Zed vs Swain
Mid Lane Matchup
You
VS
Tap any portrait to switch perspective
Who Wins
- You lose pre-6 due to Swain's superior range, sustain, and your energy limitations preventing extended trades against his healing.
- Post-6 you become heavily favored as your R gives you the tools to bypass his sustain and secure kills with proper combo execution.
How to Trade
- Your best trading pattern pre-6 is W-E-Q when Swain steps up for CS, then immediately back off to avoid extended trades.
- Post-6, look for R-E-Q-ignite combos when Swain is around 70% HP, as his healing makes lower HP executions unreliable.
Wave Control
- Allow Swain to push early so you can farm safely and avoid his Q poke, then look to freeze near your tower where you can run him down with W-E-Q.
- Post-6, maintain wave control to prevent his escapes and create roaming opportunities when he recalls.
Mistakes to Avoid
- Don't waste W shadows for poke alone as you need them for all-ins and escapes - Swain's E can punish your shadow returns.
- Never R into Swain when he has E available and you're not confident in landing your E, as missing your combo leaves you vulnerable in melee range against his W-Q.
Created on 01/16/2026
🛠️ Something wrong?