Garen vs Zed MID Matchup Guide | LaneStomp

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Garen

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Mid

Zed

Garen vs Zed

Updated Jun 5, 2026

Overview

Garen needs to manage short trades around (Q) silence and (E) spin damage to avoid Zed's burst combos.
Prioritize lane priority to deny Zed free farm and avoid giving him space to use (W) + (E) + (Q) safely.

Trading pattern

Use (Q) to silence and start short trades, then follow with (E) damage before backing off to reset passive.
Punish Zed immediately after he wastes (W) shadow or misses his (Q) shuriken to force him off the wave.
Avoid extended fights after (E) ends since Zed's mobility and burst outscale you in prolonged trades.

Danger windows

Zed's all-in with (R) is lethal when you're below execute range; avoid low-health trades after level 6.
When (W) + (E) combo is up, avoid stepping forward as his burst and slow make short trades dangerous.
Be cautious if Zed completes his lethality item early, as his damage and wave control improve significantly.

Early game

Punish Zed's vulnerability before level 3 by stepping up for short trades when his (W) + (E) combo is unavailable.
Hold the wave near your side to force Zed into risky farm attempts and punish cooldowns.
Avoid extended trades early to preserve passive health regeneration against Zed's burst potential.

Power spikes

Level 6 unlocks (R) execute, so use chip damage early to set up kill pressure before committing.
First bruiser item spike lets you absorb more burst and repeat trades safely; leverage this to force Zed out of lane.
Respect Zed's level 3 (W)+(E)+(Q) combo and his level 6 (R) all-in threat by holding key defensive cooldowns and spacing.

Win conditions

Deny Zed free farm by using short trades and wave pressure to keep him underleveled and low on health.
Use (Q) silence and passive sustain to outlast Zed's poke and set up level 6 execute kills.
After first item, repeat controlled trades and force Zed off the wave to enable side-lane pressure or roams.