Rod of Ages Tahm Kench Build

ARAM Build Guide for champion Tahm Kench and build Rod of Ages.

Rod of Ages Tahm Kench build with runes and items. Rod of Ages Tahm Kench guide offers in-depth how-to play, skill order and tips. Play Rod of Ages Tahm Kench build in League of Legends Patch 14.20!

Updated: 2024-10-09 ()
Credit: NameIsHidden @ NA

TLDR

Starting items
Tear of the Goddess should be final item in your build.
Ruby Crystal should be final item in your build.
Sapphire Crystal should be final item in your build.
Quick Skill Order
Tahm Kench ability Tongue Lash should be leveled first.
Q
Tahm Kench ability Thick Skin should be leveled second.
E
Tahm Kench ability Abyssal Dive should be leveled third.
W
Final items
Mercury's Treads should be final item in your build.
Rod of Ages should be final item in your build.
Zhonya's Hourglass should be final item in your build.
Heartsteel should be final item in your build.
Lich Bane should be final item in your build.
Rabadon's Deathcap should be final item in your build.
Quick Runes
Major rune Arcane Comet from Sorcery tree.
Minor rune Precision.
Summoner spells
Pick Ghost as your Summoner Spell.
Pick Flash as your Summoner Spell.

Rod of Ages Tahm Kench Runes

Sorcery
Sorcery major tree Summon Aery rune.
Sorcery major tree Arcane Comet rune.
Sorcery major tree Phase Rush rune.
Sorcery major tree Nullifying Orb rune.
Sorcery major tree Manaflow Band rune.
Sorcery major tree Nimbus Cloak rune.
Sorcery major tree Transcendence rune.
Sorcery major tree Celerity rune.
Sorcery major tree Absolute Focus rune.
Sorcery major tree Scorch rune.
Sorcery major tree Waterwalking rune.
Sorcery major tree Gathering Storm rune.
Precision
Precision minor tree Absorb Life rune.
Precision minor tree Triumph rune.
Precision minor tree Presence of Mind rune.
Precision minor tree Legend: Alacrity rune.
Precision minor tree Legend: Haste rune.
Precision minor tree Legend: Bloodline rune.
Precision minor tree Coup de Grace rune.
Precision minor tree Cut Down rune.
Precision minor tree Last Stand rune.
Passive
Passive tree Adaptive Force rune (+9 Adaptive Force).
Passive tree Attack Speed rune (+10% Attack Speed).
Passive tree Ability Haste rune (+8 Ability Haste).
Passive tree Adaptive Force rune (+9 Adaptive Force).
Passive tree Move Speed rune (+2 Movement Speed).
Passive tree Health Scaling rune (+10-180 Health (based on level)).
Passive tree Health rune (+65 Health).
Passive tree Tenacity And Slow Resist rune (+10 Tenacity and Slow Resist).
Passive tree Health Scaling rune (+10-180 Health (based on level)).

How it works

Rod of Ages Build specific
  1. You rush Rod of Ages.
  2. You play as Mage with more emphasis on sustain and mana.
  3. You buy AP items and adapt to an enemy team.

How to play

Rod of Ages Build specific
  1. Playing Rod of Ages Tahm Kench, your default rush is of course - Rod of Ages. You want to stack its passive as early as possible.
  2. Since you have HP synergy with your abilities, you can get Heartsteel as first item. You will play more like AP Tank with lots of health.
  3. Rod of Ages gives sustain with its second Passive. It recovers both health and mana.
  4. You can play this build very safely. Sustain from Rod of Ages alone is very powerful in ARAM. If you want to sustain even harder, you can get Kaenic Rookern (anti poke), Spirit Visage (more sustain) or even get Second Wind rune from Resolve.
  5. In cases, when an enemy team is full of tanks and HP stackers and you need to counter them, go Liandry's Torment.
  6. Adapt to an enemy team. They full of tanks and they rush MR? You rush Void Staff as #2 or #3 item. Their team is Soraka, Mundo or champs with healing? Rush Oblivion Orb as #2 item (upgrade to Morellonomicon as 4th or 5th item). They stack HP? You buy Liandry's Torment.
  7. Somebody is going after you each fight? Their assassins are focusing you on sight? Always getting R by Fizz? Rush Zhonya's Hourglass.
  8. Good MR item that works well with Rod of Ages is Spirit Visage and Kaenic Rookern.
Tahm Kench specific
  1. Horizon Focus is a great item on Tahm Kench.

Tips and Tricks

Build specific
  1. You can farm minions very well with your Q. Low cooldown and big damage. Get these siege minions!
  2. You can Tongue Lash (Q) + two autos + Tongue Lash (Q) + Devour (R) them from the distance.
General
  1. You can cancel your Abyssal Dive (W) with Flash in case of emergency.
  2. If you know you will get alive, don't use Thick Skin (E). Let it heal you instead.
  3. Want to hit Abyssal Dive (W)? Face the other direction to mislead the enemy.
  4. Hit Tongue Lash (Q) first, then use Abyssal Dive right away for certain hit.
  5. Just ate enemy player? Don't spit him out immediately. Wait for your cooldown, your allies and their cooldowns as well. Ping them if needed.
Riot
  1. Your most important function as a support is to keep fragile allies safe. Keep Devour's range and cooldown in mind and position accordingly!
  2. Consider carefully when to use Thick Skin's active. Sometimes shielding early to avoid further damage is good, but sometimes the healing is more beneficial.

Skill Order

  • Tahm Kench [object Object] ability.
    Q
    Tongue Lash
  • Tahm Kench [object Object] ability.
    W
    Abyssal Dive
  • Tahm Kench [object Object] ability.
    E
    Thick Skin
  • Tahm Kench [object Object] ability.
    R
    Devour

Items

Starting items
Tear of the Goddess item.
Ruby Crystal item.
Sapphire Crystal item.
Rush this
Rod of Ages item.
Optional #1 rush
Heartsteel item.
Boots
Plated Steelcaps item.
Sorcerer's Shoes item.
Mercury's Treads item.
Ionian Boots of Lucidity item.
Good items
Blackfire Torch item.
Shadowflame item.
Seraph's Embrace item.
Luden's Companion item.
Zhonya's Hourglass item.
Rabadon's Deathcap item.
Lich Bane item.
Heartsteel item.
Stormsurge item.
OK items
Lich Bane item.
Horizon Focus item.
Banshee's Veil item.
Against high MR
Additional considerations for these items is advised!
Void Staff item.
Cryptbloom item.
Sustain even harder
Spirit Visage item.
Kaenic Rookern item.
Warmog's Armor item.
Counter enemy
Additional considerations for these items is advised!
Oblivion Orb item.
Liandry's Torment item.
Morellonomicon item.
For the last fight
Additional considerations for these items is advised!
Seeker's Armguard item.
Elixir of Sorcery item.
Elixir of Iron item.
Example final build
Mercury's Treads item.
Rod of Ages item.
Zhonya's Hourglass item.
Heartsteel item.
Lich Bane item.
Rabadon's Deathcap item.