Use Taliyah's fast clear and worked ground to reach river early and contest Scuttle or set up vision control before Xin Zhao arrives.
Prioritize punishing Xin Zhao's early river fights by controlling choke points with (W) and (E) to limit his engage and mobility.
Jungle Plan
Prioritize early river control and Scuttle Crab when lane priority allows to deny Xin Zhao easy access.
Use (R) to create numbers advantages around dragon or Rift Herald setups, isolating Xin Zhao or cutting off his escape.
Counter-jungle only when Xin Zhao is spotted on the opposite side or after forcing his cooldowns, leveraging Taliyah's superior clear speed and objective control.
Danger windows
Xin Zhao's level 3 with (E) and (Q) ready creates high risk in isolated river fights; avoid contesting Scuttle without lane support.
Be cautious during low-health clears as Xin Zhao can punish Taliyah's limited mobility and lack of hard escapes.
Objective setups without vision or lane priority increase risk of Xin Zhao's counter-ganks and forced smite fights.
Early game
Start with a three-camp clear that maintains worked ground for efficient movement and quick river access.
Contest first Scuttle only if nearby lanes have priority to safely challenge Xin Zhao's strong level 3 dueling.
Avoid extended early invades before level 3 or without lane support due to Xin Zhao's powerful counter-gank potential.
Power spikes
Level 6 (R) greatly increases Taliyah's map pressure and pick potential; use it to force fights or secure objectives before Xin Zhao can engage.
First completed mage item boosts Taliyah's poke and wave control, enabling safer objective setups and better zoning in skirmishes.
Respect Xin Zhao's level 3 spike where his full kit enables strong river fights; avoid fighting without lane priority or vision.
Win conditions
Convert early clear tempo and river vision control into securing first dragon and Rift Herald before Xin Zhao can contest.
Use (W) and (E) to zone Xin Zhao during objective fights, denying his engage and skirmish strength.
Leverage (R) to isolate Xin Zhao, enabling safer teamfights and objective control as the game progresses.
Tip: For Taliyah vs Xin Zhao, read overview, trading pattern, and danger windows first for a fast Jungle lane check.
