Jungle Matchup

Xin Zhao vs Zed

Patch: 15.18 (25.18)
League: Platinum+
Xin Zhao

Xin Zhao

the Seneschal of Demacia
Jungle
Xin Zhao Jungle Overall Win Rate
50.27%

Matchup Win Rate

51.3%
Xin Zhao vs Zed Wins
48.7%
Zed vs Xin Zhao Wins
Zed

Zed

the Master of Shadows
Jungle
Zed Jungle Overall Win Rate
48.11%

Xin Zhao vs Zed - Jungle Matchup Guide Patch 15.18 (25.18)

Xin Zhao Jungle vs Zed Jungle - Who is stronger?

Xin Zhao Jungle has a slight edge over Zed (51.3% win rate) based on 1424 games. The matchup slightly favors Xin Zhao.

View detailed statistics below: items, runes, and counter builds for Xin Zhao Jungle vs Zed Jungle in patch 15.18 (25.18), including win rates and pick rates. With proper study, this can improve your chances of victory up to 65.0% in this matchup.

Statistical Matchup Analysis

Current meta showdown: Xin Zhao (12.9% pick rate, 1st most popular out of 60 Jungle champions) versus Zed (6.1%, 8th place). These two jungle titans clash constantly, making matchup mastery a decisive factor in your climb. Meta strength confirmed: Xin Zhao's superior tier rating (A vs C) translates into a solid 51.3% matchup win rate. This performance explains why Xin Zhao ranks 31st in win rate among Jungle champions. Optimize for consistency: Hail of Blades paired with Sudden Impact (65.4% win rate, 9.4% popularity) provides the stats you need, while the item sequence Eclipse > Sundered Sky > Sterak's Gage with Plated Steelcaps delivers 65.0% win rate against Zed.

Win through macro: Xin Zhao takes the matchup (51.34%) despite falling behind in CS (6.04 vs 6.64/min). Your victories come through roaming, team fighting, and map pressure rather than 1v1 lane dominance. Quality over quantity: Xin Zhao wins through smart play rather than raw damage - despite lower DPS (674 vs 738/min), the 51.3% win rate shows superior utility, positioning, and team fight impact. Intriguing anomaly: Xin Zhao wins the matchup (51.3%) despite a lower KDA (2.40 vs 2.70). This suggests you win through macro influence and clutch plays in key moments rather than consistent individual performance.

Xin Zhao vs Zed - Jungle Stats Comparison

Xin Zhao Jungle
Xin Zhao Jungle
Versus
Zed Jungle
Zed Jungle
ATierC
51.3%Matchup Winrate48.7%
50.27%Role Winrate48.11%
#31Winrate Rank#56
12.9%Pickrate6.1%
2.4Average KDA2.7
432Gold per Minute425
6.04CS/Min6.64
0.19Wards per Minute0.16
674Damage per Minute738

How to Beat Zed as Xin Zhao (Jungle)

While statistically Xin Zhao is slightly stronger than Zed in the jungle, neither champion has an overwhelming advantage in this matchup. The winner is determined by player skill and understanding the intricacies of the confrontation. Studying this guide will improve your chances of success.

Except for rare builds, Xin Zhao deals physical damage. Focus on eliminating enemy carries. Zed deals mainly physical damage (88.18%), additional items against this damage type may be required against snowballing or aggressive play.

Consider the farming superiority demonstrated by Zed, ranking 12th (versus 30th for Xin Zhao) in farming efficiency among champions in this role. This means the opponent can build gold advantages more quickly. Meanwhile, their higher KDA (2.7 versus 2.4) suggests they participate more effectively in team fights.

Key aspects of the Xin Zhao Jungle versus Zed Jungle matchup

Despite the statistical advantage in the matchup, overconfidence can be the main mistake. It is important for the Xin Zhao 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.

