The new League of Legends champion revives the strongest part of Aatrox's old kit and mixes it with Xin Zhao's

The New League of Legends Champion Revives Aatrox's Old Mechanic

Zaahen, the latest champion in League of Legends, brings back the revive mechanic once associated with Aatrox. As a squishy support main, facing top laners is daunting, and Aatrox has long been one of the most challenging opponents. Known for his relentless presence and high kill potential, the Darkin Blade remains a constant threat.

Zaahen combines Aatrox’s aggressive melee combat style with Xin Zhao’s stacking damage, creating a formidable top lane champion. The addition of a revive passive pushes the character into intimidating territory for many players.

Design Insights from Riot Games

Lead gameplay designer Blake "Squad5" Smith explains, "Zaahen is a tougher, top lane melee character inspired by Xin Zhao and other Darkin in the game. We tried to make something that felt like he hit similar notes but at the end of the day was uniquely his own thing."

Zaahen’s abilities include dashes, pulls, and double strikes, closely resembling Aatrox’s playstyle on paper. However, his passive integrates a system akin to Xin Zhao's stacking attack damage and an Anivia-like revive.

Smith admits, "The revive passive is pretty ironic, given that Riot removed Aatrox's revive from the game with patch 9."

Summary

Zaahen revives a once-retired mechanic, blending elements of Aatrox and Xin Zhao to create a unique and challenging champion for the top lane role.

Author's Take

Zaahen's return to the revive mechanic rekindles a powerful tactic, introducing fresh complexity and tension to League of Legends' top lane dynamics.

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PCGamesN PCGamesN — 2025-11-09

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