Champion Stats
| Role | Mage / Support |
| Difficulty | |
| Blue Essence | 1575 BE |
Why High-Elo Players Smurf with Zyra
Low elo players have zero respect for Zyra's plants (Thorn Spitters and Vine Lashers). They walk into her seeds without thinking, allowing Zyra to spawn plants that poke them for 30% of their HP while she is safe under tower. They also struggle to navigate around her plants in teamfights, often targetting Zyra while her plants quietly win the fight for her. She punishes poor positioning and lack of focus with lethal efficiency.
The Level 1 Cheese
First Blood Strategy
Start Q (Deadly Spines) or E (Grasping Roots). Use your passive (Garden of Thorns) to set up seeds in the lane brushes. At level 1, a single Q spawned Thorn Spitter can take half an ADC's HP if they don't step back immediately. If you're invading, start E for the long-range multi-target root.
The 'Pay-to-Win' Skin Advantage
'Crystal Rose Zyra' is the premier 'smurf' skin—the visuals are elegant and the plant designs are beautiful but deadly. 'Coven Zyra' is a fan favorite for its dark, gothic theme and crisp sound effects. 'Dragon Sorceress Zyra' offers amazing dragon-themed plant transformations. Avoid 'Wildfire Zyra' as it feels very dated compared to her more recent high-fidelity options.
When They Ban Zyra
Backup Pick: If Zyra is banned,
Lux offers similar long-range poke and CC.
Brand for the high-damage AoE mage support playstyle.
Morgana for the long-duration root and Black Shield protection.
Rune Setup
Best Runes: Arcane Comet is the most reliable choice for constant lane poke and pressure. Electrocute is the alternative for higher burst potential if you are confident in landing your full combo. Secondary Inspiration with Magical Footwear and Cosmic Insight to get your core items (Liandry's / Rylai's) faster.
Skill Priority
Order:
E → Q → WMax E first—the root duration increases significantly with rank, which is vital for landing your full combo. Max Q second for the increased poke damage. W is maxed last as it only reduces the seed recharge time, which is already partly handled by your passive.
Mastering Zyra's Kit
Deadly Spines. Thorns burst from the ground. Spawns Thorn Spitters from seeds, which have long range. Use this for safe poke and chip damage.
Rampant Growth. You place a seed. You can store up to 2. This is how you guarantee your plants where you need them. Killing a unit reduces the recharge time.
Grasping Roots. You send out vines that root all enemies hit. Spawns Vine Lashers from seeds, which have shorter range but apply a slow. This is your primary CC and self-peel.
Stranglethorns. You summon a massive thicket that knocks up all enemies after a delay. It also empowers your plants. Use this to follow up on your E-root or to peel for your carries.
Matchup Tips
Hard Matchup. If you get hooked, you are dead. You can spawn a plant in front of his hook to block it, but it requires perfect timing and high ping. Stay behind minions and punish his missed hooks with your full combo.
Vs Lux
Skill Matchup. It's a game of who lands the root first. Zyra's plants can block Lux's Q, giving her a slight advantage if she reacts fast enough. Poke her down from the brushes.
Skill Matchup. You can harass him heavily, but he can one-shot you if he lands his hook and E. Use your seeds to scout the brushes he is hiding in and never stand still.
The Ego Check
WARNING: Stop overextending without seeds! Zyra is one of the squishiest champions in the game. If you get caught without your E or seeds to spawn plants for protection, you will die instantly. Also, don't just spam your W seeds—save them for when you are actually going to cast an ability to ensure you get the plants you want.
When to Queue Dodge
Dodge if facing high-mobility engage like Leona or Nautilus if your ADC is also immobile. They can jump on you before your plants do anything. Also dodge into Xerath or Vel'Koz who can out-range your poke and delete you from afar.
Teamfight Role
In teamfights, you are the ultimate disrupter. Wait for the enemy to engage or look for a pick with your E-root. Once a target is locked down, drop W-W-Q-R. Your Ultimate (Stranglethorns) knocks up enemies AND enrages your plants, increasing their damage and attack speed. A well-placed Zyra R can turn a lost fight into a total wipe in seconds.
The 'Disrespect' Build
Full AP Burn Zyra. Liandry's Torment -> Rylai's Crystal Scepter -> Morellonomicon. With Rylai's, your plants apply a constant slow, making it impossible for enemies to escape their range or dodge your other abilities. You become a walking zone of 'no entry' for the enemy team.
Power Windows
Level 3 is your first major spike—having access to Q, W, and E allows you to perform your full combo and spawn both types of plants. Level 6 is your game-changing spike—your R is one of the best counter-engage tools in the game. Your biggest item spike is Liandry's, which turns your plants into tank-melting machines.
Tilt Factor
Use your E-root on the enemy ADC every time they try to last-hit a cannon minion. Set up 'death bushes' with 3-4 seeds and wait for a support to wander in while warding. All-chat 'Watch where you step' after a plant-kill to really get under their skin.
Recent Patch History
| Patch | Date | Type | Changes |
| V14.15 | Jul 31, 2024 | BUFF | P buffed |
| V14.14 | Jul 17, 2024 | ADJUST | P adjusted |
| V14.9 | May 1, 2024 | ADJUST | Base stats adjusted |
| V14.8 | Apr 17, 2024 | ADJUST | P adjusted |
| V14.4 | Feb 22, 2024 | NERF | P adjusted |
Safety Tips
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