how to counter xerath/ brand as zyra?

justin856·Apr 28, 2019·1 votes·2,564 views

First, i have to admit, i am not a good player, i simply don't have enough time to play too much, so i only play zyra support to specialize, and it worked fine for most part. However, my first ranked game ended in complete disaster.

1st game, against Brand and Jhin, 2nd against xerath and Jhin. all of them out range me and out damage me, I simply cannot poke them since i will be in their range way before i get to my range, combine that with the long skill cast time for zyra, I am really having a hard time dealing with this.

I tried to train my self to side step xerath and even walk forward to doge and poke brand, but I can't doge them all

please, any advice would help

15 Comments

letsfeedtogetherApr 28, 20192 votes

They out range you there for counter you. The only thing you can really do is play with your root. If you root them and the adc is there they're probably dead

justin856Apr 30, 20192 votes

Thanks everyone, I will try a few things here, I also realized the biggest mistake I made was going against them without pots. I been really having a hard time with zyra lately. I came back to lol after almost a year and half (i remember playing season 5), and honestly I felt like something changed:

Zyra's skill takes a lot longer to use than how i remembers, like the e, it take so fcking long to cast and get to my target
zyra's Q ranged really feels reduced
zyra's E snares duration feels reduced as well
the plants damage feels a lot weaker now

was it just me, or did they really Nerf her to the ground? I have's seen any people playing zyra now

justin856Apr 30, 20192 votes

PS, i tried to go with boots first on a game against brand, but my gold income really suffered a bit, about 200-ish when i first b

NaughtyWordApr 30, 20191 votes

{quoted}

PS, i tried to go with boots first on a game against brand, but my gold income really suffered a bit, about 200-ish when i first b

Oh I didn't mean to go boots starting, I meant get them on first or second back. Without a gold item to start with it really sets you back.

BLACK REALM GODApr 28, 20191 votes

your basic attacks aren't long enough to hit them and if you try to use your ranged plants they'll just die.

assuming you're support your best bet is to just go coin and root them when you're about to get some coinage. then later on as the match progresses become more and more crowd control based with a ton of resistances because you wont likely ever make it to full AP build. you dont have the capacity to since you cant use edge properly in this matchup.

as a mid player... once again you'll just have to play a war of attrition. be wary of the enemy jungler coming to your lane and advise your jungler to go to another lane. try to slow progression as much as possible with your ranged plants and if they dive you under turret try to snare them for a free kill.

King BraumApr 28, 20191 votes

You dont. ha ha ha

TheXXXorcistApr 28, 20191 votes

I actually main zyra and I don’t have trouble with those champs much if it’s just 1v1....

I usually take celerity for one thing to dodge skills and I rush boots then Zhonya for hard pokes and assassins. I can out range them by waiting for their cd to drop ranged plants and wait for the right e stun opportunity then it’s pretty easy to hurt them. Trick is you let your plants spawn naturally maybe drop one here or there but when you e stun drop two seeds right away on top of the enemy then q then ult and burn if you have it. If you do all that right and you’re about to die just stopwatch or zhonya until your plants or burn finishes them off.

Of the two you mentioned brand is easier than xerath imo but if you do what I say and you’re against a really good xerath you may have trouble. Your speed and accuracy will determine who wins the trade. Ask jg for gank to get ahead whenever possible.

justin856Apr 28, 20191 votes

{quoted}

I actually main zyra and I don’t have trouble with those champs much if it’s just 1v1....

I usually take celerity for one thing to dodge skills and I rush boots then Zhonya for hard pokes and assassins. I can out range them by waiting for their cd to drop ranged plants and wait for the right e stun opportunity then it’s pretty easy to hurt them. Trick is you let your plants spawn naturally maybe drop one here or there but when you e stun drop two seeds right away on top of the enemy then q then ult and burn if you have it. If you do all that right and you’re about to die just stopwatch or zhonya until your plants or burn finishes them off.

Of the two you mentioned brand is easier than xerath imo but if you do what I say and you’re against a really good xerath you may have trouble. Your speed and accuracy will determine who wins the trade. Ask jg for gank to get ahead whenever possible.

does zonya really work on zyra? I mean don't u need liandris to do any damage? I been doing liandris first all these years

TheXXXorcistApr 29, 20191 votes

Yes it really works. You rush whatever your lane demands you rush first. As a sup your goal isnt to get the kill, and she already does a lot of damage. I either rush zhonya, rylais, or liandris...depends on the champs you're up against as well as their skill level. If assassins keep trying to burst you then you really need zhonya first. besides it's a great way to finish a kill safely. You do the combo and zhonya, or if youre being chased you can WWUlt and then zhonya to make them back off.

