Introduction
Kassadin is a powerful champion in League of Legends who wields the power of the Void. He is a very popular champion who has seen play in competitive tournaments as well as casual play. He can be played as an assassin, mage, or even a tank, making him very versatile and powerful.
In this article, we will provide an overview of Kassadin as a champion and discuss his abilities, strategies, strengths, and weaknesses:
Overview of Kassadin
Kassadin is a strong mid-to-late game assassin champion in the League of Legends (LoL). Kassadin has a unique set of abilities that allow him to dodge damage and swiftly move around the battlefield. As a result, he can easily close the gap between himself and his enemies to dish out heavy burst damage.
Kassadin breaches the defense of opponents with his ultimate ability Riftwalk, allowing him to rapidly Orbwalk across the map. His other skills, Null Sphere and Force Pulse grant him ways to root enemy champions, harness bonus damage from moving around targets and absorb incoming magical damage.
Kassadin relies on early game dominance as he needs powerful items from minion kills in order to maximize his efficiency with spells late game. Items like Sorcerer’s Shoes, Archangel’s Staff, and Liandry’s Torment give Kassadin enough mana regeneration needed for frequent casting throughout team fights. To truly capitalize on his power spikes later in the game, items like Zhonya’s Hourglass or Rabadon’s Deathcap are essential parts of any finished build that strategies on playing aggressively or defensively with Kassadin’s kit.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Kassadin is a powerful duelist and assassin champion in League of Legends. He is most effective when played in the mid lane, where he can out-damage most of his opponents with ease. With the ability to traverse portals and jump into teamfights quickly, Kassadin dominates an engagement from the moment he arrives. However, despite his impressive damage output, Kassadin can struggle against certain matchups due to his lack of defensive stats and lack of an ability to counter certain spell setups from the enemy team.
Kassadin’s biggest strength lies in his ability to quickly close gaps between himself and other champions with his ultimate, Riftwalk. This gives him the advantage in close quarters battles, as well as a tool for fleeing sticky situations or chasing down fleeing enemies. It also makes him surprisingly resilient against burst damage due to its invulnerability frame. Additionally, Kassadin has good waveclear potential and decent mobility thanks to Netherblade, allowing him to roam around the map more freely or contribute more easily in team fights with consistent source of single-target damage from Force Pulse.
On the flip side, Kassadin is weak against ranged champions due to his low base stats & lack of mobility options early on; specifically champions that can outmaneuver him consistently like Ahri & LeBlanc. His lack of crowd control tools outside of Netherblade makes it difficult for Kassadin to maintain good vision control over key objectives such as Dragon & Baron as well as secure successful picks versus multiple enemies due to no form of Area-of-Effect (AoE) spells outside Force Pulse that needs time & resources build up which require multiple uses before being effective causing wasted time while other team members arrive on scene or vice versa which then puts a situation on disadvantageous turn regardlessly if it be offense or defense situation. Then comes itemization choices which relies heavily needing some very specific items on top priority choices like Zhonya’s Hourglass making building an all round item set much harder even with these inventory shifts between weapons making managing gold efficiently more challenging than ideal approach during combat scenario.
Abilities
Kassadin is a powerful champion in the game of League of Legends possessing a wide variety of abilities at his disposal. His abilities are designed to provide him with a great deal of mobility, allowing him to move through the battlefield quickly and safely. Additionally, his abilities make him formidable in both close-range and long-range combat.
Let’s take a closer look at Kassadin’s abilities and how they can be used to his advantage:
Null Sphere
Null Sphere is Kassadin’s first ability and provides him with a ranged nuke that is useful in both the laning phase and the late game. When activated, it fires a sphere of energy at the targeted enemy, dealing magic damage and silencing them for 2 seconds.
At higher levels, Null Sphere is capable of dealing massive area-of-effect damage because it can bounce to targets nearby the initial target. The cooldown time on this ability decreases with each rank while the damage increases steadily with each rank up to level 16 when it reaches its maximum power. This makes it great for burst damage and taking out large groups of enemies quickly. It also provides great waveclear capabilities in teamfights due to its moderate mana cost and short cooldown period.
Nether Blade
Nether Blade is Kassadin’s main form of damaging ability. It is a basic attack modifier (BAM) that passively grants him bonus magic damage on every third basic attack, with the amount scaling based off of his maximum mana. When activated, the ability launches a blast of energy in a line towards an area location, dealing damage and applying a stack of Nether Blade to all targets hit for 5 seconds. Upon accumulation of 3 stacks, victims are stunned. It also provides Mana restoration upon hitting an enemy champion with it.
Passive: Each basic attack against enemy champions deals bonus magic damage equal to 8/11/14/17/20 (+ 10% AP) + 6% bonus mana. The bonus mana is increased by 6% for every level gained past level one (e.g., Level 2: 12%, Level 3: 18%, etc.).
Active: Kassadin fires a line-shaped blast of energy that deals 85/125/165/205/245 (+ 70 % AP) magic damage and applies one stack of Nether Blade to all enemies hit by the blast, which lasts 5 seconds within a 725-unit radius or until it strikes its destination point beyond maximum blast range. Upon accumulating three stacks, enemies hit are stunned for 1 second.