Xin Zhao vs Zed: Jungle Summoner Spells

Most Popular

Flash
Flash Teleports you a short distance toward your cursor.
Smite
Smite Deals true damage to a monster or minion.
56.4% Win Rate74.5% Pick Rate

Highest Win Rate

Flash
Flash Teleports you a short distance toward your cursor.
Smite
Smite Deals true damage to a monster or minion.
56.4% Win Rate74.5% Pick Rate

Xin Zhao vs Zed: Jungle 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…

Triumph
Triumph Takedowns restore 5% of your missing health, 2.5% of your max health, and grant an additional 20 gold.



'The most dangerous game brings the greatest glory.'
—Noxian Reckoner

Triumph

Takedowns restore 5% of your missing health, 2.5% of your max health, and grant…

Legend: Alacrity
Legend: Alacrity Gain 3% attack speed plus an additional 1.5% 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: Alacrity

Gain 3% attack speed plus an additional 1.5% for every Legend stack (max 10 sta…

Coup de Grace
Coup de Grace Deal 8% more damage to champions who have less than 40% health.

Coup de Grace

Deal 8% more damage to champions who have less than 40% health.

Secondary Path
Inspiration
Magical Footwear
Magical Footwear You get free Slightly Magical Footwear at 12 min, but you cannot buy boots before then. For each takedown you acquire the boots 45s sooner.

Slightly Magical Footwear grants you an additional 10 Move Speed.

Magical Footwear

You get free Slightly Magical Footwear at 12 min, but you cannot buy boots befo…

Cosmic Insight
Cosmic Insight +18 Summoner Spell Haste
+10 Item Haste

Cosmic Insight

+18 Summoner Spell Haste+10 Item Haste

Adaptive
Attack Speed
Attack Speed Increases attack speed by 10%

Attack Speed

Increases attack speed by 10%

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

55.3% Win Rate87.7% Pick Rate

Best Win Rate Runes

Primary Path
Domination
Hail of Blades
Hail of Blades Gain 140% (80% for ranged champions) Attack Speed when you attack an enemy champion for up to 3 attacks.

No more than 3s can elapse between attacks or this effect will end.

Cooldown: 10s.

Attack resets increase the attack limit by 1.
Allows you to temporarily exceed the attack speed limit.

Hail of Blades

Gain 140% (80% for ranged champions) Attack Speed when you attack an enemy champion for u…

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
Precision
Triumph
Triumph Takedowns restore 5% of your missing health, 2.5% of your max health, and grant an additional 20 gold.



'The most dangerous game brings the greatest glory.'
—Noxian Reckoner

Triumph

Takedowns restore 5% of your missing health, 2.5% of your max health, and grant…

Legend: Alacrity
Legend: Alacrity Gain 3% attack speed plus an additional 1.5% 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: Alacrity

Gain 3% attack speed plus an additional 1.5% for every Legend stack (max 10 sta…

Adaptive
Attack Speed
Attack Speed Increases attack speed by 10%

Attack Speed

Increases attack speed by 10%

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

65.4% Win Rate9.4% Pick Rate

Xin Zhao vs Zed: Jungle 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.
Gustwalker Hatchling
Gustwalker Hatchling (450 gold) Jungle Companions
Summon a Gustwalker that assists you against monsters.
Gustwalker's Gait
The companion grows as you hunt monsters, empowering your Smite. When fully grown, it grants Move Speed upon entering brush, increased when killing large monsters.
Health Potion
Health Potion (50 gold) Consume
Restores 120 Health over 15 seconds.
51.3% Win Rate48.4% Pick Rate
Popular Boots
Plated Steelcaps
Plated Steelcaps (1200 gold) 25 Armor
45 Move Speed

Plating
Reduces incoming damage from Attacks by 10%.
50.9% Win Rate47.9% Pick Rate
Mercury's Treads
Mercury's Treads (1250 gold) 20 Magic Resist
45 Move Speed
30% Tenacity

51.9% Win Rate37.0% Pick Rate
Berserker's Greaves
Berserker's Greaves (1100 gold) 25% Attack Speed
45 Move Speed

