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What do we classify Kayn as?

Ahpe·8/3/2018, 2:17:00 PM·6 votes·8,063 views

https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/leagueoflegends/images/1/1a/Kayn_OriginalSkin.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20170628022010

##TL;DR Just help me clarify what class each of Kayn's forms fall into ##EDIT: No shit he's an AD Caster

To this day I still can't figure out what class Kayn and his forms are classified as because his kit is just so weird when you look at it.

Q-Short dash with AOE damage W-Straight skillshot that slows E-Speed buff and ignores terrain R-Reworked Zed R

Like with Default Kayn he really doesn't have the traditional mobility of an assassin where you have 2-3 dashes/blinks, Kayn has a short dash and a speed buff on his basic abilities. His ganks are obviously really assassin like with his E but after that he kind of turns into a really shitty fighter; half a champion. After he transforms it becomes much more clear though.

With Shadow Kayn I guess it's pretty clear with his new passive that he's a burst assassin since it grants bonus magic damage the first 3 seconds after attacking a champion. He always becomes much more mobile since he no longer gets movement locked by W, slow immunity from E and longer range on R. He's not a traditional assassin but he definitely does the job well.

Honestly Rhaast feels like a juggernaut and is a lot like Aatrox.

  • Rhaast passive, Q and R provides constant healing just like Aatrox E passive
  • Q is an extremely short dash like Aatrox E
  • Rhaast W is a skillshot knockup like Aatrox Q1

But again Kayn E is able to pass through terrain which as good as any other dash an assassin would have so does this turn him into a diver? But on the other hand it's still just a speed buff which other juggernauts have (I.E.GarenSkarnerTrundle)? Don't forget the blink from his R either which just adds that much more mobility to his kit.

Is the whole point of Kayn just for his forms to be unclear on what classes they are? If so shouldn't his basic form be classified as a specialist instead of a fighter? Just help me clarify what Kayn is.

49 Comments

Sirsir8/3/2018, 2:33:28 PM11 votes

Assassin as blue and Bruiser as red.

Juggs have low CC and mobility, Rhaast has a good CC and a fair chunk of mobility. Most bruisers feel like juggernauts when ahead.

Base kayn? Does it matter?

Alex Luu8/3/2018, 8:22:45 PM3 votes

He’s considered an edgy teen who wants his senpai to notice him, so basically almost every loser teenage boy

CaptainAntiHeroz8/3/2018, 3:30:44 PM3 votes

Base : Edgelord Blue : Assassin Edgelord Red : bruiser

Jackom18/3/2018, 3:04:45 PM3 votes

Short answer: Blue is Assassin, Red is bruiser.

Long answer:

Both forms fall in categories, albeit with more mobility than average.

Shadow Assassin is pretty much a normal Assassin, with a supposedly longer burst window, and more mobility than the average assassin. I say supposedly, because one you have Duskblade it's not that hard oneshot squishy targets as fast as Zed or Talon can.

Rhaast is a Slayer with more mobility than average. If you wonder what slayers are, as far as subclasses were described by Rito, they are bruisers who have all the tools (damage, cc, sustain, mobility) to kill pretty much any champion in 1v1. But all those tools are limited to small encounters, and don't help them much in a teamfight, where they don't really excel. In this category fall Fiora, Riven, Yasuo. Champions who can't pounce on their preferred target right away and burst it down, but can still deal high sustained damage to whatever they can reach. Personally I think he fits this category: his Q isn't a long range dash, and does % health damage, which means that he can't gap close easily, can't burst anyone down, and has agnostic damage. His W is a good CC tool, which also deals respectable damage, especially if you prioritise damage items. Again, the radius isn't insane and you can't cast it anywhere you want, so you can't easily lock down a whole team. His E gives him great mobility, but is gated by terrain, and you'll probably want to use it mid fight in order to heal. His R does great % health damage, the more dmg you build, and heals based on the target's max health. Especially late game, it chunks tanks for a huge amount of damage, so much that you should use it on squishy targets only when it's there's no other way to win a teamfight.

Personally I don't consider him a juggernaut, because he lacks the survivability of champions like Illaoi or Darius. I don't consider him a Diver, because he can't just jump on whatever champion he wants, and his abilities are best used on the frontline anyway. He's generally built tankier than Fiora or Riven, but his kit has pretty much the same survivability, even less if you're fighting squishy targets like adcs an assassins.

So to sum up: Blue - Assassin Red - Slayer (Bruiser subclass)

Base Kayn, whether you want to consider him an assassin or a bruiser, just lacks the relative tools. You should consider him as more of a scout/countejungler. His Q does bonus damage to monsters, and a lot of it; you can easily clear camps at low levels. Regarding teamfights, you should participate with the sole purpose of unlocking the form you want as soon as possibile, while applying as much pressure as you can; just don't look for kills, it's not worth it. And don't walk around looking for champs to kill on your own, or you'll have a bad time.

