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PERMABAN HER IF YOUR PLAYING TOP
She has too much sustain from her Q to poke out of lane. Can't kite her because of her mobility and is one of the most picked top laners in the game.
Jayce
take spellbook, rush seekers armguard first item since he rushes serrated dirk. Jayce's high poke is a huge threat for kennen since kennen has almost no sustain.
Resolve tree secondary
Try your best to all in at level 6
DO NOT TRADE WITH HIM LEVELS 1-3 he will crush you
Max Q and safe farm
Ryze
Ryze has huge priority over kennen since kennen lacks early game wave clear so your gonna be turret hugging/down a lot of CS vs any good ryze
Max Q first
All in him early game he is very weak around level 6 since he will most likely build tear!, once he gets Seraphs + an MR item you won’t be able to win 1v1!
Basically you get fkd 1v1. Try to force fights around the map before he gets seraphs + MR.
Rumble
Start Dshield
Rumble also has huge early game waveclear making it hard for kennen to CS.
Being AP kennen is weak against him since Kennen has 30 base MR the whole game.
I recommend taking double MR stat rune vs rumble to avoid solo dying early game.
Max Q and play the lane far back, farm w/ q’s etc.
Play the lane far back you lose trades very easily and you dont really win all ins early
You win the lane when you have 3 items, play safe until then and look for TP plays bot. Look to 1v1 when you have 3+ items
Cho'Gath
Start cull and max W if he has grasp/aftershock
Start Dblade and Max Q if he has comet
Don’t be afraid to E aggressively
Dr. Mundo
Max W!
Shove and roam 24/7
Your only kill opportunity is before he gets spectre’s cowl + level 6. After that you can’t solo kill basically for the rest of the game
Aatrox
Build Seeker’s after protobelt if enemy jungler is AD.
Dodging first Q is most important thing.
If he hits you with W run sideways to get out of it!
When he ults instead of running and letting him get free damage on you, KILL HIM if you can. He does not have a revive anymore unless he gets a kill!
Camille
You can dodge her E with the movement speed from your E.
Stay away from the walls
Try to predict when she will W to dodge it.
Start DORAN SHIELD if she has comet
Darius
PHASE RUSH + Max Q
Sorc boots Asap
Take TP/Flash you don’t need to solo kill him so don’t bother with ignite.
He has high kill pressure on you, play the lane safe.
Survive lane = win game.
Fiora
Elecotrcute. Max W. take ignite.
All in when her W (parry) is on cooldown. You max W because she its instant and she basically cant parry it
Gangplank
Ignite, electrocute, Q max
if he has grasp just farm with your Q until level 6. He has a LOT of poke with Q + sheen + grasp dont let him use it
Garen
Build cull if he takes grasp and tp.
Max W
Focus on roaming, getting deep vision, and trying to get TP plays off.
Gnar
Max Q.
Trade very aggressively pre level 6. He is EXTREMELY weak early.
If he goes merc treads + hexdrinker instead of building void staff for the 1v1 just build for teamfight instead. He takes turrets very slow
Heimerdinger
Ignite + electrocute + dorans shield
Max Q
Look to safe farm until 6 where you have strong all-in potential
Kill turrets with Q if possible to attack his mana pool, also free gold
Ignite can be good for stronger all-in
Illaoi
Proto → morello asap.
DO NOT 1V1 HER IF SHE HITS E.
Turn brain on in this matchup and take those caffeine pills. Need to do lots of dodging. Not that hard of a matchup but I put it even because if you fk up once your lane is doomed
Jarvan IV
Very standard lane.
Kennen favored.
play very safe when j4 has ult and you have no wards up/vision
Jax
Max Q.
Use your E the second he jumps on you
Combo for instastun is Q> W> E. use this to stun and run/ reposition
Make sure he’s 40% HP before you all in.
Don’t underestimate his E reducing all your aoe damage by 25% + the resists he gets from his ult
Kayle
VERY STRONG SEASON 11!
Take electrocute, smash lane hard early, play very aggro before she hits 6
Kled
I’ve been struggling a lot with kled lately matchup might be Kled favored.
Early seeker's armguard is good here assuming they don't have an AP jungler like Elise or Nidalee
His Q is easy to dodge just don't stand still in lane
Malphite
Start Dshield if he has Comet!
Q max and poke him down. If he’s building bruiser/AP you can easily poke him out of lane
Don’t AA his turret very much, focus on poking him out of lane. He has lots of kill pressure when lvl 6 with a jg gank.
Focus on poking him out of lane
Maokai
free lane, take cull
Mordekaiser
Morde isn't that hard of a matchup he's just very overtuned right now
When his shield is on cooldown look to all in (Dont all in if he has lots of MR)
If he is consistently ulting you in fights rush a qss. You don't need it if he's been focusing other people with his R in teamfights.