43.9% Win Rate1.3% Pick Rate
Core Build
Tunneler
Tunneler (1150 gold) 15 Attack Damage
250 Health

->
Sundered Sky
Sundered Sky (3100 gold) 40 Attack Damage
400 Health
10 Ability Haste

Lightshield Strike
Your first Attack against a champion Critically Strikes and restores Health.
Black Cleaver
Black Cleaver (3000 gold) 40 Attack Damage
400 Health
20 Ability Haste

Carve
Dealing physical damage to champions reduces their Armor by 6% for 6 seconds. (stacks 5 times).
Fervor
Dealing physical damage grants 20 Move Speed for 2 seconds.
Sterak's Gage
Sterak's Gage (3200 gold) 400 Health
20% Tenacity

The Claws that Catch
Gain bonus Attack Damage.
Lifeline
Taking damage that would reduce your Health below 30% grants a decaying Shield for 4.5 seconds.
58.7% Win Rate20.9% Pick Rate
Final Build
Guardian Angel
Guardian Angel (3200 gold) 55 Attack Damage
45 Armor

Rebirth
Upon taking lethal damage, restores 50% base Health and 100% max Mana after 4 seconds of Stasis.
58.3% Win Rate15.1% 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.
Scorchclaw Pup
Scorchclaw Pup (450 gold) Jungle Companions
Summon a Scorchclaw that assists you against monsters.
Scorchclaw's Slash
The companion grows as you hunt monsters, empowering your Smite. When fully grown, it periodically imbues your next Attack or Ability to burn enemies and Slow them. Killing large monsters readies this immediately.
53.7% Win Rate2.2% Pick Rate
Highest Winrate Boots
Boots of Swiftness
Boots of Swiftness (1000 gold) 60 Move Speed
Fleetfooted
Reduce the effectiveness of Slows by 25%.
56.7% Win Rate0.8% Pick Rate
Mercury's Treads
Mercury's Treads (1250 gold) 20 Magic Resist
45 Move Speed
30% Tenacity

51.9% Win Rate37.0% Pick Rate
Plated Steelcaps
Plated Steelcaps (1200 gold) 25 Armor
45 Move Speed

Plating
Reduces incoming damage from Attacks by 10%.
50.9% Win Rate47.9% Pick Rate
Core Build
Caulfield's Warhammer
Caulfield's Warhammer (1050 gold) 20 Attack Damage
10 Ability Haste

->
Eclipse
Eclipse (2900 gold) 60 Attack Damage
15 Ability Haste

Ever Rising Moon
Hitting a champion with 2 separate Attacks or Abilities within 2 seconds grants you a Shield for 2 seconds.
Sundered Sky
Sundered Sky (3100 gold) 40 Attack Damage
400 Health
10 Ability Haste

Lightshield Strike
Your first Attack against a champion Critically Strikes and restores Health.
Sterak's Gage
Sterak's Gage (3200 gold) 400 Health
20% Tenacity

The Claws that Catch
Gain bonus Attack Damage.
Lifeline
Taking damage that would reduce your Health below 30% grants a decaying Shield for 4.5 seconds.
65.0% Win Rate1.4% Pick Rate
Final Build
Death's Dance
Death's Dance (3300 gold) 60 Attack Damage
15 Ability Haste
50 Armor

Ignore Pain
A percentage of damage taken is dealt to you over 3 seconds instead.
Defy
When a champion that you damaged within 3 seconds dies, cleanse Ignore Pain's remaining damage and restore Health over 2 seconds.
60.5% Win Rate15.1% Pick Rate
Other Items
Death's Dance
Death's Dance (3300 gold) 60 Attack Damage
15 Ability Haste
50 Armor

