Katarina vs Gwen

Katarina
vs
43.5%

over 131 games

Gwen

Hard matchup

Heavy AP damageSustained DPSSplit pushHigh burst

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

Build vs Gwen

Build adapted to this matchup

Recommended items for Katarina: Kraken Slayer, Blade of The Ruined King, Terminus, Sorcerer's Shoes, Shadowflame, Lich Bane, Dark Seal, Rabadon's Deathcap.

Starting items

Doran's Blade
Health Potion

Core build

Kraken Slayer
1
Blade of The Ruined King
2
Terminus
3

Standard

Sorcerer's Shoes
4Magic pen
Shadowflame
5

Summoner spells

FlashDot95%
FlashTeleport2%

Anti CC

Mercury's Treads
4vs CC

Other options

Shadowflame
Lich Bane
Dark Seal
Rabadon's Deathcap
Zhonya's Hourglass
Hextech Gunblade
Mejai's Soulstealer
Death's Dance
Nashor's Tooth
Void Staff
Seeker's Armguard
Jak'Sho, The Protean
Titanic Hydra
Stormsurge
Banshee's Veil
61.1% WR18 games
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

Gwen's abilities

Passive, spells and ultimate

A Thousand Cuts (P)

Gwen's attacks deal bonus magic damage based on the targets health. She heals for a portion of the damage dealt to champions by this effect.

Cooldowns

Cooldowns by spell rank

LevelQWER
36.5s22s13s–
65s22s13s2m
93.5s21s13s2m
113.5s20s13s1m40
163.5s18s12s1m20
183.5s18s11s1m20

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 Gwen

How to counter and exploit weaknesses

  1. Enter her mist or wait

    To hit her during Hallowed Mist (W), walk into the mist or wait for it to fade: from outside, you can't target her.

  2. Trade before her 4 autos

    Take short trades before she lands 4 autos: each one adds a snip to Snip Snip! (Q).

  3. Get out of her needles' path

    Step out of the Needlework (R) line: she can recast it twice within 6 seconds, with three then five needles.

  4. Send two to answer her split

    Answer her split push with two players rather than alone: A Thousand Cuts (passive) heals her on every auto against a champion.

Patch 16.21.1