I hate 
, don't get me wrong its a great item but nothing feels worse than being forced to first buy it because you're against a zed.
It puts you so behind in damage just to have to first buy zhonyas.
You lose mana and mana regen and fuck ton of ap by being forced to buy it just for its active because without you will get 1 shot under tower.
Give mages an armour items that doesn't complete gimp our early game.
420 grams2 votesYou could just get the seekers for armor, or even just a stop watch to stop one of his all ins
YoungFarmer3 votes[{quoted}](name=420 grams,realm=NA,application-id=3ErqAdtq,discussion-id=zG9JdG6N,comment-id=0000,timestamp=2017-11-14T23:19:27.401+0000)
You could just get the seekers for armor, or even just a stop watch to stop one of his all ins
I do get stop watch but its essentially one time live for 600 gold.
Dope Solo1 votesPlay around him. If you can't farm due to his exceptionally long range and high damage, just pick off what you can from way back. He'll end up roaming because they always do. Its up to your other team mates then to make sure the walk was a complete waste of time. The entire team has to stay out of Zeds obscenely long range and putter around for a bit without getting baited. I suggest bringing the Zed issue up to the Devs at every available opportunity until they take responsibility for shitty gameplay mechanics.
Lux ˉ Bot2 votesThink of the stopwatch mastery as 300 gold towards zhonya's and a free stasis if you happen to need it.
Poske1 votes[{quoted}](name=Im A Cracker,realm=NA,application-id=3ErqAdtq,discussion-id=zG9JdG6N,comment-id=00000000,timestamp=2017-11-14T23:36:49.762+0000)
I do get stop watch but its essentially one time live for 600 gold.
Barrier + stop watch (from runes)
Cloth armor
Thats it dont get any more then this unless your champion heavly synergizes with zhonya (kennen for example)
Daxanater2 votes
+ 
RocketRelm1 votesSorc boots was mandatory on many AP mids before, and it's even mores now that it's gotten the +3 Pen buff as part of the season 8 shuffle.
Part of the problem is that zhoynas is the only armor item to grab at all, as well as being hideously inefficient.
Daxanater1 votesah you're right but what i do is i buy ninja tabs then switch it after laning phase.
shit on you're ad opponent and then you can get the sorc boots. this may just be me though.
RocketRelm1 votestbh, while that's not necessarily a bad idea, I think you're going about it wrong.
If you wanted to dunk on Zed in the laning phase with extra armor, just buy a Chain Vest instead of Ninja Tabi. Chain vest is the same 800 g as boots-ninja tabi, but it A, gives you +10 armor in exchange for not having the -10% autos passive, B, you lose 90g less when you refund it, and C, it doesn't stop you from getting Sorc Boots until the sell.
Though I'd probably just get a single extra cloth and a pot if that's my goal. 40 armor seems like overkill.
Danni Chimes2 votesYo ive had so many Zed's and Talons get mad at me mid for rushing Zhonya's. Shuts them down, honestly. Sure it sucks you MUST buy it, but that way your feeding isn't a MUST either.
DuskDaUmbreon1 votesMy suggestion? 
+
>>
>. Take 
if you know you're gonna face him, and pick the rune for a 
if it's possible you might. You can also take 
into midlane with 
as a good counter to every assassin.
Reasoning: Cloth armor protects you from his poke, while, in early game, you only really need Lost Chapter for mana. Seeker's Armguard is enough to let you survive him from 80%+ health, and then you can go into Morello for its requiredness on (almost) every mage, and Zhonya's to counteract his ult. Until you pick up Zhonya's completely, you'll have as your first defense against him killing you, and 
if he's about to get you anyways.
Try to wear him down slowly, but save your CC for when he ults you. As soon as he appears after ulting, hit him in the face with it and get away.
KlydeFrog1 votesor you can play as zil and laugh at him when he ults becuase urs counters his fyi, ive played agaisnt how many zed on my main account who literally just left lane becuase they realized that they couldnt do anything to me
Dasdi961 votes is a good alternative
Dream High1 votesIt doesnt even matter. Zonyas is a weak power spike. Sitting on seekers isnt enough as well because champs like zed still tear right through you. 6 mins you stop watch saves you. By the time zed gets another ult you will not have Zonyas built.
I would share my results of skipping zonyas and buildibg normal against zed but i perma ban him.
Its been like this for almost forever. Riot just wants mages to have almost no dmg when they are up against assassins. Specifically ad ones.