Summary
Kennen is a character who adapts easily to the situation. His kit contains poke, mobility and controls, so items that increase his damage or his initiation potential are to be preferred to take full advantage of his assets. Beware Kennen is played very close to the enemy lines, the Zhonya's Hourglass is therefore a must for this little ninja.
Boots
- Sorcerer's Shoes is your default choice as a wizard.
- Mercury's Treads is the best choice for a difficult heavy AP match-up.
Core items
- Hextech Protobelt-01 is mandatory: it allows you to push the wave quickly, but above all to get closer to your enemies when you use R - Slicing Maelström.
- Zhonya's Hourglass can be used after casting your ultimate, you'll then be able to be unkillable while dealing damage.
- After these two items Rabadon's Deathcap will greatly improve your damage.
Situational items
- Banshee's Veil can he handy if an enemy spell usualy block you.
- For more damage you can build either a Void Staff or a Morellonomicon.
- Againts scary close range match-ups, Rylai's Crystal Scepter can allow you to freely kite and is a good combination with Liandry's Torment to melt tanks.
Playing Kennen
Kennen is a versatile character, and useful at all times during the game. However, one must be careful not to fall behind so as not to die too quickly. Use E - Lightning Rush on a regular basis to move faster than your opponent, to help your jungle, or to get back on your lane faster. The most important thing with Kennen is to manage her Mark of the storm passively; every three spells hit on the same target will stun it for a short time, the same target can be stunned several times in a row.
Kennen is a good character to bring pressure during the laning phase. There are two ways to behave according to your opponent:
Close range match-up
- Level 1: Take W - Electrical Surge and auto-attack as much as you can while the enemy laner is farming. When an enhanced auto hits the enemy activate your W to deal more damage.
- Level 2: If any jungler can gank that early take E - Lightning Rush to follow the gank or/and help your jungler invade.
Ranged match-up
- Level 1: Q - Thundering Shuriken allows you to poke while keeping a safe distance.
- Level 2: W - Electrical Surge is often the good choice as it enhance your poking ability and your base damage.
In teamfights
When you need to join the rest of the team you can:
- Try to stay hidden on the side and find an opportunity to get into the fight by going behind the opponent's back by using R - Slicing Maelström on as many people as possible. This technique is the most effective with Kennen, but it is also dangerous to use. Make sure you have the Zhonya's Hourglass to survive and use your Flash to reach your target more easily. Then use the Hextech Protobelt-01 to maximize your damage and/or reposition yourself.
- Stay with your team and hit a maximum of Q - Thundering Shuriken in order to zone the opposing team, and only commit when they have lost enough HP. This approach is safer, but you lose the element of surprise when you want to use R - Slicing Maelström.
Match-ups
Tips and Tricks
- W - Electrical Surge can be used on invisible enemies already marked, you will see their position thanks to the animation of the spell but it doesn't give you the vision.
- E - Lightning Rush allows you to move through units, gives you magic resistance and armor on top of that, movement speed and an increase in attack speed at the end of the rush. This spell should therefore be used as much as possible.
- When E - Lightning Rush hits at least one enemy you get energy back.
- You can cast all your spells during E - Lightning Rush.
- E - Lightning Rush can be stopped sooner by reactivating the spell.
- You can use your Flash during the casting time of R - Slicing Maelström, and Q - Thundering Shuriken. Additionally, the Flash does not interrupt E - Lightning Rush.
- R - Slicing Maelström applies a maximum of three marks (one stun) per champion, and each successive R - Slicing Maelström hit inflicts 10% more damage.
