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Please tell me how I'm supposed to play around Zhonya's.

Hibeki··3 votes·717 views

Picture this. The 15/0 mage needs to die first in a team fight. Pretty common sense right? Fortunately, we have an assassin that does just that!

Teamfight is about to start, Elder dragon is up, and both teams want it. Someone on the enemy team gets caught, and a teamfight starts. The assassin jumps on the mage! Aaaaaaand Zhonya's. The mage cannot be touched while the assassin gets stomped by the rest of the team, the mage gets up untouched, and finishes the fight in a victory.

So, the mage is immune to assassins, for one cheap item slot that has reasonable stats. What happens if I focus someone other than the mage? Then the mage lives, and stomps the team because they aren't dying.

Please, tell me how an item that completely nullifies an entire class and with the right team composition becomes This item makes you immortal in a teamfight is balanced in any way? No other classes have this type of item

It is genuinely impossible to play around zhonya's hourglass in a teamfight. The stats on the item werent that much of a problem, the fact that it's still built after that huge nerf showed it wasn't built for the stats, but the active. The active is what's broken.

Please tell me, how am I supposed to play around this?

15 Comments

M0b1us5 votes

If the mage is 15-0, then your problem isn't zhonyas.

DrDiaga1 votes

{quoted}

If the mage is 15-0, then your problem isn't zhonyas.

This.

IcyPepper2 votes

If only it had a cooldown.

Hibeki1 votes

I hope you realize, by the time this item is a problem, the respawn timers take up about 3/4th's of the items cooldown, then another teamfight wont start until it's up again

Snake Town1 votes

You have one and a half minute death timers?

deadlychuck2 votes

The good news is that even a 15/0 mage, with a few exceptions, doesn't do much damage compared to the 9/7 assassin or the 7/10 marksman.

Fawksea1 votes

this is actually a pretty funny read now that people can't complain about mages needing a qss since it wont work for zed

Fondling Gems1 votes

What assassin? If we are talking zed then w q them, they will probs zhonyas. Swap to your shadow just as it is about to end and ult. If they don't zhonyas then just keep poking them. Assassins like talon have more trouble as it is go in or go home. Just keep harrassing enemies with rake and wait for the enemy mage to step out of position. If they zhonyas wait as long as you can without getting hurt. Ult as late as possible and stay stealthed till zhonyas ends then kill them. If you are curious about other assassins I can add more tips.

Hibeki1 votes

Any assassin that isn't Fizz or Zed.

Fondling Gems1 votes

The main trick is making the mage think they need to zhonyas, while putting yourself in minimal danger. Often you will have to wait until the fight has started and the enemies are spread out to make this work.

Rule #1 of assassins, never initiate a teamfight if you can't get the kill AND escape. In other words, never initiate on someone with zhonyas.

Realistically it is better to just kill the support If it means you can get out safely.

So threaten the mage, ex. Rengo bola from nearby bush, but already be moving away. Often if this stops working then you can actually go all in and they won't expect it. It is just all mind games at that point. Don't be too trigger happy.

Hibeki1 votes

I know this already, I'm talking when the fight has already started because the rest of the team or the other team engaged on someone else, So I need to go all-in on somebody (Usually the 15-0 mage) and I can't because of a stupid item.

Fondling Gems1 votes

Don't go all in then. Make them zhonyas, run away, wait for basic cds, then kill the mage. As rengo jump from bush, immediately ult and stop attacking just before you stealth, Wait for hg, then go for the kill.

the Anarchit3cht1 votes

Zhonyas is not cheap lol. Unless you meant Cheap as in unfair. And its simple, stop trying to 1v5. If the rest of the assasins team was there, they should peel for him while he escapes. Zhonyas has the drawback that it is self CC. Simple queue up some CC to lock them down after it ends since they wont be able to avoid it and walah

Hibeki1 votes

Im talking any assassin that isnt Zed or Fizz.

Lets take rengar for example, yes, the rest of the team is there, and I have my ult up and jump on ziggs. Zhonya's immediately activates, and the rest of the team just takes a second to give me a small CC and instantly obliterate me before I can kill anyone else.

Steel Blossom1 votes

Because Riot hate all melee champions.

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