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Karthus vs Talon

Karthus
vs
44.7%

over 899 games

Talon
Analyze a draft with Karthus

Hard matchup

Heavy AD damageHigh burstDive threat

Build vs Talon

Build adapted to this matchup

Recommended items for Karthus: Blackfire Torch, Shadowflame, Zhonya's Hourglass, Sorcerer's Shoes, Rabadon's Deathcap, Liandry's Torment, Malignance, Dark Seal.

Starting items

Scorchclaw Pup
Health Potion

Core build

Blackfire Torch
1
Shadowflame
2
Zhonya's Hourglass
3

Standard

Sorcerer's Shoes
4Magic pen
Rabadon's Deathcap
5

Summoner spells

ExhaustSmite61%
FlashSmite32%

Anti CC

Mercury's Treads
4vs CC

Other options

Rabadon's Deathcap
Liandry's Torment
Malignance
Dark Seal
Void Staff
Stormsurge
Mejai's Soulstealer
Oblivion Orb
Seeker's Armguard
Horizon Focus
Morellonomicon
Cryptbloom
Rylai's Crystal Scepter
Luden's Echo
52.6% WR135 games
DominationDomination
Dark HarvestDark Harvest
Cheap ShotCheap Shot
Grisly MementosGrisly Mementos
Ultimate HunterUltimate Hunter
SorcerySorcery
Axiom ArcanistAxiom Arcanist
Gathering StormGathering Storm
Adaptive ForceAdaptive ForceHealth Scaling

Power Spikes

Strength by game phase

Talon's abilities

Passive, spells and ultimate

Blade's End (P)

Talon's spells Wound champions and large monsters, stacking up to 3 times. When Talon attacks a champion with 3 stacks of Wound, they bleed for heavy damage over time.

Cooldowns

Cooldowns by spell rank

LevelQWER
38s9s0s–
67s9s0s1m40
96s8.5s0s1m40
116s8s0s1m20
166s7s0s1m
186s7s0s1m

Playing as Karthus

Tips to maximize your impact

  1. Aim for isolated champions

    Aim Lay Waste (Q) at a champion away from their minions: if the blast hits only one enemy, it deals much more damage.

  2. Wall before your combo

    Place Wall of Pain (W) in their path before your combo: anyone who crosses it is slowed and loses magic resist.

  3. Keep playing after you die

    After you die, keep casting your spells: Death Defied (passive) keeps you in spirit form for a while, and you can still cast Lay Waste (Q) and Requiem (R).

  4. Requiem for the finish

    Save Requiem (R) to finish off wounded enemies, often right after a teamfight: it hits every enemy champion wherever they are, after a 3-second channel.

Playing against Talon

How to counter and exploit weaknesses

  1. Dodge his blades on the return

    Get out of the path of Rake (W), especially on the return: the returning blades slow you, and each spell that hits brings you closer to Blade's End (passive).

  2. Push to keep him in lane

    Push your wave whenever you can: he then has to stay and farm instead of roaming by vaulting walls with Assassin's Path (E).

  3. Engage when his ult is on cooldown

    If you can engage, go for him while Shadow Assault (R) is on cooldown: it's his main way out of a fight, and it comes back in 100 to 60 seconds.

  4. Ping as soon as he disappears

    Ping your team as soon as he leaves your vision, and ward the paths behind walls: Assassin's Path (E) lets him vault walls to roam through the jungle.

Other Karthus matchups

Patch 16.21.1