League of Legends: Wild Rift‘s Kennen is a Mage Champion who is commonly played on the baron lane and has a vital role in a team as the initiator or control. Kennen is a S-tier teamfight based pick. He is easy to play champion but very difficult to master. Kennen scales with mainly Ability Power. This champion can turn the tides of a team fight, given the opportunity to do so with her abilities used at the right timing and location. In this guide, we will take a look at the best runes, spell, build, including tips and tricks to take over the match with Kennen in League of Legends Wild Rift.
We have previously discussed how to master playing with other LoL Wild Rift heroes like Amumu, Master Yi, Jinx, Braum, Dr.Mundo, Akali, Yasuo, Jax, Ashe, Varus, Darius and Singed. So make sure to check these hero guides as well. For now, let’s focus on Kennen.
Skill Analysis
Kennen is a champion with the six skill sets of two passive and four active abilities. In this Kennen guide, let’s see what her abilities are in LoL Wild Rift, and how you can bring out her potential in your games.
Passive – Living Vengeance
When Kennen hits a target with any of her abilities, he marks them with a Mark of the Storm that lasts for 6 seconds. At 3 marks, the target (targets) hit is stunned for 1.25 seconds and Kennen gains 25 Energy. Stunning an target (targets) that was previously stunned before, within the next 6 seconds reduces the stun duration to 0.5 seconds.
Kennen’s passive is what makes her a vital role in teamfights as he can stun multiple targets at the same time.
Skill 1 – Thundering Shuriken (Active)
Kennen throws a shuriken in a straight line, dealing Magic Damage (65 + 75% of Ability Power) to the first target it hits and marks the target hit with a Mark of the Storm.
This ability is useful for Kennen during the laning phase for trades and pokes. It is the skill with the lowest cooldown in her kit, making it ideal to as the first engage with her enemies.
Skill 2 – Electrical Surge (Passive/Active)
Passive: On every 5th basic attack, Kennen deals additional Magic Damage (10 + 60% of Attack Damage + 20% of Ability Power) on top of her basic Attack Damage and marks the targets hit with a Mark of the Storm.
Active: Kennen shocks ALL nearby targets with a Mark of the Storm, dealing Magic Damage (60 + 80% of Ability Power).
This is Kennen’s main damaging abilities with the highest Ability Power scaling. This skill hits all marked targets as long as they are within the ability range and within vision.
Skill 3 – Lightning Rush (Active)
Kennen transforms into an electric ball for 2 seconds, becomes unable to use basic attack but gains 100% additional movement speed, able to pass through units and deals Magic Damage (85 + 80% of Ability Power) to targets he passes through and marks them with a Mark of the Storm. His additional movement speed is doubled during the first 0.5 seconds. Upon exiting Lightning Rush, Kennen gains 40% attack speed lasting 3 seconds. This is a mobility skill that helps Kennen to engage, disengage or escape from enemies
Skill 4 – Slicing Maelstrom (Active)
Kennen summons a storm surrounding him lasting for 3 seconds that grants him Armor (20) and Magic Resist (20) and deals Magic Damage (35 + 20% of Ability Power) and marks them with a Mark of the Storm to all targets within the storm every 0.5 seconds. Each subsequent zap on targets deals an increased 10% damage. The same target will only be marked thrice by this ability.
This is Kennen’s most powerful ability in his skill set. It deals high Magic Damage and is able to stun all targets if given the opportunity. The cooldown of this skill is on the longer side of 100 seconds. Thus, this ability must be used considerately.
Skill Up Methods for Kennen
For Kennen, level up Thundering Shuriken (Ability 1) at level 1, and then proceed to level up Electrical Surge (Ability 2) until it’s maxed. After that, start leveling up Thundering Shuriken followed by Lightning Rush (Ability 3). Level up Slicing Maelstrom (Ultimate) whenever available.
Best Runes Setup and Spells for Kennen in League of Legends: Wild Rift
Rune Setup
Electrocute
Hitting a champion with 3 separate attacks or abilities in 3 seconds deals bonus adaptive damage. Kennen’s early game is relatively weak and has to depend on auto attacks and has low attack range for trading. Electrocute is perfect for him as it gives an early burst for ability focused champions, allowing him to trade with his opposing laners.
Since while using Kennen, we are focusing on activating our passive, Living Vengeance, Electrocute fits perfectly into the skill rotation as a damaging skill. At mid game, as Electrocute scales with Kennen’s level and Ability Power, Electrocute can give an additional burst to Kennen’s skill rotation, allowing him to melt the squishy targets instantly.
Weakness
Impairing the movement of enemy champions makes them take 5% more damage in the following 5 seconds. As Kennen has high immobility capability, weakness will be active often, allowing Kennen and his team to deal an additional 5% damage often as well.
Spirit Walker
Gain 50 max health and 20% slow resistance. As Kennen is usually required to initiate or put himself within the enemy team, the slow resistance helps him to charge in and continues chasing the enemy down with his ultimate, Slicing Maelstrom and ability 2, Electrical Surge. The additional max health is good to have as Kennen is quite squishy and has a weak early game.
Hunter – Genius
Gain 2.5 Ability Haste. Unique champion takedowns grant 2.5 Ability Haste. As Kennen’s ability has high ability cooldowns and depends heavily on his abilities, Ability Haste helps to refresh his skill rotation, allowing him to reset and deal more damage during laning phase and during teamfights. As Kennen is heavily involved in teamfights, he can stack unique champion takedowns easily.
Summoner’s Spells
Flash
Teleport a short distance forward or towards the aimed direction. This spell works well on Kennen to engage and initiate or turn the tides of a fight.
