Mid Matchup

Sylas vs Zed

Patch: 15.17 (25.17)
League: Platinum+
Sylas

Sylas

the Unshackled
Mid
Sylas Mid Overall Win Rate
49.76%

Matchup Win Rate

52.2%
Sylas vs Zed Wins
47.8%
Zed vs Sylas Wins
Zed

Zed

the Master of Shadows
Mid
Zed Mid Overall Win Rate
49.06%

Sylas vs Zed - Mid Matchup Guide Patch 15.17 (25.17)

Sylas Mid vs Zed Mid - Who is stronger?

Sylas Mid has an advantage against Zed (52.2% win rate) based on 2135 games. The matchup leans toward Sylas.

View detailed statistics below: items, runes, and counter builds for Sylas Mid vs Zed Mid in patch 15.17 (25.17), including win rates and pick rates. With proper study, this can improve your chances of victory up to 65.6% in this matchup.

Statistical Matchup Analysis

Current meta showdown: Sylas (7.1% pick rate, 3rd most popular out of 61 Mid champions) versus Zed (7.0%, 4th place). These two mid lane titans clash constantly, making matchup mastery a decisive factor in your climb. Even tiers, uneven results: Both champions sit at B-tier, but Sylas claims a meaningful 52.2% vs 47.8% advantage. Sylas's kit synergizes better in this specific head-to-head matchup. Optimize for consistency: Electrocute paired with Sudden Impact (57.4% win rate, 6.9% popularity) provides the stats you need, while the item sequence Hextech Rocketbelt > Shadowflame > Zhonya's Hourglass with Sorcerer's Shoes delivers 65.6% win rate against Zed.

Win through macro: Sylas takes the matchup (52.16%) despite falling behind in CS (5.35 vs 5.87/min). Your victories come through roaming, team fighting, and map pressure rather than 1v1 lane dominance. Complete superiority: Sylas dominates both win rate (52.2%) and damage output (881 vs 752/min, 2nd among Mid). The 129 damage/min difference creates massive snowball potential. Intriguing anomaly: Sylas wins the matchup (52.2%) despite a lower KDA (2.10 vs 2.20). This suggests you win through macro influence and clutch plays in key moments rather than consistent individual performance.

Sylas vs Zed - Mid Stats Comparison

Sylas Mid
Sylas Mid
Versus
Zed Mid
Zed Mid
BTierB
52.2%Matchup Winrate47.8%
49.76%Role Winrate49.06%
#44Winrate Rank#52
7.1%Pickrate7.0%
2.1Average KDA2.2
394Gold per Minute411
5.35CS/Min5.87
0.30Wards per Minute0.27
881Damage per Minute752

How to Beat Zed as Sylas (Mid)

The Sylas versus Zed matchup in the mid lane is favorable with proper positioning. Use your statistical advantage and prevent the opponent from realizing their potential.

The magic damage that Sylas deals remains relevant in the late game. Look for opportunities to initiate or counter-initiate. Zed deals mainly physical damage (89.05%), additional items against this damage type may be required against snowballing or aggressive play.

Consider the farming superiority demonstrated by Zed, ranking 54th (versus 60th for Sylas) in farming efficiency among champions in this role. This means the opponent can build gold advantages more quickly. Meanwhile, their higher KDA (2.2 versus 2.1) suggests they participate more effectively in team fights.

Key aspects of the Sylas Mid versus Zed Mid matchup

Despite the statistical advantage in the matchup, overconfidence can be the main mistake. It is important for the Sylas player to maintain constant pressure on Zed, not allowing the opponent to safely scale up, and actively use the advantage gained to help their team.

Sylas vs Zed: Mid Lane Summoner Spells

Most Popular

Flash
Flash Teleports you a short distance toward your cursor.
Teleport
Teleport After a brief channel, become untargetable and travel to an allied unit. Upgrades into Unleashed Teleport, which significantly increases travel speed.
48.4% Win Rate68.6% Pick Rate

Highest Win Rate

Flash
Flash Teleports you a short distance toward your cursor.
Ignite
Ignite Deals true damage over time to target enemy champion and reduces healing effects on them for the duration.
56.1% Win Rate29.9% Pick Rate

Sylas vs Zed: Mid Lane Runes

Most Frequent Runes

Primary Path
Precision
Conqueror
Conqueror Basic attacks or spells that deal damage to an enemy champion grant 2 stacks of Conqueror for 5s, gaining 1.8-4 Adaptive Force per stack. Stacks up to 12 times. Ranged champions gain only 1 stack per basic attack.

