Is there any god damn reason to even think about Zyra right now?

misfortunas·Apr 22, 2015·3 votes·905 views

Her entire combo without plants attacking is below 2.0 ratio (compare that to vel koz or viktor who have ratios of 2.5-3.0 in their combos). Her base damages got nerfed. Her plants are unreliable and die in seconds. Her skillshots are super slow and are hard to hit. Her mana costs are very high. Her passive is horrible. She is ridicilously squishy. She is completely immobile. She gets outshined bot lane by velkoz and annie. She is non-existant mid lane with mobile mages and ad assasins everywhere.

There is literally no reason to play her. Why would I play Zyra, when every other single mage in this game does it better than her? Seriously, did you ever had the feeling of fear, when fighting a Zyra mid/bot post-nerf? I never had that. Oh I got hit by a Morgana binding, I will take high damage. I got hit by a Zyra snare? meh.

8 Comments

CindikleApr 22, 20153 votes

{quoted}

Her entire combo without plants attacking is below 2.0 ratio (compare that to vel koz or viktor who have ratios of 2.5-3.0 in their combos).

But with those plants she'll easily out damage both of those guys. Give some take some.

Her base damages got nerfed.

Slightly got nerfed. Late game she is stronger. This was their goal.

Her plants are unreliable and die in seconds.

Counterplay. And plant management will separate the good Zyras from the bad.

Her skillshots are super slow and are hard to hit.

Just her E. I think it should get a small speed increase.

Her mana costs are very high.

No. While each ability seems high, again you have to factor in the plants. In lane she'll likely QW you. Two plant hits will make it equal about 2 spell casts for 75-95 mana. Most mages would have to spend over 100-150 mana for the same effect. And Zyra gets to zone with this(although this is more to offset her mobility IMO).

Her passive is horrible.

Not sure about horrible. But it is weak. Make it work like Xerath/Varus' Q where it has a charge time that increases distance. Then reduce the time needed to cast it after dying.

She is ridicilously squishy.

While true, she does build tankier than most AP's anyway. Liandry's and Rylia's are for the most part core on her. You can go higher AP if your team needs the burst though.

She is completely immobile.

She gets a lot of zoning power with this though.

She gets outshined bot lane by velkoz and annie.

I'd agree with that one. It has more to do with her not fitting the bot lane meta though. Which I'm fine with. Mid Zyra is more fun(IMO).

She is non-existant mid lane with mobile mages and ad assasins everywhere.

Zoning power. Disengage. Waveclear. Very high DPS with good burst. Can farm safely with just W and Q. Ward well and use E to fend off dives and ganks. She handled jungle ganks fine as a support when she was strong. No reason she cannot do this as a mid lanner. You just don't have the extra help. Play safe, she's a late game champion more than an early game champion.

There is literally no reason to play her. Why would I play Zyra, when every other single mage in this game does it better than her? Seriously, did you ever had the feeling of fear, when fighting a Zyra mid/bot post-nerf? I never had that. Oh I got hit by a Morgana binding, I will take high damage. I got hit by a Zyra snare? meh.

Because you enjoy her?

Sure she's not a champion you want to first pick 90% of the time(although it was fine when she was mainly played as support).

She's not unviable. Just don't go around first picking her and complaining when the enemy takes Karthus and he sits on your plants all game with his E.

misfortunasApr 22, 20151 votes

She is completely immobile.

She gets a lot of zoning power with this though.

I don't agree with that. If you want to zone someone youd have to have long range. Her range is not that good imo. Her thornspitter combined with her q range is good but youd actually have to bring the thornspitter to attack a champ. Her q range alone is mediocore. Her e range is ok but her e is easier to dodge than anivias q and dianas q combined. A good buff would be if the plant would prioritize champs.

You see, on paper, her zoning power looks to be top notch. But that is not the case imo. Her seeds get crushed easily, her range is debatable and her reliability when it comes to zoning is questionable too (plants attacking everything but the enemy champion). Either make her zoning power not so clunkey anymore or give her a mobility buff, something like 10 ms..

CindikleApr 23, 20151 votes

Zoning doesn't require long range.

I'd say Xerath is horrible at zoning even though he has long range. Although is ult is one of the best zoning abilities in the game. It has plenty of counterplay. Heck, you WANT to dive him. He is weak at close range.

Zyra has strong zoning because she can use her plants. If the Q lands on the champion the plant will attack the champion till it dies or they go out of range. If you show your enemy you can land this they will have to respect it's range. Unless they can in fact out range you and poke you down with ease. Which most champions who can do that, will have to put themselves as risk to do so in other ways.

Xerath's abilities are all telegraphed and avoidable. His W will probably hit, but not likely the center unless he managed to land his E.
Ziggs Q doesn't travel that fast, and you can even run under the bomb toward him if you time it right. Everything else is his waveclear and his "don't gank me" ability. He'd be dumb to waste these for harass. Although annoying, he will run out of mana unless you're playing poorly.
Nidalee has her own counterplay. And Zyra can use a quick WE to take a spear. Although minions are a better shield. Her all in is an easy target for Zyra's E as well.
Kog'Maw doesn't have as much of a zoning threat till level 11. He's pesky at 6, but the ult range isn't really that amazing yet.

In order for Zyra to zone you have to show you can land your Q and E's. Then you make your threat zone Zyra herself. Once you do this you will be able to farm fairly safe as long as you stay well warded for ganks.

If you're worried about seeds, stop placing them and walking away.

Plant management is very important to Zyra. Which is why you really want to avoid first picking her. She has a lot of power, but that comes with it's own downsides.