Katarina vs Zoe
Favorable matchup
You are stronger early. Look to snowball before your opponent scales.
Build vs Zoe
Build adapted to this matchup
Recommended items for Katarina: Lich Bane, Shadowflame, Zhonya's Hourglass, Sorcerer's Shoes, Dark Seal, Rabadon's Deathcap, Kraken Slayer, Hextech Gunblade.
Starting items
Core build
Standard
Summoner spells
Anti CC
Other options
Power Spikes
Strength by game phase
Zoe's abilities
Passive, spells and ultimate
Zoe's next basic attack after casting a spell deals bonus magic damage.
Cooldowns
Cooldowns by spell rank
| Level | Q | W | E | R |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 8.5s | 0.25s | 18s | – |
| 6 | 7.5s | 0.25s | 18s | 11s |
| 9 | 6.5s | 0.25s | 18s | 11s |
| 11 | 6.5s | 0.25s | 18s | 8s |
| 16 | 6.5s | 0.25s | 16s | 5s |
| 18 | 6.5s | 0.25s | 14s | 5s |
Playing as Katarina
Tips to maximize your impact
- 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).
- 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).
- 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.
- 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 Zoe
How to counter and exploit weaknesses
- Dodge her bubble
Dodge Sleepy Trouble Bubble (E): asleep, you take double damage from the hit that wakes you, often her Paddle Star! (Q).
- Aim at her return point
During Portal Jump (R), aim at her starting position: she returns there after 1 second, and can't move in the meantime.
- Don't step on her bubbles
Don't walk onto a bubble left on the ground: a Sleepy Trouble Bubble (E) that hits nothing turns into a trap.
- Ward behind the walls
Ward the hidden spots behind walls near your lane: Sleepy Trouble Bubble (E) reaches farther over a wall, and Zoe hides there to set it up.
Other Katarina matchups
Patch 16.21.1