Welcome to our in-depth review of Zed, January’s Hero of the Month (HotM) in Empires & Puzzles. In this post, we’ll break down his stats, skills, synergies, strengths, weaknesses, and where he fits in the current 2025 meta. If you’re wondering whether Zed deserves a spot in your roster—or if he’s just another average sniper—read on before you spend your precious summons!

⭐ Hero Overview: Who is Zed?

• Rarity: Legendary (★5)
• Element: Dark (Purple)
• Class: Fighter
• Mana Speed: Fast
• Family: Legends 2025
• Aether Power: Attack Up (+20% Attack for 6 turns)

Zed is introduced as a high-burst sniper with secondary debuffing skills. As a Fighter-class hero, he benefits from the chance to revive with 1 HP upon death, which can be clutch in close matches. His Fast mana speed allows him to hit early and often, making him a solid pick for offensive plays.

🔍 Note: The Legends 2025 family bonus is currently undisclosed and expected to be revealed later this year. Stay tuned for updates.

📊 Zed’s Base Stats (Max Level)

Zed’s stat distribution favors offense, which aligns well with his role as a sniper. His base attack ensures he can deal meaningful damage even before buffs kick in.

🌀 Aether Power: Attack Up

Zed’s Aether Power grants him:

• +20% Attack for 6 turns
• Activates at the start of battle or upon receiving Aether boost

This is a significant buff that amplifies his role as a frontline attacker. Paired with other attack or critical buffs, Zed’s burst potential becomes lethal, especially in early rounds.

🧬 2 Passive Abilities

1. Enhanced Special Skill – Zed’s special skill deals 50% more damage, but this effect only applies to the first 5 uses of his special skill in a battle.
   🔥 This gives him a powerful early-game edge, especially in raids and war attacks.
2. Resist Blind – Immune to status ailments that reduce accuracy, ensuring his hits land consistently—even against heroes like Drake Fong or Bai Yeong.

Together, these passives make Zed reliable and consistent, especially in fast-paced scenarios where missing an attack can cost you the match.

🧨 Zed’s Special Skill: “Lance Thrust“

Mana Speed: Fast
Skill Effects:

1. ⚔️ Deals 440% damage to a single target.
   • This is high-end sniper damage, on par with heroes like Laohu and Persa.
   • Ideal for eliminating key threats like healers, taunt tanks, or buffing supports.
2. 🛡️ Target gets -34% defense for 2 turns.
   • Short duration, but helpful for enabling follow-up nukes.
3. 🚫 Target receives -34% less healing for 2 turns.
   • Strong counter against heroes like Hulda, Mother North, or Ariel.
4. 🔗 Element Link: All Dark allies gain +20% Critical Chance for 6 turns (undispellable).
   • This bonus is more effective in mono-dark or color-stacked teams.

🔁 Debuff Reset Mechanic:

The defense and healing debuffs reset their duration if the target is hit by another direct damage Special Skill. While this can extend the usefulness of his debuff, it requires timing and team synergy (e.g., pairing with another fast or very fast sniper).

🧠 Strategic Usage: Where Zed Shines (And Where He Doesn’t)

🟢 Best Game Modes for Zed

• Raids (Attack) – Fast sniper damage + early debuffs = solid frontline burst.
• Alliance Wars – Great for picking off key targets quickly.
• Event Offense – Useful in stages where single-target burst is needed.

🔴 Not Ideal For:

• Titans – Single-target damage is decent, but no tile buffs or defense downs to allies make him a poor fit.
• Rush Tournaments – His fast mana doesn’t benefit much from the speed boost.

🤝 Best Hero Synergies with Zed

Pair Zed with these heroes to maximize his value:

• Panther, Sergei, or Chakkoszrot – For defense down synergy in dark stacks.
• Kullervo or Jove – Follow-up damage to trigger debuff reset.
• C. Sartana or Khepri – Very fast snipers to extend Zed’s debuff window.

💡 Tip: Use troops that boost crit or attack to capitalize on his element link and burst potential.

📉 Weaknesses and Limitations

• Short debuff duration – Only 2 turns can be too short without proper support.
• Requires coordination – Needs allies with direct damage specials to reset debuffs.
• Lacks team support – No healing, cleanse, or crowd control.
• Limited AoE value – Useless against minion-heavy or wide teams.

🏆 Final Verdict: Is Zed Worth It?

Zed is a solid offensive sniper with excellent burst potential early in battle. His high initial damage, fast mana, and reliable accuracy make him a good addition for raid attackers. However, his limited debuff duration and lack of team utility keep him from being top-tier.

📌 If you already have snipers like Laohu, Costumed Sartana, or C. Domitia, Zed may feel redundant. But if you’re lacking firepower in your Dark roster, he’s a nice gap-filler.

🧭 Should You Summon Zed?

✅ Pull if:

• You need a Dark sniper with fast mana.
• You play aggressive raid offense.
• You want to pair him with crit-buffed mono teams.

❌ Skip if:

• You already have better Dark snipers.
• You’re looking for utility heroes or AoE control.
• You’re focusing on Titans or Tournament Defense.

💬 What Do You Think?

Do you plan to summon for Zed this January? Or are you holding off for next month’s Hero of the Month? Share your thoughts and builds in the comments!