25 Rare Zed Challenger Tips, Combos, and Facts

September 20, 2023

Are you looking to arm yourself with rare and unique Zed facts to gain an advantage on the Rift? Well, look no further, our League of Legends boosters with expert knowledge playing from Iron to Challenger, have compiled this awesome read for you on ZED - THE MASTER OF SHADOWS. In this comprehensive guide, we're breaking down advanced tips, techniques, and fun facts that you won't want to miss. With over a decade of helping players rank up, we're here to share the knowledge we've gained.

The Laning Phase: All About Early Dominance

1. The Classic Harassment Combo

When in lane, initiate your poke with the classic W > E > Q combo. By doing so, you'll activate your slow first, allowing you to connect with your Q skill shot more easily.

2. Positioning for Max Q Damage

A key detail to remember is that Zed's Q inflicts more damage when the opponent is the first target hit. So avoid poking through the minion wave. Instead, try placing your W shadow behind the minion wave, catching your opponent by surprise with the damage you can unleash.

3. Timing Your All-In at Level 6

Before going all in with your ult at level 6, first weaken your enemy with the W > E > Q combo. After that, wait a few seconds to make sure your energy regenerates. This way, you can secure the kill without running out of energy mid-combo.

4. The Escape Artist Trick

Caught in a tight spot? If your W is on cooldown during a gank, don't fret. Utilize your E to reduce your W's cooldown, providing a higher chance of escape.

Beyond the Ult: Advanced Combat and Teamfighting

5. Mastering the Art of Deception

Great Zed players know that the ult (R) isn't just for finishing off enemies. It's a versatile tool for dodging skill shots, crowd control, and incoming damage. In many scenarios, your W > E > Q combo may prove more reliable, even during teamfights.

6. Scaling Walls for the Perfect Gank

By maxing your W second (instead of E), you’ll significantly reduce its cooldown. This allows you to perform advanced wall jumps, like scaling the botlane wall by utilizing two Ws. For a detailed visual, check out this tutorial.

7. The Flashy W > Flash > W Combo

Here's a combo you’ll want to practice: W > Flash > W. Execute it fast and your opponent won’t even have time to react. They’ll likely think you're about to flee, but you'll close the gap and finish them off instead.
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8. Essential Flash Combos

Some flash combos you should commit to memory are: Q > Flash, Flash > E > AA (with ignite) or Q > Flash > E > AA (also with ignite).

9. Opt for a Quicker Combo

The sequence W > Q > E is slightly faster than W > E > Q. Use this when you're confident that your Q will connect for sure.

10. Strategic Full Combo Timing

Deploy your full combo when the enemy has no vision of you, right after a crowd-control ability lands, or when they're focused on last-hitting minions.

11. How to Gain a Trade Advantage

For one-sided trades against melee champions, use the Back W > Q > E > AA combo. Your opponent will barely have a chance to counter.

12. Capitalizing on Mobility

If you're committing to an enemy squishy who’s trying to dash away, your ultimate can follow them, sealing their fate. Your R follows dashes, blast cones, and more, making escape futile.

13. The Double Shadow Trick

The cooldown for returning to your R shadow is 0.5 seconds. However, you can throw your opponent off by using W > R > W, allowing instant repositioning without any cooldown on your W shadow.

14. The Unexpected Backline Attack

If you want to surprise the enemy backline, try ulting a tank. They won’t expect you to then target their carries, catching them off guard.

15. Onzed’s Late Game Approach

If you prefer a more late-game approach like Onzed, run TP and Future Market while rushing Ravenous. This way, you'll dominate the lane and set yourself up for a powerful mid-to-late game.

16. Fine-tuning Your Poke Angle

When you land a W > E > Q, advance forward to tighten your angle on the enemy, reducing their options to dodge subsequent pokes.

Zed Secrets: Fun Facts & Easter Eggs

17. Ninja Team Debuff

Zed used to gain the “Law of Inverse Ninja Strength” debuff when teamed up with other ninjas like Akali, Kennen, and Shen. This amusing feature was eventually removed.

18. A Unique “Death”

In a unique twist, Zed doesn't die like other champions. He vanishes into a shadow portal, or if you're playing Shockblade Zed, disappears after being struck by lightning.

19. High-Speed Airplane Run

At very high speeds, Zed joins Lucian in performing an "airplane arms" run animation.

20. Infinite AD—Almost

Zed could theoretically build infinite AD with Reaper of Shadows by killing each other in turns. This was removed in patch V9.4, but it's a fun tidbit nonetheless.

21. Zed’s Famous Line in Pro Play

Who could forget the iconic Zed duel between Faker and Ryu? Check out this incredible clip where Zed’s renowned line, “Look at the skills, look at the moves. Zed, what was that?” is immortalized.

22. The Meaning Behind the Name

The name "Zed" possibly stands for "Zero" or "Zilch," although this is up for interpretation.

23. Zed’s War Armor

The black and silver armor you see in-game is Zed's war attire. Outside of battle, he presumably dresses more casually.

24. Breaking the Mold

Zed is among the handful of champions without AP ability ratios. This puts him in a unique category alongside champions like Aatrox and Darius.

25. Mortal Kombat Homage

Did you know that Zed's quote, "Forbidden shadow wins," is a clear nod to Mortal Kombat’s “Flawless Victory”? It's an Easter egg many fans appreciate.

You've leveled up!

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