User blog comment:TheTobarMethod/Why Xin Zhao isnt as OP as you think ;)/@comment-76.212.11.187-20121027214156

I agree with you when you say xin isn't op, and that he can be played as an assassin very well. But the reason why people complain about him is because, he's very similar to irelia. If he jumps on someone and they don't immediately retaliate and counter xin, their dead. Xin's burst is incredible, and while his burst is up it's very hard to kill him 1v1 because of his healing or hold him down and keep him away from squishies because of his ult. But just like with Irelia you don't fight her when her true damage is up, you don't fight a Xin with his Q or W up.

The main difference between Xin and Irelia is that Xin is strongest early game, and Irelia is god-like late game.