Support Matchup

Tahm Kench vs Bard

Patch: 15.17 (25.17)
League: Platinum+
Tahm Kench

Tahm Kench

The River King
Support
Tahm Kench Support Overall Win Rate
48.36%

Matchup Win Rate

51.6%
Tahm Kench vs Bard Wins
⚔
48.4%
Bard vs Tahm Kench Wins
Bard

Bard

the Wandering Caretaker
Support
Bard Support Overall Win Rate
49.79%

Tahm Kench vs Bard - Support Matchup Guide Patch 15.17 (25.17)

Tahm Kench Support vs Bard Support - Who is stronger?

Tahm Kench Support has an advantage against Bard (51.6% win rate) based on 481 games. The matchup leans toward Tahm Kench.

View detailed statistics below: items, runes, and counter builds for Tahm Kench Support vs Bard Support in patch 15.17 (25.17), including win rates and pick rates. With proper study, this can improve your chances of victory up to 70%+ in this matchup.

Statistical Matchup Analysis

With 2.6% popularity, Tahm Kench constantly encounters meta-dominant Bard (5.9%, 11th place out of 53 Support champions). Understanding how to play against this popular champion becomes essential for consistent Tahm Kench performance in the current patch. Optimize for consistency: Hail of Blades paired with Cheap Shot (60.4% win rate, 1.5% popularity) provides the stats you need, while the item sequence Heartsteel > Titanic Hydra > Riftmaker with Plated Steelcaps delivers 70%+ win rate against Bard.

Lane wins, vision lags: While winning the matchup (51.59%), Tahm Kench trails in vision control (0.87 vs 0.96 wards/min). Better map coverage could unlock even greater team advantages. Complete superiority: Tahm Kench dominates both win rate (51.6%) and damage output (587 vs 512/min, 2nd among Support). The 75 damage/min difference creates massive snowball potential. Intriguing anomaly: Tahm Kench wins the matchup (51.6%) despite a lower KDA (2.30 vs 3.00). This suggests you win through macro influence and clutch plays in key moments rather than consistent individual performance.

Tahm Kench vs Bard - Support Stats Comparison

Tahm Kench Support
Tahm Kench Support		Versus
Bard Support
Bard Support
CTierA
51.6%Matchup Winrate48.4%
48.36%Role Winrate49.79%
#44Winrate Rank#27
2.6%Pickrate5.9%
2.3Average KDA3.0
309Gold per Minute321
0.87Wards per Minute0.96
587Damage per Minute512

How to Beat Bard as Tahm Kench (Support)

While statistically Tahm Kench is slightly stronger than Bard as support, neither champion has an overwhelming advantage in this matchup. The winner is determined by player skill and understanding the intricacies of the confrontation. Studying this guide will improve your chances of success.

The magic damage that Tahm Kench deals remains relevant in the late game. Look for opportunities to initiate or counter-initiate. Bard has mixed damage, be careful as it may be harder to defend if the opponent gets ahead or plays aggressively.

Consider the excellent vision control demonstrated by Bard, ranking 10th (versus 27th for Tahm Kench) in ward placement among supports. This means the opponent provides better map vision for their team. Meanwhile, their higher KDA (3.0 versus 2.3) suggests they participate more effectively in team fights.

Key aspects of the Tahm Kench Support versus Bard Support matchup

Despite the statistical advantage in the matchup, overconfidence can be the main mistake. It is important for the Tahm Kench player to maintain constant pressure on Bard, not allowing the opponent to safely scale up, and actively use the advantage gained to help their team.

Tahm Kench vs Bard: Support Summoner Spells

Most Popular

Flash
Flash Teleports you a short distance toward your cursor.
Ignite
Ignite Deals true damage over time to target enemy champion and reduces healing effects on them for the duration.
46.8% Win Rate70.2% Pick Rate

Highest Win Rate

Flash
Flash Teleports you a short distance toward your cursor.
Ignite
Ignite Deals true damage over time to target enemy champion and reduces healing effects on them for the duration.
46.8% Win Rate70.2% Pick Rate

Tahm Kench vs Bard: Support Runes

Most Frequent Runes

Primary Path
Resolve
Grasp of the Undying
Grasp of the Undying Every 4s in combat, your next basic attack on a champion will:
  • Deal bonus magic damage equal to 3.5% of your max health
  • Heal you for 1.3% of your max health
  • Permanently increase your health by 5
    Ranged Champions: Damage, healing, and permanent health gained are 60% effective.

    • Grasp of the Undying

    Every 4s in combat, your next basic attack on a champion will:Deal bonus magic damage equ…

    Shield Bash
    Shield Bash Whenever you gain a new shield, your next basic attack against a champion deals 5 - 30(+2.5% Bonus Health)(+15.0% New Shield Amount) bonus adaptive damage.

