League of Legends - Zyra Champion Strategy and Item Build Guide

Zyra

Basic Information

Champion Stats

Background/Lore

Skills

Icon	Description
	Garden of Thorns Zyra plants a Seed (occasionally 2) every 13 / 11.75 / 10.5 / 9.25 seconds in her vicinity, each of which lasts for 45 seconds and briefly grants Sight of the spot Zyra planted them in.Enemy champions can destroy Seeds planted by Garden of Thorns by stepping on them after 1 second of them having been planted.Zyra can only have a total of 8 Seeds planted at any given time, and planting an additional Seed destroys the oldest one.
	Deadly Spines (Target Range: 800, Cost: 70 Mana, Cooldown: 7/6.5/6/5.5/5, Magic Damage: 60/95/130/165/200 [+60% AP])ACTIVE: Zyra sprouts thorny spines at the target location that appear after a delay, dealing magic damage to all enemies they hit.GARDEN OF THORNS: If Deadly Spines hits a Seed, it sprouts into a Thorn Spitter, which remains on the battlefield 5-7.5 (based on level) seconds.
	Rampant Growth (Target Range: 850, Cost: 1 Seed, Recharge Time: 20/18/16/14/12)PASSIVE: Zyra’s Plants gain increased maximum health and she stores a Seed periodically, up to a maximum of 2 stored at once.ACTIVE: Zyra plants a Seed at the target location, which lasts for 60 seconds and briefly grants Sight of the spot Zyra planted it in. Enemy champions can destroy Seeds planted by Rampant Growth by stepping on them after 1.5 seconds of them having been planted, but doing so grants True Sight of them for 2 seconds.
	Grasping Roots (Target Range: 1100, Speed: 1150, Cost: 70/75/80/85/90 Mana, Cooldown: 12, Magic Damage: 60/95/130/165, Root Duration: 0.75/1/1.25/1.5/1.75)ACTIVE: Zyra sends a surge of vines in the target direction, dealing magic damage to all enemies hit and Rooting them for a short duration.GARDEN OF THORNS: If Grasping Roots hits a seed, it sprouts into a Vine Lasher, which remains on the battlefield for 5 – 7.5(based on level) seconds.
	Stranglethorns (Target Range: 700, Effect Radius: –, Cost: 100/120/140 Mana, Cooldown: 130/120/110, Magic Damage: 180, 265, 350 [+70%AP])ACTIVE: Zyra summons a monstrous thicket at the target location, dealing magic damage to all enemies in the area as it expands.After 2 seconds, the vines snap upward, knocking up (Airborne) all enemies caught in the thicket for 1 second.

Strategy

Mid Lane

• She is one of the squishiest champions in the game meaning champions with strong pokes can delete her immediately so use her with caution
• Your first skill (Q) Deadly Spines creates a line of thorns that can keep away your enemy champs from the minion wave
• She is also great for ambush – put seeds around bushes just in case
• Use your passive skill and (W) Rampant Growth to plant as much seeds as you can. Zyra’s third skill (E) Grasping Roots snares the champion in place. Position your skills near the seeds to grow Thorn Spitters as most of your damage will come from them.
• Your Ultimate skill (R) Stranglethorns also refreshes the HP of your Thorn Spitters
• Put seeds near a wall. Aside from being a potential surprise attack, walls protect your Thorn Spitters from melee champions

Support

• Zyra’s first skill (Q) Deadly Spines harasses enemy champions and keeps them away from minion waves
• Your passive skill grants vision of enemies that step on them. This can be used to track enemies across the map
• Just like Morgana, Zyra is used to engage with her third skill (E) Grasping Roots
• Bank on Cooldown Reduction items (ie. Frost Queen’s Claim, Zhonya’s Hourglass and Morellonomicon) as she is a skill-based champion instead of attack-based

Runes & Masteries

COMING SOON

Summoner Spells

Mid Lane		Support
Ignite	Flash	Exhaust	Flash

Item Builds

Mid Lane

Starter Items
Doran’s Ring	Total Biscuit of Rejuvenation	Warding Totem

Core Items
Morellonomicon	Sorcerer’s Shoes	Liandry’s Torment

Morellonomicon – This item deals with enemy champions who have high health regeneration and lifesteal. When their health reaches a certain percentage, her skills will inflict Grievous Wounds, greatly hindering their ability to restore their missing HP.

Liandry’s Torment – This item gives Zyra’s skills more damage over time bonuses on enemy champions who have been slowed. Since her Vine Lashers slow enemies, it deals more damage, to which Zyra can leverage during clashes.