Force Pulse
Force Pulse is one of Kassadin’s most powerful abilities in the game of League Of Legends (LoL). When used effectively, this move can clear up a whole wave in mere seconds. Force pulse is essentially an area of effect spell that deals high bursts of magic damage to all enemies within a certain radius. The spell has a great range which makes it effective for both clearing out large numbers or taking down an enemy champion in one burst.
Using Force Pulse+ Null Sphere combo can take down almost any champion from full health to zero in no time at all provided enough initial damage is dealt out. It also works as a good initiation tool when combo’d with Nether Blade and Riftwalk as Kassadin can quickly close the gap on unsuspecting opponents with great speed allowing for early kills before things even start happening. Lastly, force pulse also benefits from its long range allowing for even safer uses from extended distances if need be!
Riftwalk
Riftwalk is Kassadin’s signature ability. It is a targeted blink that propels him forward an impressive distance, allowing him to cross walls and pick up huge chunks of map quickly. Activating Riftwalk drains mana based on how far Kassadin has travelled recently, but the cost decreases as he builds more and more charges (up to a maximum of 5). Along with this, each charge increases the number of targets that he can hit with his next basic attack or Force Pulse.
Utilizing Riftwalk in tandem with these abilities allows you to combo your spells together in order to maximize the damage output and lockdown potential that Kassadin provides.
Additionally, if used correctly, Riftwalk can be an extremely powerful tool when it comes to tower diving or flanking enemies in teamfights. With its low cooldown as well as travel and damage potential across multiples targets, this ability is one of the primary lessons every Kassadin player should learn before mastering his skillset.
Playstyle
Kassadin is a powerful meleer assassin that can easily bring down an opponent’s health bar in the least amount of time. Though, he lacks in the crowd control and utility department, he compensates with his mobility and damage output.
When playing Kassadin players should look to be either farming with the Rift Walk or assassins to quickly eliminate enemy carries. He has relatively low cooldowns and a Manaless casting on all of his abilities, allowing him to use them repeated times at short intervals. His ultimate makes him perfect for assassinating single targets and fleeing after engagements when all of his other abilities are on cooldown.
When it comes to laning as Kassadin, he works best when paired with aggressive offensive allies that can search for openings and opportunities in order to help Kassadin burst down enemies with minimal effort and time. Furthermore, Kassadin is capable of roaming early game or diving turrets so it’s important for players to be proactive when looking for kills or searching for objectives around the map like Drake and Herald from minute 1:00-5:00.
That said, Kassadin generally needs items such as Lich Bane, Ludens Echo and Rylais Crystal Sceptar in order to perform at its highest potential late game within teamfights or skirmishes.
Tips and Tricks
Kassadin, one of the strongest champions in League of Legends, is always a good pick if you’re looking for a powerful champion that can turn the game around. Playing Kassadin requires a lot of skill and a deep knowledge of the game.
Here, we’ll look at some tips and tricks that can help you understand this champion and make the most of his power when playing him:
Positioning
Positioning and playing safe are your top priority when playing Kassadin. As a mage, Kassadin is particularly vulnerable to opposing frontliners. Therefore, you should always look for safe spots in the lane and try to avoid contact with enemy champions. Proper positioning will allow you to go for short trades and pressure your opponents without taking too much damage yourself. When laning, try to stay at a distance from your enemy laner so that he won’t be able to engage on you as easily.
Roaming is also essential for Kassadin, as it allows him to get more farm and benefit from teamfights that occur in other parts of the map. However, make sure that you’re not overextending while roaming since your opponents are likely to have an advantage over you in terms of numbers or map position. Make sure you’re paying attention to your surroundings when roaming and be prepared to use flash if necessary (for example if an gank is incoming).
When playing Kassadin during teamfights, make sure that you’re using his mobility spells and skills properly in order to get into a safe position while still contributing sufficiently in teamfights. Look for opportunities where you can use Force Pulse or Nether Blade on multiple targets without being exposed too much yourself. Additionally, remember that casting Riftwalk gives the enemies vision of your location so try not to overuse it unless it’s absolutely necessary!
Timing
Timing your abilities correctly with Kassadin can make a huge difference to your outcomes. Knowing the precise moment to use your abilities can also make you a much more formidable opponent. For example, timing Force Pulse can allow you to surprise enemies that are running away, while timing Nether Blade correctly ensures that you have enough energy for it when you need it. It is important to remember that cooldowns are shared between basic attacks and spells, so casting an ability does not interrupt or reset autoattacks or the cooldown on the other spells.
It is also important for Kassadin players to understand how to time their ultimate – Riftwalk. If used wisely, Riftwalk can be used to escape from dangerous situations or chase down enemies that are trying to flee from a fight. Unlike most champions in League of Legends, Kassadin does not have any innate crowd control so his ultimate provides him with a vital way of controlling fights. When using Riftwalk, it is important not only to consider the possible escapes it offers but also its offensive potential and how it can be used most effectively in combat scenarios.