    You have up to 2s after the shield expires to use this effect.

    Shield Bash

    Whenever you gain a new shield, your next basic attack against a champion deal…

    Second Wind
    Second Wind After taking damage from an enemy champion, heal for 4% of your missing health +3 over 10s.

    Second Wind

    After taking damage from an enemy champion, heal for 4% of your missing health …

    Unflinching
    Unflinching Gain 6 - 12 (level scaling) Armor and Magic Resist when crowd controlled and for 2 seconds after.

    Unflinching

    Gain 6 - 12 (level scaling) Armor and Magic Resist when crowd controlled and fo…

    Secondary Path
    Precision
    Triumph
    Triumph Takedowns restore 5% of your missing health, 2.5% of your max health, and grant an additional 20 gold.


    'The most dangerous game brings the greatest glory.'
    —Noxian Reckoner

    Triumph

    Takedowns restore 5% of your missing health, 2.5% of your max health, and grant…

    Legend: Alacrity
    Legend: Alacrity Gain 3% attack speed plus an additional 1.5% for every Legend stack (max 10 stacks).

    Earn progress toward Legend stacks for every champion takedown, epic monster takedown, large monster kill, and minion kill.

    Legend: Alacrity

    Gain 3% attack speed plus an additional 1.5% for every Legend stack (max 10 sta…

    Adaptive
    Attack Speed
    Attack Speed Increases attack speed by 10%

    Attack Speed

    Increases attack speed by 10%

    Scaling Health
    Scaling Health Increases health from 10 to 180 HP across levels 1-18

    Scaling Health

    Increases health from 10 to 180 HP across levels 1-18

    Scaling Health
    Scaling Health Increases health from 10 to 180 HP across levels 1-18

    Scaling Health

    Increases health from 10 to 180 HP across levels 1-18

    45.9% Win Rate50.0% Pick Rate

    Best Win Rate Runes

    Primary Path
    Domination
    Hail of Blades
    Hail of Blades Gain 140% (80% for ranged champions) Attack Speed when you attack an enemy champion for up to 3 attacks.

    No more than 3s can elapse between attacks or this effect will end.

    Cooldown: 10s.

    Attack resets increase the attack limit by 1.
    Allows you to temporarily exceed the attack speed limit.

    Hail of Blades

    Gain 140% (80% for ranged champions) Attack Speed when you attack an enemy champion for u…

    Cheap Shot
    Cheap Shot Damaging champions with impaired movement or actions deals 10 - 45 bonus true damage (based on level).

    Cooldown: 4s
    Activates on damage occurring after the impairment.

    Cheap Shot

    Damaging champions with impaired movement or actions deals 10 - 45 bonus true d…

    Grisly Mementos
    Grisly Mementos Collect 1 memento on champion takedowns, up to 18 total.

    Gain 6 Trinket Haste for each collected. In game modes where vision Trinkets do not exist, instead gain 3 Summoner Spell Haste.

    Grisly Mementos

    Collect 1 memento on champion takedowns, up to 18 total.Gain 6 Trinket Haste fo…

    Ultimate Hunter
    Ultimate Hunter Your ultimate gains 6 Ability Haste, plus an additional 5 Ability Haste per Bounty Hunter stack. Bounty Hunter stacks are earned the first time you get a takedown on each enemy champion.

    Ultimate Hunter

    Your ultimate gains 6 Ability Haste, plus an additional 5 Ability Haste per Bou…

    Secondary Path
    Resolve
    Demolish
    Demolish Charge up a powerful attack against a tower over 3s, while within 600 range of it. The charged attack deals 100 (+35% of your max health) bonus physical damage.

    Cooldown: 45s

    Demolish

    Charge up a powerful attack against a tower over 3s, while within 600 range of …

    Second Wind
    Second Wind After taking damage from an enemy champion, heal for 4% of your missing health +3 over 10s.

    Second Wind

    After taking damage from an enemy champion, heal for 4% of your missing health …

    Adaptive
    Attack Speed
    Attack Speed Increases attack speed by 10%

    Attack Speed

    Increases attack speed by 10%

    Scaling Health
    Scaling Health Increases health from 10 to 180 HP across levels 1-18

    Scaling Health

    Increases health from 10 to 180 HP across levels 1-18

    Scaling Health
    Scaling Health Increases health from 10 to 180 HP across levels 1-18