Full Items
Morellonomicon	Sorcerer’s Shoes	Liandry’s Torment
Rabadon’s Deathcap	Zhonya’s Hourglass	Void Staff

Rabadon’s Deathcap – This items provides a massive Ability Power bonus, which in turn boosts the damage of all of Zyra’s skills. This strengthens her offensive Zyra build, as she can deal a huge amount of damage to enemies with her abilities.

Zhonya’s Hourglass – A staple defensive item for mages, Zhonya’s Hourglass puts her in stasis if the user chooses to click on this item. This renders its user immune to all skills and spells for a short duration.

Void Staff – Void Staff increases the potency of her skills, as this items ignores a percentage of the enemies’ magic resistance, while giving Zyra additional Ability Power.

Situational Items
Banshee’s Veil	Rod of Ages	Ionian Boots of Lucidity
Luden’s Echo

Banshee’s Veil – This item gives Zyra a shield that can block one skill from an enemy champion. This is useful in the Mid Lane, as this means that Zyra’s opposing laner will need to waste one of their skill to disable the Veil’s shielding.

Rod of Ages – This item gives bonus health, mana and ability power, but it needs charges to do so. If you think the game will take longer than expected, you could consider buying this item.

Ionian Boots of Lucidity – This boots upgrade is a viable alternative to Sorcerer’s Shoes. It increases your cooldown reduction, allowing you to cast your skills more often.

Luden’s Echo – Purchasing this item gives Zyra’s skill splash damage to up to 4 enemies. Get this if you feel like you need more movement speed and farming / pushing power.

Support

Starter Items
Spellthief’s Edge	Total Biscuit of Rejuvenation	Warding Totem

Core Items
Eye of the Watchers	Ionian Boots of Lucidity	Redemption

Eye of the Watchers – This item combines Sightstone and Frostfang, essentially freeing up an item slot for either offensive or defensive support items.

Ionian Boots of Lucidity – This boots upgrade increases your cooldown reduction, allowing you cast your skills quicker.

Liandry’s Torment – This item gives Zyra’s skills more damage over time bonuses on enemy champions who have been slowed. Since her Vine Lashers slow enemies, it deals more damage, to which Zyra can leverage during clashes.

Full Items
Eye of the Watchers	Ionian Boots of Lucidity	Liandry’s Torment
Redemption	Morellonomicon	Rylai’s Crystal Scepter

Redemption – This item provides the ability to heal her teammates. During clashes, Redemption is a great item to have, as it heals allies and damages enemies.

Morellonomicon – This item deals with enemy champions who have high health regeneration and lifesteal. When their health reaches a certain percentage, Zyra’s skills will inflict Grievous Wounds, greatly hindering their ability to restore their missing HP.

Rylai’s Crystal Scepter – Synergizing with Liandry’s Torment, all of Zyra’s damaging skills now add a slowing effect. This procs Liandry’s Torment’s item skill, making your skills have greater potency.

Situational Items
Rabadon’s Deathcap	Luden’s Echo	Frost Queen’s Claim
Void Staff	Sorcerer’s Shoes

Luden’s Echo – Purchasing this item gives Zyra’s skill splash damage to up to 4 enemies. Get this if you feel like you need more movement speed and farming / pushing power.

Playing Against

• She is a very squishy champion so you can starve her with champions with strong pokes (ie. Zed, Yasuo, Veigar).
• She also doesn’t have skills that are point-and-click (lock-in target) thus champions like Ezreal, Kassadin and Katarina can also prove deadly.
• Damage from her Thorn Spitters can be very annoying and painful so make sure to step on her seeds as early as they sprout.
• Zyra’s (Q) Deadly Spines can be casted at quite a distance. Do your best to avoid getting hit.
• Wait until Zyra uses her (E) Grasping Roots before engaging as that is her only escape mechanism.

Hard Counters

• Fizz – Fizz is an elusive champion who can dodge Zyra’s skills with Playful / Trickster and subsequently eliminate her with Chum the Waters, Urchin Strike and Seastone Trident.
• Talon – He can execute quickly with Noxian Diplomacy, Rake and Shadow Assault. She also doesn’t have much moblity, hence Talon can quickly capitalize on this and execute her with ease.
• LeBlanc – LeBlanc is a highly mobile champion who can out-maneuver and dispatch Zyra with Distortion, Ethereal Chains and Mimic.

Strategy Video

COMING SOON

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