Overview
Kayn is a bit of an edgelord when it comes to his kit and design, and that edge is exactly what strikes fear into his enemies. He’s a unique champion in that he can evolve into two different forms, which can sometimes be dependent on whether the enemy team is full of ranged or melee champions -- each form offers a unique playstyle and will give him flexibility from game to game. Click here for the latest data on his best builds, including Runes, Items, Summoner Spells, and more.
Keys to Remember About Kayn
The short and simple rule is go blue if you're ahead and can easily assassinate enemies (they have a lot of squishies and low CC), otherwise go red for more consistency and tankiness.
Your Umbral Trespass [R] can double as a defensive tool if you use it to dodge an enemy skill shot -- this requires some timing, but if you become adept at using it in such a way, you'll greatly increase your survivability.
Strengths
Shadow Step [E] is your bread and butter when it comes to mobility around the map and in fights -- and proper use of it is what’s going to make you effective or not. The best Kayn players will sometimes feel like they’re unkillable because of how good they are at utilizing his ability to weave in and out of terrain. His kill potential, though, is largely tied to whether or not you can land Blade’s Reach [W] -- you can often kill enemies with just your Umbral Trespass [R], but being able to CC them first is how you win the fight itself. The ultimate is a pretty simple point and click ability, though, and is great at finishing off low health enemies or at buying time for your team to arrive.
Weaknesses
He’s much weaker before he transforms, so sometimes the game can feel like it’s on a bit of a timer for him. Kayn will need to exert enough pressure early to keep his team in it while still trying to scale as quickly as possible to get his ultimate online. He’ll want to fight and skirmish as much as possible early to accelerate this. Once he is online, though, he’ll need to make sure he uses his Shadow Step [E] properly -- if he’s knocked out of it too early, he can be quickly burst down as he’s not particularly tanky. His kit revolves largely around avoiding and delaying damage as opposed to tanking it.
Game Plan
Early Game: Look for fights and ganks as much as possible early -- you’ll want to play near stronger allies early to ensure the fights go in your favor as you rush towards your transformation.
Mid Game: Kayn is very good at assassinating priority targets, especially because he can appear right next to them if they are hugging terrain. Look for picks and skirmishes before committing to straight 5v5s.
Late Game: Same as mid game, except it’s going to be harder to secure individual kills at this point. Your ultimate is great at helping you dodge key enemy abilities, though, and sometimes that can be enough to force a target away from the fight.
