[4.1b] Zoe Guide - Zoe, the Off-Meta Support

(STARTING ITEM)

Every Support players pick either one of the support items. For Zoe, I recommend...

Spectral Sickle - since we play aggressive and a lot of skillshots, we want to use that to proc the passive in order to rush it into tier 3 as soon as possible. Why? Because not only we need it's damage and ability haste but also to allow you to clear a wave on your own after upgrading it to tier 3.

Relic Shield - sometimes there are some match ups that makes her hard to lane against. They are mostly champs with tanks that are aggressive who usually always goes in like Leona Alistar Nautilus , etc. and long range champs who spam their skills non-stop such as Senna Seraphine Karma , and so on. Remember, you are weak without your Ultimate to poke unless you really want to commit. Also, always save one charge for cannon minion. It will make it even faster to upgrade its tier.

(FIRST BACK)

When you have 1,450 gold, you can start recalling back to base to buy your first items.

Lost Chapter - for damage and whatnot. Always buy this first. Even you can't afford boots for now, the damage can make difference in trading in lane.

Boots of Speed - for mobility and whatnot.

Note: If you feel confident in your lane and killing it literally, you can wait until you can buy Luden's Echo straight. Having this will make enemy fears you even more and gaining the tempo your team needed. Becareful though, avoid using it on wave as it can kill the minion in one hit, especially those range minions.

Note: Always change your ward into Sweeper Lens or Control Ward depending on situation and your team's current ward.

(CORE ITEMS)

Luden's Echo  - is your trusted item in terms for bursting down enemies and wave clear. It is cheap and has good overall stats which benefits well with Zoe even for a support.

Ionian Boots of Lucidity - for more ability haste and reduces your summoner's spells (not the spells/enchantment shards you picked up) because you uses a lot of it in order to become more effective in teamfight. Don't buy other boots since you are always at the back of the fight picking and sniping off enemies.

[Stasis Enchant] - is quite situational if you are always dies quickly, enemies has a lot of mobility in their kits, or always being ganked by enemy's jungler then buy this item as quick as possible (after your 1st item, of course).

(SITUATIONAL ITEMS)

Rabadon's Deathcap - if your lane is winning then proceed to buy this next. Always buy Needlessly Large Rod first for a huge AP value everytime. If you didn't buy the [stasis enchant] or not upgrading your boots to tier 3, then buy the rod first then upgrade the boots and afterwards buy this item to maximize your survivability and damage in a long run.

Infinity Orb - if you can't run down your lane in early laning phase, both of your ADC and you, and has low income then you can skip deathcap completely and then proceed to buy this instead. It is cheaper in gold compare to its packing punch, enabling you to rundown enemies until late game.

Void Staff - is your alternative of Infinity Orb against enemies with stacking Magic Resist and Armor since this game encourages not only tank to buy tank items but also every bruisers. Give it a try and you can remove them in teamfight quite fast.

Cosmic Drive - is a really good item and best to buy it if you can't afford Rabadon's Deathcap or if you are behind. This will give a boost to your movement speed without relying on shards you picked up or to use spells.

Horizon Focus - is also a really good item and an alternative for Cosmic Drive . Buy this if you can hit enemies with your bubble and shoot your star to it. I guarantee to you that the damage exceed to that Rabadon's Deathcap damage if that is your second item (what if you have them both? That will be overkill). The passive is really strong and the AP scaling is really really good. Though, you must hit them with bubble first in order to do that.

Morellonomicon - if against lots of healing in enemies team. Buy this second instead of Rabadon's Deathcap to counter them heals. Skip if your good allies really bought anti-healing early.

Lich Bane - as your last item and selling your support item, this will make Zoe fully pleaged AP Burst Champion in late game. You can pretty much removes any enemy you catch and become a real threat to everyone. If you manage to buy this one as your last item in your slot that means you carry your game quite well.

(SURVIVABILITY OPTIONS)

There is only two items you need for survival.

Banshee's Veil - good item to avoid enemies that can burst you down with their full complicated and very skilled combos, getting caught by crowd control for some reason, or just fed enemy you passed by. It is also good as Anti-AP team.

Guardian Angel - if all that won't work, that [stasis enchant] and Banshee's Veil , then proceed to build guardian angel if you feel you are being targeted first. You can buy this mid to late game as your 4th or last item depends on your situation. It may make Zoe lose her damage but it will make it worth your while.