This week features a another exploration into some of the options included in the latest Howl of the Wild book, including a feature other than just an ancestry! I have been thinking about this build for a while, waiting on the athamaru heritage for it since I heard about its inclusion. As always, this build is conceptualized entirely in a vacuum, with choices made in my best attempt to fit the character. These choice may not hold up in a campaign with different themes and should be adjusted accordingly.
If you prefer watching over reading, check out the YouTube video on the character.
Let's get into the build for Tahm Kench, the River King, from League of Legends!
TAHM KENCH, THE RIVER KING
CHARACTER Tahm Kench
SOURCE League of Legends
BUILD GOALS
o A demon who hides his hunger and greed behind a veneer of charm and civility, luring others to give into their own desires before devouring them
o He fights using a powerful tongue that is frog-like in nature – though he more resembles a burly catfish and one of his central concepts was a ‘fish tank’
o Tahm Kench is defined as a warden, a defense-focused character that locks down enemies while keeping their allies safe
o An Acquired Taste applies stacks with each of Tahm’s attacks, which also deal extra damage based on his max health
o He uses Tongue Lash to fire his tongue in a direction, damaging and slowing enemies hit. Hitting a champion heals him and if they have three stacks of Acquired Taste, they become stunned
o With his Abyssal Dive, Tahm leaps into waters that he summons before popping up elsewhere, damaging and knocking enemies up
o His Thick Skin stores a portion of damage he takes as grey health. Out of combat, he restores a portion of the gray health over time. Activating it converts all of his gray health into a shield
o Devour can either swallow an ally, protecting them and enhancing Tahm’s speed, or swallow an enemy with three stacks of Acquired Taste, suppressing and damaging them while slowing Tahm
o His Legends of Runeterra card is built around this concept, producing a card every turn that allows him to swallow creatures and obliterate swallowed enemies when he attacks
Summation of Goals: Tahm Kench is a demon whose sweet-talking sophistication disguises a horrible hunger, exemplified by the attacks he makes with his tongue and jaws – to the point where he even swallows enemies. His rotundness affords him considerable tankiness and he can dive into battle with an ally or himself through dark waters, emerging to disrupt foes.
LEVEL 1
Ancestry & Heritage: Hopeful Athamaru
o Ability Boosts & Flaws: +Strength, +Wisdom, +Charisma, -Intelligence
o Ancestry Feat: Coral Symbiosis
Background: Charlatan
o Ability Boosts: +Charisma, +Strength
o Skill Increase: Deception (trained), Underworld Lore (trained)
o Background Feat: Charming Liar
Class & Subclass: Frog Instinct Barbarian
o Class Ability Boost: +Strength
o Skill Increase: Acrobatics (trained), Athletics (trained), Intimidation (trained), Religion (trained)
o Class Feat: Moment of Clarity
Details
o Ability Boosts: +Strength, +Dexterity, +Constitution, +Charisma (Str +4, Dex +1, Con +1, Int -1, Wis +1, Cha +3)
The athamaru ancestry captures the piscine properties of this portly prevaricator while the hopeful heritage capturing his immensity. Regrettably, while I think the ancestry is a great base, its feats don’t quite match him. Coral Symbiosis works to provide him some extra measure of tankiness even if its effects are rather specific. The charlatan is an excellent fit to cover Tahm’s trickster ways – though he’s taking much more than mere riches when he comes to collect. Now counter to his urbane and slickster ways, Tahm has a deep and ravenous hunger that he unleashes when he rages as a barbarian. I went this route both to represent his tankiness, which encourages an immense pool of hit points, as well as a way to get him a tongue natural attack through the frog instinct, since that is his primary method of combat in League itself. At seventh level, this tongue attack will gain reach, replicating the reach of his Tongue Lash. Tahm does need a way to reel himself back in, both narratively and to use some of his later mechanical choices, and takes Moment of Clarity for that option. While Tahm doesn’t get to add his health to his damage, we’d have to go kineticist for that, barbarians have some of the highest health in the game while also receiving additional damage from their rage, distantly resembling the passive effect of his Acquired Taste.
