Tank Xin Zhao Build

Tank Xin Zhao Build.

Tank Xin Zhao build with runes and items. Tank Xin Zhao guide offers in-depth how-to play, skill order and tips. Play Tank Xin Zhao build in League of Legends Patch 26.4!

Author: Wrekah

TLDR

Starting items
Guardian's Horn should be final item in your build.
Ruby Crystal should be final item in your build.
Quick Skill Order
Xin Zhao ability Wind Becomes Lightning should be leveled first.
W
Xin Zhao ability Audacious Charge should be leveled second.
E
Xin Zhao ability Three Talon Strike should be leveled third.
Q
Final items
Mercury's Treads should be final item in your build.
Jak'Sho, The Protean should be final item in your build.
Hollow Radiance should be final item in your build.
Unending Despair should be final item in your build.
Thornmail should be final item in your build.
Spirit Visage should be final item in your build.
Quick Runes
Major rune Aftershock from Resolve tree.
Minor rune Precision.
Summoner spells
Pick Mark as your Summoner Spell.
Pick Flash as your Summoner Spell.

Tank Xin Zhao Runes

Resolve
Resolve major tree Grasp of the Undying rune.
Resolve major tree Aftershock rune.
Resolve major tree Guardian rune.
Resolve major tree Demolish rune.
Resolve major tree Font of Life rune.
Resolve major tree Shield Bash rune.
Resolve major tree Conditioning rune.
Resolve major tree Second Wind rune.
Resolve major tree Bone Plating rune.
Resolve major tree Overgrowth rune.
Resolve major tree Revitalize rune.
Resolve major tree Unflinching rune.
Precision
Precision minor tree Absorb Life rune.
Precision minor tree Triumph rune.
Precision minor tree Presence of Mind rune.
Precision minor tree Legend: Alacrity rune.
Precision minor tree Legend: Haste rune.
Precision minor tree Legend: Bloodline rune.
Precision minor tree Coup de Grace rune.
Precision minor tree Cut Down rune.
Precision minor tree Last Stand rune.
Passive
Passive tree Adaptive Force rune (+9 Adaptive Force).
Passive tree Attack Speed rune (+10% Attack Speed).
Passive tree Ability Haste rune (+8 Ability Haste).
Passive tree Adaptive Force rune (+9 Adaptive Force).
Passive tree Move Speed rune (+2 Movement Speed).
Passive tree Health Scaling rune (+10-180 Health (based on level)).
Passive tree Health rune (+65 Health).
Passive tree Tenacity And Slow Resist rune (+10 Tenacity and Slow Resist).
Passive tree Health Scaling rune (+10-180 Health (based on level)).

Optional Summoner Spells

Ghost

Ghost

Ghost for extra and mobility and chasing and disruptive running around in fights. Good alternative if you want to stay close to enemies.

Exhaust

Exhaust

Defensive option. Exhaust for peeling against enemy divers and assassins and protecting your carries.

Ignite

Ignite

Offensive option if you are feeling spicy. Grievous Wounds + some damage. Good in early fights and you can score some kills, but reduces your going-in potential. Especially later.

Optional Runes

Grasp of the Undying

Grasp of the Undying

Grasp of the Undying is a solid alternative. You become more tanky over time as your HP grows, you get some sustain and you get some damage as well.

Presence of Mind

Presence of Mind

Triumph is better overall (heal + gold), but if you want to have easier time with your mana, go Presence of Mind.

Demolish

Demolish

If you are into taking objectives, you can consider taking Demolish rune. Usually it is worth it and lets you push turrets quicker. Utility slash team oriented option.

Looking for another tank build? Check this:

How it works

  1. You play as a Tank.
  2. Your job is to soak damage, disrupt fights, protect your team, and be a pain in the neck for the enemy.

Playstyle

  1. 🛡️

    Be the frontline. Soak damage, disrupt enemies, protect your carries.

  2. 💪

    Jak'Sho rewards you for staying in fights.

  3. 🧰

    Adapt your items to counter the enemy team.

How to play

Getting started

  1. Start with Guardian's Horn. Rush #1 Armor item if enemy is heavy on AD, or MR item if heavy on AP. Get Jak'Sho as #2.
  2. Guardian's Horn is a surprisingly good item for its price. You can keep it for very long time (or even have it as 6th item).

During fights

  1. Your goal is to be in the middle of fights as long as possible - Jak'Sho stacks up with combat seconds.

Adapting

  1. 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.
  2. You can use Bandlepipes to give your whole team an attack speed boost whenever you CC enemies. Great synergy with auto attackers.

Runes

  1. Triumph is better overall (heal + gold), but if you want to have easier time with your mana, go Presence of Mind.
  2. Be careful to not waste Aftershock. Save it for when you go in or when enemies jump on you.

Tips and Tricks

Champion

  1. Always keep auto attacking - this gives you great sustain, especially early on.
  2. When you stacked your Determination (Passive), you can use it with your Wind Becomes Lightning (W) for extra damage and poke.

Three Talon Strike (Q)

  1. Three Talon Strike (Q) resets your auto attack. So proper use is: auto attack first, then use Q for reset and immediate next auto.
  2. 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!

Xin Zhao Combos

  1. Combo #1: You can cast Wind Becomes Lightning (W) and Flash. It works forward/backward and sideways. This lets you get some cool kills.
  2. 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.
  3. 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!)
  4. 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.
  5. 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

  1. 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.
  2. Try to position yourself so your ultimate's knockback is most effective.

Skill Order

  • Xin Zhao [object Object] ability.
    Q
    Three Talon Strike
  • Xin Zhao [object Object] ability.
    W
    Wind Becomes Lightning
  • Xin Zhao [object Object] ability.
    E
    Audacious Charge
  • Xin Zhao [object Object] ability.
    R
    Crescent Guard

Items

Starting items
Guardian's Horn item.
Ruby Crystal item.
Boots
Mercury's Treads item.
Ionian Boots of Lucidity item.
Plated Steelcaps item.
Good tank items
Protoplasm Harness item.
Warmog's Armor item.
Fimbulwinter item.
Jak'Sho, The Protean item.
Good MR items
Kaenic Rookern item.
Force of Nature item.
Abyssal Mask item.
Hollow Radiance item.
Spirit Visage item.
Good Armor items
Iceborn Gauntlet item.
Randuin's Omen item.
Dead Man's Plate item.
Sunfire Aegis item.
Thornmail item.
Frozen Heart item.
Unending Despair item.
Situational items
Knight's Vow item.
Trailblazer item.
Locket of the Iron Solari item.
Bandlepipes item.
Zeke's Convergence item.
Situational DMG items
Additional considerations for these items is advised!
Titanic Hydra item.
Wit's End item.
Overlord's Bloodmail item.
Sterak's Gage item.
Blade of The Ruined King item.
For the last fight
Additional considerations for these items is advised!
Elixir of Iron item.
Elixir of Wrath item.
Example final build
Mercury's Treads item.
Jak'Sho, The Protean item.
Hollow Radiance item.
Unending Despair item.
Thornmail item.
Spirit Visage item.