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@Zed and being 'Healthy'

Vaelix·3/11/2015, 5:21:02 PM·9 votes·1,215 views

So I've heard how Riot justifies Zeds strength and their belief that he has healthy game play patterns, which I disagree with. I'm going to list my reasoning as to why I have this belief and am curious to the general opinion for or against them. Now in my lists these are merely the issues I believe to be unhealthy, as realistically there is a lot more going on, his roaming, his splitpushing, etc.. But those are strengths I agree with as part of his identity.

In pretty much all cases these are fairly accurate, watching LCS, playing against Zed, spectating games.

Zed is safe to pick into nearly every champion match up. Zed is safe to pick into nearly every jungle match up. Zed does not have to itemize against his opponent, regardless of the pick. Zed does not have to itemize into his resource, allowing a very effective build path every time. Zed does not have to choose his Summoner spell based on the match up, taking ignite instead for universal kill secure. Zed itemizes for sustain allowing him to have staying power in lane, combined with nearly resource less wave clear. Zeds passive makes for completely mindless CSing.. Is the minion below 50%? Then you've got perfect CSing. Zeds CS pattern is safe, easy, and reliable, making it nearly impossible to fall off, regardless of being a high pressure 'Assassin'.

Vs.

A lot of picks are not safe into Zed. Champions must itemize against Zed, hurting their early resource. Champions usually need to itemize resource anyway, making their build path even less effective against Zed. Champions usually need to choose Exhaust against Zed to survive his all in, which is on a much longer CD than his kill potential. Champions usually aren't able to itemize for sustain as its Midlane and they are mages, combined with a gated resource, leads to less staying / roaming. Champions which itemize against Zed do not itemize resource early and struggle much more than Zed for CSing or get into his range through AAs.

TLDR : Zeds existence dictates who can be picked into him, how they itemize early game, which summoners they take, and how they play the game. Something that Zed generally doesn't have to bother with at all. These factors hinder champion picks, champion builds, early CSing potential, and early roaming potential from longer CSing, and all of these factors are generally decided not as the game progresses, but in champion select, merely from Zed being picked.

Please tell me how I'm wrong and explain why..

21 Comments

Kieferr3/11/2015, 5:42:08 PM5 votes

I agree with everything you said. This champ's kit is inherently toxic and unfun to play against. I think his passive should no longer work on minions, and shorten the time limit of when he can shadow back from his ulti.

Eedat3/11/2015, 5:54:15 PM4 votes

Zed does not have to itemize against his opponent, regardless of the pick.

"OK, don't build a sash then huehue" -Lissandra

ForgiveColour3/11/2015, 6:22:52 PM4 votes

more healthy that katarina

MrPerson103/11/2015, 6:04:49 PM2 votes

His kit, while healthy, also provides a lot of counterplay. Obviously you don't remember season 3 Zed where death mark had absolutely no visual effect.

Zed does not have to itemize against his opponent, regardless of the pick.

Totally false. You get caught in a Lux snare, you get 1/2 your health deleted without item 3155

AHeroNamedHawke3/11/2015, 7:34:31 PM2 votes

"A safe pick into any matchup"

Annie Lissandra Leblanc Vladimir Viktor Cassiopeia

Definitely not a terrible idea

ScreamPaste3/11/2015, 6:15:12 PM1 votes

Make his ult shadow blink cost energy so he has to sacrifice some amount of burst for safety, bam, he actually has decisions to make like other champions.

shalec3/11/2015, 6:26:23 PM1 votes

Most assassins dictate the playstyle of the opposing laner. Mages usually have a harder time surviving against them and have to adapt to survive. That is simply the nature of the average mage versus assassin matchup. Exhaust lowers their damage and allows the mage to fight back and negate a large part of the assassins burst damage.

     Zed is especially weak to exhausts in skirmishes as Death Mark does more damage based on the damage Zed dealt. As far as builds go, Hourglass has a good build path for laning and gives 120 Ability Power, so damage isn't lost. You should always adapt your builds based on matchups and compositions. It's not forced upon you and it's possible to beat Zed without these items and spells, but having these makes the matchup easier and more in your favor. 

    Zed also has some key weaknesses to take advantage of. In lane, Zed has to use his only escape to harass effectively, and his w has an extremely long cooldown, so get a jungler to gank him. His ultimate is also a huge part of his damage and assassination potential, so removing it entirely does hurt Zed substantially.
Kitten of Evil3/11/2015, 7:31:58 PM1 votes

I mean, you should be adapting your build regardless of your lane opponent. Are you winning? Damage! Are you losing? Defense!

Against any assassin you, as a mage, should be playing cautiously. Zed shouldn't be able to all-in you and kill you until level 6 anyway, unless you're out of position or miss your CCs/spells.

I agree it sucks that against most assassins (let's be honest, it's not just Zed) you have to build defense before you can build mana/mana regen.

AMYS GRAVE3/11/2015, 7:49:55 PM1 votes

I think you're right. I wish riot would do something meaningful about his playstyle and impact on the game even when he is behind.