Overview
Zilong is arguably one of the most overlooked and mocked character in the game. Although this character is in predicament with this prejudice, it still have the capabilities on par with the meta fighter thanks to the new patch. Once solely focusing on damage was now overhauled to sustain front liner.
Strengths
Strong early laning phase. Zilong now deal bone-fracturing damage that leaves your opposing EXP lane in awe. Moreover, his opponent's defenses are almost ignored thanks to his 2nd skill which opens up a compartment for a build that is not penetration relate such as Malefic Roar.
Weaknesses
Scaling is hard to execute. Zilong struggles with sustaining damage in the early stages despite of his damage. His brittle appendages means he can't farm, not especially when he is the spotlight of the ganks. Even if he reach zenith, in exchange for his dominance in late game, his sustain now requires him to stick to his enemies more, which flankers likes to take advantage of.
Reliable Damage + Sustain (Suspect Test Phase)
Golden Staff being prioritized hands Zilong the opportunity to unleash barrage of passive at the level of his Ultimate. This unfolds motivation to farm safely while keeping his HP healthy. Warrior Boots/Resilience Boots can be prioritized and culled which ever you are match with. If you are still beginning to use this build, especially in ranked, I'll go Warrior Boots to wrestle that pesky Yu Zhong into my tower under his overconfidence. Demon Hunter Sword is great with melting sustain characters. This is bread and butter when paired with his 2nd skill which ignores 15% of their defense along with his secondary passive that increases his Physical Attack by 30 on face of an opponent with 30% or lower HP. Corrosion Scythe is great for pinning enemies to allow continuous sustain from his passive, Corrosion's passive allows a flurry of basic attack which is paired perfectly with its ability to slow down enemy allowing consistent blow to land Rose Gold Meteor is a phenomenon with this build. Rose Gold now gives out defense in accordance to the calculated adaptive attack. This where the debate ends whether Assassin or Fighter emblem must be chosen (clearly Fighter emblem has larger physical attack benefit). The shield from its passive allows longevity which can be used as escape pod or flat out reverse the battle. Oracle is recently overhauled to allow sustain on both attack type as suppose to magic defense focused. Oracle remedies anti-healing items that imposes problem on Zilong's recovery.
Consistent Damage
Fighter Emblem perfectly pairs his intended position as a front laner; one who needs damage while sponging up some in the process. Swift is a must for this build to frequently activate his passive. Zilong's over-reliance on his passive to restore HP and maintain ground on the laning phase allows him to farm more without risking red-health situations. Bargain Hunter is solid for scaling leverage. One of Zilong's weakness is his slow scaling and brittle early sustain. 90% off doesn't seem that much in game, but it really pays off during mid game. War Cry is Zilong's foundation of damage. Given that he needs to stick to his opponent and deal continuous damage, it is only natural to consider War Cry to further amplify his damage output.
Movement Speed Spree
Killing Spree is a great substitute for War Cry if the user is leaning towards sustain. The bonus movement speed allows him to stick to his enemies more especially when their HP is below 30%, by which around 50% of that threshold, Zilong's damage is already increased by 30 on Physical Attack.
Battle Spell
Vengeance covers his early sustain that stabilizes his farming routine. Vengeance is also excellent with team fight for as Zilong, that tends a brute role, soak up damage and opens an opportunity to deal back without being slain first.
Early Game
Early game is his trickiest phase. Luckily enough, Zilong is not left out of smoke, there are still chances to fight back even if your lane is being frozen by opposing Yu Zhong or Cici: 1. Attempt to get near to dying minion. ONLY that during the process, the opponent should have used their skills; baiting plays a huge role here - trust me no one is prudent enough to not use skill. 2. Do counter freeze lane. Zilong has an arsenal of hook-like skill, freeze the minion lane near your tower and reject any attempts made by your opponent by dragging them in your tower. 3. Use passive consecutively. Zilong now gain stack from using his skills. It would be best if you use your passive before using skills. 4. Only pluck off squishy and low-HP character. One of the biggest mistake done by many ZIlong players I see is charging in that bulky Fredrinn. Now they built DHS + critical build, talk about resentment and reparation.
Middle Game
Winning Side: Just clear minion waves to boost your economy. Never freeze lane on this phase, your opponent can sill go outside despite their disadvantages. Losing Side: Same with the early game phase; just bait and freeze them in the tower. And if possible with your communication skill PLEASE tell your teammate to NOT CLEAR your frozen minion lane.
Late Game
Honestly, if you are already full build, just go wild and charge their front rank. It will be you who will initiate and engage the team fight. OR If your opponent likes to play hide and ambush like a jaguar waiting for its prey to be in the vision parameter, just split push and tell them to keep hiding while you steal their turret.
Best With Diggie
More opportunity to barrage basic attack at no hindrance of crowd control. The bonus shield that makes Zilong bulkier allows a one man army fury.
Watch Out For Thamuz
Not even a close match, when Thamuz is in his ULT duration, Zilong cannot contend on sustain battle. Unless... Zilong run :)