Matchup
You are stronger early — look to snowball before your opponent scales.
Build vs Nocturne
Build adapted to this matchup
Starting items
Core build
Standard
Summoner spells
100%Anti AD
Anti CC
Anti Tank
DPS
Other options
Domination
Electrocute
Sudden Impact
Grisly Mementos
Relentless Hunter
Precision
Coup de Grace
Triumph
Power Spikes
Strength by game phase
Katarina
NocturneNocturne's abilities
Passive, spells and ultimate
Every few seconds, Nocturne's next attack strikes surrounding enemies for bonus physical damage and heals himself. Nocturne's basic attacks reduce this cooldown.
Cooldowns
Cooldowns by spell rank
| Level | Q | W | E | R |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 8s | 20s | 15s | – |
| 6 | 8s | 20s | 15s | 2m20 |
| 9 | 8s | 18s | 15s | 2m20 |
| 11 | 8s | 16s | 15s | 1m55 |
| 16 | 8s | 12s | 13s | 1m30 |
| 18 | 8s | 12s | 11s | 1m30 |
Playing against Nocturne
How to counter and exploit weaknesses
When the screen goes dark (R), group up immediately: Nocturne is looking for the isolated carry.
His W only blocks one ability: bait it with a small spell before throwing your main CC.
Nocturne is an assassin who scales with attack speed — hard CC stops him dead while he's auto-attacking.
Deep ward in your jungle: his R range is limited, and vision helps you spot him before he arrives.
Source: op.gg + LTL Engine · Patch 16.9.1 · May 9, 2026