Hail, Champions! Monuments of Power is just around the corner, so we're kicking off a new series of theorycraft decks. This time, we're going to try doing one article per champion starting with the first revealed, Tahm Kench!
A quick reminder that you should be able to expect 1 free copy of Tahm Kench in the Champion Capsule from your Bilgewater Level 28 region reward, so keep that in mind when crafting. (If you already own all 3 copies, the capsule will default to another Bilgewater champion that you don't own 3 copies of.)
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1. Tahm + Soraka Aggro
Hypothesis: TK's constant self-damage from An Acquired Taste and Soraka's healing package will synergize great together.
Execution: An aggressive build focused on TK's self-damage allies (Crusty Codger, Boxtopus, etc) with Soraka and a few healing spells plus some combat trickery (Stargazer, Playful Trickster, Citrus Courier). (We'll feature a more healing-focused variant in Soraka's article.)
Why it could work: We anticipate a lot of healing decks in the new meta which will really hurt contemporary aggro decks like Pirate Burn and Discard. This deck could have enough utility to outmuscle the healing decks while still having enough early-game pressure to stop control decks.
Why it might not: Pirate Burn, Nightfall, and Discard have set an extremely high bar for competitive aggro decks. TK also might be an odd fit for aggro: you run constant risks of him getting killed and releasing all his detainees.
2. Tahm + Lux Bannerman
Hypothesis: Demacia offers a lot of synergies -- in particular, Detain and Mageseeker Investigator who can generate additional Detains off Bayou Brunch.
Execution: A mostly-Demacia Lux / Mageseeker framework featuring BannermanBADCARDNAME and Unyielding Spirit.
Why it could work: Lux has proven herself capable of thriving in multiple odd decks, and Bayou Brunch is great with either Mageseeker Investigator or Vanguard Bannerman. There's also Brightsteel Protector and Prismatic Barrier to protect Tahm against the damage from his An Acquire TasteBADCARDNAMEs.
Why it might not: It's a very odd combination -- Vanguard Bannerman really wants multiple units to shine, but Lux wants mostly spells. Plus the mageseeker package has been all but forgotten in recent metas.
3. Tahm + Ashe
Hypothesis: TK will benefit greatly from frostbite, since then he can cast An Acquired Taste without taking damage.
Execution: An Freljord-heavy Frostbite deck built around Ashe, Rimefang Wolf, and Rimetusk Shaman.
Why it could work: The Frostbites from Ashe and Rimetusk Shaman are essentially giving TK a 2-mana obliterate every turn.
Why it might not: Ashe has struggled in previous metas due largely to her small health -- she usually needs either some really strong pressure (e.g., Noxus yetis) or a method for reviving her ("Zombie Ashe") to be competitive.
4. Precipic's Tahm + Sejuani
Hypothesis: Pirate Burn + Frostbite/An Acquired Taste combo = success.
Execution: An aggressive pirate deck reminiscent of GP + Sejuani, but with TK instead of GP and lots of TK's new Bilgewater followers.
Why it could work: We already know Pirate Burn is powerful, and if Sejuani flips then she unlocks the same 2-mana obliterate trick we were attempting with the previous deck practically for free. Plus since all of TK's followers come pre-damaged, you can almost guarantee solid tempo plays from Take Heart and Kindly Tavernkeeper.
Why it might not: Gangplank has been a staple of Pirate Burn decks, so its uncertain how well the deck will function without him.
5. Mikaso's Tahm + Ezreal
Hypothesis: TK provides a reoccurring 2-mana targeting spell which is great for leveling Ezreal.
Execution: A standard Ezreal + TF deck but with Tahm Kench, Shakedown, and Bayou Brunch squeezed in TF's spot.
Why it could work: With this build, you almost don't care if TK dies or not. You can either use him as a stall tactic until you can land your Riptide Rex or to get a cheap targeting spell out every turn; either way helps your ultimate win condition of dropping a leveled Ezreal. Shakedown is also a great addition -- you get 2 ticks for the low price of 1 mana.
Why it might not: Ezreal is in a bit of a rough spot after his recent nerf, and even then it's not clear that TK is a clear upgrade from TF here.
6. Superkowboj1's TK + Swain
Hypothesis: TK might be able to clear a path for Swain to Nexus even without The Leviathan.
Execution: TK's self-damaging followers plus Swain, The Leviathan, a few Swain-staple damage spells.
Why it could work: Swain should be able to level extremely fast thanks to TK's followers, and if his L2 form ever strikes nexus its very hard for most decks to recover.
Why it might not: Similar to the last deck: it's not clear that TK is a clear upgrade from the existing Swain + TF archetype.
Are you excited for Tahm Kench coming out? What decks are you excited for? Tell us below!
Comments
Interesting thoughts. I'm not so sure about the "existing meta deck but with TK" approach, though. Seems like he'll benefit more from an entirely fresh look.
Thanks for the reminder that I only need to craft two of each new Champion going in.
Also, some of these decks look fun. Thanks!