Chainlaced Crushers
52.0% WR
127 games · 11% pick

Legendary items by win rate

ItemWin ratePick
62.7% 24% (292)
60.4% 14% (169)
57.7% 22% (260)
55.7% 6% (70)
55.3% 26% (311)
52.9% 61% (730)
52.5% 23% (276)
50.7% 92% (1,104)
48.1% 2% (27)
47.5% 22% (263)
45.5% 3% (33)
43.7% 18% (213)

Runes

Most played full pages and keystone win rates

Inspiration Inspiration + Precision Precision
48.6% WR
140 games · 12% pick
First Strike
First Strike

When you initiate champion combat, deal 7% extra damage for 3 seconds and gain gold based on damage dealt.

Cash Back Cash Back
Triple Tonic Triple Tonic
Jack Of All Trades Jack Of All Trades
Cut Down Cut Down
Legend: Haste Legend: Haste
Shards AF AF HP
Inspiration Inspiration + Precision Precision
46.6% WR
133 games · 11% pick
First Strike Cash Back Triple Tonic Jack Of All Trades Legend: Haste Cut Down
Inspiration Inspiration + Precision Precision
50.0% WR
102 games · 8% pick
First Strike Cash Back Triple Tonic Cosmic Insight Cut Down Legend: Haste

Keystones

  • First Strike First Strike When you initiate champion combat, deal 7% extra damage for 3 seconds and gain gold based on damage dealt. 51.3%75% pick
  • Electrocute Electrocute Hitting a champion with 3 separate attacks or abilities in 3s deals bonus adaptive damage. 43.8%16% pick
  • Conqueror Conqueror Gain stacks of adaptive force when attacking enemy champions. After reaching 12 stacks, heal for a portion of damage you deal to champions. 43.4%8% pick
  • Dark Harvest Dark Harvest Damaging a low health champion inflicts adaptive damage and harvests a soul from the victim. 33.3%0% pick

Summoner spells

  • Flash Ignite Flash + Ignite 49.5%71% pick
  • Flash Teleport Flash + Teleport 49.8%24% pick
  • Exhaust Teleport Exhaust + Teleport 40.0%2% pick

Abilities & skill order

Which ability to max first, from match timelines

Razor Shuriken Q Shadow Slash E Living Shadow W 52.5%284 games

Most common first three levels: Q → W → E (48%), Q → E → W (56%).

  • PContempt for the Weak

    Zed's basic attacks against low health targets deals bonus Magic Damage. This effect can only occur once every few seconds against the same enemy champion.

  • QRazor Shuriken

    Zed and his shadows throw their shurikens.Each shuriken deals damage to every enemy hit.

  • WLiving Shadow

    Passive: Zed gains energy whenever he and his shadows strike an enemy with the same ability. Energy can only be gained once per cast ability.Active: Zed's shadow dashes forward, remaining in place for a few seconds. Reac...

  • EShadow Slash

    Zed and his Shadows slash, dealing damage to nearby enemies. Enemies hit by a Shadow's slash are slowed.

  • RDeath Mark

    Zed becomes untargetable and dashes to an enemy champion, marking them. After 3 seconds the mark triggers, repeating a portion of all the damage Zed dealt to the target while they were marked.