Broken-screen assassin build: Zed wins when a useful target can no longer feel protected even behind their front line. The build must therefore protect his entry window, the quality of his execution, and enough margin for his exit to stay credible.
Three builds, one right answer per draft. The advisor reads the five enemies (and your allies) and names who triggers what — the same rule as the Draft MVP sheet and Ask Nexus.
Best Zed build (Mid Lane): Duskblade of Draktharr › Youmuu's Ghostblade › Serpent's Fang › Eclipse › Edge of Night, boots Boots of Dynamism, keystone Conqueror. Three variants and when to pick each are below.
Standard build maximizing damage output. Use on neutral matchups or when ahead.
14,800 total cost
Nothing dominates on the other side: the standard build maximizes your damage.
Open this draft in the tool →Bruiser build adding survivability without giving up damage.
15,300 total cost +500gAnti-resist build for tanky enemies. Choose when multiple enemies build armor/magic resist.
15,100 total cost +300g
Scores out of 10: where this champion sits against the whole roster, phase by phase. The strip shows its own power ramp level by level — it does not compare across champions.
Your hardest matchups in this role, and the item from your situational list that answers each one.
Lissandra
Chempunk Chainsword
Recurring healing
Malphite
Death's Dance
Physical damage
Karma
Maw of Malmortius
Magic damage
Pantheon
Death's Dance
Physical damage
Best Zed build (Jungle): Youmuu's Ghostblade › Duskblade of Draktharr › Serpent's Fang › Edge of Night › Eclipse, boots Gluttonous Greaves, keystone Conqueror. Three variants and when to pick each are below.
Standard build maximizing damage output. Use on neutral matchups or when ahead.
14,800 total costNothing dominates on the other side: the standard build maximizes your damage.
Open this draft in the tool →Bruiser build adding survivability without giving up damage.
15,300 total cost +500gAnti-resist build for tanky enemies. Choose when multiple enemies build armor/magic resist.
15,100 total cost +300g
Scores out of 10: where this champion sits against the whole roster, phase by phase. The strip shows its own power ramp level by level — it does not compare across champions.
Your hardest matchups in this role, and the item from your situational list that answers each one.
Rammus
Serylda's Grudge
Highly mobile
Tryndamere
Chempunk Chainsword
Recurring healing
Vi
Death's Dance
Physical damage
Nautilus
Maw of Malmortius
Magic damage
Same advisor in the Draft (the MVP sheet applies it to your real draft) and in Ask Nexus, which explains the choice. On counters pages: the variant to take against each counter-pick.
Foundational item core, without recent situational additions — kept as a base for understanding the kit. For the up-to-date build, see the section above.
Zed does not win extended fights. He wins through short burst cycles and repositioning. The build maximizes lethality and execution frequency while reducing risk.
Long Sword
Lethality + MS for roam and burst assassin R-combo
Burst + shield in trade, procs on W-E-Q-AA combo
Slow + penetration, colle à the target after R Death Mark
Gluttonous Greaves
Stasis
›
›
W Living Shadow and Q Razor Shuriken stack Conqueror in extended fights.
Every W swap and R triggers the true damage — your shadow combo activates it going in and out.
Every finished death mark stacks AD — the next R crosses the kill threshold unaided.
Takedown AD directly feeds your execute passive and shurikens.
Haste trims W's cooldown — more shadows available, for poke and for escapes.
Stasis
Quicksilver
Stasis
Quicksilver
Coup De Grace
Giant Slayer
Bone Plating
Transcendence
Coup De Grace
Giant Slayer
