Tahm Kench vs Taric
Build vs Taric
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, Spirit Visage, Unending Despair, Randuin's Omen, Riftmaker.
Starting items
Core build
Standard
Summoner spells
Anti CC
Other options
Power Spikes
Strength by game phase
Taric's abilities
Passive, spells and ultimate
Spellcasts empower Taric's next 2 basic attacks to deal bonus magic damage, reduce his spell cooldowns, and attack in quick succession.
Cooldowns
Cooldowns by spell rank
| Level | Q | W | E | R |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 3s | 15s | 16s | – |
| 6 | 3s | 15s | 16s | 3m |
| 9 | 3s | 15s | 16s | 3m |
| 11 | 3s | 15s | 16s | 2m30 |
| 16 | 3s | 15s | 14s | 2m |
| 18 | 3s | 15s | 12s | 2m |
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 Taric
How to counter and exploit weaknesses
- Leave the line of his beam
Get out of the line of Dazzle (E) as soon as it appears: the beam only bursts and stuns after a short delay, and it can also come from the ally bound to Taric.
- Punish him when he steps up to auto
Take a trade when he steps up to hit: each auto empowered by Bravado (passive) lowers his cooldowns, so he needs those hits.
- Kill before his Cosmic Radiance
When he casts Cosmic Radiance (R), decide fast: kill one of his allies before the invulnerability lands, or back off until the effect ends.
- Hit far from Taric during his ult
During Cosmic Radiance (R), hit an enemy far from Taric and from the ally bound by Bastion (W): only champions near them are invulnerable.
Other Tahm Kench matchups
Patch 16.21.1