Kai'Sa vs Zeri ADC Matchup Guide | LaneStomp

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Kai'Sa

VS

ADC

Zeri

Kai'Sa vs Zeri

Confidence highUpdated Jun 7, 2026

Overview

Kai'Sa wins by punishing Zeri's predictable CS paths and support setup for isolated trades.
The lane turns on wave state: thinned waves let (Q) hit Zeri directly, boosting Kai'Sa's burst.
Kai'Sa needs to avoid extended fights early; Zeri excels in long kiting duels near walls.

Trading pattern

Step forward to auto-attack punish when Zeri commits to last hits away from minions and support threat is low.
Avoid using (E) aggressively before enemy engage or (E) is down to prevent being locked down.
Use (W) to start plasma stacks only when Zeri is isolated and support CC has started for safe all-ins.

Danger windows

Avoid stepping forward when (E) is available near walls, as she can dash away or counter-engage.
Respect (R) active window; extended fights let her kite and outdamage Kai'Sa.
Beware of enemy support controlling brush or engage zones that punish Kai'Sa's last-hit punish attempts.

Early game

Use the first three waves to farm safely and thin the wave to maximize (Q) damage on Zeri.
Punish Zeri's last hits on caster minions when enemy support cannot immediately trade back.
Hold (E) for defensive spacing until enemy engage cooldowns or support peel are used.

Power spikes

First completed item unlocks evolve thresholds, enabling Kai'Sa to threaten short all-ins and punish Zeri's positioning.
Level 6 (R) allows repositioning onto plasma-marked Zeri for burst or escape, turning small support setups into kills.
Evolve (Q) or (W) to maximize isolated damage and increase all-in threat when Zeri is away from minions.

Win conditions

Convert thinned waves and punished CS attempts into health leads and forced recalls to secure plates.
Use support CC to start plasma stacks, then follow with (R) to isolate and burst Zeri before extended fights.
Scale safely to item and evolve thresholds to outduel Zeri in teamfights and objective setups around dragon.