Zilean's lane phase is built around the double-bomb poke and kill setup. His mid and late game revolve around buffing his carry with E and saving them with R at the critical moment.
Abilities
Skills Overview
P
Time In A Bottle
Passive
Zilean stores time as Experience and can grant it to his allies. When he has enough Experience to finish an ally's level up, he can right-click them to impart it. Zilean receives as much Experience as he gives.
Time in a Bottle can level up your ADC or jungler faster. Walk up to your bot lane partner and give them the XP gift at level 1 — it can give them a free level if timed at the start of game.
Q
Time Bomb
AoE Bomb · Stun (double)
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.
CD: 10/9.5/9/8.5/8 · Cost: 60/65/70/75/80
Time Bomb explodes after 3 seconds OR when a second bomb hits the same target. Throw Q1, W to reset Q cooldown, then throw Q2 on the same target for an instant stun. This double-bomb combo is your main kill setup.
W
Rewind
Rewind · Reset Cooldowns
Zilean can prepare himself for future confrontations, reducing the cooldowns of his other basic abilities.
CD: 14/12/10/8/6 · Cost: 35
Rewind (W) resets all your other ability cooldowns. Always use W immediately after Q1 to enable the double-bomb stun. Also resets E for two speed boosts and R in emergencies.
E
Time Warp
Speed Boost / Slow · Target Ally or Enemy
Zilean bends time around any unit, decreasing an enemy's Move Speed or increasing an ally's Move Speed for a short time.
CD: 15 · Cost: 50
Time Warp speeds up an ally or slows an enemy. Cast E on your ADC before they dash or auto attack — they close gaps faster. Cast E on diving enemies to slow them away from your carry.
R
Chronoshift
Resurrection Shield · Target Ally
Zilean places a protective time rune on an allied champion, teleporting the champion back in time if they take lethal damage.
CD: 120/90/60 · Cost: 125/150/175
Chronoshift gives your target a 5-second resurrection buff. Place it BEFORE they fall to low HP — not when they're already at 1%. The buff only activates if they die while it's active. Use it on your fed carry.
Skill Leveling Order — Max Q first, then E, then W · R at 6 / 11 / 16
| Level | Q | W | E | R | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Take Q — bomb poke available immediately | ||||
| 2 | Take W — Rewind enables double-bomb combo at level 2 | ||||
| 3 | Take E — speed boost for trades and escapes | ||||
| 4 | Level Q — bigger bomb damage | ||||
| 5 | Level Q | ||||
| 6 | R — Chronoshift resurrection unlocked | ||||
| 7 | Level Q | ||||
| 8 | Level E — stronger speed boost/slow | ||||
| 9 | Q maxed ✓ | ||||
| 10 | Level E | ||||
| 11 | R rank 2 | ||||
| 12 | Level E | ||||
| 13 | Level E | ||||
| 14 | E maxed ✓ | ||||
| 15 | Start leveling W — lower Rewind CD | ||||
| 16 | R rank 3 | ||||
| 17 | Level W | ||||
| 18 | W maxed ✓ |
Itemization
Recommended Builds
Summoner Spells
Primary
Flash
Best repositioning tool — engage, escape and combo extension
Secondary
Exhaust
Reduce damage and slow to peel for your carries
Situational
Ignite
Ignite
Starter
Spellthief's Edge
Q poke stacks gold quickly. Zilean applies bombs constantly in lane — Spellthief gold generation is excellent.
400g
Core
Mejai's Soulstealer
Zilean rarely dies. High stacks turn you into a heavy AP threat that forces enemies to respect your bombs.
1600g
Athene's Unholy Grail
Charge healing on your R target. They revive AND receive a burst of Athene's stored healing — double the comeback value.
2100g
Imperial Mandate
Your E slow marks enemies for bonus damage. Strong with an ADC who follows up on your Time Warp slows.
2300g
Situational
Zhonya's Hourglass
Stasis after placing a double-bomb on a target — you're untargetable while the bomb stuns them.
2600g
Horizon Focus
Zilean's Q has long range — Horizon Focus procs on bombs you land at max range for big bonus damage.
3000g
Rylai's Crystal Scepter
Q hits already slow briefly before explosion. Rylai makes chasing or escaping much easier for your team.
2600g
Runes
Sorcery Primary
Arcane Comet
Double-bomb stun guarantees Comet hit on the stunned target.
Manaflow Band
Zilean burns mana quickly with Q+W combos — Manaflow sustains your poke.
Transcendence
Ability haste reduces R cooldown — more resurrections per game.
Scorch
Extra burn on double-bomb combos for meaningful early lane damage.
Inspiration Secondary
Biscuit Delivery
Mana sustain for constant Q harassment in lane.
Cosmic Insight
Item and Summoner Spell haste for faster Exhaust.
Gameplay
How to Play Zilean
01
Early Game
Double Bomb to Zone
- Q1 on the enemy → W to reset → Q2 on same target for instant stun. Practice this at 2500 gold against golems.
- E your ADC before they trade — the 99% movement speed bonus closes gaps immediately.
- Stack Spellthief with Q poke. Bombs apply Spellthief charges — aggressive Q usage generates a lot of gold.
- Level 2 all-in: Q1 → W → Q2 stun → ADC follow up. This kills most supports at level 2.
02
Mid Game
E the Carry, Save R
- Roam with your jungler — Q2 stun into a river fight is devastating.
- Always have R available before a major objective fight. Your R cooldown dictates when your team can fight.
