Zagara's Builds: 10 Strategies for Dominating the Nexus

Zagara's Devourer Build

This build focuses on maximizing Zagara's creep spread and AA damage, making her a formidable pusher and team fighter.

• Core Items: Hunter's Killer, Manticore Spikes, Bladed Carapace
• Talents: [[Devouring Maw]], [[Lurking Arm]], [[Abducting Claws]], [[Adrenal Overload]], [[Nydus Network]], [[Broodling Swarm]], [[Fury of the Swarm]]

Zagara's Hunter Killer Build

This build emphasizes Zagara's ranged poke and sustained damage, allowing her to harass enemies safely and contribute to team fights from a distance.

• Core Items: Hunter's Killer, Manticore Spikes, Bladed Carapace
• Talents: [[Devouring Maw]], [[Lurking Arm]], [[Hunter's Impact]], [[Reactive Acid Spit]], [[Nydus Network]], [[Isolation]], [[Frenzy]]

Zagara's Baneling Build

This build revolves around maximizing the damage output of Zagara's banelings, creating a powerful force for sieging and team fighting.

• Core Items: Hunter's Killer, Manticore Spikes, Bladed Carapace
• Talents: [[Devouring Maw]], [[Lurking Arm]], [[Exploding Vespene Blasts]], [[Acidic Saliva]], [[Nydus Network]], [[Baneling Barrage]], [[Hunter's Frenzy]]

Zagara's Roach Build

This build enhances Zagara's roaches, increasing their durability and damage. This allows her to engage in prolonged fights and effectively zone out enemy heroes.

• Core Items: Hunter's Killer, Manticore Spikes, Bladed Carapace
• Talents: [[Devouring Maw]], [[Adrenal Overload]], [[Carapace Implant]], [[Regenerative Carapace]], [[Nydus Network]], [[Caustic Spines]], [[Fury of the Swarm]]

Zagara's Hybrid Build

This build combines elements from various strategies, allowing Zagara to adapt to different situations.

• Core Items: Hunter's Killer, Manticore Spikes, Bladed Carapace
• Talents: [[Devouring Maw]], [[Lurking Arm]], [[Hunter's Impact]], [[Reactive Acid Spit]], [[Gargantuan]]; [[Baneling Barrage]], [[Hunter's Frenzy]]; [[Adrenal Overload]], [[Caustic Spines]], [[Fury of the Swarm]]

Zagara's Talent Tree

Level 1: Devouring Maw

• Percentage-based damage increase based on target's current health, providing additional burst and sustain.

Level 4: Lurking Arm

• Grants stealth while moving across creep, allowing for surprise attacks and escapes.

Level 7: Hunter's Impact/Reactive Acid Spit

• Hunter's Impact: Increases the range and duration of Hunter's Killer, improving poke and control.
• Reactive Acid Spit: Reduces the cooldown of Acid Spit, providing increased area denial and harassment.

Level 10: Nydus Network

• Creates a Nydus Worm that transports units, providing quick rotations and strategic advantages.

Level 13: Isolation/Baneling Barrage

• Isolation: Stuns a target when they are the only enemy within range, providing crowd control and burst damage.
• Baneling Barrage: Summons a group of banelings that explode, dealing massive damage.

Level 16: Gargantuan/Hunter's Frenzy

• Gargantuan: Summons a massive creep tumor that provides vision and upgrades units.
• Hunter's Frenzy: Grants increased attack and move speed after attacking an enemy for 5 seconds.

Level 20: Adrenal Overload/Caustic Spines/Fury of the Swarm

• Adrenal Overload: Instantly reduces an enemy's armor, increasing damage dealt.
• Caustic Spines: Roaches deal area damage around them, providing sustained damage and zoning.
• Fury of the Swarm: Grants increased attack speed, range, and move speed.

Zagara's Synergies

• Heroes with Crowd Control: Heroes with stuns or slows can help Zagara isolate and burst down enemy heroes.
• Heroes with Area Damage: Zagara's banelings and roaches can synergize well with heroes who deal area damage.
• Tanks: Tanks can protect Zagara while she spreads creep and harasses enemies.

Zagara's Counters

• Heroes with High Mobility: Heroes with high mobility can dodge or escape Zagara's abilities.
• Heroes with Crowd Control: Heroes with abilities that stun, silence, or polymorph can disrupt Zagara's gameplay.
• Assassins: Assassins can burst down Zagara quickly if she is caught out of position.

Zagara's Strengths

• Creep Spread: Zagara excels at spreading creep, providing vision and mobility advantages to her team.
• Poke Damage: Her ranged attacks and banelings allow her to harass enemies from a distance.
• Siege Potential: Her roaches and Nydus Network grant her excellent siege capabilities.

Zagara's Weaknesses

• Squishy: Zagara has low health and armor, making her vulnerable to burst damage.
• Dependent on Creep: Her abilities and creep spread are dependent on being present on creep.
• Lack of Mobility: Zagara has no inherent mobility abilities, making her susceptible to ganks and ambushes.

Pain Points

• Zagara can struggle against heroes with high mobility or burst damage.
• Her reliance on creep can make her vulnerable to maps with limited creep presence.
• Lack of self-sustain can make her difficult to play in extended engagements.

Motivations

• Zagara players are motivated to spread creep and control the map.
• They enjoy harassing enemies from a distance and contributing to sieges.
• They seek to outmaneuver opponents with their stealth and mobility.

Why it Matters

• Zagara's creep spread provides valuable information and mobility advantages.
• Her poke damage can wear down enemies and force them to back.
• Her siege potential can accelerate the destruction of enemy structures and objectives.

Benefits

• Improved map control and vision
• Increased damage output and zoning
• Faster sieges and push