Barrier
Gain a shield that absorbs damage (115 – 465 depending on level) for 2 seconds. This spell is vital for Kennen as he needs to charge into the enemy team. It helps him to survive and take more damage.
Best Builds for Kennen in League of Legends: Wild Rift
Core Build
Liandry’s Tourment
This is a multiple passive effect item that benefits Kennen heavily and helps to bring up his DPS during teamfights. +90 Ability Power, +250 Health. Aside from giving Kennen higher Magic Damage and higher Health to survive attacks, it has two passives, Madness, which grants Kennen increased damage upon entering combat with his enemy, up to 10% after 5 seconds.
This stacks well with our Rune, Weakness and our ultimate, Slicing Maelstrom. Dealing significant amounts of damage after being in combat for 5 seconds. The other passive, Torment deals Magic Damage based on enemy max health over 3 seconds when a champion ability hits. Doubles when the enemy is stunned or slowed. Kennen, having multiple stuns, scales well with this passive. The damage over 3 seconds scales well with Kennen’s ultimate, Slicing Maelstrom as well and also provides additional trading power for Kennen in lane.
Ionian Boots of Lucidity with Protobelt Enchant
The Ionian Boots of Lucidity gives Movement Speed, Ability Haste and decreased Summoner Spell Cooldown. This is essential for Kennen to constantly get opportunities to engage and initiate the enemy team. Additionally, with Protobelt Enchant, Kennen will get an additional tool to initiate team fights and for mobility for other purposes, escape and dives.
Infinity Orb
This is an aggressive Mage item that is essential for Magic Damage assassins. +60 Ability Power, +200 Health, Destiny: +5% Movement Speed, Balance: +15 Magic Penetration. Its third passive, Inevitable Demise is an unique passive which is quite useful for Kennen. This passive will allow abilities to be able to crit, increasing ability damage by 20% when enemy falls below 35% Health. In other words, execution for burst mages against squishy targets. Thus, it is good to have in Kennen’s kit. Especially, with multiple hit ultimate, Slicing Maelstrom, increasing the chance of crit on the enemy team. In general, this item serves to turn Kennen into a huge threat for enemies’ squishy champions. Getting caught in the storm becomes extremely dangerous!
Morellonomicon
An item that serves to decrease enemy Healing and Vamps. Death Touch: +15 Magic Penetration. Cursed: Magic Damage dealt to enemies will inflict Grievous Wound to them. Any sort of Healing or Vamps will be halved. This tool is a must to have in Kennen’s belt to complete the build. Stacking Magic Penetration, denying enemy from healing and allowing Kennen to successfully deliver his full potential onto enemy champion.
Rabadon’s Deathcap
Those that are familiar with playing mages, have acquired this item before, during late game. This item’s only purpose is to provide insane amounts of Ability Power to the champion. +130 Ability Power. Overkill: Increase overall Ability Power by 40%. Completing this item to give a final boost to Kennen’s Magic Damage. Overkill multiplier is applied after summation of all Ability Power the champion has. You can build this earlier game of the stage and it does affect the result.
League of Legends: Wild Rift Kennen Gameplay Tips
Kennen is a unique mage that is usually played in the Baron Lane where personal skills come into play heavily. There are several playstyles to play Baron Lane. Wild Rift map is a mirror so understand the map side before laning The usual is to trade, hold the lane and farm up and await for teamfight in the mid game or the late game. Our League of Legends: Wild Rift Kennen guide provides tips to play Kennen throughout the three phases of the game, Early Game, Mid Game and Late Game.
Early Game
In the early game, Kennen aims to play safe and focus on farming and trading. Make use of Kennen’s Ability 2, Electrical Surge’s passive, to win trades against enemies. Often Baron Lane is occupied by a melee champion. Kennen has a range advantage over them, thus, should trade whenever the enemy oversteps for a farm. Kennen can also make use of Ability 1, Thundering Shuriken’s high range to poke the enemy down.
Unless enemy overstays or over commit for a trade, in general, avoid going for all-ins and kills. Especially pre-level 5 (prior to ultimate).
Mid Game
Mid Game (usually about 2-3 items), start roaming if you are unable to push. Force enemy for teamfights as Kennen’s ultimate, Slicing Maelstrom will be able to melt most champions during Mid Game. Get advantages for your team. Focus on controlling and melting their carries as much as possible, else, use the control power to disengage or stop the enemy frontline from charging forward.
Late Game
When the game reaches late game, it is where you have to look for opportunity to control as many enemy champions and as long as possible. At this stage, if you can control and the team successfully kills 2-3 enemy champions, basically the fight is won and the match is won. Try to save ultimate, Slicing Maelstrom during important objectives where enemy is restricted by terrain, i.e. Baron and Drakes. Note that in late game, Kennen’s ability to take damage drops significantly. Thus, aim not to be the primary engage/ initiator.
| Champs that counter Kennen | Champs that Kennen can counter |
| Olaf | Akali |
| Teemo | Yasuo |
| Jarvan IV | Fiora |
Additionally, in Wild Rift, Kennen forms strong pairs and serves as Best Combos with Amumu.
Final Thoughts
Kennen is a very flexible, mid to late-game Baron Lane mage who excels in team fights. His kit is not suitable for focusing on getting snowballing in a lane which most Baron Lane champions do.
With the above guide, you can easily practice Kennen in LoL Wild Rift. In essence, Kennen is still a tank, preferably, the team shouldn’t be depending on him as primary engage or sole control tank. That’s all for today’s Wild Rift Kennen Guide.
That’s all for today’s League of Legends: Wild Rift Kennen Guide. Do you prefer to use Kennen in any other way? Let us know in the comment section below!
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