    Scaling Health

    Increases health from 10 to 180 HP across levels 1-18

    60.4% Win Rate1.5% Pick Rate

    Tahm Kench vs Bard: Support Item Builds

    Most Popular Build

    Starting Items
    Stealth Ward
    Stealth Ward (0 gold) Active (210 - 120s, max 2 charges)
    Places an Invisible Stealth Ward that grants vision for 90-120 seconds.
    World Atlas
    World Atlas (400 gold)
    Health Potion
    Health Potion (50 gold) Consume
    Restores 120 Health over 15 seconds.
    45.3% Win Rate89.1% Pick Rate
    Popular Boots
    Plated Steelcaps
    Plated Steelcaps (1200 gold) 25 Armor
    45 Move Speed
    Plating
    Reduces incoming damage from Attacks by 10%.
    49.8% Win Rate47.9% Pick Rate
    Mercury's Treads
    Mercury's Treads (1250 gold) 20 Magic Resist
    45 Move Speed
    30% Tenacity
    45.0% Win Rate21.1% Pick Rate
    Boots of Swiftness
    Boots of Swiftness (1000 gold) 60 Move Speed
    Fleetfooted
    Reduce the effectiveness of Slows by 25%.
    44.9% Win Rate17.6% Pick Rate
    Core Build
    Giant's Belt
    Giant's Belt (900 gold) 350 Health
    ->
    Heartsteel
    Heartsteel (3000 gold) 900 Health
    100% Base Health Regen
    Colossal Consumption (0s) per target
    If an enemy champion is nearby for a few seconds, your next Attack against them deals 70 plus 6% of your max Health as bonus physical damage and grants 8% of the damage as max Health.
    Goliath
    For each 1000 max Health, gain 3% increased size, up to 30%.
    Unending Despair
    Unending Despair (2800 gold) 400 Health
    25 Armor
    25 Magic Resist
    10 Ability Haste
    Anguish
    Every 4 seconds while in combat with champions, deal magic damage to nearby enemy champions and heal for 250% of the damage dealt.
    Thornmail
    Thornmail (2450 gold) 150 Health
    75 Armor
    Thorns
    When struck by an Attack, deal magic damage to the attacker and apply 40% Wounds for 3 seconds if they are a champion.
    45.7% Win Rate18.1% Pick Rate
    Final Build
    Force of Nature
    Force of Nature (2800 gold) 400 Health
    55 Magic Resist
    4% Move Speed
    Steadfast
    Gain 70 Magic Resist and 6% bonus Move Speed after taking magic damage from Champions 8 times.
    98.9% Win Rate100.0% Pick Rate

    Best Win Rate Build

    Starting Items
    Oracle Lens
    Oracle Lens (0 gold) Active (160 - 100s, max 2 charges)
    Reveals enemy Stealth Wards and traps around you for 6 seconds.
    World Atlas
    World Atlas (400 gold)
    Health Potion
    Health Potion (50 gold) Consume
    Restores 120 Health over 15 seconds.
    50.5% Win Rate7.3% Pick Rate
    Highest Winrate Boots
    Symbiotic Soles
    Symbiotic Soles (900 gold) 40 Move Speed
    Voidborn
    Gain Empowered Recall.
    Symbiosis
    After traveling 150000 units of distance, transform into Synchronized Souls.
    79.3% Win Rate1.5% Pick Rate
    Plated Steelcaps
    Plated Steelcaps (1200 gold) 25 Armor
    45 Move Speed
    Plating
    Reduces incoming damage from Attacks by 10%.
    49.8% Win Rate47.9% Pick Rate
    Mercury's Treads
    Mercury's Treads (1250 gold) 20 Magic Resist
    45 Move Speed
    30% Tenacity
    45.0% Win Rate21.1% Pick Rate
    Core Build
    Giant's Belt
    Giant's Belt (900 gold) 350 Health
    ->
    Heartsteel
    Heartsteel (3000 gold) 900 Health
    100% Base Health Regen
    Colossal Consumption (0s) per target
    If an enemy champion is nearby for a few seconds, your next Attack against them deals 70 plus 6% of your max Health as bonus physical damage and grants 8% of the damage as max Health.
    Goliath
    For each 1000 max Health, gain 3% increased size, up to 30%.
    Titanic Hydra
    Titanic Hydra (3300 gold) 40 Attack Damage
    600 Health
    Cleave
    Attacks deal physical damage on-hit and to enemies behind the target.
    Titanic Crescent
    Empower your next Cleave to deal bonus physical damageOn-Hit and deal bonus physical damage to enemies behind the target.
    Riftmaker
    Riftmaker (3100 gold) 70 Ability Power
    350 Health
    15 Ability Haste
    Void Corruption
    For each second in combat with enemy champions, deal 2% bonus damage, up to 8%. At maximum strength, gain Omnivamp.
    Void Infusion
    Gain 2% of your bonus Health as Ability Power.
    100.0% Win Rate1.7% Pick Rate
    Final Build
    Force of Nature
    Force of Nature (2800 gold) 400 Health
    55 Magic Resist
    4% Move Speed
    Steadfast
    Gain 70 Magic Resist and 6% bonus Move Speed after taking magic damage from Champions 8 times.
    98.9% Win Rate100.0% Pick Rate
    Other Items

    Tahm Kench vs Bard: Support Skill (abilities) Orders

    Most Frequent Skill Order

    1
    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
    9
    10
    11
    12
    13
    14
    15
    16
    17
    18
    Q
    Q
    Tongue Lash Tahm Kench lashes out with his tongue, damaging and slowing the first unit hit and healing himself if he strikes an enemy champion.