LEVEL 2
o Class Feat: Sorcerer Dedication – Demonic Bloodline
o Skill Feat: Quick Jump
o Skill Increase: Society (trained), Survival (trained)
o Spell Repertoire: Cantrips – draw moisture, rousing splash
o Gear: predictable silver piece
LEVEL 3
o General Feat: Toughness
o Skill Increase: Athletics (expert)
o Gear: handwraps of mighty blows (+1), ring of discretion, predictable silver piece
LEVEL 4
o Class Feat: Basic Bloodline Spell
o Skill Feat: Underwater Marauder
o Gear: ventriloquist’s ring, handwraps of mighty blows (+1), flask of fellowship, predictable silver piece
LEVEL 5
o Ability Boosts: +Strength, +Dexterity, +Intelligence, +Charisma (Str +4.5, Dex +2, Con +1, Int +0, Wis +1, Cha +4)
o Ancestry Feat: Coral Growth
o Skill Increase: Diplomacy (trained), Religion (expert)
o Gear: handwraps of mighty blows (+1 striking), bracelet of dashing, ventriloquist’s ring, flask of fellowship, ring of discretion, predictable silver piece
Right off the bat, we want to take the Sorcerer Dedication for the demonic bloodline, resembling Tahm’s own abyssal allegiance. Given his association with water and the river, he takes draw moisture and rousing splash as his cantrips, with the latter offering greater benefit to him through the shield it provides – resembling the shield from his Thick Skin. He immediately makes use of this bloodline with the Basic Bloodline Spell feat to gain glutton’s jaw, which grants him temporary Hit Points whenever he hits with them to keep him nice and shielded while also resembling the heal of Tongue Lash when used against champions. We’re going to be looking into acquiring Abyssal Dive through mundane means, and that starts with Quick Jump – letting him leap into a fray rather than diving to emerge beneath it. Speaking of diving, he has Underwater Marauder given his residence in Bilgewater and his fishy appearance. Toughness helps secure him even more Hit Points and Coral Growth lets him spend more time out of the water without suffering ill effect.
LEVEL 6
o Class Feat: Basic Sorcerer Spellcasting
o Skill Feat: Powerful Leap
o Spell Repertoire: 1st – protection, 2nd – create food
o Gear: +1 coral armor, handwraps of mighty blows (+1 striking), lifting belt, ventriloquist’s ring, flask of fellowship, masquerade scarf
LEVEL 7
o General Feat: Fleet
o Skill Increase: Athletics (master)
o Gear: choker of elocution, +1 coral armor, anglerfish lantern, handwraps of mighty blows (+1 striking), bracelet of dashing, ventriloquist’s ring
LEVEL 8
o Class Feat: Basic Blood Potency – Cantrip Expansion
o Skill Feat: Lie to Me
o Spell Repertoire: Cantrips – haunting hymn, shield, 3rd – heroism*
o Gear: venomed tongue, choker of elocution, hauling weapon rune, +1 coral armor, handwraps of mighty blows (+1 striking), lifting belt
LEVEL 9
o Ancestry Feat: Skilled Swimmer
o Skill Increase: Religion (master)
o Gear: +1 resilient coral armor, boots of bounding, venomed tongue, choker of elocution, anglerfish lantern, handwraps of mighty blows (+1 striking)
LEVEL 10
o Ability Boosts: +Strength, +Constitution, +Wisdom, +Charisma (Str +5, Dex +2, Con +2, Int +0, Wis +2, Cha +4.5)
o Class Feat: Renewed Vigor
o Skill Feat: Hefty Hauler
o Gear: greater ventriloquist’s ring, +1 resilient coral armor, thundering weapon rune, boots of bounding, choker of elocution, handwraps of mighty blows (+1 striking)
There’s a higher leveled spell that Tahm wants, which leads to him taking Basic Sorcerer Spellcasting and likely using spells that are either about food or buffing himself. He also needs a later level sorcerer feat and thus needs to take Basic Blood Potency, using Cantrip Expansion to take shield for some extra protection when he can afford it though he prefers spells that he can pre-cast for a combat, before he rages. He returns to his raging roots for Renewed Vigor, the temporary health this grants resembling the shield of his Thick Skin. Powerful Leap further helps him get in the fight and Hefty Hauler may add him in bringing a friend along with him. He also picks up Lie to Me – Tahm might say that he’s simply twisting the truth rather than outright lying but he’s familiar with falsehood enough to recognize it when others spit it at him. Regrettably, the athamaru only have a 20 foot movement speed while on land, so Tahm finally takes up Fleet to at least put him on par with his comrades. Skilled Swimmer from his ancestry feat will help him move with greater ease through the water, ascending or diving with ease.
