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Katarina vs Karthus

Katarina
vs
Not enough games
Karthus
Analyze a draft with Katarina
High burstHeavy pokeCountered by stasisHeavy AP damage

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

Build vs Karthus

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, Dark Seal, Kraken Slayer, Terminus, Hextech Gunblade.

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%
FlashTeleport3%

Anti CC

Mercury's Treads
4vs CC

Other options

Dark Seal
Kraken Slayer
Terminus
Hextech Gunblade
Blade of The Ruined King
Rabadon's Deathcap
Death's Dance
Mejai's Soulstealer
Void Staff
Nashor's Tooth
Seeker's Armguard
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

Karthus's abilities

Passive, spells and ultimate

Death Defied (P)

Upon dying, Karthus enters a spirit form that allows him to continue casting spells.

Cooldowns

Cooldowns by spell rank

LevelQWER
30s15s0.5s–
60s15s0.5s3m20
90s15s0.5s3m20
110s15s0.5s3m
160s15s0.5s2m40
180s15s0.5s2m40

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 Karthus

How to counter and exploit weaknesses

  1. Stay near your minions

    Stay near your minions or your allies: Lay Waste (Q) deals much more damage when the blast hits only one enemy.

  2. Jump on him if you can

    If you can engage, jump on him: Karthus has no dash or leap to escape.

  3. Don't stay low once he hits 6

    Once he hits level 6, back instead of staying at low health: Requiem (R) hits every enemy champion wherever they are, 3 seconds after he starts channeling.

  4. Save your protection for Requiem

    If you have a shield, a heal or invulnerability, save it for Requiem (R): it hits every enemy champion 3 seconds after he starts channeling.

  5. Move away after he dies

    Once Karthus is dead, move away: Death Defied (passive) keeps him in spirit form for a while, and he can still cast his spells.

Other Katarina matchups

Patch 16.21.1