Zac: The Underrated Champion You Need to Try in League of Legends

Are you tired of playing the same champions over and over again in League of Legends? Looking for a fresh and exciting pick that can turn the tide of any battle? Look no further than Zac, the underrated champion you need to try. This gooey green blob may not be the most popular choice, but don't let that fool you. Zac is a force to be reckoned with on the Rift. With his unique playstyle and versatile abilities, he can take on multiple roles and adapt to any situation. Whether you prefer to engage in team fights, dive into the backline, or initiate ganks with style, Zac has got you covered. In this guide, we'll dive deep into the strengths and weaknesses of Zac, explore various build options, and provide tips and tricks to master this champion. Get ready to surprise your enemies and dominate the game with Zac, the underrated champion waiting to be unleashed.

Zac's Unique Abilities and Playstyle

Zac is not your typical champion in League of Legends. He is a melee tank with a twist - his body is made up of gooey green substance that allows him to stretch and bounce around the battlefield. Zac's passive ability, Cell Division, enables him to split into four blobs upon taking fatal damage, giving him a second chance at life. This unique mechanic makes him incredibly difficult to kill and allows him to stay in the fight longer than most champions.

In addition to his passive, Zac's abilities have a high potential for disruption and crowd control. His Elastic Slingshot allows him to engage from a long distance, knocking up enemies in an area upon landing. This ability is perfect for initiating team fights and catching enemies off guard. Zac's Stretching Strike is a versatile ability that damages and slows enemies, making it ideal for both engaging and disengaging. Zac extends his arm, seizing an adversary. Opting to assault another foe prompts him to hurl both targets in each other's direction. Lastly, his ultimate ability, Let's Bounce!, sends Zac bouncing into the air, damaging and knocking up enemies in a large area. This ability can single-handedly turn the tide of a team fight if used correctly.

Zac's playstyle revolves around engaging the enemy team and disrupting their positioning. With his long-range engage and crowd control abilities, he can easily catch out-of-position enemies and set up kills for his team. His passive ability also allows him to dive deep into the backline without fear of immediate death, making him a nightmare for squishy carries. However, Zac's playstyle requires good decision-making and timing. Engaging at the wrong time or in the wrong position can leave him vulnerable and easily bursted down. It's important to communicate with your team and coordinate your engages to maximize Zac's effectiveness.

The Strengths and Weaknesses of Zac

As with any champion, Zac has his fair share of strengths and weaknesses. Understanding these can help you make informed decisions and adapt your playstyle accordingly.

Strengths:

1. Tankiness: Zac's passive ability and natural tankiness make him incredibly difficult to kill. His gooey body allows him to absorb a significant amount of damage, making him a great frontline champion.

2. Crowd Control: Zac's abilities provide a high level of crowd control, allowing him to disrupt the enemy team and set up kills for his allies. His Elastic Slingshot and Let's Bounce! can turn team fights in your favor.

3. Versatility: Zac can fit into multiple roles and playstyles. Whether you need a tank, engage, or disruption, Zac can adapt to the situation and fulfill the necessary role.

Weaknesses:

1. Lack of Damage: While Zac's crowd control and tankiness are his strengths, his damage output is relatively low compared to other champions. Zac relies heavily on his team to follow up on his engages and secure kills.

2. Skillshot Reliance: Zac's abilities are all skillshots, meaning they require good aim and prediction to land effectively. Missing Elastic Slingshot can leave you vulnerable and waste your engage potential.

3. Weak Early Game: Zac's early game is relatively weak compared to other champions. He relies on scaling and items to become a true threat in team fights. Play safe and focus on farming during the early stages of the game.

Understanding Zac's strengths and weaknesses is crucial to maximizing his potential in game. By playing to his strengths and mitigating his weaknesses, you can become a formidable force on the Rift.

Effective Strategies for Playing Zac

To excel with Zac, it's important to develop effective strategies that leverage his unique abilities and playstyle. Here are some strategies to consider when playing Zac:

1. Communication is Key: Zac shines when he can coordinate with his team. Before engaging, communicate with your teammates to ensure they are ready to follow up on your engages. A well-executed team fight can turn the tide of the game in your favor.

2. Positioning is Crucial: Zac's Elastic Slingshot allows him to engage from unexpected angles. Use this to your advantage by flanking the enemy team and catching them off guard. Initiate fights when the enemy team is grouped up and vulnerable.

3. Engage and Disengage: Zac's Stretching Strike can be used to engage on the enemy team, but it can also be used to disengage when necessary. If you find yourself in a bad position or need to save a teammate, use Stretching Strike to create distance and reposition yourself.

4. Use Let's Bounce! Wisely: Zac's ultimate ability, Let's Bounce!, is a powerful tool for disrupting the enemy team. However, it's important to use it at the right time and in the right position. Wait for the enemy team to group up before using Let's Bounce! to maximize its effectiveness.

By employing these strategies, you can become a formidable Zac player and dominate the game.

Zac's Role in Team Compositions

Zac's versatility allows him to fit into various team compositions and fulfill different roles. Here are some examples of how Zac can contribute to different team compositions:

1. Engage Composition: Zac excels in engage compositions where the goal is to initiate team fights and catch enemies off guard. His Elastic Slingshot and Let's Bounce! can initiate fights effectively, allowing your team to follow up and secure kills.