When he uses E (claw grab) run away from him to dodge not to the side, its hitbox is huge but its very short distance
Nasus
Build Proto > Morello > FULL DMG
Bully this man and take his turret pre 14 min by building up huge waves
If he hits you with W don’t be afraid, he might just be using it so he can safely farm cannon minion or something.
Neeko
Q max and safe farm until 6
Strong all-in potential at 6, just don't get hit by her ult,
try to bait out root/clone before all-in
This matchup will be won by whichever teams jungler ganks top more
Olaf
Haven’t played vs one in a long time top lane.
I’d say proto > morello with Q Max.
Dont play too far up in the lane he has a lot of kill pressure
Even if it feels like he heals for 9000 hp keep poking him down enough so he can’t all in you
Ornn
Free lane
Pantheon
Save your tp to match his Ult
Max Q first
Farm safely with Q and HARD WIN the lane hard once you hit level 9.
Poke with Q then all in, just dont play like a monkey early game and you will crush him mid-late game
Poppy
pretty easy matchup
Back off when her passive (ranged AA) is up it will chunk you way too hard!
Her W stops your protobelt! Don’t use it when her W is on
Pyke
Build early HP (ruby crystal early) pyke has a tonnn of true damage
Quinn
Pretty easy matchup just play the lane back and wait for level 6
Max Q first
Keep her shoved in Post level 6 so she cant roam.
If she roams don’t try to match her instead just take turret plating and mute your spam pinging teammates.
Level 6 is a free kill with ignite
Renekton
Build Seeker’s after protobelt if enemy jungler is AD and you don’t have a lead
His E has a long CD (16s early) bully him pre level 6!
Don’t be afraid to trade with him, any trade you do without dying is a win because he dies to ganks easier since he's melee and less mobile
Rengar
Resolve tree secondary (Bone plating)
Protobelt > Seeker’s armguard then buy more HP items.
Play like a bitch in lane because he will make you 0/10 if you play the lane wrong.
Try your best to shove him in once you get revolver or finished protobelt, hes very easy to bully under his own turret
Riven
When you have protobelt and she has dblade + caulfield you LOSE the 1v1. Trust me do not 1v1 this champion unless she is below half hp!
I have like 3 videos vs challenger Riven’s on my Youtube if you wanna see how to win the matchup
If she’s building for the 1v1 (merc + hexdrinker) RUSH void staff 2nd or 3rd item
Shen
free lane, take cull
Singed
Free lane take cull.
Take DBlade if he has ignite youll need the HP!
Sion
Free lane. Take Dblade
Max W
Try not to leave lane too much or will get too tanky to kill from turret plating gold.
Generally you recall quite a bit vs this guy because he has a lot of poke.
Swain
Q max
You have a lot of kill pressure pre level 6! play very aggro. try to hit 6 first so you can all in ASAP
once he gets ROA/abyssal mask you will never win 1v1.
play for teamfights and try to keep top priority, you have better waveclear with protobelt
Sylas
He'e played mostly mid/jg but if hes top
Phase rush lane
I would take ignite for soloq because of his W but up to you
Proto → morello asap.
His E CD is 16s at level 1. Abuse his long cooldown
When he steals and uses your R he can’t use it again for 3 minutes.
Use this window to 1V1 him. YOU will win if not down items
Talon
Assuming he builds full damage you can easily 100-0 him when you have 2 items, even without ignite.
Play VERY safe pre level 6 he has extremely high kill pressure
Tahm Kench
For stat rune take attack speed + MR + HP/5
Build FULL DAMAGE. rocket > void > rab.
You don’t win 1v1 so instead just focus on shutting down his team, more specifically bot lane.
If the enemy team has 3+ giga tanks like Tahm Leona Sejuani you can build Void 2nd.
Teemo
Max Q and rush sorc boots.
Build full dmg
Play the lane far back you lose trades very easily but you win all in’s!
Scanner ASAP
Trundle
Seriously someone picked trundle??
Take ignite and Max Q
Don’t leave lane to roam because he will take your turret down in 2 seconds
Tryndamere
Rocket + morello like usual
Once he gets 4+ items it will be almost impossible to hold his splitpush 1v1.
You need to shut him down hard by gaining gold advantage through turret plating
Zhonya’s very good if the enemy jungler is camping/diving you
Urgot
Q max
Very easy lane, he is basically melee, trade with him however you want because he cant do anything to you in laning phase.
Level 9+ you can win 1v1 by consistently hitting Q’s
Viktor
Better to go Ignite and try to solo kill because he will outscale you hard.
Very hard matchup vs any good viktor. Viktor is super broken s11
Play the lane very far back as you can’t trade with him because of his shield and he will poke you out of lane with his E
Play like a beta, wait for jungle ganks.
