Role: Mage
Lane: Toplane
Table of Contents
The best build for Kennen Top includes Hextech Rocketbelt, Sorcerer's Shoes, Shadowflame, Zhonya's Hourglass, and Rabadon's Deathcap. The most effective rune setup consists of Summon Aery, Nimbus Cloak, Transcendence, and Scorch in the primary tree, along with Taste of Blood and Ultimate Hunter in the secondary tree.
Kennen thrives by using his range advantage to bully melee champions during the laning phase. By staying at max range, you make it difficult for them to trade back effectively. When playing against champions with disengage or peel, position yourself in a way that allows you to flank during team fights. This ensures you can use your Ultimate to its full potential, catching multiple enemies in a well-timed engage. Kennen is flexible in his build path; he can be played either as an AP champion or with an on-hit style, depending on what your team needs and what damage types will benefit you the most.
For summoner spells, Flash and Teleport are ideal for positioning and map control. When selecting runes, Summon Aery is the go-to keystone, followed by Nimbus Cloak, Transcendence, and Scorch in the primary tree for increased mobility and damage. The secondary tree offers Taste of Blood and Ultimate Hunter to sustain in lane and reduce your ultimate's cooldown. When it comes to rune shards, Attack Speed in offense, Adaptive Force in flex, and Health Scaling in defense will help you adapt to various matchups.
For your items, start with Hextech Rocketbelt for mobility and burst damage. Sorcerer's Shoes follow to maximize magic penetration, and Shadowflame provides extra power and penetration for your abilities. To scale into the late game, build Zhonya’s Hourglass for survivability, Rabadon’s Deathcap for a huge AP boost, and Void Staff to pierce through enemy defenses.
In an alternative approach, you can opt for Liandry's Torment as your first item to maximize damage over time. Follow it with Sorcerer's Shoes and Shadowflame to keep up the pressure in fights. Finish your build with Zhonya’s Hourglass for extra protection, Void Staff for magic penetration, and Rabadon’s Deathcap for a significant damage increase. This build also focuses on maximizing your power through damage amplification.
For a unique playstyle, you can go with First Strike as your keystone for additional gold generation and burst damage. Combine this with Magical Footwear, Time Warp Tonic, and Cosmic Insight for better mobility and cooldown reduction. Build Hextech Rocketbelt as your first item, then Sorcerer's Shoes for speed and penetration. Follow with Shadowflame and complete your build with Zhonya’s Hourglass, Rabadon’s Deathcap, and Void Staff to scale effectively through the game.
Your build may change depending on the context of the game. Take a closer look at your team composition, the enemy's champions, and your current lane matchup. For example, if you need more durability, consider adjusting your rune shards to include Armor or Magic Resist based on the champion you are facing. Similarly, adjust your itemization to suit the situation; defensive options or more penetration may be necessary as the game progresses.