Skins
Counters
Base Stats
Gameplay Ratings
Attack
Defense
Magic
Per Level
Abilities
E
Thick Skin
<passive>Passive:</passive> Tahm Kench stores a percent of the damage he takes and heals based on it while out of combat.<br><br><active>Active:</active> Convert all stored damage into a temporary shield.
Passive
An Acquired Taste
Tahm Kench puts the heft of his immense body behind his attacks, gaining extra damage based on his total health. Damaging enemy champions builds stacks of <spellName>An Acquired Taste</spellName>. At three stacks, he can use <spellName>Devour</spellName> on an enemy champion.
Q
Tongue Lash
Tahm Kench lashes out with his tongue, damaging and slowing the first unit hit and healing himself if he strikes an enemy champion.<br><br>Applies a stack of <spellName>An Acquired Taste</spellName> to enemy champions. If the champion already has 3 stacks of <spellName>An Acquired Taste</spellName>, they are stunned and the stacks are consumed.
R (Ultimate)
Devour
Tahm Kench devours a champion for a few seconds, dealing magic damage if they are an enemy, or shielding them if they are an ally.
W
Abyssal Dive
Dive down and then re-appear at target location, damaging and knocking up all enemies in an area.
Playing As Tahm Kench
- -Your most important function as a support is to keep fragile allies safe. Keep Devour's range and cooldown in mind and position accordingly!
- -Consider carefully when to use Thick Skin's active. Sometimes shielding early to avoid further damage is good, but sometimes the healing is more beneficial.
Playing Against Tahm Kench
- -When you see Tahm Kench use the shield from Thick Skin, remember that he just opted out of a good deal of healing. He will also not accumulate new gray health until Thick Skin comes off cooldown. Use this to your advantage!
- -Watch out for Kench's Abyssal Dive - you can cancel it's channel with immobilizing crowd control effects.
Lore
Known by many names throughout history, the demon Tahm Kench travels the waterways of Runeterra, feeding his insatiable appetite with the misery of others. Though he may appear singularly charming and proud, he swaggers through the physical realm like a vagabond in search of unsuspecting prey. His lashing tongue can stun even a heavily armored warrior from a dozen paces, and to fall into his rumbling belly is to tumble into an abyss from which there is little hope of return.
About Tahm Kench, The River King
Known by many names throughout history, the demon Tahm Kench travels the waterways of Runeterra, feeding his insatiable appetite with the misery of others. Though he may appear singularly charming and proud, he swaggers through the physical realm like a vagabond in search of unsuspecting prey. His lashing tongue can stun even a heavily armored warrior from a dozen paces, and to fall into his rumbling belly is to tumble into an abyss from which there is little hope of return.
How to Play Tahm Kench
Playing Tahm Kencheffectively comes down to understanding the champion's role, combo patterns, and power spikes. As a tank, Tahm Kench benefits from the recommended runes and core items shown above, which reflect the current meta across ranked play.
Strengths & Ally Tips
- Your most important function as a support is to keep fragile allies safe. Keep Devour's range and cooldown in mind and position accordingly!
- Consider carefully when to use Thick Skin's active. Sometimes shielding early to avoid further damage is good, but sometimes the healing is more beneficial.
Playing Against Tahm Kench
- When you see Tahm Kench use the shield from Thick Skin, remember that he just opted out of a good deal of healing. He will also not accumulate new gray health until Thick Skin comes off cooldown. Use this to your advantage!
- Watch out for Kench's Abyssal Dive - you can cancel it's channel with immobilizing crowd control effects.
Tahm Kench Counters and Matchups
Tahm Kench's toughest matchup this patch is Ezreal. Conversely, Tahm Kench performs strongly into Ziggs.
Difficulty and Who Should Play Tahm Kench
Riot rates Tahm Kench's difficulty at 5/10. Tahm Kench sits in the middle range — approachable, but with enough depth to reward practice.