Karthus vs Tristana
Build vs Tristana
The champion's reference build, for lack of enough games in this matchup
Recommended items for Karthus: Blackfire Torch, Shadowflame, Rabadon's Deathcap, Sorcerer's Shoes, Void Staff, Zhonya's Hourglass, Stormsurge, Malignance.
Starting items
Core build
Standard
Summoner spells
Anti CC
Other options
Power Spikes
Strength by game phase
Tristana's abilities
Passive, spells and ultimate
Increases Tristana's Attack Range as she levels.
Cooldowns
Cooldowns by spell rank
| Level | Q | W | E | R |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 20s | 22s | 16s | – |
| 6 | 18s | 22s | 16s | 1m40 |
| 9 | 16s | 20s | 16s | 1m40 |
| 11 | 16s | 18s | 16s | 1m40 |
| 16 | 16s | 14s | 15s | 1m40 |
| 18 | 16s | 14s | 14s | 1m40 |
Playing as Karthus
Tips to maximize your impact
- 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.
- 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.
- 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).
- 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 Tristana
How to counter and exploit weaknesses
- Step away from your minions
Don't stay glued to your minions: when her autos kill them, Explosive Charge (E) damages nearby enemies, and her bomb also explodes in an area.
- Back off when her bomb is on you
Back off as soon as Explosive Charge (E) is stuck on you: each of her hits makes it stronger, and a bomb that explodes at max stacks resets Rocket Jump (W).
- Respect her Rapid Fire
When she activates Rapid Fire (Q) in a fight, back off until the bonus ends, or stun her if you can: her attack speed spikes for the spell's duration.
- Spread out when her bomb is on you
In teamfights, when Explosive Charge (E) is on you, spread out from your allies: when it explodes, the bomb also damages anyone near you.
Other Karthus matchups
Patch 16.21.1