After months of speculation, Zaahen, a Darkin who survived corruption, joins the top lane.
A new champion is arriving in the Summoner's Rift and he's one that many players have been anticipating for a while now. Riot Games, the developer of League of Legends (LoL), announced on 9 November that Zaahen, the Unsundered, will arrive in Patch 25.23.
Rumours of a new Darkin champion had already been circulating for some time, with players wondering what role he would take and how he would differ from previous Darkin.
Blake “Squad5” Smith, Lead Gameplay Designer for Zaahen, explained in a press release that Zaahen was designed for players who enjoy tougher, melee-focused combat, especially in the top lane. The team wanted a fighter who thrives in drawn-out battles and grows stronger the longer he remains engaged.
They looked toward champions like Xin Zhao, as well as existing Darkin, as inspiration points. As Squad5 explained, “With every champion we typically start with goals for the types of players we want to make the champion for. For Zaahen that meant making him into a kind of tougher, top lane melee character.”
The goal was to create something that captures familiar Darkin flavour but still stands on its own rather than repeating their archetypes.
His arrival has been teased for months through visual storytelling and narrative breadcrumbs. After Spirit Blossom Beyond, Xin Zhao experienced a vision hinting at Demacia’s future. That moment did not make sense immediately, but through the Trials of Twilight event, players began to piece the connection together, ultimately leading to Zaahen’s reveal.
Who is Zaahen?
Zaahen was born between around 5000 BN and 3400 BN in Shurima. During his adulthood, he became a respected warrior and later Ascended into a powerful eagle-like being. When the Shuriman Empire collapsed following the betrayal of Xerath and the spread of Void corruption among the Ascended, Zaahen was one of the few who did not fall. He fought against the corrupted Ascended in what would become known as the Darkin War.
Alongside human allies and other surviving Ascended, Zaahen learned how to seal Darkin into weapons under the guidance of the Aspect of Twilight, Myisha. Armed with this knowledge, he journeyed to the First Lands to stop his corrupted brothers from invading, leading to what is remembered as the War of the False Kanmei in Ionia.
In Ionia, Zaahen encountered the warriors of the Kinkou Order: Kennen, the Heart of the Tempest, Yunara, the Fist of Shadow, and the Eye of Twilight of that time. He formed an alliance with them and taught them the method of sealing Darkin. Together, they fought and sealed Darkin such as Rhaast and Xolaani.
However, as the conflict ended and the threat subsided, Zaahen feared that he might eventually fall to corruption himself. To prevent this possibility, he requested to be sealed inside a glaive and placed in the Temple of Twilight, then sent into the Spirit Realm. The request was granted, and Yunara chose to accompany him to guard the temple forever.
Zaahen on the Summoner's Rift: Gameplay
Zaahen is intended primarily for the top lane, though the design team noted he may also function in the jungle, depending on how players choose to use him. His gameplay revolves around ramping power throughout an extended fight. The longer Zaahen can stay engaged, the more Determination he builds, eventually reaching a major spike that can allow him to turn duels or even return from death.
One aspect players will need to pay attention to is how effectively Zaahen can strike multiple targets. If he connects abilities like his W, E, or R on multiple enemy champions, he gains stacks of his passive much faster. This can rapidly shift the state of a fight.
Squad5 suggested that mastering Zaahen requires careful judgement. Players should learn when to stay in and when to pull back depending on their passive progress. On the other hand, players facing Zaahen should focus on kiting. Zaahen does not have strong tools for sticking to targets, so disengaging when his passive starts building is key.
Zaahen’s Ability Kit
Passive - Cultivation of War
- Zaahen’s attacks and abilities against enemy champions grant him stacks of Determination, giving bonus Attack Damage per stack. When filled with Determination, Zaahen gains increased Attack Damage and can revive.
Q - The Darkin Glaive
- Zaahen slashes twice on his next attack, dealing bonus damage and healing himself. He may recast to empower his next attack again, dealing bonus damage and knocking up his target.
W - Dreaded Return
- Zaahen stabs in a direction, damaging enemies and pulling them toward him.
E - Aureate Rush
- Zaahen dashes to a location and slices around himself.
R - Grim Deliverance
- Zaahen rises upward and stabs downward, dealing damage in an area and healing based on damage dealt.
Zaahen, the Unsundered, brings with him ancient history, a heavy burden, and a distinct combat identity built around endurance and momentum. He will awaken on the Summoner’s Rift when Patch 25.23 arrives.
