Xin Zhao

Playstyle Profile

Xin Zhao is a diver — disrupts the backline by committing onto enemy carries

Teamfight Role

Backline Diver

Power Spike

Early game

Split Threat

None

Backline Access

Low

Xin Zhao's Strengths

• Disrupts the enemy backline — Xin Zhao's dives force carries to reposition instead of dealing damage
• Dominates early fights — Xin Zhao's base stats and kit spike early, punishing passive opponents

How to Play Xin Zhao

Champion-specific pre-match tips

Lane Phase

Cancel your basic attack animation with Q to instantly apply the first ability stack and accelerate your knockup during early trades.

Lane Phase

Cast W to poke from a distance, then immediately use E on the marked target to engage from outside their normal threat range.

Lane Phase

Force an all-in exactly at level 2 using E and Q, leveraging your attack speed steroid and base damage to dominate the trade.

Mid Game

Hold your E if you start a skirmish in melee range, using it only after the enemy uses their flash or escape ability to stick to them.

Mid Game

Cast your ult immediately after using E on a priority target to knock away the enemy frontline and isolate your primary kill.

Mid Game

Attack a minion or monster twice with Q active before a fight, then E to an enemy champion to instantly apply the third-hit knockup.

Late Game

Flank the teamfight to mark an isolated carry with E, then immediately activate your ult to sweep away their peeling tanks and supports.

Late Game

Position aggressively in front of your carries during a major objective fight, using your ult to completely block incoming ranged damage from outside the circle.

Late Game

Chain your crowd control by landing your Q knockup, then immediately casting W as the target lands to guarantee the thrust damage connects.

For matchup-tailored tips, use Baron Buff's AI Coach during champion select.

How to Counter Xin Zhao

Counter strategies and draft context

kite with range, burst before they sustain, or outscale with team-oriented compositions

• Vulnerable to CC during dives — Xin Zhao commits hard and can be punished if locked down
• Falls off significantly after 25 minutes — Xin Zhao's early dominance doesn't translate to late game
• Ranged champions that maintain distance in trades
• Burst-heavy picks that kill before sustain matters

Xin Zhao's Weaknesses

• Layered crowd control — Xin Zhao gets locked down mid-dive when the enemy stacks CC and peel
• Safe, scaling enemy compositions — Xin Zhao's early advantage fades when opponents survive lane without falling behind

Best Synergies with Xin Zhao

Team synergies and draft context

• Dive buddies that split enemy focus alongside Xin Zhao — two divers are harder to peel than one
• Aggressive junglers and roaming supports that snowball leads alongside Xin Zhao's early power spike
• Engage supports that set up skirmishes in your favor
• Champions with follow-up CC after your initial dive

Draft Context

• Drafts another diver with no backline carry — Xin Zhao disrupts, but the team has no sustained damage
• Pairs Xin Zhao's early power with other early-game picks that all fall off together after 25 minutes

Learning Curve

Based on hundreds of thousands of high-elo matches — how Xin Zhao's win rate changes with mastery level

Xin Zhao has exceptional depth — there is always something new to learn, but getting results requires significant dedication. Expect lower win rates for an extended period before deeper mechanics click into place.

Skill Cap

Very High

Cost of Learning

Very High