Zed vs Smolder Counter Pick

Smolder has won 66.7% of its 117 games on patch 16.13.1. That is a clear lead, but the sample is small enough that it should be read as a strong trend rather than a fixed rate. The reason it works is straightforward. Dragon Practice pays Smolder for landing ability hits and then finishing a target with Super Scorcher Breath, and that stacking takes both uninterrupted time and room to act, which Zed is built to remove. Smolder starts with 575 base health and reaches 2,275 at level 18, with 24 base armour rising to 92 at level 18. Against pure physical damage, that makes it the most fragile body in this lane.

Smolder’s 550 attack range is its main tool for staying alive, and Zed is designed to close that gap without simply walking in. Living Shadow sends out a copy that throws Razor Shuriken and Shadow Slash from a second spot, so a 330 base move speed champion has to watch two directions at the same time. Death Mark makes Zed untargetable during the approach and then repeats part of the damage he dealt during its three-second duration. Flap, Flap, Flap ignores terrain and drops attacks on whoever has the least health, which works as an escape more than a counter. MMOOOMMMM! slows enemies in its centre but cannot stop a jump that is already committed. With 654 base health and 2,337 at level 18, Zed can usually absorb a return burst, and Contempt for the Weak finishes anything left at a sliver.