League of Legends S12: Zeri ADC Build Guide

From runes to items, gameplay tips amd more, we've put together a guide to help you master playing Zeri in the botlane in League of Legends.

Be mindful that there are several ways to build and play a champion, and you'll need to be adaptable as the game and the enemy team progress.

That said, this guide is a good starting point to helping you get to grips with the champion and making an impact in your games.

Runes

Core Items

Kraken Slayer

3400 Gold

Essence Reaver

2800 Gold

Build

The Kraken Slayer / Essence Reaver combo is great for ADCs who want to rip through tanks, offering plenty of damage and crit chance. 

Other good items include Runaan's Hurricane, Titanic Hydra, Infinity Edge, and Black Cleaver. 

Starting Item & Boots

Health Potion

50 Gold

Doran's Blade

450 Gold

Berserker's Greaves

1100 Gold

Skill Order

While your choices may differ according to how the game progresses, the typical Zeri skill priority is:

R > E > Q > W

Summoner Spells

These are the summoner spells most typically taken by Zeri in this role. Naturally, this may change depending on match-ups.

Gameplay

Focus on farming in the early game, and try to avoid taking too much poke. You don't have a lot of damage at the start, so trading isn't advised. Once you hit level 6, this all changes. Zeri's ult is strong, and can really burst down enemies. Just be mindful of ganks - you're still a meaty target for assassins. 

• Level 1 - Take E - Spark Surge, for the dash and extra damage.
• Level 2 - Take W - Ultrashock Laser, for the longer range poke.
• First Back - Work towards Kraken Slayer.

Tips & Tricks

• Spark Surge is a valuable spell, but has a long cooldown. Use it to get out of a tricky situation, or to finish off an enemy that would usually be out of reach. 
• Remember, you can spam Burst Fire to help farm, as it has no cost and very little cooldown.
• Always keep moving on Zeri, as this way you'll deal more damage and win trades.
• If the enemy jungler ganks, try to hop over a wall with Spark Surge. This will help you escape, and could force the burning of a summoner spell.
• If you're winning lane, feel free to roam up to midlane - you can cover great distance quickly with Spark Surge.