Jax vs Tahm Kench

Jax
vs
43.4%

over 53 games

Tahm Kench

Hard matchup

Very tankyHeavy AP damageHigh sustainSplit push

Build vs Tahm Kench

The champion's reference build, for lack of enough games in this matchup

Recommended items for Jax: Trinity Force, Sundered Sky, Zhonya's Hourglass, Mercury's Treads, Blade of The Ruined King, Dusk and Dawn, Wit's End, Riftmaker.

Starting items

Doran's Blade
Health Potion

Core build

Trinity Force
1
Sundered Sky
2
Zhonya's Hourglass
3

Standard

Boots of Swiftness
4vs Slow
Blade of The Ruined King
5

Summoner spells

FlashDot75%
FlashTeleport25%

Other options

Blade of The Ruined King
Dusk and Dawn
Wit's End
Riftmaker
Hextech Gunblade
Death's Dance
Stridebreaker
Black Cleaver
Nashor's Tooth
Seeker's Armguard
Sterak's Gage
Guardian Angel
PrecisionPrecision
Lethal TempoLethal Tempo
TriumphTriumph
Legend: AlacrityLegend: Alacrity
Last StandLast Stand
ResolveResolve
UnflinchingUnflinching
Bone PlatingBone Plating
Attack SpeedAdaptive ForceHealth Scaling

Power Spikes

Strength by game phase

Tahm Kench's abilities

Passive, spells and ultimate

An Acquired Taste (P)

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

LevelQWER
37s21s3s–
66s21s3s0s
95s20s3s0s
115s19s3s0s
165s17s3s0s
185s17s3s0s

Playing as Jax

Tips to maximize your impact

  1. Start trades with Counter Strike

    Start your trades with Counter Strike (E): you dodge autos and take less area damage, and each dodged auto adds damage to the stunning counterattack.

  2. Look for long trades

    Look for long trades: each consecutive auto increases your attack speed thanks to Relentless Assault (passive).

  3. Ward hop to escape

    To escape, place a ward and jump to it with Leap Strike (Q): it can target any unit or ward, allied or enemy.

  4. Activate your R up close

    Activate Grandmaster-at-Arms (R) up close: it only grants armor and magic resist if it hits a champion, and your bonus hits then land every other auto.

Playing against Tahm Kench

How to counter and exploit weaknesses

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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).

  5. Interrupt his dive

    If you have CC, use it during Abyssal Dive (W): he channels before reappearing, and an immobilizing effect cancels the dive.

Patch 16.21.1