Akali is SO HOT8/3/2018, 10:46:36 PM3 votes

Edgelord Category

PopcornBunni8/3/2018, 10:45:19 PM2 votes

Base Kayn's early patterns are that of a really, really weak Skirmisher that focuses on power farming (MasterYi, Jax come to mind).

Shadow Kayn is an assassin

Rhaast is a diver

Wyrmblade8/3/2018, 7:41:29 PM2 votes

Base Kayn is a properly balanced and designed assassin. He's good at getting to targets and staying on them but he will often lose in a fight where he doesn't have an advantage from the start.

Boulderox8/3/2018, 2:29:34 PM2 votes

like every new AD champ riot is making, AD Caster > assassin or AD caster > bruiser

RekSai CoffeeCo8/3/2018, 5:11:01 PM2 votes

Shape shifter.

Warlord Rhinark8/3/2018, 3:15:46 PM2 votes

I'd say base Kayn is a Fighter/Assassin hybrid.

AbiwonKenabi8/3/2018, 2:45:52 PM2 votes

I think you basically summed it up. Early game, base Kayn has an assassin-like playstyle that will eventually specialize when he gets to transform. Kayn transform is more mobility and damage focused, allowing him to push further with his assassin playstyle, which also fits thematically since we know Kayn is a student of Zed's (another assassin with some similarities between their movepools). Rhaast transform I would classify as "bruiser", which is a term I don't think Riot likes using, but its along the lines of a diver like Renekton: a little bit tanky, has some CC, doesn't kill squishies quite as well as an assassin but makes up for that with some CC and survivability. Rhaast's job is to pressure squishies (like a Renekton) but survive and help clean-up, so I classify that as bruiser, or what Riot would probably call a diver. (I think this also fits Rhaast thematically since his personality is really aggressive, but he's also an immortal weapon that is difficult to kill permanently)

Veraska8/4/2018, 4:06:14 AM1 votes

Thats the unique thing about kayn he defies traditional classification because his class changes mid game, he can be a fighter as rhaast and an assassin as shadow kayn

His base kit is just a skeleton with none of the strengths and weaknesses of his class, he just has generic moves and a fun core mechanic of walking through walls

Daddy Ants8/4/2018, 8:33:41 AM1 votes

Kayn is officially classified as an Assassin.

His "subclass" is Skirmisher.

https://leagueoflegends.wikia.com/wiki/Category:Assassin_champion

https://leagueoflegends.wikia.com/wiki/Kayn

And A Real Hiero8/4/2018, 9:41:59 AM1 votes

Overloaded.

DragonShea8/4/2018, 9:47:56 AM1 votes

Kayn is a Slayer full stop.

Blue Kayn is an assassin that relies on terrain and his ult to deal high amounts of burst damage

Rhaast is a Skirmisher that relies on sustain to survive in fight and excel against tanky champions.

The reason why Rhaast is not a diver is because he doesn't have reliant dive ability and he doesn't have reliant lockdown. He is ok at chasing but not the best and his mobility is short and for in-combat situations.

Beatrice falls8/3/2018, 2:18:58 PM1 votes

I'd classify base Kayn as an AD caster tbh

Aptest8/4/2018, 1:32:39 PM1 votes

Tanky bruiser, as long as he builds correctly.

Fail player's dream otherwise.

The thigh guy8/3/2018, 4:38:59 PM1 votes

Base kayn : trash Blue kayn : hybrid assassin Red kayn : drain tank/drain bruiser

feintfiend8/3/2018, 7:04:48 PM1 votes

He's a skirmisher like Yasuo, Riven, etc

gabetheguy8/3/2018, 10:18:15 PM1 votes

trash. he's not meant to be strong earlygame.

Critmaster Garen8/3/2018, 10:46:25 PM1 votes

kayn is an assassin.

rhaast is a skirmisher.

Vlada Cut8/3/2018, 11:27:53 PM1 votes

Shadow Assasin Kayn is an Assasin. Rhaast either a bruiser or a juhgernaut. At first I though he was a juggernsut because he would usually go item 3071 and stack hp, except he would buy more damage like item 3812 amd the fact he's too mobile with his Q AND E/R to be comsidered a Jiggernaut. I'd say he's a Bruiser.

Hyquiem8/4/2018, 12:10:08 AM1 votes

Dark human.

LatoyaFromTheBX8/4/2018, 12:30:59 AM1 votes

Base: skirmisher Blue: Assassin/Diver Red: Bruiser/Diver

SugeMinPikk8/4/2018, 12:34:29 AM1 votes

Skirmisher/Assassin/Diver

Z3Sleeper8/4/2018, 1:25:53 AM1 votes

Assassin (SA)/Diver (Rhaast). Not a Juggernaut.

Default Kayn is an Assassin as well.

FlameHalbrdOkido8/4/2018, 1:33:47 AM1 votes

Base: Skirmisher, has the mobility needed for short skirmishes, and focuses on using AA to build towards red or blue Blue: Assassin, mobility, damage, squishy Red: Diver, pick potential, CC, sustain