High Pen Zhong = Best Zhong (S4) (All Modes)(Build 2 = New Great Idea)

Build 1 shows what I previously had put for my start of S4 builds for Zhong, but now to anyone looking at this page I HIGHLY suggest trying out my new build (located at build 2). It is honestly pretty freakin' good and I must say the movement speed and the power and total damage output of the build while still having the tankiness of warlocks is shockingly effective in any situation and mode.


I decided to test these rings out over a course of games after trolling with full movement Zhong. Then I started using the rings for more and more games until I came to the realization that having not just one, but both rings on Zhong isn't great, but amazing. The movement allows you to dodge so many abilities and escape more frequently. The movement AND the passives just pair amazing with The Demon Queller. It might as well be a match made in heaven.

(Probably Not Optimal For Duel.... Just Sayin'.)


Honestly though, Always use Shaman's Ring. Almost No Matter What. That item is actually amazing on Zhong Kui. I would say though for you folks that just simply can't or dislike a non super tanky Zhong (two defense items) Replace Telekhines Ring with Mantle of Discord or Spirit Robe. The build becomes more tanky while still doing actually ridiculous damage due to Shaman's Ring, Spear of the Magus and Rod of Tahuti in combination.

To Penetrate The Body And Mind Of Your Foes And Exorcise Their Demons Properly, You Must Follow This Guide!

WARNING, DO NOT BE FOOLED: Zhong tick damage is great and all, but All lifesteal items are NOT worth it on Zhong kui. It is much better to invest onto your build an item to be tanky or an item of penetration.

This is the ONLY build I build on Zhong unless I'm trying to experiment with various buff/nerfed items as I commonly do. It's just too strong. Unless I wish to Tank/Bruiser Kui.

P.S. Getting the D.O.T. ability upgraded is much more important than Book of Demons.

Zhong Pros:
Fairly tanky when passive is full
With enough Pen has extremely high mid-late game damage potential
Knockup-Slow Immunity Ult
Great Self Heal
Effective Damage/Slow ability mid-late (if you have enough pen)
A short duration stun for when you initiate or de-initiate (could be better)
One of the only mages with progressive magical protections
High Base Damage

Zhong Cons:
Immobile (do I need to say more)
Vulnerable to aggressive anti-heal characters such as Serqet, or Protection Shred characters like Nemesis.
Usually Quite Vulnerable to aggressive basic attack oriented characters such as Kali, Erlang Shen, etc.
One of the Weakest early games (must be especially careful during this time, particularly in conq)
High Base Damage (Not the best scaling, why it is also here in negative)
Self Heal takes a good amount of time to reach you (will change in patch 4.4)
Book of Demons is a very short duration stun unless you have the tag applied to targets

Note: This is what I would generally consider a MID build, since it is not as tanky as it COULD be. Much more oriented around getting loads of damage out.

Starting Sands of Time or Soulstone is optional, I personally prefer the Sands of Time though, since cooldown is always nice. Either way, good for your extreme mana mongering issues.

For high pen Zhong Kui getting Dynasty Plate Helm is optional, you could opt to going straight into stacks. Either way, you'll be even tanker than usual. Of course with Dynasty Plate Helm, you have even more pen! Sell it late game for a situational item, such as Chronos' Pendant if you simply want the cooldown, Gem of Iso if they are not a very mobile team already, or Divine Ruin to keep some pen and get the anti healing your team needs.
Gem of Isolation In Purchase Order Is Filler
Remember, Base Pen is capped at 50, so getting Divine when replacing Dynasty Plate will still over cap you by 5 pen. which is no big deal if you want your enemies to not heal instead of dying. (which they will die, very fast)

Still I suggest starting with Soulstone or Sands of Time. Sell them whenever you feel is best.

Remember the 5th item is entirely situational and you should decide on it on what your team (or you) needs most to Exorcise those pesky demons. Go with either Gem of Iso, Chronos' Pendant or Divine Ruin. Gem of Iso is filler example.

Remember my Demon Quellers, only get bracer if they Don't have a load of anti-healing. If they did, it would make the whole endeavor quite fruitless (the cooldown is still nice though!) .Seriously though, not that great if you are double anti-healed.

If you feel as though it is entirely unnecessary and you Need more utility, then you don't Have to get Rod of Tahuti. (I just Highly recommend it)
Shoes of the Magi, Spear of the Magus, Spear of Desolation and Warlock's Sash are still all MUSTS on Kui Kui.

Recently through experimentation I feel as though Spear of Desolation is not a 100% must (still recommended) but if you feel as though you Need to be more tanky to survive, say a Scylla who can hit all her abilities, than that is the item you likely want to switch out for defense.

BE VERY CAREFUL OF WHEN AND HOW YOU USE YOUR ULT AS ZHONG!

Your Ult when combined with this High Pen build is extremely strong at keeping you alive and doing incredible amounts of damage to all the demons you seek to smite.

It is very easy to waste it and not use it at the best of opportunities, but remember, once your 4 goes on cooldown, you are much more susceptible to damage than you were prior to activating your ult, and you should look for the most opportunities to replenish your passive as quickly as possible.

I don't want to even discuss this. It can either be horribly bad, or hilariously good. Find Out.

(Make Sure To Get Fatalis, Don't Do It If Their Team Comp Would Ruin An Immobile Basic Attacker, Be Very Conservative About Using Your 3)

Zhong Is now (Unlike what i've previously said) actually quite viable in ranked. He can be a bit harder to play in Joust because of the Joust meta for Ranked has quite a few counters to Zhong.
As for Conq, as long as you can make it past the early game well enough and ward well, you can be an absolute game changer in the mid/late game.

And for Duel, I consider myself a good Zhong player, and i went 8/0 as him in qualies and ended Spring Split last night at rank 6th Duel Zhong. So honestly, if you play him well and ban well, A win will simply be dependent on how well you play that match.

Is Zhong Kui Viable in duel?!?! Of course he is. You just have to not fight someone like Freya, Kali, Nemesis or He Bo, and honestly if you play smart enough you could actually pick up a relatively easy victory in the mid-late game as long as they don't hard counter and are amazing at that god in duel.

I have been playing quite a bit of duel recently, and I would say the standard build I have above will be one of the best ways to get you the victory. Sometimes Double Defense is the best option though, that is already the case with the physical build, but with magical if you are facing a chang'e, freya, vulcan it may be smart to pick it up.

When to upgrade Sundering Spear is entirely up to you, I recommend doing it relatively early, Definitely before end-game. I usually get it around after I start stacking Warlocks Sash, or for duels against physicals after the item you get after Dynasty Plate Helm.

Make sure to get pestilence against gods that can heal or build lifesteal, ex; chang'e

When facing physicals, remember it is perfectly fine to situationally have Hide of the Nemean Lion as your defensive pick over Breastplate of Valor. Or if you feel as though you are taking too much damage in the late, even though it will reduce DPS you can trade out Dynasty Plate Helm for either Breastplate of Valor Or Hide of the Nemean Lion(which ever one you don't have)

IMPORTANT, If your opponent gets double defense (likely Pest/Bulwark) Get Replace Spear of the Magus with Obsidian Shard

Zhong Kui has potential to be an extremely strong god in the mid-late game, with high pen this is easily achieved. He is quite immobile, but very tanky and has the potential to have slow immunity and knock-up immunity for a short duration. As long as you are careful for a time after using Zhong's ult, you should be relatively safe.

I hope this Guide on Zhong Kui and an effective build for him will help all of my fellow Demon Quellers out there. Good Luck and Have Fun Smiting ALL THE DEMONS!