LEVEL 11
o General Feat: Fast Recovery
o Skill Increase: Deception (expert)
o Gear: handwraps of mighty blows (+2 striking), armbands of athleticism, greater ventriloquist’s ring, +1 resilient coral armor, boots of bounding, greater masquerade scarf
LEVEL 12
o Class Feat: Expert Sorcerer Spellcasting
o Skill Feat: Confabulator
o Spell Repertoire: 4th – unfettered movement
o Gear: +2 resilient coral armor, handwraps of mighty blows (+2 striking), ring of lies, armbands of athleticism, frost weapon rune, thundering weapon rune
LEVEL 13
o Ancestry Feat: Coral Reserve
o Skill Increase: Deception (master)
o Gear: handwraps of mighty blows (+2 greater striking), +2 resilient coral armor, bravery baldric (stoneskin), ring of lies, armbands of athleticism, extending weapon rune
LEVEL 14
o Class Feat: Sudden Leap
o Skill Feat: Slippery Secrets
o Spell Repertoire: 5th – blessing of defiance
o Gear: propulsive boots, handwraps of mighty blows (+2 greater striking), sharkskin robe, +2 resilient coral armor, instinct crown, ring of lies
LEVEL 15
o Ability Boosts: +Strength, +Constitution, +Intelligence, +Charisma (Str +5.5, Dex +2, Con +3, Int +1, Wis +2, Cha +5)
o General Feat: Cloud Jump
o Skill Increase: Athletics (legendary), Occultism (trained)
o Gear: +2 greater resilient coral armor, propulsive boots, greater extending weapon rune, handwraps of mighty blows (+2 greater striking), bravery baldric (stoneskin), greater hauling weapon rune
He hasn’t quite reached the spell he’s looking for yet, and so he takes Expert Sorcerer Spellcasting, looking at similar options as I’ve previously discussed. Sudden Leap is how we’re going to cover his Abyssal Dive, allowing him to bound into enemies rather than dive beneath them. I had another way of accomplishing this that we will discuss in the next block that is perfect but it involved a tough choice. He’s started increasing Deception and takes skill feats to back up that investment with Slippery Secrets helping to hide his sinister nature. It isn’t quite fast enough to represent the healing of his Thick Skin out of combat, but Fast Recovery fills the idea of this healing at least. He slips in Cloud Jump over another general feat to help him pull off long range Abyssal Dives with his Sudden Leap. From his ancestry feats, Coral Reserve helps him shake off certain conditions, which fits with a similar concept.
LEVEL 16
o Class Feat: Advanced Blood Potency – Crossblooded Evolution
o Skill Feat: Sacred Defense
o Spell Repertoire: 6th – snake fangs*
o Gear: greater thundering weapon rune, +2 greater resilient coral armor, platinum fortune’s coin, propulsive boots, handwraps of mighty blows (+2 greater striking), sharkskin robe
LEVEL 17
o Ancestry Feat: Coral Lifeline
o Skill Increase: Religion (legendary)
o Gear: handwraps of mighty blows (+3 greater striking), greater frost weapon rune, greater thundering weapon rune, +2 greater resilient coral armor, propulsive boots, greater extending weapon rune
LEVEL 18
o Class Feat: Master Sorcerer Spellcasting
o Skill Feat: Doublespeak
o Spell Repertoire: 7th – regenerate
o Gear: bracers of strength, handwraps of mighty blows (+3 greater striking), quickstrike weapon rune, greater thundering weapon rune, +2 greater resilient coral armor, greater boots of bounding
LEVEL 19
o General Feat: Supertaster
o Skill Increase: Deception (legendary)
o Gear: +3 greater resilient coral armor, bracers of strength, phantom shroud, handwraps of mighty blows (+3 greater striking), greater frost weapon rune, greater thundering weapon rune
LEVEL 20
o Ability Boosts: +Strength, +Constitution, +Intelligence, +Wisdom (Str +6, Dex +2, Con +4, Int +2, Wis +3, Cha +5)
o Class Feat: Unstoppable Juggernaut
o Skill Feat: Reveal Machinations
o Skill Increase: Performance (trained)
o Spell Repertoire: 8th – devour life
o Gear: handwraps of mighty blows (+3 major striking), +3 greater resilient coral armor, greater fortification armor rune, bracers of strength, greater dinosaur boots, quickstrike weapon rune
Thanks to his earlier investments, Tahm Kench can take up Advanced Blood Potency to gain Crossblooded Evolution. When he does, there are two stand-out options – firstly, he could take dive and breach, a perfect fit for his Abyssal Dive rather than trying to use Sudden Leap. However, I would actually use a new option from the same book that the athamaru came from, a little spell called snake fangs. This gives Tahm a fangs attack that deals poison damage, but more importantly, it allows Tahm to Swallow Whole a creature he has grabbed to resemble his Devour. If you want to take breach and dive instead, I would use grappling to simulate his Devour and likely take Thrash over Sudden Leap. At eighteenth level, Tahm can take Master Sorcerer Spellcasting to have access to 7th-rank spells, which will allow him to heighten snake fangs and increase its effectiveness across the board. There’s another choice at twentieth level – Unstoppable Juggernaut is probably the more useful option and does fit with Tahm’s tankiness or Impressive Landing combining with Sudden Leap to crash into the crowd, as a reverse of his Abyssal Dive that even makes enemies off-guard as a stand-in for the knock-up.
