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League of Legends: Kayn Season 11 Guide – How To Play, Best Builds & Runes

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New to League of Legends? Maybe you just want to learn a new champion? This fully-explained Kayn guide is what you are looking for! It has everything you need from runes to builds, and tips on how to play him!

Due to it being the preseason in League of Legends, this Kayn guide will be updated as patches go live. That means it’ll be relevant for whenever you find yourself needing it! In case you want to learn other champions, check out our other League of Legends Champion guides by clicking here!

League of Legends Kayn Guide– Runes & Summoner Spells

Kayn’s runes mainly depend on which form you want to go for. There are two typical rune sets – one for each form. Let’s start with Rhaast (Red Form), since it’s the most versatile out of the two.

League of Legends Kayn Guide
Conqueror Kayn | Credit: Riot Games

As Rhaast, Kayn gains more sustain with its passive, making him an all-out healing bruiser. Using Conqueror further enhances his strength, allowing him to duel both aggressively & defensively.

Last Stand has good synergy with this form as well, since your immobility will make you tank more damage than usual. Nimbus Cloak is the best rune for both chasing & running away from enemies, while Transcendence is the other strongest rune in the Sorcery Tree, thanks to the Ability Haste.

League of Legends Kayn Guide
Dark Harvest | Credit: Riot Games

If you’re planning on going for Blue Kayn, instead, you should pick Dark Harvest. This is very much self-explanatory: Darkin is an assassin & he will inflict insane burst damage. Proc’ing Dark Harvest for a champion like him is extremely easy, and once he has a takedown, the cooldown will be refreshed.

This is also better towards the later stages of the game, where usually Assassin become weaker since most champions will start building defensive resistances.

One thing worth noting, if the enemy has a lot of crowd control, go for Legend: Tenacity; otherwise, get Coup de Grace for more damage.

League of Legends Kayn Guide
Flash & Smite
Credit: Riot Games

Kayn works best in the jungle. For this reason, you will always be running Smite & Flash. It’s the best combination of summoner’s spells and any other set up is not as effective as this one.

League of Legends Kayn Guide – Build & Skill Order

Just like the runes, items will obviously change for the two different forms. The basic stats you will be aiming for are (in order):

  • Rhaast (Red Form) – Health, Attack Damage, Ability Haste, Resistances
  • Shadow Assassin (Blue Form) – Attack Damage & Lethality & Movement Speed (Possibly Ability Haste)
League of Legends Kayn Guide
League of Legends Kayn Guide
League of Legends Kayn Guide
League of Legends Kayn Guide
League of Legends Kayn Guide
Kayn Item Builds | Credit: Riot Games

These are the most effective items for Kayn. While the two forms require distinct items, there’s isn’t much choice in each form’s build. Like previously mentioned, you will focus on different stats so just build accordingly to the game & pick the right items. (Edit: Darkin is Shadow Assassin, not Rhaast)

RELATED: Jhin Season 11 Guide – How To Play, Best Builds & Runes

Reaping Slash (Q)14579
Blade’s Reach (W)38101213
Shadow Step (E)214151718
Umbral Trespass (R)61116
Kayn Ability Order | Credit: Riot Games

Kayn’s ability order also mutates in-between forms. Maxing Q is better when you want to go for Rhaast, while max W instead for blue Kayn since you will be spamming it a lot more. Max E last and R whenever possible.

During the Early Game…

When playing Kayn, your main goal in the early game is to reach your form as soon as possible. You will get an extremely strong spike when achieving it. Reach level 3 in order to start ganking around the map & pick up the orbs that will allow you to transform.

Remember that orbs will be different depending on if you’re damaging a melee or a ranged champion. If you want to become Shadow Assassin, then focus on ganking ranged enemies, otherwise fight melee ones for Rhaast. In most cases, Rhaast is more effective because it is more forgiving execution-wise. Blue Kayn requires much more attention due to its innate squishiness.

Later Into the Game

When playing as Red Kayn, you will most likely look for flanks & be the main engage for the team. You can throw yourself as a decoy, ult any possible target (possibly a tankier one, since it heals more you) then continue to fight spamming Q & W.

As Shadow Assassin, you will also be looking for flanks. However, your focus will be on the enemy’s backline, primarily focusing on the ADC. If you manage to do so, your job is basically done. Deal as much damage as possible & sneak in & out from the fight using your E.

Takeaways

With the recent item changes, Kayn has become more relevant in the meta. His versatility & flexibilty makes him a valuable blind-pickable choice, when you don’t know which enemies you will be up against. His kit is also very fun & engaging, while not being mechanically-intensive. You will be able to learn him very quickly so don’t discourage yourself!

What are you waiting for? Jump in Summoner’s Rift & play Kayn, the Shadow Reaper!

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