Zilong Guide — Best Build, Combos & Playstyle

Role: Assassin / Jungle | Strength: A (Viable) | Difficulty: Medium | Win Rate: 51.8%

Core Passive: Dragon's Roar
As his Health declines, he gains more damage reduction and his basic skills are enhanced.

Signature Ultimate: Skysplitter
Leaps to the target area to deal damage, launching enemies in the center.
50% of the cooldown is returned if no heroes are hit.

TL;DR Zilong: An assassin jungler built for ganking. Rush to level 4, then pressure the weakest lane. Successful gank → rotate to objective (Tyrant/tower) immediately. Snowballing wins games, not KDA.

Skill 1: Thunderbreaker
Charges forward, dealing damage and enhancing his next Basic Attack. This skill's cooldown is reset whenever his Health reaches a certain level.

Skill 2: Stormpiercer
Jabs repeatedly in the target direction, dealing damage. Recovers Health on hit.

Ultimate: Skysplitter
Leaps to the target area to deal damage, launching enemies in the center.
50% of the cooldown is returned if no heroes are hit.

Skill Priority: Skill 2 → Skill 1 → Skysplitter (max Skill 2 first)
Stormpiercer provides mobility or stick—max first. Thunderbreaker second for damage. Skysplitter on every level.

Practical Tips:
• Wait for enemy CC to be used before going in. Never be the first one to engage unless you're 100% sure of the pick.
• Blow your combo, then get out. Don't stand around auto-attacking waiting for cooldowns — that's how assassins die.
• Late game, your only target is the enemy carry. Trading 1-for-1 with their marksman or mage is almost always worth it.

Current recommended build for Zilong:

Slot 1: Master Sword (PATK +55, Crit Rate +20%, HP +600
Enhances BAs)

Slot 2: Frostscar's Embrace (PATK +60, PDEF +300, CDR +10%
Enhanced BAs slow)

Slot 3: Blood Rage (PATK +75, HP +900
Trades HP for shield)

Slot 4: Sage's Sanctuary (HP +900, PDEF +150, MDEF +150
Resurrect on the spot)

Slot 5: Immovable - Sky Dome (PATK +80, PDEF +150, CDR +10%
Temp. damage reduction)

Slot 6: Ravage - Phantom (PATK +75, HP +900
Trades HP for shield)

Build Logic:
• First two items are your core damage spike. Don't change the order — build the most gold-efficient item first.
• Third item onward is situational: defensive item vs fed assassins, penetration vs tanky comps.
• Never skip a defensive item for a 6th damage item. Dead carries deal zero DPS.

Recommended Arcana: Lvl 5: Mutation, Lvl 5: Red Moon, Lvl 5: Stealth

Summoner Spell: Smite

Smite is mandatory for junglers. Upgrade path: slowing smite vs mobile enemies, damage smite for burst.

Standard Combos:
• Standard trade (Jungling skirmish or objective fight)
Thunderbreaker → Stormpiercer → Skysplitter → weave basic attacks

• All-in (Gank or backline dive with team CC)
Skysplitter after full rotation when Flash is down

Opening Clear:
• Start on the side where you can gank the most vulnerable lane first. Blue buff for mana-hungry champs, red buff for early aggression.
• Full clear to level 4 before ganking. Don't waste time on half-committed ganks pre-6 — the risk/reward ratio is terrible.

Level 4 Powerspike:
• Your first gank target should be the lane with the most CC setup. A lane with hard CC = guaranteed kill or summoner spell burned.
• Successful gank → ping your team to take Tyrant immediately. Getting a kill without an objective is a wasted lead.
• Failed gank → go back to farming. Don't sit in a bush for 30 seconds hoping — that's how you fall 2 levels behind.

Mid-Game Macro:
• 30 seconds before Tyrant/Overlord spawns, start pathing toward that side of the map and secure vision.
• If the enemy jungler shows on the opposite side of the map, immediately invade their jungle or take the objective on your side. Information asymmetry is a jungler's biggest weapon.
• Track enemy buff timers. Stealing a buff puts the enemy jungler behind for 30+ seconds.

Late Game Decisions:
• Don't engage first unless your hero is specifically designed for it. Let your tank find the opening.
• Tempest Dragon > everything. At full build, whoever secures Tempest wins the game. Be alive and have Smite ready.

Engage Timing:
• The #1 assassin mistake: engaging first. Always wait for the enemy team to use their CC, then go in.
• Approach from the flank or behind. Walking straight at the enemy team as an assassin is a death sentence.
• Your target: the enemy marksman or mage. Trading 1-for-1 with their hypercarry is a win.

When to Back Off:
• Blow your combo → get out. Don't linger in the middle of the fight auto-attacking.
• Never start a fight without your ultimate. An assassin without their ult is a melee minion.
• If you engage and your team doesn't follow, disengage immediately. One death is better than an ace.

Zilong struggles against: Guiguzi, Ziya, Fang
When facing these champions:
• Play passive in lane. Surviving > trading.
• Call your jungler for help — don't try to 1v1 a counter matchup.
• Adjust build toward defense. Staying alive is more valuable than an extra damage item.

Zilong counters: Lapulapu, Ata, Sakeer
Against these champions:
• Play aggressive. Deny them farm and force them out of lane.
• Use your matchup advantage to create a lead, then roam and spread it.
• In draft, Zilong is a strong counter-pick if the enemy locks one of these early.

Current Meta Position: A (Viable), 51.8% WR

Zilong is a solid, consistent pick. Not the best in class, but mastery beats meta.

Climbing Advice:
• One-tricking Zilong is better than constantly switching to "meta" picks you're less comfortable on.
• Be willing to flex off Zilong if the enemy drafts hard counters.