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Kayn's passive is responsible for unhealthy play patterns

Jansports·7/17/2017, 5:45:55 PM·3 votes·1,192 views

Well to start Kayn being not quite finished at game's start is a big deal as a jungle pick, I feel pretty okay fighting a Lee or J4 or Zac on even grounds once I've become either SA or Rhaast, but I'm doing nearly 25% more damage as SA and have big sustain as Rhaast. I've spent this past week either playing Kayn or invading Kayn and generally invading him just feels great. Not like base Kayn can stand and fight Kha or Elise, Even Mao'kai or Skarner or Sion. Quinn is particularly bad for him to run into and Kayn is on the short list of junglers I have no problem contesting for first mark as Kindred (honestly that's a pretty serious offense, Nearly everyone can bully Kin of their first scuttle)

But more than that I'm concerned about How people play Kayn. Those that didn't play him on the PBE were introduced him literally with a warning "Transform too late and you'll be behind" And it's true: the best games I've played and seen involved earlier than normal Transformations and the worst were what could've been slightly late Transformations that became 'much too late' due to Kayn having to wait out the timer for his desired form, the form his team needs and expects to perform an important job (because everyone's job in league is important to the team). And this trend is causing players to not take the time to gank lanes that would charge the 'wrong' form. When playing Kayn I suggest players ban Gnar if they want to be Rhaast, cause a good Gnar will push top in, and if they realize you're hesitant to gank them thanks to their status as a ranged champ your top laner wont be happy. Mid lane is a regular hotspot for many Junglers, snowballing the team's second best roaming influence is appealing, but if you set up a tent and roast marshmallows on that Malz you'll end up either picking assassin into Malz(who doesn't love diving a back line with a malz suppress in it?) Or waiting it out. It's no Secret bot is often a focal point early game, thanks to the power a snowballed ADC gives as well as Dragon's being cool. Yet I've seen several Kayn players Forgo that to frantically seek out the enemy jungler and force excessive plays top in the name of relentlessly pursuing Rhaast.

7 Comments

Divewing7/17/2017, 10:26:43 PM2 votes

I have a similar issue, albeit I've been spamming SA mid (I actually haven't played Rhaast yet).

Laning into Yasuo was obnoxious (surprise surprise), but laning into Kayle was arguably worse.

I couldn't trade while Kayle was in ranged form, which meant that when I could, she was actually melee. Probably wouldn't be much a deal in most games cos Rhaast would be better into kayle anyway, but it took ages to even get the "option" for rhaast, then there was the extra 4 minutes twiddling my thumbs waiting for SA

LittleOak7/17/2017, 7:32:58 PM1 votes

Interesting take on Kayn and one I actually believe has some clout.

As a jungle main, I have also been playing a lot of Kayn and have noticed the same thing actually, at least when it comes to your position on ganks. I do find myself tending towards top lane and I agree that that is cause for a potentially weak bot lane, but that's the thing with Kayn. He is picked to have the team build around him or to counter an enemy team. Like assuming you have a "normal" meta top laner like Shen on your team, and you want to pick Kayn. I would argue that the mid should realize that Kayn is a carry jungler and pick up a champion like Galio or Karma, a champion that has the potential to carry but also has VERY team-fight oriented kits. I think we can both agree, both forms of Kayn have their strong suits. You can carry a game as Rhaast, you can carry a game as ShadowKayn. But the meta is currently, play a carry in the bot lane, play a carry in the mid lane, and that's where the problem lies. Having 3 champions that want to hard carry starts to get dangerous because you don't have the team comp to let these champs carry in the big 5-on-5 fights.

In terms of the invade/his early stats, I don't think it is that big of an issue. The first reason is that he is can be such a monster in the mid-late game, his early has to be his weakest. But I also bring runes that give me just enough confidence for me to actually invade the enemy jungler and win some trades or if I die, my midlaner picks up the kill.

Sun Wu Ryuumoku7/17/2017, 9:38:45 PM1 votes

And this trend is causing players to not take the time to gank lanes that would charge the 'wrong' form.

Its what we call stupidity. No need to make a post about it. All in league is choice, its same with Kayn.

1011001110007/17/2017, 10:01:59 PM1 votes

People are stupid. If you're gonna have the problem of needing to wait 4 minutes for the form you want, just charge your damn passive as quickly as possible. Camp that fuckin bot lane and unlock Shadow Assassin as quickly as possible so by the time you need Rhaast, you actually have him available to unlock.

The Leo Cat7/18/2017, 2:58:52 PM1 votes

Is it really a bad thing that there's finally a Jungler that Kindred can stand up to after her rework?