How to win lane as Locke against Zed · 50% win rate · Updated 2026-07-27
| Stage | Favoured | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Even / skill | Level 1 is pure farm with only single-target Q chip available, so neither side leads. |
| Level 2 | Even / skill | Level 2 stays even since Zed can't all-in and you lack kill pressure yet. |
| Level 3 | Even / skill | Level 3 is skill-based: his shadow poke exists but his energy costs let you trade back evenly. |
| Levels 4-5 | Even / skill | Levels 4-5 remain a wash decided by whether you dodge the shadow line or he catches you low. |
| Level 6 | Even / skill | Level 6 gives Zed no edge on its own until the fight proves who times the death-mark window better. |
| First item | Locke | First item is your window because your disable cleanly answers his R all-in, letting you punish his commitment. |
| Two+ items | Even / skill | With 2+ items Zed's assassination scales back to even, so fights hinge on skillful peel timing against his R. |
Levels 1-2 are even; Zed can chip with Q but has no kill threat and burns energy fast. Trade back on his cooldowns and don't stand in the shadow line where his double-Q lands.
The full Locke vs Zed report continues with the mid-game plan, the late-game and teamfight plan, every power spike to play around, and the win conditions for both sides — plus cooldown tracking and the live enemy-jungle tracker inside the app.
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Playing the other side? Zed vs Locke guide →
All Locke mid lane matchups →