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Personal favorite for permabanning. Despite her being at a range disadvantage, if she gets within 2 ft of you post-6 you are dead. Freeze the wave under your turret and ask jungle for a gank. You can outscale her as long as she isn't able to roam to side lanes to kill. Be sure to take Exhaust
Pyke
Despite his season 9 nerfs that were targeted to solo lane pyke, he still exists, and is VERY strong. Poke him out pre-6 but after that, stay away. No matter how far behind he is he can still one shot you with his basic combo. (E, flash, Q, Ignite, Auto, R). Same as Akali, freeze, ask for jungle help and take Exhaust.
Lulu
Not a very common mid lane pick, but it is definitely not an int pick. Lulu has alot of early poke with her passive and Q. Just be aware of your spacing with her and always keep minions in front of you to avoid getting hit by her passive. Range and scaling is your strong suit here so take advantage of it.
Xerath
Make sure the other Xerath doesn't have leg room.
Yasuo
Yasuo, like most other Assassins/Bruisers on the list, has a range disadvantage, but when they stick they don't let go. Especially not Yasuo, namely because it is so easy for him to stick onto you due to how he takes advantage of your own minion wave with his E. Freeze under turret and call for Jungle help, Yasuo can do nothing about ganks unlike Akali and Pyke who have escapes.
Veigar
Veigar is an easier matchup for Xerath, as long as you play your range advantage, don't get caught in his E, and end the game before 30 minutes, you should be fine. The only way Veigar wins is through his infinite scaling, so keep him behind for as long as possible.
Darius
Darius is normally not picked mid but some people will do it. Dodge if possible. If he lands a single E in lane you are basically dead, and will snowball any advantage he is given.
Aurelion Sol
Aurelion is not really much of a threat to Xerath at all, just poke him out of lane and try to keep him from roaming via perma-freezing.
Fizz
Yay, another Assassin matchup. The only real way to win this matchup is just to avoid his all-ins with his E, and to punish him when its on cd. Call for jungle help if needed. Be careful at range due to how Fizz's R works, as it will deal more damage based on how far it travels. Definitely Go Exhaust.
Teemo
This matchup isn't really even that much of a threat more than it is annoying. Just use your range advantage because Teemo's Q really has no effect on you.
Lucian
Lucian has been rising in popularity in the solo lanes, mostly mid, and is a powerhouse. Xerath might be the most equiped mid laner for marksman matchups, as he has a severe range advantage. Just stay at range, and don't let them kite you out. Freeze and call for jungle and it's easy kills.
Ahri
As long as you don't get hit by her E or too many Q's, you will be just fine.
Tristana
Similar to Lucian, but has much more all-in potential with her E. If she ever uses her W, punish her before she resets it with her E explosion or when it comes off cd. Beyond that, just poke from afar.
Kayn
Kayn has been rising in popularity in mid due to buffs to his minion damage. His one shot potential is sky high with his Shadow Assassin form. Basically play it like any other Assassin matchup. Exhaust is a necessecity in this matchup due to the pure burst. Hold onto your E if possible post-6 due to the fact that he will use his ult to dodge it most of the time, if he ults, try to get under tower and stun him.
Cassiopeia
Cassio has a severe mana problem early on but once she gets a couple mana items under her belt she is a damage printer. Look to harrass in the early stages as it is her weakest point, afterwards, just dont get caught by her W or R, as it will mean certain death. Cleanse reccomended.
Jhin
Jhin mid is very niche, but it gets played, just poke him down and don't let him land a 4th shot and you're good.
Zoe
Zoe is a very difficult matchup. Similar to Ahri, if she lands an E, say goodbye to your healthbar. The only trick is that Zoe's max range Q will still practically one shot you even without her E's bonus damage. Let her push, freeze, and look for jungle help.
Syndra
Syndra is really busted atm due to the damage she puts out, but making sure she can't control the wave is large as if she has lane control she can look to oneshot you under turret, so try to match her waveclear, as you are really one of the only champions in mid who can. Poking and avoiding her E is the main way to win.
Orianna
Pretty even lane for Xerath, you both have pretty good wave clear and poke, with Xerath having a slight range advantage. Abuse your range advantage and look to outscale Orianna.
Kayle
Kayle is one of the easiest lanes to face, she can literally do nothing until she scales, so just abuse the hell out of her. However if she gets to level 16, she will destroy every hope and dream you ever had.
Zed
Yay! Assassins! Zed is one of the most potent assassins due to his ability to get onto you from a mile away, 2 shot you, then get away with his R recast. Avoid getting too close to him when he has ult and make sure he has no way to hit you with an Isolated Q, as it will do more damage when it hits only one target. Freeze and ask for jungle help if possible, Exhaust is a must and rushing Zhonya's is another must.
Azir
Not too much of a threat till late game, just stay back and poke him as much as you can, as you still have the range advantage, but not by much. Late game though, good luck.
Galio
Ok, Galio is one of the harder counters to Xerath becuase his passive gives him a magic shield and is not on a long cd, along with his ability to engage onto you. Just use the range advantage and try to poke him out if possible.
Kassadin
If you thought Galio's magic shield was bad, it gets worse. Much Worse.
Kassadins passive reduces 15% of all magic damage he takes, which is already bad, but he also has a Silence with his Q, sustain with Fleet Footwork and his W, Engage with his R, and disengage with his R, along with insane burst with his E. He is weak early, but is still able to kill you easily and once he hits level 16, its just over.
Dodge if at all possible.
Neeko
Neeko is a pain in lane and has kill potential, but as long as you are able to avoid her Q you should be fine, just be weary whenever she uses W and be ready for her to engage if she does.
Vladimir
Vlad is a very hard matchup, as his sustain is near infinite and its hard to kill him due to his W if you do get him low. Once he gets 45% CDR though, its basically lane over. He will also carry late game so this lane is very difficult.
Annie
Annie is a relatively easy matchup, you just have to abuse your range and make sure you don't get one shot by her lvl 6 combo with fully stacked passive (R, W, Q). Range is going to be the way to win.
Bard
Bard can cuck you over so hard with his ult and put you and your team in a bad situation, just be weary.
Kindred
Kindred can also screw you over with her ult, keeping you from getting a kill and possibly saving the enemy.
Janna
Her ult can make your skillshot miss relatively easily.
Synergies
IdealStrongOkLowNone
Bard
Bard can cuck you over so hard with his ult and put you and your team in a bad situation, just be weary.
Kindred
Kindred can also screw you over with her ult, keeping you from getting a kill and possibly saving the enemy.
Janna
Her ult can make your skillshot miss relatively easily.
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