- E your fed carry into every skirmish — the speed boost lets them blow up enemies before they can react.
- Slow diving enemies with E to peel your ADC in 2v2 fights.
03
Late Game
R the Win Condition
- Place R on your primary carry BEFORE they drop below 40% HP — not at 5%.
- Double bomb the highest-priority enemy assassin before they can reach your carry.
- Your E slow is team-wide — E the fastest enemy chaser, then E your fleeing allies.
- W resets R in emergencies — if your carry dies while R is on CD, W to reduce it.
Teamfighting
How to Teamfight as Zilean
Zilean's teamfight role is to accelerate your carry into the enemy team, stun the highest-priority threat with double bombs, and save your carry with R at exactly the right moment.
1
Pre-Fight — R Placement
Before engage
01
Pre-place R on your hypercarry as the fight starts — not mid-fight when they're at 10%.
02
E your initiating frontline to help them close the gap faster.
03
Have Q+W ready — your first double-bomb stun will determine the fight's opening.
2
Fight — Bomb and Peel
Fight opening
01
Double bomb the enemy assassin diving your ADC — the 1.5s stun stops any burst combo cold.
02
E your ADC into the fight — the speed boost lets them reposition freely.
03
E slow diving enemies when your carry needs to escape — the 99% slow is effectively a root.
3
Aftermath — Chase Support
Post-fight
01
E your carry into chasing — they run at 199% speed and catch every fleeing enemy.
02
Double bomb fleeing enemies to stun them in place for your team.
03
W to reset R if you used R early and need it again for the second fight.
Video Guide
Watch the Full Guide
Credits to Dogbit
Tips & Tricks
Advanced Mechanics & Hidden Tech
Zilean's mechanical ceiling is the Q+W double-bomb combo and perfect R timing — landing both consistently separates good Zilean players from great ones.
Basic
Q → W → Q for the Stun
The double-bomb stun requires two bombs on the same target within the bomb's 3-second window. Throw Q1, immediately press W to reset Q, then throw Q2 on the same target. Practice the rhythm: Q, W, Q. It's available at level 2.
Basic
R Before They're Low
Chronoshift must be placed BEFORE the target is about to die. The resurrection only triggers if they die while the buff is active. Place R when your carry hits 40-50% HP during a fight — never wait until they're at critical HP.
Intermediate
E Speed Direction
Time Warp's speed boost only works in the direction the target is currently running. If you E your ADC while they're stationary, the boost is wasted. Always E right as they start moving toward the enemy.
Intermediate
W Resets R in Emergencies
If your R is on cooldown and your carry is dying, pressing W resets R's cooldown by a few seconds. This emergency W+R can save a carry that would have died during R's last few seconds of cooldown.
Advanced
Zhonya's After Double Bomb
Throw your double-bomb combo, then immediately Zhonya's. You become untargetable while both bombs tick down on the enemy. The enemy is stunned and can't retaliate while you're in stasis.
Advanced
Passive XP Gifting
Time in a Bottle at level 1 can give your ADC a free level before minions arrive. Walk up to them and activate the passive — they get bonus XP that can give them level 2 or even 3 depending on how much you've accumulated. Free level advantage in lane.
Matchups
Counters & Matchups
Zilean loses to aggressive, CC-heavy supports who can get on him before he can double-bomb. He beats passive lanes and sustain supports who can't deal with constant bomb harassment.
Click any matchup to expand tips & how to play against them
Loses Against
Nautilus hooks Zilean before he can respond. The hook plus auto root plus R knockup chain leaves Zilean dead before he can throw a single bomb.
Stay at maximum Q range. Never be within hook range. Use E on yourself when Nautilus dashes in.
Blitzcrank pulls Zilean under his tower and bursts him with the full Q+R combo. Zilean has no escape once hooked.
Stay behind every minion wave. Blitz cannot hook through minions. Ward the brush and respect his threat range.
Leona dives Zilean and CC-chains him through his bomb preparation time. She's too tanky for bombs to kill and her stun prevents double-bomb placement.
E yourself when Leona dashes. If she's in your face, throw bombs on her — even if she's tanky, the stun gives your ADC time to escape.
Wins Against
Soraka cannot contest Zilean's double-bomb poke. She's squishy and can be bombed out of lane. Her healing can't keep up with consistent bomb damage.
Q poke Soraka on every cooldown. She cannot match your burst — double bomb her when she walks up to Q silence you.
Sona is extremely squishy and can be killed by a double-bomb combo at level 2. She has no CC to prevent you from free-poking.
Double bomb Sona as soon as you hit level 2 — the stun at early levels nearly one-shots her.
Yuumi cannot contest your bombs. Your double-bomb stun stops her host's trades and your R negates her team's healing output.
Bomb the host, not Yuumi. Stun their carry and your ADC bursts them down. Yuumi can't heal through a dead host.
Team Comp
Best Synergies
Zilean E speed boost and R revive make Kog'Maw nearly unkillable, enabling his hypercarry W %HP damage to scale without restriction.
Zilean E gives Master Yi bonus MS to stack on R alpha strike for unkillable dive potential; R revive ensures he always lives through the combo.
Zilean R revives Vayne mid-fight after she absorbs the enemy burst, letting her continue full-build true damage DPS while enemies wasted their cooldowns.
Zilean R stacks on top of Tryndamere's undying R for effectively 10 seconds of invulnerability, making him completely unkillable in fights.