Tahm can find another way to gain temporary Hit Points representing his Thick Skin’s shield with Sacred Defense, making use of the Religion that he had to increase for his spells. He rounds out his skill feats with deeper dives into Deception, digging up Reveal Machinations as a way to debuff people and represent Tahm revealing that the time has come to collect. Coral Lifeline is an easy choice for Tahm Kench, and while this actually restores Hit Points, it could be treated as an emergency use of Thick Skin when he’s low on health. Naturally, he takes up the Supertaster general feat as his final choice as he finally gets up to master proficiency in Perception and it’s a perfect fit for this glutton.
FREE ARCHETYPE SUGGESTIONS: Obviously, Tahm Kench wants to pick up the Sorcerer Dedication in a free archetype game, taking all the options already described here. There’s an archetype in Howl of the Wild called the Thlipit Contestant that is all about fighting with the user’s tongue, which works to give him a reach tongue Strike even when he isn’t raging and has options such as Powerful Lash to increase its damage, Lassoing Lash to pull enemies around, and Snap Falling Fruit to protect allies, similar to how he can protect his teammates by Devouring them. With his freed up feats, he can take options that I mentioned such as Thrash, Impressive Landing, or a couple of the Athletics-focused feats such as Furious and Brutal Bully. He could also slip in a Friendly Toss as a way of transporting allies, as he does with Devour.
BUILD CONCLUSION
Tahm Kench, the River King is a hopeful athamaru barbarian with the frog animal instinct and the charlatan background, reflecting his manipulation of others to give into their desires before he devours them. He uses his sorcercer archetype to take a demonic bloodline, demonstrating his true nature. The barbarian class provides him with a massive pool of Hit Points while its rage lets him lash out with extra damage though these are mostly tangentially related. Still, it’s a good point towards the extra damage from his Acquired Taste passive. Speaking of his rage, his animal instinct grants him a tongue attack that gains reach, based on his Tongue Lash though he’ll have to rely on his Athletics investment to find a way to cover the slow or stun of this. By taking Basic Bloodline Spell, he can gain glutton’s jaw to gain an attack that grants him temporary Hit Points, matching the tiny bit of healing that his Tongue Lash affords him. We’re also looking at mundane ways to recreate his Abyssal Dive, taking Sudden Leap and jump-based feats to crash into the midst of enemies though this would be helped by slipping in Cloud Jump and Impressive Landing, if you can. Fast Recovery helps to heal him up a bit quicker, like how he recovers the gray health of his Thick Skin while the shield it can be converted into comes in the form of Renewed Vigor and Sacred Defense. Finally, by delving into his Sorcerer Dedication and building towards Crossblooded Evolution, he can pick up snake fangs and gain the ability to Swallow Whole – to Devour his enemies. Between his might and Hefty Hauler, as well as his sheer size, he might be able to cart allies around the battlefield, but unfortunately that aspect is a little lacking. This build makes Tahm Kench a true blue fish tank that can employ some surprising tactics thanks to his demonic bloodline and long tongue. The new spell snake fangs lets him swallow his enemies and has a duration that he can be casting it before the battle breaks out. He leaps rather than dives into the middle of enemies to disrupt them while out of combat, he uses his Deception to lure them into deals.
Dedicated to devouring dishes, this durable demon delights in deceiving dupes and drowning disputants while dreaming of dining on the desires of these dealers.
Let me know what you think and what other builds you would like to see!
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Have a fantastic Friday!