Build variants — patch 7.2
Three reads of the same champion, computed by our engine on official CN server data (current-patch stats, ratios and prices): a reliable base to adapt to your game.
Vs AD comps
14,600 — total cost
Vs AP comps
14,450 — total cost
Recommended bootsPlated Steelcaps
Recommended runesGrasp of the Undying
Power spikes (computed)
Early (1-5)2/10
Mid (6-10)1/10
Late (11-15)1/10
Lv 4 Q rank 2Lv 6 Randuin's OmenLv 13 Warmog's Armor + Ultimate rank 3
Situational adaptations
ThornmailAgainst healing (Soraka, Aatrox, lifesteal…)
Mantle of the Twelfth HourAgainst AD burst (assassins, Zed, Rengar…)
Gargoyle StoneplateAgainst AP burst (Syndra, Fizz, Evelynn…)
The detailed guide below dates from patch 7.0e and is being rewritten — for the current meta, rely on the variants above.
This build prioritizes survival, crowd control and punctual burst. Iceborn Gauntlet provides CC and CDR, Thornmail reflects AD damage and applies anti-heal, and Warmog's Armor makes K'Santé extremely hard to finish — perfectly fitting his warden tank engage role.
Recommended Build
Starter
Ruby Crystal
Iceborn Gauntlet
Slows enemies after each spell and grants CDR, ideal for an engage tank who spams abilities
Thornmail
Tanks AD carries and reflects damage back with anti-heal
Warmog's Armor
Pure HP scaling to hold in teamfights, out-of-combat HP reset between engages
Boots & enchant
Plated Steelcaps
Alternative vs AP / CC
Mercurys Treads
Mercurys Treads
Skill order
›
›
1468
271011
3121415
5913
Runes
Grasp Of The Undying
Perfect for a melee tank, grants life and resistance each exchange, fitting K'Santé's engage nature.
Demolish
Enables faster turret destruction to accelerate objective timings.
Second Wind
Very useful to recover health after a tight exchange with a carry or poker in top lane.
Overgrowth
Makes K'Santé increasingly resistant over time, reinforcing his late game tank role.
Transcendence
Grants CDR when leveling up, helping spam Q, W and E, especially during All Out windows.
Situational Items
vs AD/Crit
Amaranth's Twinguard
›
Randuin's Omen
Amaranth's Twinguard
Randuin's Omen
vs AP
Mercury's Treads
›
Spirit Visage
Mercury's Treads
Spirit Visage
Build timing
First control-tank item
His first real tank-control item gives him the threshold he needs to survive the first phase of a fight before deciding whether to stay as a guardian or go All Out. With a tool like Iceborn Gauntlet, he controls trade exits better, sticks to targets more reliably, and punishes positioning errors more cleanly. This spike is not only about tanking: it makes his decisions steadier and his entries less forced.