Kayn Counters
The best Kayn counters in League of Legends patch 26.1 are Diana, Zed, Sylas, Amumu, Shaco. The best Kayn counter is Diana, with Kayn having only a 42.86% win rate in this matchup. Secondary patch 26.1 Kayn counter choices are Kindred, JarvanIV, Nunu, Warwick, Udyr. Below are the top Kayn counters and matchups alongside their win rates.
The Darkin Scythe
Kayn wields an ancient weapon and fights Rhaast, the darkin within it, for control. Either the Darkin will triumph, or Kayn will master Rhaast and become the Shadow Assassin.
Darkin: Heal for a percentage of spell damage dealt to champions.
Shadow Assassin: For the first few seconds in combat with enemy champions, deal bonus damage.
Reaping Slash
Kayn dashes, then slashes. Both deal damage.
Cost:- 40
Cooldown:- 7/
- 7/
- 6/
- 6/
- 5
Range:- 350
Blade's Reach
Kayn damages and slows targets in a line.
Cost:- 40/
- 45/
- 50/
- 55/
- 60
Cooldown:- 13/
- 12/
- 11/
- 10/
- 9
Range:- 700
Shadow Step
Kayn can walk through terrain.
Cost:- 90
Cooldown:- 21/
- 19/
- 17/
- 15/
- 13
Range:- 400
Umbral Trespass
Kayn hides in an enemy's body, dealing massive damage when he bursts out.
Cost:- 100
Cooldown:- 120/
- 100/
- 80
Range:- 550
- Fighter,
- Assassin
These champions are Kayn's hardest counters in League of Legends patch 26.1. Diana is Kayn's biggest counter with only a 42.86% win rate for Kayn. When facing these Kayn counter picks, focus on safe farming and waiting for jungle assistance. Avoid extended trades and play around your power spikes to survive difficult Kayn matchups.
Diana
Zed
Sylas
Amumu
Shaco
Kindred
Jarvan IV
Nunu & Willump
Warwick
Udyr
When facing Kayn in League of Legends, understanding Kayn's primary damage profile is essential for building effective counter strategies. Kayn deals primarily physical damage, which means prioritizing armor in your defensive itemization will significantly reduce Kayn's threat in fights. Top defensive items against Kayn include Plated Steelcaps, Frozen Heart, Randuin's Omen, and Thornmail. These items provide substantial armor stats that directly mitigate Kayn's damage output throughout all stages of the game.
From a champion selection perspective, the strongest Kayn counters are Diana, Zed, Sylas, and Amumu. These champions either out-trade Kayn in lane, have abilities that negate Kayn's core mechanics, or scale better into team fights. Diana in particular exploits Kayn's weaknesses by providing consistent pressure while being difficult to punish.
Beyond item builds and counter picks, successful counter play against Kayn involves understanding Kayn's power spikes and cooldown windows. Engage on Kayn when key abilities are on cooldown, and coordinate with your team to focus Kayn in team fights before Kayn can output maximum damage. Vision control is also crucial when playing against Kayn to avoid getting caught out of position. By combining proper defensive itemization with smart champion selection and strategic gameplay, you can effectively neutralize Kayn's impact and secure victory.
Understanding Kayn's power curve is essential for effective counter play. Here's when Kayn is most vulnerable throughout the game.
EARLYEarly Game (Levels 1-6)
Kayn may look for extended trades. Avoid long fights and kite with slows. Short trades favor you against sustained damage.
MIDMid Game (Levels 7-13)
Kayn becomes increasingly tanky mid game. Focus on kiting and percent health damage. Avoid fighting in choke points.
LATELate Game (Levels 14-18)
Kayn is very durable late game. Use armor penetration or anti-tank items. Focus squishier targets first if Kayn is too tanky.
Use these actionable tips to gain an advantage when facing Kayn in lane or team fights.
- Pick Diana or similar champions with kits that exploit Kayn's weaknesses
- Build Plated Steelcaps or Seeker's Armguard early to reduce Kayn's damage in lane
- Track Kayn's cooldowns and engage when key abilities are unavailable
- Ward Kayn's common roam paths and ping missing immediately
- Coordinate with your jungler to gank Kayn during vulnerable windows
- Group with teammates to deny Kayn solo picks
- Place control wards in flanking positions to spot Kayn's engages
Kayn performs exceptionally well against these champions in patch 26.1. Zac is Kayn's best matchup with a 59.74% win rate. When playing Kayn into these favorable matchups, look for early aggression and lane dominance. Kayn can capitalize on these champions' weaknesses to snowball leads and carry games.
Zac
Vi
Dr. Mundo
Rammus
Sejuani
Lillia
Ekko
Volibear
Wukong
Graves
Kayn Counters - Frequently Asked Questions
Who counters Kayn?
The best Kayn counters are Diana, Zed, and Sylas. These champions have favorable matchups against Kayn and can exploit Kayn's weaknesses effectively in League of Legends patch 26.1.
What is Kayn's hardest counter?
Diana is Kayn's hardest counter with Kayn having only a 42.86% win rate in this matchup. Zed (42.86% WR) and Sylas (43.33% WR) are also strong Kayn counters.
Who does Kayn counter?
Kayn performs well against Zac, Vi, and Dr. Mundo. These are Kayn's best matchups where Kayn has favorable win rates and can dominate lane in patch 26.1.
How do I beat Kayn in lane?
To beat Kayn in lane, pick a counter champion like Diana or Zed. Focus on trading when Kayn's key abilities are on cooldown, and build armor items to reduce Kayn's damage output. Ward defensively and call for jungle assistance if Kayn gains an advantage.
What items counter Kayn?
The best items to counter Kayn are Plated Steelcaps, Frozen Heart, Randuin's Omen, and Thornmail. These items provide armor which directly reduces Kayn's damage. Consider building these items early if you're struggling against Kayn in lane.
When is Kayn weakest?
Kayn is typically weakest during specific power troughs between item spikes. Exploit windows when Kayn's ultimate or key abilities are on cooldown. Coordinate with your team to engage on Kayn before Kayn can set up fights on Kayn's own terms.
How do I play Kayn into counter matchups?
When playing Kayn into counters like Diana, focus on safe farming, waiting for jungle assistance, and playing around power spikes. Avoid extended trades in unfavorable matchups and look for opportunities to scale into mid and late game.
What champions are similar to Kayn's counters?
If Diana, Zed, or Sylas are banned or picked, look for champions with similar kits that can exploit Kayn's weaknesses. Champions with crowd control, burst damage, or sustained damage (depending on Kayn's vulnerabilities) can serve as alternative counters.