K'Sante has a split personality — tank mode provides CC and peel while All Out mode is an assassin. Learn the Q three-hit timing for the knockup, W max-charge for the knockback, and R to isolate the priority carry for a 1v1 you always win.
Abilities
Skills Overview
P
Dauntless Instinct
Passive
K'Sante's Abilities mark targets to take more damage on his next Attack.When All Out, K'Sante deals more damage with all Attacks and Abilities.
Q
Ntofo Strikes
Ntofo Strikes — Three-part smash combo, third hit knocks up
K'Sante strikes, damaging and slowing enemies in a short line.On hit, grants a stack of Ntofo Strikes. At 2 stacks, K'Sante fires a shockwave that pulls enemies in.When All Out, cooldown is reduced.
CD: 3.5 · Cost: 20
Full three-hit Q combo deals the knockup on the third hit — time the third Q for when the enemy can't dodge.
W
Path Maker
Path Maker — Hold to charge, deals damage in a line and knocks enemies back
K'Sante charges up, taking reduced damage, then dashes, knocking back and stunning enemies.When All Out, deals increased damage and no longer knocks back or stuns.
CD: 14/13/12/11/10 · Cost: 40/45/50/55/60
Hold W at max charge for the knockback — release early for shorter stun. Aim W to push enemies into walls.
E
Footwork
Footwork — Dash that can dash to ally or toward enemy; Parry incoming abilities
K'Sante dashes and gains a shield. If targeting an ally, K'Sante dashes to the ally with increased range and both gain a shield.When All Out, cooldown is reduced and speed is increased.
CD: 10/9.5/9/8.5/8 · Cost: 45/50/55/60/65
E can dash toward or away — use it to parry key abilities during the gap. Time E parry on Malphite R.
R
All Out
All Out — Dash enemy out of teamfight into isolated 1v1; transforms K'Sante into carry form
K'Sante knocks an enemy back, launching them through any wall in their path. Then, K'Sante goes All Out and dashes after them, gaining increased damage, healing, and transformed abilities at the cost of reduced defenses.
CD: 120/100/80 · Cost: 100
R an isolated carry or the enemy carry in teamfights — brings them to a separate area for a guaranteed 1v1.
Skill Leveling Order — Max Q for maximum CC application and damage. Then W for knockback range, last E.
| Level | Q | W | E | R | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | |||||
| 2 | |||||
| 3 | |||||
| 4 | |||||
| 5 | |||||
| 6 | |||||
| 7 | |||||
| 8 | |||||
| 9 | |||||
| 10 | |||||
| 11 | |||||
| 12 | |||||
| 13 | |||||
| 14 | |||||
| 15 | |||||
| 16 | |||||
| 17 | |||||
| 18 |
Itemization
Recommended Builds
Starter
Doran's Shield
HP sustain for early laning — K'Sante needs to reach his Q three-hit combo safely.
450g
Core
Sunfire Aegis
Burns nearby enemies during Q combo trading windows. HP for R All Out damage scaling.
2700g
Dead Man's Plate
Move speed to close the gap for Q three-hit combos. Momentum damage on first hit.
2900g
Thornmail
Grievous Wounds and reflect vs healing comps. Armor for sustained melee fighting.
2700g
Situational
Force of Nature
MR vs AP-heavy comps. Move speed after taking magic damage.
2900g
Spirit Visage
MR and healing amp. HP sustain between long trade windows.
2900g
Randuin's Omen
AoE attack speed reduction vs crit ADC comps. Armor stacking amplifies All Out damage.
2700g
Stack armor and MR — All Out damage scales with your defensive stats, making tank items simultaneously defensive and offensive.
Runes
Resolve Primary
Grasp of the Undying
Free HP every 4 seconds — HP scaling amplifies All Out damage scaling in R form.
Shield Bash
E parry activates shield — Shield Bash empowers the next attack during E parry window.
Conditioning
Free armor/MR at 12 min — both stats amplify R All Out burst damage scaling.
Overgrowth
Permanent HP from minions — more HP means more All Out damage and tankiness.
Precision Secondary
Triumph
Kill heals during All Out 1v1 scenarios — sustain through the isolated fight.
Legend: Tenacity
CC breaks Q three-hit combo timing — tenacity keeps Q hits connecting through slows.
Shards
Health · Armor · Health
Gameplay
How to Play K'Sante
01
Early Game
Early Phase
- Q three-hit combo for the knockup — space the Q hits so the enemy can't dash away from the third.
