Katarina vs Hwei

Katarina
vs
52.2%

over 542 games

Hwei

Skill matchup

Heavy AP damageHeavy pokeHeavy CCHigh burst

Build vs Hwei

Build adapted to this matchup

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

Starting items

Dark Seal
Refillable Potion

Core build

Lich Bane
1
Shadowflame
2
Zhonya's Hourglass
3

Standard

Sorcerer's Shoes
4Magic pen
Dark Seal
5

Summoner spells

FlashDot95%
FlashTeleport2%

Anti CC

Mercury's Treads
4vs CC

Other options

Dark Seal
Kraken Slayer
Rabadon's Deathcap
Terminus
Hextech Gunblade
Blade of The Ruined King
Death's Dance
Mejai's Soulstealer
Void Staff
Nashor's Tooth
Seeker's Armguard
Banshee's Veil
Wit's End
Experimental Hexplate
Jak'Sho, The Protean
Stormsurge
Guinsoo's Rageblade
Titanic Hydra
Liandry's Torment
Randuin's Omen
Kaenic Rookern
Tiamat
48.7% WR78 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

Hwei's abilities

Passive, spells and ultimate

Signature of the Visionary (P)

Hwei primes enemy champions he damages with his abilities for his signature finishing touch.Hitting an enemy with a second damaging spell completes his signature, leaving it beneath them. The signature detonates after a short delay, dealing magic damage to all enemies in range.

Cooldowns

Cooldowns by spell rank

LevelQWER
310s18s12s–
68s18s12s2m
96s17.5s12s2m
116s17s12s1m40
166s16s11s1m20
186s16s10s1m20

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 Hwei

How to counter and exploit weaknesses

  1. Trade after his damage spell

    Trade after he uses a damage spell: Devastating Fire (QQ), Severing Bolt (QW) and Molten Fissure (QE) share a 10 to 6 second cooldown.

  2. Don't stand still or alone

    Don't stand still or alone: Severing Bolt (QW) strikes after a delay and deals more damage to isolated or immobilized enemies.

  3. Jump on him if you can

    If you can engage, jump on him right after one of his CC spells: Hwei has no dash or leap, and Subject: Torment (E) has a 12 to 10 second cooldown.

  4. Move away from the ally hit by his R

    If an ally is hit by Spiraling Despair (R), move away from them: the vision expands around its target, slows and damages nearby enemies, then explodes.

Patch 16.21.1