How to win the jungle race as Diana against Xin Zhao · Matchup data reviewed on patch 26.15
Read from Diana's seat: the race windows this plan plays for against Xin Zhao.
| Stage | Read | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1 Clear | Danger — Avoid Xin Zhao | Hard no-contest for Diana at level 1: Three Talon Strike's knock-up plus passive healing wins the first buff-pit duel, and the W challenge into Three Talon Strike knock-up chains you down before you can answer. Respect the river bushes and disengage before the third Q hit lands. Path opposite, ward your entrances, and let the clock carry you to your own spike. |
| Level 2 Skirmish | Danger — Avoid Xin Zhao | The W challenge into Three Talon Strike knock-up chains you down before you can answer. Wind Becomes Lightning (W) challenge poke starts trades they finish for free on top of that, so level 2 is a straight stat check Diana loses — respect the river bushes and disengage before the third Q hit lands, and give the river vision-line respect. |
| Level 3 Route | Danger — Avoid Xin Zhao | Xin Zhao out-classes you at the opening scuttle — the full knock-up combo with W slow is among the top three level-3 duels, and the W challenge into Three Talon Strike knock-up chains you down before you can answer. Give up the level-3 river fight, full-clear away from them, and trade map pressure instead of health. |
| Levels 4-5 Macro | Respect Xin Zhao — Path Opposite | Do not trade windows with Xin Zhao here: he dives lanes through 4-5, since Audacious Charge into the knock-up needs no setup at all. Path opposite, keep your entrances warded, and answer the map, not the champion. |
| Level 6 Breakpoint | Even Ult Window | Neither ultimate cleanly beats the other — Crescent Guard isolates you from your team and wins the resulting 1v1, but Moonfall's vacuum pull plus the dash-reset combo one-rotations squishier junglers. The breakpoint goes to whoever reaches it first with an objective on the map. |
| First Item Spike | Nashor's / Hextech Rocketbelt Spike | Completing your core item triggers a massive damage and clear acceleration loop that completely automates your camp rotation velocities. Your basic attacks shred through epic monsters in seconds, allowing you to easily execute stealth neutral pit captures. Use this priority window to force aggressive side-lane dives or counter-jungle lines cleanly. Xin Zhao's first item is a sharp jump — the knock-up combo goes from a strong trade to a kill on most junglers. |
| 2+ Items Scaling | Diana Favoured — Wins Late | From two items you out-scale Xin Zhao. He isolates one target with Crescent Guard and wins the 1v1 he just created, but none of that beats your full build in a straight fight. |
Start your clear at the Red Buff camp to maximize early health retention via W shields before clearing toward your blue side for a full 6-camp clear. Xin Zhao clears fast and heals off Determination, so he reaches three healthy and looking for the first fight.
Ranked by the race windows in Diana's plans — the jungle race carries no win-rate sample.
The full Diana vs Xin Zhao report continues with scuttle & dragon rules, invade windows and safety boundaries, the top-side objective fight, macro rotations and the win condition — plus the live enemy-jungle tracker that shows their start, clear and gank timers in game.
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No clear favourite — Diana holds 2 windows, Xin Zhao 4, the rest are even.
Yes — Diana vs Xin Zhao plays as a skill matchup: the jungle race swings window to window, and the better first clear usually sets the tone.
Diana takes Conqueror on the Precision tree with Triumph, Legend: Alacrity and Coup de Grace, and Domination secondary (Sudden Impact and Relentless Hunter) vs Xin Zhao.
Start Scorchclaw Pup + Health Potion and back for Fated Ashes / Amplifying Tome — clear speed jumps a tier. Build Nashor's / Hextech Rocketbelt first, then Zhonya's Hourglass, with Sorcerer's Shoes.
Playing the other side? Xin Zhao vs Diana guide →
All Diana jungle matchups →
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