Tank Tahm Kench Build

ARAM Build Guide for champion Tahm Kench and build Tank.

Tank Tahm Kench build with runes and items. Tank Tahm Kench guide offers in-depth how-to play, skill order and tips. Play Tank Tahm Kench build in League of Legends Patch 14.18!

Updated: 2024-05-16 ()

TLDR

Starting items
Guardian's Horn should be final item in your build.
Ruby Crystal should be final item in your build.
Quick Skill Order
Tahm Kench ability Tongue Lash should be leveled first.
Q
Tahm Kench ability Abyssal Dive should be leveled second.
W
Tahm Kench ability Thick Skin should be leveled third.
E
Final items
Mercury's Treads should be final item in your build.
Jak'Sho, The Protean should be final item in your build.
Hollow Radiance should be final item in your build.
Thornmail should be final item in your build.
Spirit Visage should be final item in your build.
Unending Despair should be final item in your build.
Quick Runes
Major rune Grasp of the Undying from Resolve tree.
Minor rune Precision.
Summoner spells
Pick Mark as your Summoner Spell.
Pick Flash as your Summoner Spell.

Tank Tahm Kench Runes

Resolve
Resolve major tree Grasp of the Undying rune.
Resolve major tree Aftershock rune.
Resolve major tree Guardian rune.
Resolve major tree Demolish rune.
Resolve major tree Font of Life rune.
Resolve major tree Shield Bash rune.
Resolve major tree Conditioning rune.
Resolve major tree Second Wind rune.
Resolve major tree Bone Plating rune.
Resolve major tree Overgrowth rune.
Resolve major tree Revitalize rune.
Resolve major tree Unflinching rune.
Precision
Precision minor tree Absorb Life rune.
Precision minor tree Triumph rune.
Precision minor tree Presence of Mind rune.
Precision minor tree Legend: Alacrity rune.
Precision minor tree Legend: Haste rune.
Precision minor tree Legend: Bloodline rune.
Precision minor tree Coup de Grace rune.
Precision minor tree Cut Down rune.
Precision minor tree Last Stand rune.
Passive
Passive tree Adaptive Force rune (+9 Adaptive Force).
Passive tree Attack Speed rune (+10% Attack Speed).
Passive tree Ability Haste rune (+8 Ability Haste).
Passive tree Adaptive Force rune (+9 Adaptive Force).
Passive tree Move Speed rune (+2 Movement Speed).
Passive tree Health Scaling rune (+10-180 Health (based on level)).
Passive tree Health rune (+65 Health).
Passive tree Tenacity And Slow Resist rune (+10 Tenacity and Slow Resist).
Passive tree Health Scaling rune (+10-180 Health (based on level)).

How to play

Tank Build specific
  1. You start with Guardian's Horn. Your #1 rush should be item that counters enemy team most (MR or Armor item). Get Jak'Sho as #2 item. Then adapt.
  2. Triumph is better overall (heal + gold), but if you want to have easier time with your mana, go Presence of the Mind.
  3. Guardian's Horn is a surprisingly good item for its price. You can keep it for very long time (or even have it as 6th item).
  4. You need to adapt your items to the game. Enemy team heavy on AP? Buy MR. They heavy on AD? Buy Armor. You need some damage? Well buy that.
  5. Remember to consume your Grasp of the Undying procs!

Tips and Tricks

General
  1. You can cancel your Abyssal Dive (W) with Flash in case of emergency.
  2. If you know you will get alive, don't use Thick Skin (E). Let it heal you instead.
  3. Want to hit Abyssal Dive (W)? Face the other direction to mislead the enemy.
  4. Hit Tongue Lash (Q) first, then use Abyssal Dive right away for certain hit.
  5. Just ate enemy player? Don't spit him out immediately. Wait for your cooldown, your allies and their cooldowns as well. Ping them if needed.
Riot
  1. Your most important function as a support is to keep fragile allies safe. Keep Devour's range and cooldown in mind and position accordingly!
  2. 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.

Skill Order

  • Tahm Kench [object Object] ability.
    Q
    Tongue Lash
  • Tahm Kench [object Object] ability.
    W
    Abyssal Dive
  • Tahm Kench [object Object] ability.
    E
    Thick Skin
  • Tahm Kench [object Object] ability.
    R
    Devour

Items

Starting items
Guardian's Horn item.
Ruby Crystal item.
Boots
Ionian Boots of Lucidity item.
Plated Steelcaps item.
Mercury's Treads item.
Good tank items
Jak'Sho, The Protean item.
Warmog's Armor item.
Good MR items
Spirit Visage item.
Abyssal Mask item.
Force of Nature item.
Kaenic Rookern item.
Hollow Radiance item.
Good Armor items
Frozen Heart item.
Randuin's Omen item.
Unending Despair item.
Iceborn Gauntlet item.
Sunfire Aegis item.
Dead Man's Plate item.
Thornmail item.
Situational items
Zeke's Convergence item.
Trailblazer item.
Knight's Vow item.
Situational DMG items
Additional considerations for these items is advised!
Liandry's Torment item.
Overlord's Bloodmail item.
Wit's End item.
Zhonya's Hourglass item.
Titanic Hydra item.
For the last fight
Additional considerations for these items is advised!
Elixir of Iron item.
Elixir of Sorcery item.
Example final build
Mercury's Treads item.
Jak'Sho, The Protean item.
Hollow Radiance item.
Thornmail item.
Spirit Visage item.
Unending Despair item.