Support Matchup

Zilean vs Karma

Patch: 15.23 (25.23)
League: Platinum+
Zilean

Zilean

the Chronokeeper
Support
Zilean Support Overall Win Rate
51.61%

Matchup Win Rate

51.0%
Zilean vs Karma Wins
⚔
49.0%
Karma vs Zilean Wins
Karma

Karma

the Enlightened One
Support
Karma Support Overall Win Rate
50.57%

Zilean vs Karma - Support Matchup Guide Patch 15.23 (25.23)

Zilean Support vs Karma Support - Who is stronger?

Zilean Support has a slight edge over Karma (51.0% win rate) based on 747 games. The matchup slightly favors Zilean.

View detailed statistics below: items, runes, and counter builds for Zilean Support vs Karma Support in patch 15.23 (25.23), including win rates and pick rates. With proper study, this can improve your chances of victory up to 70%+ in this matchup.

Statistical Matchup Analysis

With 2.3% popularity, Zilean constantly encounters meta-dominant Karma (8.3%, 6th place out of 52 Support champions). Understanding how to play against this popular champion becomes essential for consistent Zilean performance in the current patch. Even tiers, uneven results: Both champions sit at A+-tier, but Zilean claims a meaningful 51.0% vs 49.0% advantage. Zilean's kit synergizes better in this specific head-to-head matchup. Optimize for consistency: Unsealed Spellbook paired with Magical Footwear (62.9% win rate, 4.6% popularity) provides the stats you need, while the item sequence Shurelya's Battlesong > Imperial Mandate > Mikael's Blessing with Ionian Boots of Lucidity delivers 70%+ win rate against Karma.

Lane wins, vision lags: While winning the matchup (51.01%), Zilean trails in vision control (0.81 vs 1.02 wards/min). Better map coverage could unlock even greater team advantages. Quality over quantity: Zilean wins through smart play rather than raw damage - despite lower DPS (365 vs 403/min), the 51.0% win rate shows superior utility, positioning, and team fight impact. Statistical dominance: Zilean leads in both matchup win rate (51.0%) and KDA (3.30 vs 2.80) - complete superiority across all metrics.

Zilean vs Karma - Support Stats Comparison

Zilean Support
Zilean Support		Versus
Karma Support
Karma Support
A+TierA+
51.0%Matchup Winrate49.0%
51.61%Role Winrate50.57%
#9Winrate Rank#20
2.3%Pickrate8.3%
3.3Average KDA2.8
298Gold per Minute286
0.81Wards per Minute1.02
365Damage per Minute403

How to Beat Karma as Zilean (Support)

While statistically Zilean is slightly stronger than Karma as support, 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.

The magic damage that Zilean deals remains relevant in the late game. Look for opportunities to initiate or counter-initiate. Meanwhile, Karma deals primarily magic damage (85.81%), additional magic resistance may be required.

Consider the excellent vision control demonstrated by Karma, ranking 3rd (versus 42nd for Zilean) in ward placement among supports. This means the opponent provides better map vision for their team. Meanwhile, their lower KDA (2.8 versus 3.3) suggests they are less effective in team fights.

Key aspects of the Zilean Support versus Karma Support matchup

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

Zilean vs Karma: Support Summoner Spells

Most Popular

Flash
Flash Teleports you a short distance toward your cursor.
Heal
Heal Restores Health and grants Move Speed to you and target allied champion.
51.2% Win Rate38.3% Pick Rate

Highest Win Rate

Flash
Flash Teleports you a short distance toward your cursor.
Heal
Heal Restores Health and grants Move Speed to you and target allied champion.
51.2% Win Rate38.3% Pick Rate

Zilean vs Karma: Support Runes

Most Frequent Runes

Primary Path
Sorcery
Summon Aery
Summon Aery Damaging enemy champions with basic attacks or abilities sends Aery to them, dealing 10 - 50 based on level (+0.05 AP) (+0.1 bonus AD).

Empowering or protecting allies with abilities sends Aery to them, shielding them for 30 - 100 based on level (+0.05 AP) (+0.1 bonus AD).

Aery cannot be sent out again until she returns to you.

Summon Aery

Damaging enemy champions with basic attacks or abilities sends Aery to them, dealing 10 -…

Manaflow Band
Manaflow Band Hitting an enemy champion with an ability permanently increases your maximum mana by 25, up to 250 mana.

After reaching 250 bonus mana, restore 1% of your missing mana every 5 seconds.

Cooldown: 15 seconds

Manaflow Band

Hitting an enemy champion with an ability permanently increases your maximum ma…

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…

Waterwalking
Waterwalking Gain 10 Move Speed and 13 - 30 Adaptive Force (based on level) when in the river.

May you be as swift as the rushing river and agile as a startled Rift Scuttler.

Waterwalking

Gain 10 Move Speed and 13 - 30 Adaptive Force (based on level) when in the rive…

Secondary Path
Domination
Cheap Shot
Cheap Shot Damaging champions with impaired movement or actions deals 10 - 45 bonus true damage (based on level).

