Mid Matchup

Zed vs Ryze

Patch: 15.18 (25.18)
League: Platinum+
Zed

Zed

the Master of Shadows
Mid
Zed Mid Overall Win Rate
49.07%

Matchup Win Rate

47.8%
Zed vs Ryze Wins
52.2%
Ryze vs Zed Wins
Ryze

Ryze

the Rune Mage
Mid
Ryze Mid Overall Win Rate
49.39%

Zed vs Ryze - Mid Matchup Guide Patch 15.18 (25.18)

Zed Mid vs Ryze Mid - Who is stronger?

Zed Mid has trouble against Ryze (47.8% win rate) based on 763 games. This is a tough matchup for Zed players.

View detailed statistics below: items, runes, and counter builds for Zed Mid vs Ryze Mid in patch 15.18 (25.18), including win rates and pick rates. With proper study, this can improve your chances of victory up to 66.9% in this matchup.

Statistical Matchup Analysis

Current meta showdown: Zed (7.1% pick rate, 4th most popular out of 61 Mid champions) versus Ryze (3.8%, 20th place). These two mid lane titans clash constantly, making matchup mastery a decisive factor in your climb. Surprising upset: Despite Zed's higher tier rating, Ryze wins 52.2% of encounters. This suggests Ryze's kit specifically counters Zed's playstyle, overriding general meta strength - approach this matchup with extra caution. Every edge matters: In this tough matchup, the proven Conqueror + Presence of Mind combination (65.3% win rate) plus optimal itemization Eclipse, Black Cleaver, Serpent's Fang, and Ionian Boots of Lucidity boosts your chances from 47.8% to 66.9% - potentially game-changing.

Survive and scale: Zed faces both matchup (47.77%) and farming disadvantages (6.23 vs 8.14/min). With a 1.91 CS/min deficit, prioritize safe farming and jungle assistance. Damage doesn't equal wins: Zed outputs more damage (908 vs 859/min, 2nd place) but still loses the matchup. The issue likely lies in survivability, mobility, or damage timing rather than raw output. Skill-based matchup: Identical KDA (2.30) with 47.8% win rate indicates that macro play, team coordination, and clutch moments determine outcomes more than individual mechanics.

Zed vs Ryze - Mid Stats Comparison

Zed Mid
Zed Mid
Versus
Ryze Mid
Ryze Mid
BTierC
47.8%Matchup Winrate52.2%
49.07%Role Winrate49.39%
#52Winrate Rank#50
7.1%Pickrate3.8%
2.3Average KDA2.3
431Gold per Minute405
6.23CS/Min8.14
0.27Wards per Minute0.30
908Damage per Minute859

How to Beat Ryze as Zed (Mid)

Difficult matchup requiring deep understanding of game mechanics and flawless execution. Patience and proper macro play are the keys to victory in this confrontation.

Except for rare builds, Zed deals physical damage. Focus on eliminating enemy carries. Meanwhile, Ryze deals primarily magic damage (92.53%), additional magic resistance may be required.

Consider the farming superiority demonstrated by Ryze, ranking 3rd (versus 40th for Zed) in farming efficiency among champions in this role. This means the opponent can build gold advantages more quickly.

Key aspects of the Zed Mid versus Ryze Mid matchup

In this difficult confrontation, it is critically important for the Zed player to avoid attempts to force trades and all-ins with the Ryze player, as the matchup requires a patient and calculated approach. Extended trades without clear tactical advantage often lead to unfavorable consequences, and ignoring opportunities to receive team support can be a fatal mistake for game progression.

Zed vs Ryze: Mid Lane Summoner Spells

Most Popular

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.
49.3% Win Rate79.7% Pick Rate

Highest Win Rate

Teleport
Teleport After a brief channel, become untargetable and travel to an allied unit. Upgrades into Unleashed Teleport, which significantly increases travel speed.
Ignite
Ignite Deals true damage over time to target enemy champion and reduces healing effects on them for the duration.
59.4% Win Rate0.9% Pick Rate

Zed vs Ryze: 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
Sorcery
Nimbus Cloak
Nimbus Cloak After casting a Summoner Spell, gain a Move Speed increase that lasts for 2s and allows you to pass through units.