When fully stacked, heal for 8% of the damage you deal to champions (5% for ranged champions).

Conqueror

Basic attacks or spells that deal damage to an enemy champion grant 2 stacks of Conqueror…

Presence of Mind
Presence of Mind Damaging an enemy champion restores 6-50 (80% for ranged) mana or 6 energy.

Takedowns restore 15% of your maximum mana or energy.

Cooldown for damage restoration: 8s

Presence of Mind

Damaging an enemy champion restores 6-50 (80% for ranged) mana or 6 energy.Take…

Legend: Haste
Legend: Haste Gain 1.5 basic ability haste for every Legend stack (max 10 stacks).

Earn progress toward Legend stacks for every champion takedown, epic monster takedown, large monster kill, and minion kill.

Legend: Haste

Gain 1.5 basic ability haste for every Legend stack (max 10 stacks).Earn progre…

Last Stand
Last Stand Deal 5% - 11% increased damage to champions while you are below 60% health. Max damage gained at 30% health.

Last Stand

Deal 5% - 11% increased damage to champions while you are below 60% health. Max…

Secondary Path
Resolve
Second Wind
Second Wind After taking damage from an enemy champion, heal for 4% of your missing health +3 over 10s.

Second Wind

After taking damage from an enemy champion, heal for 4% of your missing health …

Unflinching
Unflinching Gain 6 - 12 (level scaling) Armor and Magic Resist when crowd controlled and for 2 seconds after.

Unflinching

Gain 6 - 12 (level scaling) Armor and Magic Resist when crowd controlled and fo…

Adaptive
Adaptive Force
Adaptive Force Grants 9 Attack Damage or 9 Ability Power

Adaptive Force

Grants 9 Attack Damage or 9 Ability Power

Adaptive Force
Adaptive Force Grants 9 Attack Damage or 9 Ability Power

Adaptive Force

Grants 9 Attack Damage or 9 Ability Power

Scaling Health
Scaling Health Increases health from 10 to 180 HP across levels 1-18

Scaling Health

Increases health from 10 to 180 HP across levels 1-18

51.1% Win Rate56.7% Pick Rate

Best Win Rate Runes

Primary Path
Domination
Electrocute
Electrocute Hitting a champion with 3 separate attacks or abilities within 3s deals bonus adaptive damage.

Damage: 70 - 240 (+0.1 bonus AD, +0.05 AP) damage.
Cooldown: 20s

'We called them the Thunderlords, for to speak of their lightning was to invite disaster.'

Electrocute

Hitting a champion with 3 separate attacks or abilities within 3s deals bonus adaptive da…

Sudden Impact
Sudden Impact Damaging basic attacks and abilities deal a bonus 20 - 80 True Damage based on level to enemy champions after using a dash, leap, blink, teleport, or when leaving stealth for 4s.

Cooldown: 10s

Sudden Impact

Damaging basic attacks and abilities deal a bonus 20 - 80 True Damage based on …

Grisly Mementos
Grisly Mementos Collect 1 memento on champion takedowns, up to 18 total.

Gain 6 Trinket Haste for each collected. In game modes where vision Trinkets do not exist, instead gain 3 Summoner Spell Haste.

Grisly Mementos

Collect 1 memento on champion takedowns, up to 18 total.Gain 6 Trinket Haste fo…

Relentless Hunter
Relentless Hunter Gain 8 Move Speed out of combat per Bounty Hunter stack. Bounty Hunter stacks are earned the first time you get a takedown on each enemy champion.

Relentless Hunter

Gain 8 Move Speed out of combat per Bounty Hunter stack. Bounty Hunter stacks a…

Secondary Path
Resolve
Bone Plating
Bone Plating After taking damage from an enemy champion, the next 3 spells or attacks you receive from them deal 30-60 (based on level) less damage.

Duration: 1.5s
Cooldown: 55s

Bone Plating

After taking damage from an enemy champion, the next 3 spells or attacks you re…

Overgrowth
Overgrowth Absorb life essence from monsters or enemy minions that die near you, permanently gaining 3 maximum health for every 8.

When you've absorbed 120 monsters or enemy minions, gain an additional 3.5% maximum health.