It's excellent in mid lane especially, or top. I find myself able to play zyra any role except adc. She's best as sup or mid though.

GodlyBaneApr 29, 20191 votes

{quoted}

does zonya really work on zyra? I mean don't u need liandris to do any damage? I been doing liandris first all these years

U need the 10 AP support item to do half someones ho at lvl 2 :)

ThingamajigApr 28, 20191 votes

well you can go full sustain on them and live through the lane but if you don't know how to function later it's still gonna be rough for you when they can 1 shot you without poking

just Play! this is my advice you won't face these champions regularly just try to see why you are losing and what you can be doing instead

Stars ShaperApr 29, 20191 votes

For Xerath I'd say start with item 1001 + pots. Focus on summoning plants and root him. Also build a bit of HP.

TekkenPlayerApr 29, 20191 votes

Stand to the side of the minion wave, take biscuits, always move in and out of their ranges and take advantage of the situation: aka is brand W'ing your ADC? This gives you leeway to start harassing theirs. Is brand focusing you? Again be more than 45 degrees away from him. You spike harder at 6 as well so a root combo is basically death on anyone.

NaughtyWordApr 29, 20191 votes

{quoted}

First, i have to admit, i am not a good player, i simply don't have enough time to play too much, so i only play zyra support to specialize, and it worked fine for most part. However, my first ranked game ended in complete disaster.

1st game, against Brand and Jhin, 2nd against xerath and Jhin. all of them out range me and out damage me, I simply cannot poke them since i will be in their range way before i get to my range, combine that with the long skill cast time for zyra, I am really having a hard time dealing with this.

I tried to train my self to side step xerath and even walk forward to doge and poke brand, but I can't doge them all

please, any advice would help

For both Xerath and Brand, and I do this as an ADC, I get item 1001 ASAP. This will help with dodging their spells. It isn't surefire to be certain, but it does help. Moreover manage your gold better by upgrading item 3303 to item 3098 but hold off on buying item 3092 until after your first or second item. Against this lane if you are having troubles poking, then skip altogether and get item 3301 into item 3096 . This will depend on how well you are able to get poke in, I realize is less than ideal but an item that is less than ideal but is getting you gold is better than an item that is ideal but isn't giving you gold.

From there you have a couple of options you can use your item 1001 to either get more movement speed to dodge attacks better in item 3117 or you can go defensive and get item 3111 . Which to choose ultimately depends on how well you are able to dodge their attacks. From there I would go either item 3102 or item 3050 and probably the latter. Reason is it gives magic resist, which if you got you now have 55 magic resist and you should have no troubles poking, and it also gives you and your ADC more firepower. However, will give you a bubble allowing you to frustrate ability combos but the trade off is that it gives your ADC nothing directly.

By this time laning phase is over in my experience and you can continue with your normal build, if it isn't, then look into item 3050 if you built item 3102 or vice versa.

This is how I would handle things as Zyra vs Brand or Xerath, hope this helps.

justin856Apr 30, 20192 votes

{quoted}

For both Xerath and Brand, and I do this as an ADC, I get ASAP. This will help with dodging their spells. It isn't surefire to be certain, but it does help. Moreover manage your gold better by upgrading to but hold off on buying until after your first or second item. Against this lane if you are having troubles poking, then skip altogether and get into . This will depend on how well you are able to get poke in, I realize is less than ideal but an item that is less than ideal but is getting you gold is better than an item that is ideal but isn't giving you gold.

From there you have a couple of options you can use your to either get more movement speed to dodge attacks better in or you can go defensive and get . Which to choose ultimately depends on how well you are able to dodge their attacks. From there I would go either or and probably the latter. Reason is it gives magic resist, which if you got you now have 55 magic resist and you should have no troubles poking, and it also gives you and your ADC more firepower. However, will give you a bubble allowing you to frustrate ability combos but the trade off is that it gives your ADC nothing directly.

By this time laning phase is over in my experience and you can continue with your normal build, if it isn't, then look into if you built or vice versa.

This is how I would handle things as Zyra vs Brand or Xerath, hope this helps.