Katarina vs Malphite

Katarina
vs
51.3%

over 158 games

Malphite

Skill matchup

Strong engageVery tankyHeavy AP damageHeavy CC

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

Build vs Malphite

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, 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

FlashDot93%
FlashTeleport3%

Anti CC

Mercury's Treads
4vs CC

Other options

Dark Seal
Kraken Slayer
Rabadon's Deathcap
Hextech Gunblade
Blade of The Ruined King
Terminus
Nashor's Tooth
Mejai's Soulstealer
Void Staff
Banshee's Veil
Death's Dance
Seeker's Armguard
Wit's End
Stormsurge
Liandry's Torment
Jak'Sho, The Protean
57.1% WR28 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

Malphite's abilities

Passive, spells and ultimate

Granite Shield (P)

Malphite is shielded by a layer of rock which absorbs damage up to 10% of his maximum Health. If Malphite has not been hit for a few seconds, this effect recharges.

Cooldowns

Cooldowns by spell rank

LevelQWER
38s10s7s–
68s10s7s2m10
98s9.5s7s2m10
118s9s7s1m55
168s8s7s1m40
188s8s7s1m40

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 Malphite

How to counter and exploit weaknesses

  1. Pop his shield before trading

    Break Granite Shield (passive) with a cheap hit before taking a real trade: it absorbs 10% of his max health and triples his bonus armor.

  2. Lean on magic damage

    If you deal magic damage, lean on it in trades: his only resistances come from Thunderclap (W), which only gives armor.

  3. Trade when his mana runs low

    Trade when his mana runs low: Seismic Shard (Q) costs 70 to 90 mana, and it's his only ranged slow.

  4. Respect his level 6

    Once he hits level 6, only step up if he's visible: Unstoppable Force (R) comes from far away, nothing stops it, and its impact knocks every enemy in the area into the air.

  5. Spread out from your allies

    When he has Unstoppable Force (R), spread out from your allies in teamfights: the impact knocks every enemy in the area into the air.

Patch 16.21.1