Ignore Pain
A percentage of damage taken is dealt to you over 3 seconds instead.
Defy
When a champion that you damaged within 3 seconds dies, cleanse Ignore Pain's remaining damage and restore Health over 2 seconds.
60.5% Win Rate15.1% Pick Rate
Spirit Visage
Spirit Visage (2700 gold) 400 Health
50 Magic Resist
10 Ability Haste
100% Base Health Regen

Boundless Vitality
Heals and Shields on you are increased by 25%.
50.6% Win Rate5.3% Pick Rate
Titanic Hydra
Titanic Hydra (3300 gold) 40 Attack Damage
600 Health

Cleave
Attacks deal physical damage on-hit and to enemies behind the target.
Titanic Crescent
Empower your next Cleave to deal bonus physical damageOn-Hit and deal bonus physical damage to enemies behind the target.
58.2% Win Rate4.8% Pick Rate
Randuin's Omen
Randuin's Omen (2700 gold) 350 Health
75 Armor

Resilience
Receive 30% less damage from Critical Strikes.
Humility
Slow nearby enemies by 70% for 2 seconds.
58.6% Win Rate4.3% Pick Rate
Maw of Malmortius
Maw of Malmortius (3100 gold) 60 Attack Damage
15 Ability Haste
40 Magic Resist

Lifeline
Taking magic damage that would reduce your Health below 30% grants a magic damage Shield for 3 seconds and 10% Omnivamp until end of combat.
46.5% Win Rate3.4% Pick Rate
Eclipse
Eclipse (2900 gold) 60 Attack Damage
15 Ability Haste

Ever Rising Moon
Hitting a champion with 2 separate Attacks or Abilities within 2 seconds grants you a Shield for 2 seconds.
66.7% Win Rate3.3% Pick Rate
Thornmail
Thornmail (2450 gold) 150 Health
75 Armor

Thorns
When struck by an Attack, deal magic damage to the attacker and apply 40% Wounds for 3 seconds if they are a champion.
55.2% Win Rate2.5% Pick Rate

Xin Zhao vs Zed: Jungle 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
Three Talon Strike Xin Zhao's next 3 standard attacks deal increased damage with the third attack knocking an opponent into the air.
Q
Q
Q
Q
Q
W
W
Wind Becomes Lightning Xin Zhao slashes in front of himself with his spear, then thrusts it forward, slowing affected enemies and marking them as Challenged.
W
W
W
W
W
E
E
Audacious Charge Xin Zhao charges to an enemy, gaining increased Attack Speed and dealing damage to all enemies in the area, slowing them briefly. Audacious Charge gains increased range against Challenged targets.
E
E
E
E
E
R
R
Crescent Guard Xin Zhao challenges an enemy he damaged recently. Xin Zhao deals damage to nearby enemies based on their current Health and knocks non-challenged targets back, becoming impervious to damage dealt by champions outside of the circle created.
R
R
R
Max Order: W > E > Q
49.8% Win Rate53.3% 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
Three Talon Strike Xin Zhao's next 3 standard attacks deal increased damage with the third attack knocking an opponent into the air.
Q
Q
Q
Q
Q
R
W
Wind Becomes Lightning Xin Zhao slashes in front of himself with his spear, then thrusts it forward, slowing affected enemies and marking them as Challenged.
W
W
W
W
W
R
E
Audacious Charge Xin Zhao charges to an enemy, gaining increased Attack Speed and dealing damage to all enemies in the area, slowing them briefly. Audacious Charge gains increased range against Challenged targets.
E
E
E
E
E
R
R
Crescent Guard Xin Zhao challenges an enemy he damaged recently. Xin Zhao deals damage to nearby enemies based on their current Health and knocks non-challenged targets back, becoming impervious to damage dealt by champions outside of the circle created.
R
R
R
Max Order: W > E > Q
68.6% Win Rate1.3% Pick Rate

Xin Zhao tips:

  • Xin Zhao is a great initiator to combat. Lead the front to start a fight and use your ultimate to do the most damage possible.
  • Try to position yourself so your ultimate's knockback is most effective.

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.