Cooldown: 4s
Activates on damage occurring after the impairment.

Cheap Shot

Damaging champions with impaired movement or actions deals 10 - 45 bonus true d…

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…

Adaptive
Scaling Cooldown Reduction
Scaling Cooldown Reduction +8 Ability Haste

Scaling Cooldown Reduction

+8 Ability Haste

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

50.9% Win Rate54.7% Pick Rate

Best Win Rate Runes

Primary Path
Inspiration
Unsealed Spellbook
Unsealed Spellbook Swap one of your equipped Summoner Spells to a new, single use Summoner Spell. Each unique Summoner Spell you swap to permanently decreases your swap cooldown by 25s (initial swap cooldown is at 5 mins).

Your first swap becomes available at 6 mins.

Summoner Spells can only be swapped while out of combat.
After using a swapped Summoner Spell you must swap 3 more times before the first can be selected again.
Smite damage increases after two Summoner Spell swaps.

Unsealed Spellbook

Swap one of your equipped Summoner Spells to a new, single use Summoner Spell. Each uniqu…

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…

Biscuit Delivery
Biscuit Delivery Biscuit Delivery: Gain a Total Biscuit of Everlasting Will every 2 mins, until 6 min.

Biscuits restore 12% of your missing health. Consuming or selling a Biscuit permanently increases your max health by 30.

Biscuit Delivery

Biscuit Delivery: Gain a Total Biscuit of Everlasting Will every 2 mins, until …

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

Cosmic Insight

+18 Summoner Spell Haste+10 Item Haste

Secondary Path
Sorcery
Manaflow Band
Manaflow Band Hitting an enemy champion with an ability permanently increases your maximum mana by 25, up to 250 mana.

After reaching 250 bonus mana, restore 1% of your missing mana every 5 seconds.

Cooldown: 15 seconds

Manaflow Band

Hitting an enemy champion with an ability permanently increases your maximum ma…

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
Scaling Cooldown Reduction
Scaling Cooldown Reduction +8 Ability Haste

Scaling Cooldown Reduction

+8 Ability Haste

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

62.9% Win Rate4.6% Pick Rate

Zilean vs Karma: Support 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.
World Atlas
World Atlas (400 gold)
Health Potion
Health Potion (50 gold) Consume
Restores 120 Health over 15 seconds.
50.3% Win Rate89.7% 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.
51.3% Win Rate79.5% Pick Rate
Symbiotic Soles
Symbiotic Soles (900 gold) 40 Move Speed
Voidborn
Gain Empowered Recall.
Symbiosis
After traveling 150000 units of distance, transform into Synchronized Souls.
42.5% Win Rate7.5% Pick Rate
Sorcerer's Shoes
Sorcerer's Shoes (1100 gold) 12 Magic Penetration
45 Move Speed
71.7% Win Rate3.9% Pick Rate
Core Build
Bandleglass Mirror
Bandleglass Mirror (900 gold) 20 Ability Power
100% Base Mana Regen
10 Ability Haste
->
Shurelya's Battlesong
Shurelya's Battlesong (2200 gold) 50 Ability Power
15 Ability Haste
4% Move Speed
125% Base Mana Regen
Inspiring Speech
Grant nearby allies 30% Move Speed for 4 seconds.
Imperial Mandate
Imperial Mandate (2250 gold) 60 Ability Power
20 Ability Haste
125% Base Mana Regen
Coordinated Fire (0s) per target
Slowing or Immobilizing an enemy champion marks them for 5 seconds. Ally champion damage detonates the mark, dealing magic damage equal to 10% of current health.
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.
44.6% Win Rate7.2% Pick Rate
Final Build
Archangel's Staff
Archangel's Staff (2900 gold) 70 Ability Power
600 Mana
25 Ability Haste
Awe
Gain Ability Power equal to 1% bonus Mana.
Manaflow (8s, max 5 charges)
Landing Abilities grants 5 max Mana (doubled vs. champions).
Transforms into Seraph's Embrace at 360 max Mana.
98.2% Win Rate50.2% 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.
Health Potion
Health Potion (50 gold) Consume
Restores 120 Health over 15 seconds.
World Atlas
World Atlas (400 gold)
75.5% Win Rate2.1% Pick Rate
Highest Winrate Boots
Sorcerer's Shoes
Sorcerer's Shoes (1100 gold) 12 Magic Penetration
45 Move Speed
71.7% Win Rate3.9% Pick Rate
Mercury's Treads
Mercury's Treads (1250 gold) 20 Magic Resist
45 Move Speed
30% Tenacity
60.2% Win Rate1.0% Pick Rate
Boots of Swiftness
Boots of Swiftness (1000 gold) 60 Move Speed
Fleetfooted
Reduce the effectiveness of Slows by 25%.
52.3% Win Rate3.6% Pick Rate
Core Build
Bandleglass Mirror
Bandleglass Mirror (900 gold) 20 Ability Power
100% Base Mana Regen
10 Ability Haste
->
Shurelya's Battlesong
Shurelya's Battlesong (2200 gold) 50 Ability Power
15 Ability Haste
4% Move Speed
125% Base Mana Regen
Inspiring Speech
Grant nearby allies 30% Move Speed for 4 seconds.
Imperial Mandate
Imperial Mandate (2250 gold) 60 Ability Power
20 Ability Haste
125% Base Mana Regen
Coordinated Fire (0s) per target
Slowing or Immobilizing an enemy champion marks them for 5 seconds. Ally champion damage detonates the mark, dealing magic damage equal to 10% of current health.
Mikael's Blessing
Mikael's Blessing (2300 gold) 250 Health
100% Base Mana Regen
12% Heal and Shield Power
15 Ability Haste
Purify
Remove all crowd control debuffs (excluding Airborne and Suppression) from an ally champion and restore 100 - 250 Health.
100.0% Win Rate1.6% Pick Rate
Final Build
Banshee's Veil
Banshee's Veil (3000 gold) 105 Ability Power
40 Magic Resist
Annul
Grants a Spell Shield that blocks the next enemy Ability.
100.0% Win Rate49.6% Pick Rate
Other Items
Banshee's Veil
Banshee's Veil (3000 gold) 105 Ability Power
40 Magic Resist
Annul
Grants a Spell Shield that blocks the next enemy Ability.
100.0% Win Rate49.6% Pick Rate