- W at max charge pushes enemies into walls or away from objectives.
- E parry to dodge key abilities during trades.
- At 6, R isolates the enemy laner for a near-guaranteed kill.
02
Mid Game
Mid Phase
- Frontline in teamfights — Q CC, W knockback, E parry.
- R their ADC during a teamfight to isolate the primary damage source while your team fights 4v4.
- Post-R, win the 1v1 with All Out burst.
03
Late Game
Late Phase
- Full armor K'Sante's All Out burst is devastating — tank items deal carries' worth of damage when All Out activates.
- Be the engage, peel, and assassin simultaneously depending on the teamfight situation.
Teamfighting
How to Teamfight as K'Sante
K'Sante is a CC frontline who can R a carry out of the fight for an isolated 1v1. His Q knockup, W knockback, and E parry provide sustained CC while R removes the biggest threat.
1
Engage — Q Three-Hit Knockup
Fight opener
01
Q three times consecutively — the third Q knockup sets up W knockback or R engage.
02
W max-charge into terrain if knockup connects near a wall — maximum knockback displacement.
03
E parry any key incoming ability during the gap between Q hits.
The Q three-hit must all connect — if an enemy dashes between hits, you lose the knockup. Time Q hits to follow their movement.
2
R — Isolate the Carry
All Out phase
01
R the enemy carry — dash both K'Sante and the carry to a separate area.
02
All Out burst deals scaling damage based on your armor and MR — tank items deal carry damage.
03
Q knockup in All Out form deals significantly more burst damage than tank form.
3
Return — Tank Form Cleanup
Post-All Out
01
Return to teamfight after winning the isolated 1v1 — your team fought 4v4 while you isolated the carry.
02
Q remaining targets for CC to keep enemies from escaping the 4v4 conclusion.
03
W knockback any enemy who tries to disengage from your team.
All Out damage scales with your defensive stats — full armor K'Sante deals more All Out burst than AP builds. Never skip tank items for damage items.
Tips & Tricks
Advanced Mechanics & Hidden Tech
Advanced mechanics for K'Sante.
Basic
Q three-hit knockup requires all three hits
space them to follow the enemy's movement path.
Intermediate
W max-charge is the important version
short W is just damage, max W is the game-winning knockback.
Intermediate
E parry timing is your skill expression
E parry Malphite R, Darius E pull, or Camille E hookshot.
Advanced
R the carry in teamfights, not the tank
All Out 1v1 vs their ADC is a free win with tank items.
Basic
All Out damage scales with armor and MR
every tank item is also an offensive item in All Out mode.
Intermediate
Shield Bash procs during E parry shield
the empowered auto deals bonus damage after successful parry.
Advanced
Dead Man's Plate move speed lets you reach Q three
Dead Man's Plate move speed lets you reach Q three-hit range before enemies can disengage.
Advanced
Your W pushes enemies toward walls
position fights near terrain for maximum W knockback value.
Matchups
Counters & Matchups
K'Sante is countered by high-mobility champions who can dodge his Q three-hit combo and champions who can match his All Out 1v1 damage.
Click any matchup to expand tips & how to play against them
Loses Against
Fiora's W Parry blocks K'Sante's Q third hit knockup. Her Vital true damage ignores his defensive stat scaling.
Bait Fiora's W before throwing the third Q. Her Parry has a long CD early — punish the window immediately.
Vayne's true damage bypasses K'Sante's armor scaling that powers his All Out damage. Condemn disrupts Q three-hit timing.
E parry Vayne's Condemn to avoid the stun angle. Build Force of Nature vs her — the magic shield helps survive Silver Bolt scaling.
Camille's R overrides K'Sante's R isolation — her zone supersedes his All Out area. Her W true damage ignores defensive scaling.
R before Camille sets up her own R. The first R determines whose zone takes priority in the isolation.
Wins Against
Garen has no mobility to escape K'Sante's Q three-hit combo. His silence is too short to prevent the full knockup.
Q three-hit when Garen walks up for Q last-hit. His immobility guarantees the knockup connection.
E parry blocks Darius's E pull — his primary engage tool is negated. Q three-hit CC prevents Hemorrhage stacking.
E parry Darius's E pull timing. Without his pull, he can't stack Hemorrhage or use his Q heal effectively.
K'Sante's Q CC and W knockback completely prevent Nasus stacking. His Wither doesn't stop the Q three-hit combo from connecting.
Q harassment denies all Q stacking. W knockback into walls prevents Nasus from positioning for his melee autos.