Overgrowth

Absorb life essence from monsters or enemy minions that die near you, permanent…

Adaptive
Adaptive Force
Adaptive Force Grants 9 Attack Damage or 9 Ability Power

Adaptive Force

Grants 9 Attack Damage or 9 Ability Power

Adaptive Force
Adaptive Force Grants 9 Attack Damage or 9 Ability Power

Adaptive Force

Grants 9 Attack Damage or 9 Ability Power

Scaling Health
Scaling Health Increases health from 10 to 180 HP across levels 1-18

Scaling Health

Increases health from 10 to 180 HP across levels 1-18

57.4% Win Rate6.9% Pick Rate

Sylas vs Zed: Mid Lane Item Builds

Most Popular Build

Starting Items
Stealth Ward
Stealth Ward (0 gold) Active (210 - 120s, max 2 charges)
Places an Invisible Stealth Ward that grants vision for 90-120 seconds.
Doran's Ring
Doran's Ring (400 gold) 18 Ability Power
90 Health

Restoration
Restore 1.25 Mana every second. If you can't gain Mana, restore 0.55 Health instead.
Helping Hand
Attacks deal 5 bonus physical damage to minions.
Health Potion
Health Potion (50 gold) Consume
Restores 120 Health over 15 seconds.
50.3% Win Rate87.8% Pick Rate
Popular Boots
Sorcerer's Shoes
Sorcerer's Shoes (1100 gold) 12 Magic Penetration
45 Move Speed

50.6% Win Rate48.7% Pick Rate
Ionian Boots of Lucidity
Ionian Boots of Lucidity (900 gold) 10 Ability Haste
45 Move Speed

Ionian Insight
Gain 10 Summoner Spell Haste.
48.3% Win Rate30.4% Pick Rate
Plated Steelcaps
Plated Steelcaps (1200 gold) 25 Armor
45 Move Speed

Plating
Reduces incoming damage from Attacks by 10%.
56.9% Win Rate10.3% Pick Rate
Core Build
Hextech Alternator
Hextech Alternator (1100 gold) 45 Ability Power
Revved
Damaging a champion deals bonus magic damage.
->
Hextech Rocketbelt
Hextech Rocketbelt (2600 gold) 60 Ability Power
350 Health
15 Ability Haste

Supersonic
Dash in target direction, unleashing missiles that deal magic damage.
Shadowflame
Shadowflame (3200 gold) 110 Ability Power
15 Magic Penetration

Cinderbloom
Magic and true damageCritically Strikes enemies below 40% Health, dealing 20% increased damage.
Zhonya's Hourglass
Zhonya's Hourglass (3250 gold) 105 Ability Power
50 Armor


Time Stop
Enter Stasis for 2.5 seconds.
54.9% Win Rate15.6% Pick Rate
Final Build
Rabadon's Deathcap
Rabadon's Deathcap (3600 gold) 130 Ability Power
Magical Opus
Increases your total Ability Power by 30%.
71.9% Win Rate25.6% Pick Rate

Best Win Rate Build

Starting Items
Stealth Ward
Stealth Ward (0 gold) Active (210 - 120s, max 2 charges)
Places an Invisible Stealth Ward that grants vision for 90-120 seconds.
Doran's Shield
Doran's Shield (450 gold) 110 Health
Enduring Focus
Restore 4 Health every 5 seconds.
After taking damage from a champion, restore Health over 8 seconds.
Helping Hand
Attacks deal 5 bonus physical damage to minions.
Health Potion
Health Potion (50 gold) Consume
Restores 120 Health over 15 seconds.
50.3% Win Rate8.6% Pick Rate
Highest Winrate Boots
Mercury's Treads
Mercury's Treads (1250 gold) 20 Magic Resist
45 Move Speed
30% Tenacity

60.9% Win Rate4.2% Pick Rate
Plated Steelcaps
Plated Steelcaps (1200 gold) 25 Armor
45 Move Speed

Plating
Reduces incoming damage from Attacks by 10%.
56.9% Win Rate10.3% Pick Rate
Sorcerer's Shoes
Sorcerer's Shoes (1100 gold) 12 Magic Penetration
45 Move Speed

50.6% Win Rate48.7% Pick Rate
Core Build
Fiendish Codex
Fiendish Codex (850 gold) 25 Ability Power
10 Ability Haste

->
Hextech Rocketbelt
Hextech Rocketbelt (2600 gold) 60 Ability Power
350 Health
15 Ability Haste

Supersonic
Dash in target direction, unleashing missiles that deal magic damage.
Shadowflame
Shadowflame (3200 gold) 110 Ability Power
15 Magic Penetration

Cinderbloom
Magic and true damageCritically Strikes enemies below 40% Health, dealing 20% increased damage.
Zhonya's Hourglass
Zhonya's Hourglass (3250 gold) 105 Ability Power
50 Armor


