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Karthus vs Zyra

Karthus
vs
50.6%

over 174 games

Zyra
Analyze a draft with Karthus

Skill matchup

Heavy AP damageHeavy pokeHeavy CCHigh burst

Build vs Zyra

Build adapted to this matchup

Recommended items for Karthus: Blackfire Torch, Shadowflame, Zhonya's Hourglass, Sorcerer's Shoes, Rabadon's Deathcap, Liandry's Torment, Void Staff, 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

FlashSmite57%
ExhaustSmite41%

Anti CC

Mercury's Treads
4vs CC

Other options

Rabadon's Deathcap
Liandry's Torment
Void Staff
Dark Seal
Malignance
Stormsurge
Mejai's Soulstealer
Oblivion Orb
Banshee's Veil
Seeker's Armguard
Morellonomicon
Cryptbloom
51.7% WR29 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

Zyra's abilities

Passive, spells and ultimate

Garden of Thorns (P)

Seeds spawn around Zyra periodically, becoming faster with level. Zyra can cast Deadly Spines or Grasping Roots near seeds to grow plants, who fight for Zyra.

Cooldowns

Cooldowns by spell rank

LevelQWER
37s0s11s–
66s0s11s1m50
95s0s11s1m50
115s0s11s1m40
165s0s11s1m30
185s0s11s1m30

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 Zyra

How to counter and exploit weaknesses

  1. Dodge her roots

    Get out of the line of Grasping Roots (E): the roots pass through minions and root every enemy hit, then her plants hit the trapped target.

  2. Step on her seeds

    Step on her seeds to destroy them before she grows them: Rampant Growth (W) seeds reveal you for a moment, but leave her no plant.

  3. Kill her plants

    Take down the plants born from Garden of Thorns (passive), or back off until they die: they take fixed damage, like a ward, and don't live long.

  4. Get out of her thorns

    Get out of the Stranglethorns (R) zone as soon as it appears: the vines knock you into the air 2 seconds later, and her plants are empowered inside.

  5. Engage when her plants are far

    If you can engage, go for Zyra when her plants are far from her: the Thorn Spitter from Deadly Spines (Q) only fires at 575 range.

Other Karthus matchups

Patch 16.21.1