When it comes to building items on Zed, there are a few core items that work really well with his kit and playstyle. One of the first items you should consider is Youmuu’s Ghostblade. This item provides Zed with a nice boost in attack damage, cooldown reduction, and movement speed. The active ability, Ghostblade, grants Zed bonus attack speed and movement speed for a short duration, which can be great for chasing down enemies or escaping sticky situations.
Next up, we have the Black Cleaver. This item not only gives Zed a significant amount of attack damage, but it also provides armor penetration and cooldown reduction. The passive ability, Rage, allows Zed to shred his enemies’ armor, making it easier for him and his team to deal more damage. The health bonus from Black Cleaver is also a nice bonus, giving Zed a bit of extra survivability in team fights.
Another item that works really well on Zed is Serylda’s Grudge. This item provides Zed with attack damage, cooldown reduction, and armor penetration. The passive ability, Icy Zone, slows down enemies hit by Zed’s abilities, making it easier for him to stick to his targets and land his combos. This can be especially powerful when combined with Zed’s ultimate ability, Death Mark, as it allows him to stick to his target and burst them down even faster.
Edge of Night is another great item for Zed. It provides attack damage, lethality, and a spell shield that blocks the next enemy ability. This can be incredibly useful for Zed, as it allows him to avoid crowd control or abilities that could interrupt his combos. The spell shield can give him that extra bit of protection he needs to assassinate his target and escape unscathed.
For boots, I would recommend going for Ionian Boots of Lucidity. The cooldown reduction they provide is invaluable for Zed, as it allows him to use his abilities more frequently. This can make a huge difference in team fights and skirmishes, as Zed relies heavily on his abilities to burst down his targets.
Lastly, I would suggest considering an item with a Stasis effect, such as Zhonya’s Hourglass or Guardian Angel. This can be a game-changer for Zed, as it allows him to go in aggressively, deal damage, and then use the Stasis effect to buy time for his abilities to come off cooldown or for his team to follow up. This can be especially useful if the enemy team has a lot of crowd control or burst damage.
A strong build for Zed could consist of Youmuu’s Ghostblade, Black Cleaver, Serylda’s Grudge, Edge of Night, Ionian Boots of Lucidity, and an item with a Stasis effect. These items provide Zed with a good balance of attack damage, cooldown reduction, armor penetration, and survivability. Remember to adapt your build based on the game and the specific situation you find yourself in. Good luck and happy assassinating!