The River King – Tahm Kench took back his throne in Top lane after the minor rework in Patch 11.13.
Tahm Kench, who debuted with a minor rework in update 11.13, has a new mobility skill, the ability to disrupt the enemy’s backline, and the capacity to become terribly annoying in lane with the new recovery mechanic added in his Q. (Tongue Lash). In the top lane, the River King has a win rate of more than 52% (from Platinum level and above). He is basically unafraid of any top lane matchups (except for hard counters like Vayne, Illaoi, and Heimerdinger).
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The reason why Tahm Kench became a hot pick for top lane
Tahm Kench is subjected to significant modifications in his kit.
Riot Games has made some significant changes to Tahm Kench. Tahm Kench will dive and then emerge in the target location, dealing damage and knocking up opponents’ hit for 1 second with the new W – Abyssal Dive. This knocking ability has resulted in annoyance for the opponents and become a strong opening tool for ganks and combats – which the “old” Kench has been lacking off.
Meanwhile, Q – Tongue Lash will have the ability to restore 6-10% of lost health and mark the passive on champion hits. In other words, the lower his health, the more health he recovers; this skill is particularly useful in unexpected outplay situations.
Meanwhile, top lane players should consider utilizing Ignite instead of Flash because W is now a highly powerful chase/escape weapon. The player has the potential to take advantage of the early game while using Ignite.
A strong playstyle and great pressure in the lane.
As “Grasp of the Undying” Tahm Kench with Frostfire Gauntlet is brought to the top lane, opponents will find it difficult to escape when Tongue Lash’s range increases as his body become larger. Meanwhile, Tahm Kench exchanges exceptionally effectively with just one combination of Basic Attack + Q + Basic Attack + Passive of attacks at level 1.
If you get to level 2 first, you may totally use W up, annoy your opponent, and take advantage. When you wish to approach the opponent from a distance, use Q slow + W to make the opponent harder to evade. Tahm Kench is also a great Tower Dive and anti-Tower Dive champion with Thick Skin (E).
When the River King is aggressively freezing cs, he exerts invisible pressure on the other team. Tahm Kench may W behind the opponent and chase them away from receiving any EXP from minions when the other team’s top laner needs to farm far away from the tower. Tahm Kench appears to have an easier time after he reaches level 6. The opposition team will have a difficult time escaping from his R.
Furthermore, Tahm Kench’s W – Abyssal Dive is very adaptable in his ability to roam and support the jungle. Meanwhile, R – Devour may also be utilized to help teammates in critical moments.
With the mentioned advantage from his kit, Tahm Kench has proven to be one of the best picks in Patch 11.14. Try the River King out today and see if you can dominate your lane with ease.