2. Protect the Carry Composition: Zac can also work well in compositions that revolve around protecting a hypercarry. With his tankiness and crowd control, he can peel for his carry and disrupt the enemy team's attempts to dive.

3. Disruptive Composition: If your team lacks crowd control and disruption, Zac can fill that role. His abilities can disrupt the enemy team's positioning and create chaos in team fights, giving your team an advantage.

Zac's ability to adapt to different team compositions makes him a valuable pick in ranked games and competitive play. Consider your team's composition and playstyle when picking Zac to maximize his effectiveness.

Zac's Item Build and Recommended Runes

Building Zac effectively is crucial to his success in the game. Here are some recommended items and runes for Zac:

Item Build:

1. Sunfire Aegis: Sunfire Aegis provides Zac with increased tankiness and damage. Its passive ability, Immolate, deals area-of-effect damage to nearby enemies, making it a great item for team fights.

2. Warmog's Armor: Warmog's Armor is a core item for Zac due to its passive ability, Warmog's Heart. This passive allows Zac to rapidly regenerate health when out of combat, allowing him to stay on the map longer and engage more frequently.

3. Spirit Visage: Spirit Visage provides Zac with increased magic resistance and amplifies his self-healing abilities. This item synergizes well with his passive and Warmog's Armor, making him even more difficult to kill.

4. Dead Man's Plate: Dead Man's Plate provides Zac with additional mobility and tankiness. Its passive ability, Momentum, grants Zac bonus movement speed and deals damage to enemies upon reaching full Momentum stacks.

Recommended Runes:

1. Resolve: Grasp of the Undying is a great keystone rune for Zac due to his tanky playstyle. It provides bonus damage and healing based on your maximum health, making you even harder to kill.

2. Domination: Zombie Ward is a useful rune for Zac as it allows you to gain additional vision control on the map. Additionally, the Ultimate Hunter rune reduces the cooldown of your ultimate ability, allowing you to engage more frequently.

By following this item build and rune setup, you can maximize Zac's tankiness and effectiveness in team fights.

Tips and Tricks for Mastering Zac

Mastering Zac requires practice and a deep understanding of his abilities and playstyle. Here are some tips and tricks to help you become a Zac main:

1. Practice Elastic Slingshot: Elastic Slingshot is Zac's primary engage tool, and hitting it consistently is crucial. Practice aiming and predicting enemy movements to land successful engages.

2. Maximize Passive Usage: Zac's passive ability, Cell Division, is what makes him so difficult to kill. Make sure to use it to your advantage by engaging the enemy team and forcing them to use their cooldowns on you.

3. Coordinate with Your Team: Zac's effectiveness is amplified when he can coordinate with his team. Communicate with your teammates and let them know when you're about to engage, so they can follow up and secure kills.

4. Ward Effectively: Vision control is important for every champion, but it's especially crucial for Zac. Use control wards and sweepers to deny enemy vision and set up successful engages.

5. Master Let's Bounce!: Zac's ultimate ability, Let's Bounce!, can be a game-changer if used correctly. Practice using it in different scenarios to maximize its disruptive potential.

By implementing these tips and tricks into your gameplay, you can become a Zac master and dominate the Rift.

Zac's Potential as a Competitive Pick

While Zac may not be the most popular champion in League of Legends, he has the potential to be a strong competitive pick in the right hands. His unique playstyle and versatile abilities make him a valuable asset in coordinated team play.

Zac's crowd control and engage potential can catch even the most experienced players off guard. In competitive play, where communication and teamwork are paramount, Zac's ability to initiate fights and disrupt the enemy team can be a game-changer.

However, Zac's popularity in competitive play has fluctuated over the years. Meta shifts and balance changes can impact his viability as a competitive pick. It's important to keep an eye on the current meta and adapt your strategy accordingly.

Comparisons to Other Champions in League of Legends

When considering Zac as a potential pick, it's important to compare him to other champions with similar playstyles. Here are a few champions that share similarities with Zac:

1. Amumu: Amumu is another tanky champion with strong engage and crowd control abilities. Like Zac, Amumu can initiate fights and disrupt the enemy team with his Bandage Toss and Curse of the Sad Mummy.

2. Sejuani: Sejuani is a tanky jungler with strong engage and crowd control. Her Arctic Assault and Glacial Prison abilities allow her to initiate fights and lock down priority targets.

3. Malphite: Malphite is a tanky top laner with powerful engage potential. His Unstoppable Force ability allows him to initiate fights from long distances and disrupt the enemy team.

While these champions share similarities with Zac, each has their own unique strengths and weaknesses. Consider your team's composition and playstyle when deciding between these champions.

Conclusion: Why You Should Give Zac a Try

In conclusion, Zac is an underrated champion in League of Legends with immense potential to turn the tide of any battle. His unique playstyle and versatile abilities make him a force to be reckoned with on the Rift. Whether you prefer to engage in team fights, dive into the backline, or initiate ganks with style, Zac has got you covered.

By understanding Zac's unique abilities and playstyle, leveraging effective strategies, building him with the right items and runes, and mastering his tips and tricks, you can become a formidable Zac player and dominate the game.

Don't be fooled by his gooey exterior - Zac is a champion waiting to be unleashed. Give him a try and surprise your enemies with his disruptive playstyle. Get ready to bounce your way to victory with Zac, the underrated champion you need in your League of Legends arsenal.