Heimerdinger vs Tahm Kench
Favorable matchup
Build vs Tahm Kench
Build adapted to this matchup
Recommended items for Heimerdinger: Blackfire Torch, Liandry's Torment, Zhonya's Hourglass, Sorcerer's Shoes, Rylai's Crystal Scepter, Rabadon's Deathcap, Shadowflame, Void Staff.
Starting items
Core build
Standard
Summoner spells
Anti CC
Other options
Power Spikes
Strength by game phase
Tahm Kench's abilities
Passive, spells and ultimate
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 An Acquired Taste. At three stacks, he can use Devour on an enemy champion.
Cooldowns
Cooldowns by spell rank
| Level | Q | W | E | R |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 7s | 21s | 3s | – |
| 6 | 6s | 21s | 3s | 0s |
| 9 | 5s | 20s | 3s | 0s |
| 11 | 5s | 19s | 3s | 0s |
| 16 | 5s | 17s | 3s | 0s |
| 18 | 5s | 17s | 3s | 0s |
Playing as Heimerdinger
Tips to maximize your impact
- Plant your turrets and stay close
Place your turrets with H-28 G Evolution Turret (Q) where you want to fight, then stay close: if you move too far away, they deactivate after 8 seconds.
- Aim the center of your grenade
Aim the center of CH-2 Electron Storm Grenade (E) at your target: only enemies in the center are stunned, and hitting a champion fully charges your nearby turrets.
- R then W for the kill
To kill a target, cast UPGRADE!!! (R) then Hextech Micro-Rockets (W): you fire 4 waves of rockets instead of one.
- Giant turret for objectives
For a teamfight or an objective, cast UPGRADE!!! (R) then H-28 G Evolution Turret (Q): the turret lasts 8 seconds, slows, deals area damage and is immune to CC.
Playing against Tahm Kench
How to counter and exploit weaknesses
- Don't give him three stacks
Back off before he stacks An Acquired Taste (passive) three times on you: Tongue Lash (Q) would stun you, and Devour (R) could swallow you.
- Trade after his shield
Take a trade right after the Thick Skin (E) shield: by activating it, he gives up the healing his stored damage would have given him.
- Get out of his dive zone
Leave the area where Abyssal Dive (W) will make him reappear: the impact knocks every enemy in it into the air.
- Focus him when he swallows an ally
When he swallows one of his allies with Devour (R), focus him: he can't attack or cast any spell other than Abyssal Dive (W).
- Interrupt his dive
If you have CC, use it during Abyssal Dive (W): he channels before reappearing, and an immobilizing effect cancels the dive.
Other Heimerdinger matchups
Patch 16.21.1