The new League of Legends champion, Zaahen, arrives as the latest member of the Darkin—a faction born from the corruption of the Ascended. He carries echoes of Aatrox, Rhaast, and Varus among the Darkin, as well as some other champions like Xin Zhao and Pantheon.

In this guide, you’ll get a detailed explanation of Zaahen’s abilities, release timing, and lore background. We’ll also explain his role, teamfighting potential, and how to play and counter him.

Who Is Zaahen In League of Legends?

Zaahen is the newest Darkin champion in LoL. Once an Ascended warrior who chose self-imprisonment over madness, he returns to the Rift as “the Unsundered.”

His story intersects with the history of Shurima and the fallout of the Ascended corruption. The new cinematic trailer places him within the ongoing conflicts of Runeterra.

Connection To Existing Darkin

Zaahen’s kit in LoL and overall theme are very reminiscent of several other Darkin champions, mainly the older version of Aatrox and Kayn/Rhaast. The official storyline mentioned that Zaahen is another Darkin who turned against his own kind, then sealed himself—until now.

Zaahen And Xin Zhao Confusion Explained

In the Twilight’s End cinematic, Xin Zhao appears to offer himself as Zaahen’s host—probably a deliberate nod to the Darkin host lore and a pivot from Demacia’s storyline. While we still have no official information about what actually happened to Xin Zhao afterward, it’s highly unlikely that he will be removed from the playable roster.

When Does Zaahen Release In League of Legends?

Zaahen hits the League of Legends live servers on November 19, 2025, during LoL Patch 25.23, with official rollout slated for 11 AM PDT. The new champion has already arrived on the PBE servers on November 10, 2025, which means that some players can already play him, provided that they have a PBE account.

Keep in mind that the new LoL champion’s general damage scaling on PBE may be tuned, and Zaahen’s final numbers will likely get adjusted before release. Even if he arrives overpowered on the live servers, Riot could introduce a day-one hotfix to balance things out.

Zaahen’s Abilities Explained

Zaahen’s ability rundown confirms a revive-based passive with a stacking system. Ability names below are based on Riot’s official reveal as well as current PBE data:

• Passive — Cultivation of War: Hitting enemy champions builds Determination stacks. At full stacks, Zaahen gains bonus AD and revives if he dies while the stacks are active.
• Q — Darkin Glaive: Zaahen slashes twice on his next attack, dealing bonus damage and healing himself. Recasting this ability within 4 seconds empowers his next attack with more bonus damage and provides a knockup.
• W — Dreaded Return: A linear stab that deals damage and pulls multiple targets slightly towards Zaahen.
• E — Aureate Rush: Short dash with circular slash on arrival, similar to Kayn’s Q. Enemies at the edge of his sweeping strike take even more damage.
• R — Grim Deliverance: Zaahen rises in the air, then plunges, dealing damage in a large area and healing based on damage dealt.

How Does Zaahen’s Passive Work?

You can stack Zaahen’s Passive stacks in combat through abilities or auto-attacks on enemy champions. The reward is twofold: you can get tons of AD as well as a revive window that enables you to commit to extended fights without the fear of dying, similar to the pre-reworked Aatrox.

What Is Zaahen’s Ultimate?

Zaahen’s ultimate, Grim Deliverance, alters how he performs in teamfights.

The more enemies you hit with the ultimate, the more healing and Determination stacks you will gain. In his current PBE version, Zaahen’s ultimate cast cannot be interrupted, but he can take damage during the cast, so you should try to avoid dying mid-animation.

What Role Is Zaahen In League of Legends?

Zaahen’s main role in League of Legends will be top-lane fighter or bruiser, but he can potentially also be played in the jungle, depending on how Riot balances his clear speed. He’s durable enough to front-line, but his kit really rewards sustained combat and spacing rather than being a pure tank.

• Strengths: Extended fights, sustain, layered CC (crowd control), dive potential
• Weaknesses: Easily kited, relies heavily on passive stacks, bad against high CC comps.

How To Play Zaahen In League of Legends

When choosing the right Zaahen build in LoL, focus on his strengths in fighting and sustain. In most matchups, rushing Trinity Force is a safe choice because it offers many valuable stats, including the Spellblade passive that his kit can easily trigger.

Zaahen’s sustain makes him a strong 1v1 champion. So, if you’re facing a favorable matchup, trade blows—but play around your passive stacks. Unlike Irelia, who can gain passive stacks on minions, Zaahen has to hit enemy champions, so try to start fights only when you know you will trigger your full stack power spike.

In any Zaahen teamfight, be aware of champions like Zoe or Caitlyn, whose traps can exploit his inability to move during the revive animation. Before entering fights, try to wait out the enemy team’s hard CC so you don’t get shut down before your revive becomes available.

How To Counter Zaahen In League of Legends?

To counter Zaahen in LoL, try to stack as much kite and anti-heal as possible in your team. Ranged top-laners like Jayce, Kennen, and Gnar should have a great chance against Zaahen, but you need to always keep your distance and prevent him from stacking.

Because Zaahen’s kit includes a dash, Poppy can also be a strong counter: her Steadfast Presence (W) blocks his engage, and the hard CC can keep him from closing distance. As with other stack-based champions, try to keep your distance and re-engage once his Determination stacks have fallen off.

FAQs

Who is Zaahen in League of Legends lore?

LoL’s Twilight’s End cinematic portrays Zaahen as a former Darkin, sealed to avoid complete corruption. He has returned as “the Unsundered.”

When will Zaahen be released on live servers?

Riot has confirmed that Zaahen will be released in League of Legends Patch 25.23, scheduled to arrive on November 19, 2025.

What role does Zaahen play in LoL?

Zaahen is primarily a top-lane fighter/bruiser, with a possible jungle flex depending on his clear speed and matchups.

Is Zaahen connected to Xin Zhao or other Darkin champions?

Yes. League of Legends cinematics have revealed that Xin Zhao sacrificed himself to become Zaahen’s host. Riot’s future lore updates will additionally clarify his long-term status.

How do you counter Zaahen in LoL?

To counter Zaahen in League of Legends, you should pick kite or ranged top-lane champions (Gnar, Jayce, Kennen), build early anti-heal, and avoid fighting him when his stacks are high.