Tank Zaahen Build

Tank Zaahen Build.

Tank Zaahen build with runes and items. Tank Zaahen guide offers in-depth how-to play, skill order and tips. Play Tank Zaahen build in League of Legends Patch 26.1!

Author: Wrekah

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
Zaahen ability The Darkin Glaive should be leveled first.
Q
Zaahen ability Aureate Rush should be leveled second.
E
Zaahen ability Dreaded Return should be leveled third.
W
Final items
Mercury's Treads should be final item in your build.
Jak'Sho, The Protean should be final item in your build.
Thornmail should be final item in your build.
Hollow Radiance 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 Aftershock from Resolve tree.
Minor rune Precision.
Summoner spells
Pick Mark as your Summoner Spell.
Pick Flash as your Summoner Spell.

Tank Zaahen 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)).

Looking for another tank build? Check this:

How to play

General

  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. Be careful to not waste Aftershock. Try timing it and keeping it for going in.

Tips and Tricks

Champion

Cultivation of War (Passive)

  1. Passive stacks much faster when abilities hit multiple targets - Dreaded Return (W), Aureate Rush (E), and Grim Deliverance (R) give extra stacks per champion hit.
  2. Always weave auto-attacks between abilities to maintain and build passive stacks.
  3. You can be way more aggressive when passive is at max stacks as your revive gets available.

The Darkin Glaive (Q)

  1. The Darkin Glaive (Q) is an auto-attack reset. Auto attack first, then use Q to reset and attack again immediately.
  2. You can insta knock up enemies. Prepare Q2 beforehand (i.e. on minions), then activate it, issue attack on the enemy and Flash for the sweet CC.
  3. Use The Darkin Glaive (Q) to sustain.

Dreaded Return (W)

  1. To ensure your W hit, first knock enemy up with Q2.

Aureate Rush (E)

  1. E can be used as a short dash or canceled entirely when used around walls.
  2. You can use E + Flash, but you need to do it at right time at very last frames of the ability.

Grim Deliverance (R)

  1. Grim Deliverance (R) is very versatile tool. You can use it offensively to initiate or defensively for survivability or escape.
  2. As your Grim Deliverance (R) provides 50% damage reduction during cast as well as healing, you can use it as crucial defensive cooldown in fights. Don't waste it at maximum health, but time it well, for example to survive burst.

Skill Order

  • Zaahen [object Object] ability.
    Q
    The Darkin Glaive
  • Zaahen [object Object] ability.
    W
    Dreaded Return
  • Zaahen [object Object] ability.
    E
    Aureate Rush
  • Zaahen [object Object] ability.
    R
    Grim Deliverance

Items

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