Time Stop
Enter Stasis for 2.5 seconds.
65.6% Win Rate4.4% Pick Rate
Final Build
Cosmic Drive
Cosmic Drive (3000 gold) 70 Ability Power
350 Health
25 Ability Haste
4% Move Speed

Spelldance
Dealing magic or true damage to champions grants Move Speed for 4 seconds.
88.4% Win Rate8.8% Pick Rate
Other Items
Cosmic Drive
Cosmic Drive (3000 gold) 70 Ability Power
350 Health
25 Ability Haste
4% Move Speed

Spelldance
Dealing magic or true damage to champions grants Move Speed for 4 seconds.
88.4% Win Rate8.8% Pick Rate
Riftmaker
Riftmaker (3100 gold) 70 Ability Power
350 Health
15 Ability Haste

Void Corruption
For each second in combat with enemy champions, deal 2% bonus damage, up to 8%. At maximum strength, gain Omnivamp.
Void Infusion
Gain 2% of your bonus Health as Ability Power.
54.5% Win Rate8.1% Pick Rate
Void Staff
Void Staff (3000 gold) 95 Ability Power
40% Magic Penetration

76.7% Win Rate8.0% Pick Rate
Lich Bane
Lich Bane (3200 gold) 115 Ability Power
4% Move Speed
10 Ability Haste

Spellblade
After using an Ability, your next Attack deals bonus magic damageOn-Hit.
80.1% Win Rate4.5% Pick Rate
Mejai's Soulstealer
Mejai's Soulstealer (1500 gold) 20 Ability Power
100 Health

Glory
Takedowns grant Glory, up to 25. 10 Glory is lost on death.
Gain 5 Ability Power per Glory and 10% Move Speed at 10 or higher Glory.
49.8% Win Rate3.6% Pick Rate
Stormsurge
Stormsurge (2900 gold) 90 Ability Power
15 Magic Penetration
4% Move Speed

Stormraider
Dealing 25% of a champion's maximum Health within 2.5s applies Squall to them and grants 25% Move Speed for 1.5 seconds.
Squall
After 2 seconds, deal magic damage. If the target dies before Squall triggers, it damages nearby enemies and grants 30 gold.
66.5% Win Rate2.7% Pick Rate
Liandry's Torment
Liandry's Torment (3000 gold) 70 Ability Power
300 Health

Torment
Damaging Abilities burn enemies for 2% max Health magic damage per second for 3 seconds.
Suffering
For each second in combat with enemy champions, deal 2% bonus damage, up to 6%.
33.2% Win Rate2.7% Pick Rate

Sylas vs Zed: Mid Lane Skill (abilities) Orders

Most Frequent Skill Order

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
Q
Q
Chain Lash Sylas lashes his chains out, intersecting at his targeted location dealing damage to and slowing enemies.

After a delay, magical energy explodes from the intersection point dealing damage.
Q
Q
Q
Q
Q
W
W
Kingslayer Sylas lunges at an enemy with magical force dealing damage and healing himself against enemy champions.
W
W
W
W
W
E
E
Abscond / Abduct Sylas dashes to a location. Sylas can recast the ability to throw his chains out, pulling himself to an enemy he hits.
E
E
E
E
E
R
R
Hijack Sylas steals the enemy's ultimate ability and can cast it freely.
R
R
R
Max Order: W > E > Q
47.7% Win Rate57.9% Pick Rate

Highest Win % Skill Order

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
R
Q
Chain Lash Sylas lashes his chains out, intersecting at his targeted location dealing damage to and slowing enemies.

After a delay, magical energy explodes from the intersection point dealing damage.
Q
Q
Q
Q
Q
R
W
Kingslayer Sylas lunges at an enemy with magical force dealing damage and healing himself against enemy champions.
W
W
W
W
W
R
E
Abscond / Abduct Sylas dashes to a location. Sylas can recast the ability to throw his chains out, pulling himself to an enemy he hits.
E
E
E
E
E
R
R
Hijack Sylas steals the enemy's ultimate ability and can cast it freely.
R
R
R
Max Order: W > E > Q
66.3% Win Rate1.1% Pick Rate

Sylas tips:

  • Wait for you or your enemy to reach low health before using Kingslayer for maximum effect.
  • Space out your ability usage to get maximum effect from Petricite Burst.
  • Clever use of enemy ultimates can open up new possibilities to approach teamfights.

Playing Against Zed

  • Zed receives bonus effect from Attack Damage items he purchases, so Armor is super effective against him.
  • After Zed uses his Living Shadow, he is at his most vulnerable as his damage, slow, and mobility are both dependent upon it.
  • Zed's Shadow Slash can only slow you if his shadow hits you with it.