Heartsteel Xin Zhao build with runes and items. Heartsteel Xin Zhao guide offers in-depth how-to play, skill order and tips. Play Heartsteel Xin Zhao build in League of Legends Patch 25.05!
You build items that scale and/or benefit from HP stacking.
And you build Armor and MR tanky items, depending on the situation and adapting to the enemy team.
How to play
General
You rush Heartsteel #1 unless it is going to be hard to proc it - they are all ranged and just poke you. Then you start slow with Guardian's Horn instead.
Item Order
Item Order after Heartsteel is flexible. You need to see what you need in particular game:
Get Overlord's Bloodmail for more damage and AD.
Get Warmog's Armor as anti-poke item (helps you stay in lane) and for some sweet HP.
Get Unending Despair, if there are prolonged fights in which you can stay near enemies (or enemies near you). The items gets better, the more HP you get.
Get various Armor and/or MR items to counter enemy team.
Get Titanic Hydra for more fun , more damage and some survivability.
Items
Sundered Sky is very good damage item for this build (as #2-#4 depending on the game). It scales off your HP (so Grasp, Heartsteel, Overgrowth). It gives damage and pretty good sustain in fights. Remember to switch targets to maximize the effect!
Guardian's Horn is a surprisingly good item for its price. You can keep it for a very long time (or even have it as 6th item).
Runes
Second Wind scales off with your HP, so it is going to be powerful sustain rune. You can use it by purposefully triggering it by letting enemies poke you a little or walking over some harmful spells.
Triumph is better (heal + gold), but if you want to have easier time with your mana, go Presence of the Mind.
During game
Your main damage and power comes from auto attacks - Grasp of the Undying, Heartsteel
This is auto attack oriented Xin Zhao build, so do it! Especially if running with Titanic Hydra and Sundered Sky as well.
You can prioritize switching between champions in the fight, just to farm more Heartsteel procs.
You need to adapt your items to the game. Enemy team heavy on AP? Buy MR. They heavy on AD? Buy Armor. You need some damage? Well buy that.
Remember to consume your Heartsteel procs!
Remember to consume your Grasp of the Undying procs!
Tips and Tricks
Champion
Always keep auto attacking - this gives you great sustain, especially early on.
Always count your Three Talon Strike (Q) attacks. You can attack minions twice, then Audacious Charge (E) (combined with Flash) and knock unsuspecting enemies up!
Combo #1: You can cast Wind Becomes Lightning (W) and Flash. It works forward/backward and sideways. This lets you get some cool kills.
Combo #2: You can cast Wind Becomes Lightning (W), Flash then use Audacious Charge (E) to reach. That's a super cool combo that lets you catch people off guard and engage from miles away.
Combo #3: You can cast Crescent Guard (R), then Flash. This way you do some surprise damage, or even throw enemies into your team if used properly (keep track of who is Challenged!)
Combo #4: Prepare your Three Talon Strike (Q) to have knock up ready, then you can Flash into an enemy team, use Crescent Guard (R) to knock everyone back and immediately knock your target up to keep him in place. You can follow up with Audacious Charge (E) and Flash if needed.
Combo #5: You can Audacious Charge (E) to a minion + Wind Becomes Lightning (W) during dash animation for surprise hits. This is especially cool, when your build revolves around W (Lethality, Crit, AP builds)
Riot
Xin Zhao is a great initiator to combat. Lead the front to start a fight and use your ultimate to do the most damage possible.
Try to position yourself so your ultimate's knockback is most effective.