Zilean ARAM Build and Guide

Updated for patch 26.21. Ability details come from Riot’s official game data for this patch; ARAM balance numbers come from the League of Legends Wiki’s champion data.

A strong Zilean ARAM build stacks Ability Haste for more bombs and more rewinds: Imperial Mandate, Cosmic Drive, Archangel’s Staff and Redemption on Ionian Boots of Lucidity. He double-bombs grouped enemies, slows divers with Time Warp and saves a carry with Chronoshift. ARAM gives him 105% damage dealt, 95% damage taken and 10 bonus Ability Haste.

Picked from his kit, without win rates.

How is Zilean changed in ARAM?

Three buffs at once. He deals 5% more, takes 5% less, and starts with a flat 10 Ability Haste before buying anything. That last one matters most on a champion whose W, Rewind, exists only to bring his other cooldowns back sooner. Why help Zilean? Our guess is that a support with no dash and no heal struggles on a map built around poke, so Riot nudged everything at once.

Why does Zilean work on the Howling Abyss?

Grouped enemies make the double bomb easy, and Chronoshift saves whoever matters most. His patch 26.21 kit:

• Time In A Bottle (passive): stored Experience he can hand to an ally to complete their level, gaining the same amount himself.
• Time Bomb (Q): a bomb that latches onto nearby units, champions first, and explodes after 3 seconds; detonated early by a second bomb, it stuns. Cooldown 10/9.5/9/8.5/8.
• Rewind (W): shortens the cooldowns of his other basic abilities. Cooldown 14/12/10/8/6.
• Time Warp (E): a short slow on an enemy or Move Speed on an ally. Cooldown 15.
• Chronoshift (R): a rune on an ally champion that rewinds them in time if they take lethal damage. Cooldown 120/90/60.

In a one-lane fight, a Time Bomb that sticks to a champion almost always has another enemy standing close by when it goes off. Rewind gives him the second bomb immediately, and the double detonation stuns everyone in the blast. Time Warp works both ways. Then Chronoshift, which turns one lethal burst into nothing (a real headache for assassins). The 10 Ability Haste makes all of this come around faster.

What should a Zilean ARAM build focus on?

Ability Haste first, then Ability Power and team utility. Here’s the order (Zeke’s Convergence is a fine swap when the team lacks a front line).

Imperial Mandate opens. Control gives 20 Ability Haste to abilities with Immobilizing effects, and the double Time Bomb stun counts, so Q comes back sooner. Command marks an immobilized champion as 7% Vulnerable for 4 seconds, which helps the whole team burst them.

Cosmic Drive second. Spelldance grants Move Speed when he deals magic damage to champions, and it brings 25 Ability Haste and 350 Health. Archangel’s Staff third: Awe gives Ability Power equal to 1% of bonus Mana, and Manaflow grows his max Mana each time his abilities land.

Redemption finishes the core. Drop its Intervention circle on a brawl from far behind: after 2.5 seconds, allies inside get healed and enemy champions lose 10% of their max Health as true damage. Boots? Ionian, for another 10 haste. In practice, Zilean ends up with a very short Chronoshift by the late game.

How do you play Zilean in teamfights?

• Stick a Time Bomb on a champion, then Rewind and throw the second. The early detonation stuns.
• Put Chronoshift on whoever the enemy will focus, usually your carry.
• Keep Time Warp for divers. Slow the assassin or speed up the target.
• Stand behind your front line (he has no dash of his own).
• Use Time In A Bottle to finish an ally’s level when a power spike is close (their ultimate rank, for example).

How do no-recall shopping and Mark affect Zilean?

Items only come after a death (the same rule applies to all ten players). Imperial Mandate first; Ability Haste components help immediately. Health relics are his only healing, so he should take them between fights when the carry is full.

On Zilean, the ARAM snowball (Mark) is a strange fit. He doesn’t want its dash at all, since he’s the one who needs to stay alive to cast Chronoshift. Summoners are locked once the game loads. So go defensive, with Flash alongside. Real talk, the snowball does give him a way to follow a teammate in, but it’s rarely worth the risk.

Is Zilean a strong ARAM pick?

Yes. Three buffs, a group stun and a revive-style ultimate make him valuable on almost any team. Assassins who jump him first are the main threat.

Laning against him on Summoner’s Rift? Read the Zilean counters guide. Details on Imperial Mandate and the others are in our items database, and his costumes are on the Zilean skins page.

Long story short, the Zilean ARAM build is Imperial Mandate, Cosmic Drive, Archangel’s Staff and Redemption, with double bombs on grouped enemies and Chronoshift on the carry.

FAQ

What are Zilean’s ARAM modifiers?

Damage dealt 105%, damage taken 95% and 10 bonus Ability Haste, according to wiki data for patch 26.21.

Why Imperial Mandate on Zilean?

Control gives Ability Haste to abilities with Immobilizing effects, such as the double Time Bomb stun, and Command makes immobilized champions Vulnerable.

How does Zilean stun?

A Time Bomb detonated early by a second Time Bomb stuns enemies. Rewind lowers the cooldown so he can throw both quickly.

Who should get Chronoshift?

The ally the enemy will focus. If that ally takes lethal damage, Chronoshift sends them back in time.

Should Zilean take Mark?

Rarely. Diving in after a snowball puts the one champion holding Chronoshift in danger (not a trade worth making).