
Kayn, the Shadow Reaper
Overview:
Between the living scythe, the interesting jungling tools, and a unique mid-game transformation, Kayn has a lot going for him. This redesign is meant to capitalize on these things and push them forward, while further distinguishing the Shadow Reaper's two forms and tidying up some thematic oddities.
-
These changes are mostly meant to put more emphasis on Kayn's living scythe (since his current Q feels a little underwhelming for such a legendary weapon), turning it into a unique tool to master that truly feels different based on the color of edgy bad-boy behind the wheel.
As the Shadow Assassin, Kayn is now more slippery and elusive, with tools tuned to pick off vulnerable enemies at the back of their team's formation. Rhaast, on the other hand, wants to revel in carnage on the front-lines, pulling together groups of tankier foes and cutting them down to size.
-
Kayn's mechanics have changed moreso than his specific functions. His blue form and red form still want to do the things they currently want to do to the types of targets they want to do them to, but now with more emphasis on the Darkin Scythe's properties as a long-reaching slashing weapon magically bound to its user.
The main change here is Shadow Step, as ghosting through walls to heal himself felt like a major thematic mismatch (perhaps more appropriate for a burrowing grub). Kayn can still approach fights from interesting angles, however, whether it's by ninja-running over terrain as a Shadow Assassin, busting through walls as Rhaast, or suddenly leaping to a thrown scythe to stay ahead of opponents weaving through the jungle.
All values in blue are meant to give a general idea of the ability's properties, and are subject to change.
Class: Skirmisher (Shadow Assassin)/Diver (Rhaast)
Recommended Positions: Jungle
Complexity: Medium
Innate: The Darkin Scythe
Kayn wields an ancient, sentient weapon, that battles with him for control. Each instance of direct damage Kayn deals against champions and takedowns causes them to drop essence, red for melee chmpions and blue for ranged champions, that are automatically collected upon leaving combat, filling a bar around Kayn's portrait.
Once the bar is filled, Kayn can return to the summoning platform to interact with his portrait to either be overwhelmed by Rhaast or expel him to become the Shadow Assassin, or wait 4 minutes until the other form becomes available, reduced by 5 seconds for each collected essence of their type after that.
The transformation type is decided bsaed on the highest amount of damage dealt to the respective range type. If the two forms are within 8% of each other, the last champion range type hit will determine the transformation. If both types are hit at the same time, the transformation will default to Rhaast. The Transformation will permanently change Kayn's abilities and grant him Homeguard.
SHADOW ASSASSIN: If Kayn has been out of champion combat for over 8 seconds, or Soul Sunder's effects end, he deals 12% to 44% (based on level) of post-mitigation damage dealt against champions as bonus magic damage, lasting for 3 seconds upon entering combat and also applying on the first instance of damage dealt.
RHAAST: Rhaast heals for 34.5% to 43% (based on level) of the post-mitigation physical damage that he deals with abilities against enemy champions.
Q: Reaping Slash
Kayn performs a sweeping slash with his scythe in the target direction after a 0.75 second delay, dealing 75/95/115/135/155 + (65% bonus AD) physical damage to enemies it hits. If cast during Blade's Reach, Kayn will leap to the scythe's location before slashing in the target direction. Reaping Slash deals 80 bonus damage against monsters.
SHADOW ASSASSIN: Reaping Slash creates a living shadow that strikes in an arc beyond the initial slash after a 1.25 second delay, dealing Reaping Slash's initial damage, plus an additional 5/6/7/8/9% + (3% per 100 AP)% of the target's missing health as magic damage. Enemies will only suffer the slash's initial damage once.
RHAAST: Reaping Slash strikes all nearby enemies, pulls enemies within its range towards Rhaast during the initial delay, and deals 1/2/3/4/5% + (1% per 100 total AD)% of each targets' health as bonus physical damage.
Range: 490 (initial range), 490-700 (SA bonus range), 180° (initial angle), 360° (Rhaast angle)
Targeting Type: Skill Shot - Cone (initial, SA), Skill Shot - User-Based AoE (Rhaast)
Cooldown: 7/6.5/6/5.5/5
Cost: 50 mana
W: Umbral Trespass
Kayn dashes in the target direction, gaining 30/35/40/45/50% bonus movement speed for 3 seconds once he reaches his destination. The distance Kayn dashes is extended while moving over impassible terrain.
SHADOW ASSASSIN: While dashing, Kayn is untargetable, and can end the dash early with a movement command, leaping 350 units in the target direction.
RHAAST: While dashing, Rhaast charges through impassible terrain, and will shield himself for 60/70/80/90/100 + (10% total HP) and reduce Umbral Trespass's remaining cooldown by 50% the first time he does so. This shield rapidly decays if Rhaast hasn't dealt or received damage within 3 seconds.
Range: 475
Targeting Type: Skill Shot - Line
Cooldown: 21/19/17/15/13
Cost: 90 mana
E: Blade's Reach
Kayn throws his scythe vertically in the target direction and recalls it horizontally once it reaches its destination, dealing 45/70/95/120/145 + (65% bonus AD) physical damage to enemies it passes through. This ability can be re-activated while the scythe is in flight, causing Kayn to leap to its location and catch it.
SHADOW ASSASSIN: The scythe returns vertically, and a living shadow will catch it to slash at the first enemy it hits on its return, dealing 45/70/95/120/145 + (35% AP) bonus magic damage and slowing them by 90% for 0.75 seconds, before instantly returning it to Kayn.
RHAAST: Rhaast throws the scythe horizontally, and enemies struck during its return take 30/70/110/150/190 + (5% total HP) bonus physical damage before being pulled 350 units towards Rhaast.
Range: 900 (range), 300 (horizontal width), 100 (vertical width)
Targeting Type: Skill Shot - Line
Cooldown: 16/15/14/13/12
Cost: 60/65/70/75/80 mana
R: Soul Sunder
Kayn embeds his scythe in the target enemy, dealing 150/250/350 + (175% bonus AD) physical damage and slowing them by 30/40/50% for 3 seconds before returning with extra red or blue essence, depending on the target's range type. Using Reaping Slash or Blade's Reach during Soul Sunder will immediately recall the scythe.
SHADOW ASSASSIN: While Kayn is beyond 450 units away, the scythe deals 25/40/55 + (13% AP) magic damage to its target every 0.5 seconds and inflicts Grievous Wounds, while granting him 30/40/50% bonus movement speed for the duration. Upon returning, the scythe refreshes The Darkin Scythe's effects.
RHAAST: While Rhaast is within 450 units, the scythe deals 1.3/1.6/1.9% +
(2.1 per 100 bonus AD)% of the target's health as physical damage every 0.5 seconds, while granting him 40/55/70% tenacity and 50/75/100% bonus attack speed for the duration. Upon returning, the scythe heals Rhaast for 2.5% of his missing health for each time it dealt damage.
Range: 550
Targeting Type: Targeted
Cooldown: 120/100/80
Cost: 100 mana