Odyssey Kayn

Kayn is already one of the most unique champions in League because of the form transformation system. Odyssey Kayn takes that concept and wraps it in a sci-fi space pirate aesthetic that changes dramatically depending on whether you go Rhaast or Shadow Assassin. Grabbed this skin September 2018 when the Odyssey event launched and it immediately became my go-to jungle skin for the next two years.

Three forms, three completely different looks

Base Kayn in Odyssey wears this rogue space outfit. Jacket, tech visor, cosmic scythe. Esben Lash Rasmussen did the splash and it shows Kayn mid-action in some kind of space battle. The base form VFX use blue-white cosmic energy on Q and W. Standard stuff, looks good in jungle clears. The Q dash-slash through raptors with cosmic particle trails is clean. W sends out a cosmic slash wave that pokes through walls during ganks with a nice visual pop.

Shadow Assassin form is where it gets interesting. Kayn goes full cosmic phantom with a sleek dark suit and his abilities shift to deep blue-purple VFX. The passive damage from Shadow Assassin procs with these cosmic particle bursts on entry. Walking through walls with E in this form leaves behind a trail of stars that fades after a couple seconds. Ganking through terrain in bot lane with that star trail behind you feels like phasing through dimensions. Not sure if its just me but the wall-pass animation on Shadow Assassin Odyssey looks smoother than base.

Rhaast form transforms Kayn into this big red cosmic demon. Aggressive, bulky model with red energy pulsing through the scythe. Q dash-slash leaves red cosmic trails. W slam sends out a red shockwave that knocks up. R goes inside an enemy champion and the Odyssey version shows Kayn entering through this cosmic rift effect before bursting out with red energy. Used Rhaast R on a full HP Sett last Thursday during a dive and the burst-out animation with the heal was so satisfying I said “nice” out loud to nobody.

Both Robbie Daymond and Sam A. Mowry do voice work covering Kayn and Rhaast respectively. The voice lines change between forms. Kayn’s lines are cocky space pirate energy while Rhaast goes full cosmic destroyer. Good stuff. The banter between the two during jungle clears adds so much personality. Kinda feels like having two champions arguing inside your head while you path through the map. Not sure if its just me but the Rhaast lines feel more entertaining on Odyssey than on base skin.

Chromas and the Odyssey event

Odyssey Kayn has 5 chromas: Ruby, Pearl, Emerald, Merc, and Sapphire. The Merc chroma gives a yellow-gold scheme that looks like a bounty hunter variant. Pearl is nice too, goes silver-white. Both forms get chroma treatment which means you are effectively getting chromas for three different skins in one purchase. Strong value.

Released September 12, 2018 at 1820 RP as part of the Odyssey skinline. The Odyssey event was one of the first big PvE modes Riot did and Kayn was literally the final boss. That PvE mode was genuinely fun and playing against Odyssey Kayn as the boss made you want the skin even more. Still in the shop at full price.

Best Kayn skin or nah

Kayn has HEARTSTEEL now which is the newer Legendary, and it’s good. But Odyssey still holds up because the three-form transformation is so dramatically different between base, Shadow Assassin, and Rhaast. Kinda feels like you are getting three Legendary skins for the price of one.

At 1820 RP with 5 chromas this is excellent value for jungle mains who play Kayn regularly. Pick your form, pick your chroma, go invade their jungle. Works every time. Had this skin equipped for two full seasons before even trying another Kayn skin and honestly nothing else felt right after. The three-form visual variety means you literally never get bored looking at it. S-tier Legendary purchase for jungle mains, full stop. Genuinely one of the best value propositions in the entire skin catalog when you factor in three distinct visual identities plus five chromas on top.