    Applies a stack of An Acquired Taste to enemy champions. If the champion already has 3 stacks of An Acquired Taste, they are stunned and the stacks are consumed.
    Q
    Q
    Q
    Q
    Q
    W
    W
    Abyssal Dive Dive down and then re-appear at target location, damaging and knocking up all enemies in an area.
    W
    W
    W
    W
    W
    E
    E
    Thick SkinPassive: Tahm Kench stores a percent of the damage he takes and heals based on it while out of combat.

    Active: Convert all stored damage into a temporary shield.
    E
    E
    E
    E
    E
    R
    R
    Devour Tahm Kench devours a champion for a few seconds, dealing magic damage if they are an enemy, or shielding them if they are an ally.
    R
    R
    R
    Max Order: Q > W > E
    42.6% Win Rate66.1% Pick Rate

    Highest Win % Skill Order

    1
    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
    9
    10
    11
    12
    13
    14
    15
    16
    17
    18
    R
    Q
    Tongue Lash Tahm Kench lashes out with his tongue, damaging and slowing the first unit hit and healing himself if he strikes an enemy champion.

    Applies a stack of An Acquired Taste to enemy champions. If the champion already has 3 stacks of An Acquired Taste, they are stunned and the stacks are consumed.
    Q
    Q
    Q
    Q
    Q
    R
    W
    Abyssal Dive Dive down and then re-appear at target location, damaging and knocking up all enemies in an area.
    W
    W
    W
    W
    W
    R
    E
    Thick SkinPassive: Tahm Kench stores a percent of the damage he takes and heals based on it while out of combat.

    Active: Convert all stored damage into a temporary shield.
    E
    E
    E
    E
    E
    R
    R
    Devour Tahm Kench devours a champion for a few seconds, dealing magic damage if they are an enemy, or shielding them if they are an ally.
    R
    R
    R
    Max Order: Q > E > W
    83.3% Win Rate0.6% Pick Rate

    Tahm Kench tips:

    • Your most important function as a support is to keep fragile allies safe. Keep Devour's range and cooldown in mind and position accordingly!
    • Consider carefully when to use Thick Skin's active. Sometimes shielding early to avoid further damage is good, but sometimes the healing is more beneficial.

    Playing Against Bard

    • Bard's opponents can also travel through his Magical Journey doorways. You can follow him, if you think it's safe.
    • You can crush Bard's healing shrines just by walking over them. Don't let his allies take them without a fight.
    • Bard's ultimate, Tempered Fate, affects allies, enemies, monsters, and turrets alike. Sometimes it can be to your advantage to jump into it!

    Tahm Kench Support other Matchups

    Tahm Kench
    +3.9%
    Lux

    Tahm Kench vs Lux

    Tahm Kench
    +2.7%
    Blitzcrank

    Tahm Kench vs Blitzcrank

    Tahm Kench
    +1.9%
    Nautilus

    Tahm Kench vs Nautilus

    Tahm Kench
    +1.8%
    Alistar

    Tahm Kench vs Alistar

    Tahm Kench
    +1.3%
    Leona

    Tahm Kench vs Leona

    Tahm Kench
    +1.3%
    Braum

    Tahm Kench vs Braum

    Tahm Kench
    -1.8%
    Thresh

    Tahm Kench vs Thresh

    Tahm Kench
    -1.9%
    Rell

    Tahm Kench vs Rell

    Tahm Kench
    -2.0%
    Yuumi

    Tahm Kench vs Yuumi

    Tahm Kench
    -2.0%
    Nami

    Tahm Kench vs Nami

    Tahm Kench
    -2.0%
    Lulu

    Tahm Kench vs Lulu

    Tahm Kench
    -2.3%
    Milio

    Tahm Kench vs Milio

    Tahm Kench
    -2.7%
    Karma

    Tahm Kench vs Karma

    Tahm Kench
    -2.9%
    Pyke

    Tahm Kench vs Pyke

    Tahm Kench
    -3.6%
    Soraka

    Tahm Kench vs Soraka

    Tahm Kench
    -4.5%
    Senna

    Tahm Kench vs Senna

    Tahm Kench
    -4.8%
    Rakan

    Tahm Kench vs Rakan

    Tahm Kench
    -8.3%
    Morgana

    Tahm Kench vs Morgana