Katarina vs Caitlyn

Katarina
vs
Not enough games
Caitlyn
Heavy AD damageSustained DPSHeavy pokeHigh burst

You are stronger early. Look to snowball before your opponent scales.

Build vs Caitlyn

The champion's reference build, for lack of enough games in this matchup

Recommended items for Katarina: Lich Bane, Shadowflame, Zhonya's Hourglass, Sorcerer's Shoes, Rabadon's Deathcap, Hextech Gunblade, Terminus, Kraken Slayer.

Starting items

Doran's Shield
Health Potion

Core build

Lich Bane
1
Shadowflame
2
Zhonya's Hourglass
3

Standard

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

Summoner spells

FlashDot93%
DotBarrier7%

Anti CC

Mercury's Treads
4vs CC

Other options

Rabadon's Deathcap
Hextech Gunblade
Terminus
Kraken Slayer
Dark Seal
Blade of The Ruined King
Mejai's Soulstealer
Death's Dance
Void Staff
Stormsurge
Banshee's Veil
DominationDomination
ElectrocuteElectrocute
Sudden ImpactSudden Impact
Grisly MementosGrisly Mementos
Relentless HunterRelentless Hunter
PrecisionPrecision
Coup de GraceCoup de Grace
TriumphTriumph
Adaptive ForceAdaptive ForceHealth Scaling

Power Spikes

Strength by game phase

Caitlyn's abilities

Passive, spells and ultimate

Headshot (P)

Every few basic attacks, or against a target she has trapped or netted, Caitlyn will fire a headshot dealing bonus damage that scales with her critical strike chance. On trapped or netted targets, Caitlyn's Headshot attack range is doubled.

Cooldowns

Cooldowns by spell rank

LevelQWER
310s0.5s16s–
68s0.5s16s1m30
96s0.5s16s1m30
116s0.5s16s1m30
166s0.5s12s1m30
186s0.5s8s1m30

Playing as Katarina

Tips to maximize your impact

  1. Pick up your daggers

    Pick up your daggers in trades and teamfights: Voracity (passive) then hits every nearby enemy, and each dagger picked up lowers the cooldown of Shunpo (E).

  2. Shunpo to your Q dagger

    After Bouncing Blade (Q), blink to its dagger with Shunpo (E): it lands behind your target, and picking it up triggers Voracity (passive).

  3. Hit everyone before the kills

    In teamfights, hit as many champions as you can before they go down: when one of them dies, Voracity (passive) sharply lowers all your cooldowns.

  4. Death Lotus after their CC

    Cast Death Lotus (R) once the enemy CC is used: it's a channel, and a single CC is enough to cancel it.

Playing against Caitlyn

How to counter and exploit weaknesses

  1. Don't stay in her range

    Don't stay in her range for no reason: her autos reach 650, and every few autos, Headshot (passive) hits harder.

  2. Walk around her traps

    Walk around her traps: stepping on a Yordle Snap Trap (W) roots you, reveals you for 3 seconds and gives her a double-range Headshot (passive).

  3. Engage after her net

    If you can engage, wait for her 90 Caliber Net (E): it's her only way to hop backward, on a 16 to 8 second cooldown.

  4. Cover your wounded ally

    If a wounded ally is targeted by Ace in the Hole (R), step into the line of fire: any champion on your team can intercept the bullet.

Patch 16.21.1