Teamfighting
Kassadin’s teamfighting capabilities are quite potent due to his reliable damage output and impressive crowd control. When engaging in a big teamfight, his approach should be similar to other mages – close the gap with Force Pulse, then use Null Sphere and Nether Blade to chunk down targets. Once your main targets are low, keep casting Force Pulse and Nether Blade to stay safe from the enemy team’s front line while dealing more damage.
Kassadin’s most powerful tool for initiating a fight is Riftwalk. Ideally, it should be used just before the fight starts so Kassadin appears in the middle of the enemy team and can immediately Pool the tank or whoever else represents a dangerous foe. This will significantly increase your chances of getting at least an even trade from the ensuing clash as most enemies will be busy avoiding your ultimate’s area denial instead of focusing on you personally. With proper positioning and coordination with teammates, Kassadin can instantly decide who will carry all fights involving him if utilized correctly.
Itemization
Itemization is very important for Kassadin as it determines how effective he will be on the Rift. There are several options that should be considered when itemizing Kassadin, as it can greatly influence his build path, damage output, and survivability.
Through this heading, we will look at what items come into play when playing Kassadin, from core items to situational items:
Core Items
Having the right items for your champion is important to ensure victory in League of Legends. For Kassadin, these core items make it easier for him to sustain in teamfights, deal damage to enemies, and have a good amount of mobility.
- Rabadon’s Deathcap is an essential item that gives a huge boost to your Ability Power (AP). This helps increase Kassadin’s damage output.
- Void Staff gives Kassadin +40% AP penetration and increases his AP by +35%.
- Abyssal Mask increases his AP by +50, provides great magic resist, and reduces the magic resist 20% of all nearby enemies.
- Liandry’s Torment increases his Magic Penetration from 15% up to 25%, adds +50 AP and adds more Magic Damage with every ability he casts on enemies that are slowed, stunned or rooted.
- Rylai’s Crystal Scepter gives Kasasdin extra health for additional survivability in team fights and also provides slow movement speed on each basic attack and ability casted onto enemy champions giving him an advantage in chasing them down.
- Zhonya’s Hourglass is a fantastic item which increases his AP by +60 and provides active armor to shield himself from potential damage from enemies.
Purchasing these core items will give Kassadin enough power to handle battles against any enemy champions and the advantages you seek in order to win battles prowess.
Situational Items
Understanding the power and weaknesses of your champion can make all the difference on the battleground. In this section, we will cover what situational items work best with Kassadin in different scenarios.
Situational damage items
Certain kinds of damage, such as armor-piercing or bonus magic damage, can be particularly effective against certain adversaries. Opting for one of these situational items can give you a unique edge! Here are some we recommend:
- Void Staff: Increases the magic penetration of your spells
- Rylai’s Crystal Scepter: Adds bonus ability power and health, as well as slowing enemies hit by Kassadin’s spells
- Liandry’s Torment: Grants bonus ability power and magic penetration while also dealing additional spell burn damage over time
- Deathfire Grasp: Grants bonus ability power and cooldown reduction while providing a passive that deals damage based on a percentage of enemy champions’ current health
Situational defense items
Determining when you need extra defense from physical attacks or resistance to crowd control is key to making it out alive in fights. Consider these options when things might turn awry for Kassadin!
- Banshee’s Veil: Grants additional health, mana, and a shield that blocks one enemy spell every 45 seconds
- Rod of Ages: Provides flat health, mana regeneration per 5 seconds, and additional ability power
- Guardian Angel: Provides additional armor, magic resistance and restores half your maximum health on death each time
- Quicksilver Sash: Cleanse any crowd control effect it its active duration is incomplete
Conclusion
Kassadin is a powerful champion with a distinctive playstyle that allows for both aggressive and defensive play. His passive, Netherblade, and his ultimate, Riftwalk, are both key abilities that strengthen every Kassadin build and allow him to be consistent throughout the game. Whether you’re using Kassadin to counter specific champions or simply pushing lane aggressively, he’s an efficient pick that can shift the tide of battle in your favor.
Kassadin is a great champion to learn how to control mana costs and balance offense with defensive plays. He has impressive burst potential as well as strong CC options that can help jungle quickly and secure objectives for the team. Those willing to play around with his Q/E combinations can discover new combo routes that may surprise members of their team in the enemy team in thrilling exchanges. He is more than capable of putting on an impressive show even at the highest levels of competitive play.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is Kassadin’s role in League of Legends?
A: Kassadin is a mage assassin in League of Legends. He is often played in the mid lane, where he can use his powerful crowd control and mobility to outplay his opponents.
Q: What is the best way to play Kassadin?
A: The best way to play Kassadin is to focus on his strengths, which are his mobility and crowd control. Try to get the jump on enemies with his ultimate, Riftwalk, and use his Null Sphere and Force Pulse to disable enemies and set up kills.
Q: What are the best items for Kassadin?
A: The best items for Kassadin are items that increase his mobility, such as Ionian Boots of Lucidity, and items that increase his damage, such as Rabadon’s Deathcap and Void Staff. Other items that can be useful are items that increase his survivability, such as Banshee’s Veil and Zhonya’s Hourglass.