Tahm Kench vs Nasus
Hard matchup
You are stronger late game. Farm safe and avoid early trades.
Build vs Nasus
The champion's reference build, for lack of enough games in this matchup
Recommended items for Tahm Kench: Heartsteel, Dusk and Dawn, Thornmail, Plated Steelcaps, Bramble Vest, Spirit Visage, Unending Despair, Riftmaker.
Starting items
Core build
Standard
Summoner spells
67%
14%Anti CC
Other options
Resolve
Grasp of the Undying
Shield Bash
Second Wind
Unflinching
Precision
Legend: Alacrity
Triumph
Power Spikes
Strength by game phase
Nasus's abilities
Passive, spells and ultimate
Nasus drains his foe's spiritual energy, giving him bonus Life Steal.
Cooldowns
Cooldowns by spell rank
| Level | Q | W | E | R |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 7.5s | 15s | 12s | – |
| 6 | 5.5s | 15s | 12s | 2m |
| 9 | 3.5s | 14s | 12s | 2m |
| 11 | 3.5s | 13s | 12s | 1m40 |
| 16 | 3.5s | 11s | 12s | 1m20 |
| 18 | 3.5s | 11s | 12s | 1m20 |
Playing as Tahm Kench
Tips to maximize your impact
- Three stacks, then your tongue
Stack An Acquired Taste (passive) three times on your target, then hit them with Tongue Lash (Q): they're stunned, and the stacks are consumed.
- Save Thick Skin for a burst
Only activate Thick Skin (E) to absorb a burst: otherwise, part of the damage it stores comes back to you as health once you stop taking damage.
- Engage with your dive
Engage with Abyssal Dive (W): you reappear at the target location, 1000 to 1200 range away, and hitting a champion reduces its cooldown.
- Swallow your carry to save them
Swallow your carry in danger with Devour (R): they come out with a shield, and you can take them to safety with Abyssal Dive (W).
Playing against Nasus
How to counter and exploit weaknesses
- Deny his farm early
Early on, take a trade whenever he steps up to last-hit a minion: each kill with Siphoning Strike (Q) increases its damage for the whole game.
- Freeze near your tower
Freeze the wave near your tower: to farm with Siphoning Strike (Q), he then has to step up and expose himself to ganks.
- Wait out his storm
Once he hits level 6, don't engage during Fury of the Sands (R): for 15 seconds, he gains health and resistances, and his area damage scales with your max health.
- Hit him while backing off
In teamfights, if you're ranged, hit him while backing off: he has no dash, only Wither (W), a slow that grows stronger over time.
Other Tahm Kench matchups
Tahm Kench vs Yone
Tahm Kench vs Mordekaiser
Tahm Kench vs Malphite
Tahm Kench vs Garen
Tahm Kench vs Darius
Tahm Kench vs SettPatch 16.21.1