Increase: 14% - 40% Move Speed based on the Summoner Spell's cooldown. (Higher cooldown Summoner Spells grant more Move Speed).

Nimbus Cloak

After casting a Summoner Spell, gain a Move Speed increase that lasts for 2s an…

Transcendence
Transcendence Gain bonuses upon reaching the following levels:
Level 5: +5 Ability Haste
Level 8: +5 Ability Haste
Level 11: On Champion takedown, reduce the remaining cooldown of basic abilities by 20%.

Transcendence

Gain bonuses upon reaching the following levels:Level 5: +5 Ability Haste Level…

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

+65 Health
+65 Health +65 Health

+65 Health

+65 Health

51.9% Win Rate43.3% Pick Rate

Best Win Rate 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

+65 Health
+65 Health +65 Health

+65 Health

+65 Health

65.3% Win Rate7.0% Pick Rate

Zed vs Ryze: 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.
Long Sword
Long Sword (350 gold) 10 Attack Damage
Health Potion
Health Potion (50 gold) Consume
Restores 120 Health over 15 seconds.
44.5% Win Rate36.8% Pick Rate
Popular Boots
Ionian Boots of Lucidity
Ionian Boots of Lucidity (900 gold) 10 Ability Haste
45 Move Speed

Ionian Insight
Gain 10 Summoner Spell Haste.
53.5% Win Rate65.8% Pick Rate
Mercury's Treads
Mercury's Treads (1250 gold) 20 Magic Resist
45 Move Speed
30% Tenacity

48.5% Win Rate25.4% Pick Rate
Plated Steelcaps
Plated Steelcaps (1200 gold) 25 Armor
45 Move Speed

Plating
Reduces incoming damage from Attacks by 10%.
74.9% Win Rate2.2% 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.
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.
Spear of Shojin
Spear of Shojin (3100 gold) 45 Attack Damage
450 Health

Dragonforce
Gain 25 Basic Ability Haste.
Focused Will
Dealing damage with Abilities increases your Champion's Ability and Passive damage by 3% for 6 seconds. (stacks 4 times).
61.8% Win Rate8.9% Pick Rate
Final Build
Serpent's Fang
Serpent's Fang (2500 gold) 55 Attack Damage
15 Lethality

Shield Reaver
Damaging an enemy champion reduces Shields they gain by % for 3 seconds.
If they were not already affected by Shield Reaver, reduce Shields on them by %.
50.2% Win Rate21.9% 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.
Long Sword
Long Sword (350 gold) 10 Attack Damage
Refillable Potion
Refillable Potion (150 gold) Active (2 charges)
Restores 100 Health over 12 seconds.
Refills upon visiting the shop.
57.9% Win Rate25.2% Pick Rate
Highest Winrate Boots
Plated Steelcaps
Plated Steelcaps (1200 gold) 25 Armor
45 Move Speed

Plating
Reduces incoming damage from Attacks by 10%.
74.9% Win Rate2.2% 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.
53.5% Win Rate65.8% Pick Rate
Mercury's Treads
Mercury's Treads (1250 gold) 20 Magic Resist
45 Move Speed
30% Tenacity

48.5% Win Rate25.4% Pick Rate
Core Build
Pickaxe
Pickaxe (875 gold) 25 Attack Damage
->
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.
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.
Serpent's Fang
Serpent's Fang (2500 gold) 55 Attack Damage
15 Lethality

Shield Reaver
Damaging an enemy champion reduces Shields they gain by % for 3 seconds.
If they were not already affected by Shield Reaver, reduce Shields on them by %.
66.9% Win Rate3.3% 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.
100.0% Win Rate3.3% Pick Rate
Other Items
Axiom Arc
Axiom Arc (3000 gold) 55 Attack Damage
18 Lethality
20 Ability Haste