Zilean vs Karma: Support 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
Time Bomb Tosses a bomb to target area that sticks to units that come near it (prioritizes Champions). It detonates after 3 seconds, dealing area of effect damage. If a Time Bomb is detonated early by another Time Bomb, it also stuns enemies.
Q
Q
Q
Q
Q
W
W
Rewind Zilean can prepare himself for future confrontations, reducing the cooldowns of his other basic abilities.
W
W
W
W
W
E
E
Time Warp Zilean bends time around any unit, decreasing an enemy's Move Speed or increasing an ally's Move Speed for a short time.
E
E
E
E
E
R
R
Chronoshift Zilean places a protective time rune on an allied champion, teleporting the champion back in time if they take lethal damage.
R
R
R
Max Order: Q > E > W
46.5% Win Rate42.3% 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
Time Bomb Tosses a bomb to target area that sticks to units that come near it (prioritizes Champions). It detonates after 3 seconds, dealing area of effect damage. If a Time Bomb is detonated early by another Time Bomb, it also stuns enemies.
Q
Q
Q
Q
Q
R
W
Rewind Zilean can prepare himself for future confrontations, reducing the cooldowns of his other basic abilities.
W
W
W
W
W
R
E
Time Warp Zilean bends time around any unit, decreasing an enemy's Move Speed or increasing an ally's Move Speed for a short time.
E
E
E
E
E
R
R
Chronoshift Zilean places a protective time rune on an allied champion, teleporting the champion back in time if they take lethal damage.
R
R
R
Max Order: E > W > Q
89.9% Win Rate1.3% Pick Rate

Zilean tips:

  • You can combine the use of Time Bomb and Rewind to place two Time Bombs on a target quickly. Placing the second bomb will detonate the first and stun all nearby enemies.
  • Time Warp is an effective way to enable allies to finish off enemies, or escape from a losing battle.
  • Chronoshift is a powerful deterrent to attacking your carries, but casting Chronoshift too early in a fight can cause the enemy to switch targets too soon, making it less effective.

Playing Against Karma

  • Karma's passive lowers her Mantra cooldown when she hits enemy champions with abilities and basic attacks. Deny her from getting free hits on you.
  • Karma's Soulflare erupts for bonus damage in the area in which it's placed. React quickly and escape the circle to avoid taking heavy damage.
  • Focused Resolve is a strong disengage tool. Create distance to avoid being rooted and seek to engage afterwards.

Zilean Support other Matchups

Zilean
+6.4%
Blitzcrank

Zilean vs Blitzcrank

Zilean
+5.4%
Alistar

Zilean vs Alistar

Zilean
+3.5%
Soraka

Zilean vs Soraka

Zilean
+3.4%
Morgana

Zilean vs Morgana

Zilean
+3.1%
Braum

Zilean vs Braum

Zilean
+3.0%
Pyke

Zilean vs Pyke

Zilean
+2.8%
Yuumi

Zilean vs Yuumi

Zilean
+2.6%
Nautilus

Zilean vs Nautilus

Zilean
+2.2%
Lux

Zilean vs Lux

Zilean
+2.2%
Lulu

Zilean vs Lulu

Zilean
+1.7%
Thresh

Zilean vs Thresh

Zilean
+1.6%
Bard

Zilean vs Bard

Zilean
+1.2%
Leona

Zilean vs Leona

Zilean
-1.6%
Rakan

Zilean vs Rakan

Zilean
-2.5%
Nami

Zilean vs Nami

Zilean
-3.9%
Milio

Zilean vs Milio

Zilean
-6.4%
Janna

Zilean vs Janna