Don’t let him get too much of a lead, farm with Q's
Vladimir
Q max
Rocketbelt > Morello
Play extremely aggressive vs vlad.
He is one of the weakest early game top laners, do not play passive early.
He outscales you hard.
Wukong
Q max
Rush Seekers + ruby crystal. If he cant kill you in lane you win
You outscale hard just try to ward good so he doesn’t roam mid and kill your mid laner
Yasuo
W max
W GOES THROUGH WINDWALL SAME WITH YOUR ULT
No need to play aggressive early game, of course you can trade but this is his only window to kill you 1v1.
Play it slow get an item then go aggro
When he has pd or whatever mythic he rushes and you have rocket or harvester you CRUSH him 1v1. Don’t be afraid to just run at him with R.
Yorick
Q max, you have kill pressure because he will likely rush trinity
DO NOT USE E AGGRESSIVELY.
If you get hit by wall you die
Poke down/kill maiden with Q’s. It has 0 health regen.
Don’t leave lane when he’s in it even if he’s 0/6 keep him away from your turret
Sivir
Sivir ult + Kennen = easy engage
Amumu
Curse mark + kennen AOE is one of the best 2v5 combos in the game
Pyke
Kennen sets Pyke up for resets extremely well. Same with other reset champions but pyke is the best resset champ synergy
Lee Sin
Not specifically Lee but strong AD early game junglers work best with Kennen ex. Lee, Rengar, Kindred, Xin. Kennen has lane priority in 90% of matchups so your jungler can go for invades/scuttle. Having an AD jungler means your lane opponent cant stack 200 MR because then your AD jungler will fk em up for you
Synergies
IdealStrongOkLowNone
Sivir
Sivir ult + Kennen = easy engage
Amumu
Curse mark + kennen AOE is one of the best 2v5 combos in the game
Pyke
Kennen sets Pyke up for resets extremely well. Same with other reset champions but pyke is the best resset champ synergy
Lee Sin
Not specifically Lee but strong AD early game junglers work best with Kennen ex. Lee, Rengar, Kindred, Xin. Kennen has lane priority in 90% of matchups so your jungler can go for invades/scuttle. Having an AD jungler means your lane opponent cant stack 200 MR because then your AD jungler will fk em up for you
Hey! My name is Rime and I am an ex Kennen OTP. I mained Kennen season 8, OTP'd Kennen season 9 and I'm sorry to say that I re-branded to Sylas main in season 10. If you stop by my stream I'll most likely be playing Sylas or Viego! Guide last updated March 18, 2021.
I currently do NOT main Kennen but I still have 1500+ games of Kennen and can play him at a very high level. If he's a good pick or if I get filled top I play Kennen here and there!
Sorry if this guide isn't the prettiest! I did my best to keep it short and straight to the point!
Here's my biggest league accomplishments with Kennen
-
PROS + Uses Energy + Safe Blind Pick + Lane Bully + High CC good vs champs like Master Yi, Yasuo + Can 1v5 if Ahead + Best top laner in the game at killing their ADC :)
CONS + Squishy + 0 lane sustain + Weak 1v1 + Weak vs disengage ( Alistar, Vayne etc.)
-
Mid season 9 Kennen got his base AD and base attack speed nerfed. If anyone hasn't played Kennen in a while keep in mind he is weaker pre level 6 now.
SEASON 11 KENNEN: START E LEVEL 1 Max Q first almost every game Thundering Shuriken Take armor/MR depending on lane opponent!
Honestly Conqueror and Electrocute are both v good vs bruisers but conqueror is the better option for 1 reason.
THE REASON
Most top laners rush merc treads vs Kennen. If you go electrocute you can 1 shot squishies later on but lane lane phase will be hard. If you go electrocute and they build stuff like Mercury's Treads & Hexdrinker Spirit Visage etc. you won't be able to win lane. Basically DO NOT take electrocute top lane. Conqueror or Phase Rush only
Phase Rush is the better rune choice in most matchups because its good for playing aggro and good for playing defensive. Conqueror is only good for playing aggro.
MOST IMPORTANT THING IS TO TAKE AT LEAST 1 SUSTAIN RUNE! Kennen has 0 built in sustain so it is SUPER important to take either Taste of Blood or Ravenous Hunter
+ Play aggressive, you need to win lane as a lane bully or you will get outscaled + Start Lightning Rush, max Thundering Shuriken first 90% of the time + Slicing Maelstrom then Flash in teamfights + Switch to Oracle's Lens ASAP + Kennen will still be STRONG in season 11, hard engage with a team thats ahead is a free win
Was inspired to make a guide when someone in twitch chat called me a Kennen encyclopedia. This guide is a summary of my 2k+ ranked games of Kennen and I hope it helps with your climb!
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