Flux
When a champion that you damaged within 3 seconds dies, refund some of your Ultimate Ability's total cooldown.
72.6% Win Rate16.5% Pick Rate
Edge of Night
Edge of Night (3000 gold) 50 Attack Damage
15 Lethality
250 Health

Annul
Grants a Spell Shield that blocks the next enemy Ability.
67.1% Win Rate16.4% Pick Rate
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.
61.3% Win Rate8.9% Pick Rate
Voltaic Cyclosword
Voltaic Cyclosword (3000 gold) 55 Attack Damage
18 Lethality
10 Ability Haste

Galvanize
Dashes and Stealth stack Energized 75% faster.
Firmament
Your Energized Attack deals bonus physical damage and Slows for 0.75 seconds.
50.1% Win Rate4.4% 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.
49.2% Win Rate4.4% Pick Rate
The Collector
The Collector (3000 gold) 50 Attack Damage
10 Lethality
25% Critical Strike Chance

Death
Your damage executes champions that are below 5% Health.
Taxes
Champion kills grant 25 bonus gold.
32.7% Win Rate3.3% Pick Rate
Youmuu's Ghostblade
Youmuu's Ghostblade (2800 gold) 55 Attack Damage
18 Lethality
4% Move Speed

Haunt
Gain Move Speed while out of combat.
Wraith Step
Gain Move Speed and Ghosting for seconds.
98.8% Win Rate3.3% Pick Rate

Zed vs Ryze: 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
Razor Shuriken Zed and his shadows throw their shurikens.

Each shuriken deals damage to every enemy hit.
Q
Q
Q
Q
Q
W
W
Living ShadowPassive: Zed gains energy whenever he and his shadows strike an enemy with the same ability. Energy can only be gained once per cast ability.

Active: Zed's shadow dashes forward, remaining in place for a few seconds. Reactivating Living Shadow will cause Zed to switch positions with this shadow.
W
W
W
W
W
E
E
Shadow Slash Zed and his Shadows slash, dealing damage to nearby enemies. Enemies hit by a Shadow's slash are slowed.
E
E
E
E
E
R
R
Death Mark Zed becomes untargetable and dashes to an enemy champion, marking them. After 3 seconds the mark triggers, repeating a portion of all the damage Zed dealt to the target while they were marked.
R
R
R
Max Order: Q > E > W
50.5% Win Rate65.7% 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
Razor Shuriken Zed and his shadows throw their shurikens.

Each shuriken deals damage to every enemy hit.
Q
Q
Q
Q
Q
R
W
Living ShadowPassive: Zed gains energy whenever he and his shadows strike an enemy with the same ability. Energy can only be gained once per cast ability.

Active: Zed's shadow dashes forward, remaining in place for a few seconds. Reactivating Living Shadow will cause Zed to switch positions with this shadow.
W
W
W
W
W
R
E
Shadow Slash Zed and his Shadows slash, dealing damage to nearby enemies. Enemies hit by a Shadow's slash are slowed.
E
E
E
E
E
R
R
Death Mark Zed becomes untargetable and dashes to an enemy champion, marking them. After 3 seconds the mark triggers, repeating a portion of all the damage Zed dealt to the target while they were marked.
R
R
R
Max Order: Q > E > W
68.5% Win Rate0.9% Pick Rate

Zed tips:

  • Saving energy and spell cooldowns until you use your ultimate will maximize Death Mark's damage.
  • Quickly double tapping Living Shadow will teleport Zed to his shadow immediately for rapid escapes.
  • Placing a Living Shadow before using Death Mark can give Zed a safe escape from combat.

Playing Against Ryze

  • Ryze is especially dangerous to opponents that are marked with Flux.
  • Use Realm Warp's windup time to figure out how to deal with what may be coming out of the portal.
  • Crowd controlling Ryze during Realm Warp's windup will cancel the portal.