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KarthusB

Karthus

Build for Mid
Death DefiedPLay WasteQWall of PainWDefileERequiemR
Updated 4 hours ago · Patch 26.19
ARAM
All ranks
World
AmericasEuropeAsiaOceania & Southeast Asia

Grey servers: not enough games yet. They switch on as we collect them.

Select matchup
Tier
B
Win rate
49.3%
Win rate change
-17.4%
Pick rate
0.2%
Ban rate
0.6%
Games
69
High-elo games

Runes

58.8% (17)

Sorcery

Summon AeryArcane CometStormraider's SurgeDeathfire Touch
Axiom ArcanistManaflow BandNimbus Cloak
TranscendenceCelerityAbsolute Focus
ScorchWaterwalkingGathering Storm

Precision

Absorb LifeTriumphPresence of Mind
Legend: AlacrityLegend: HasteLegend: Bloodline
Coup de GraceCut DownLast Stand
Adaptive ForceAttack SpeedAbility Haste
Adaptive ForceMove SpeedHealth Scaling
HealthTenacity and Slow ResistHealth Scaling

Summoner spells

ExhaustFlash
53.9% 39

Skill priority

Lay WasteQDefileEWall of PainW
49.1% 57

Start

Doran's RingHealth PotionHealth Potion50.0%
Health PotionHealth PotionTear of the Goddess33.3%

Boots

Sorcerer's Shoes55.2%
Ionian Boots of Lucidity0.0%

Vision

Farsight Alteration0.2 control wards / game

First back usually around 3:32

Sapphire CrystalAmplifying Tome50.0%12%
Amplifying Tome66.7%9%

Build order

  1. Amplifying Tome
  2. Amplifying Tome
  3. Lost Chapter
  4. Sapphire Crystal
  5. Boots
  6. Fated Ashes
  7. Blackfire Torch
  8. Sorcerer's Shoes
  9. Amplifying Tome
  10. Hextech Alternator
  11. Aether Wisp
  12. Amplifying Tome
  13. Stormsurge
  14. Amplifying Tome
  15. Needlessly Large Rod
  16. Hextech Alternator

Completed items

  1. Blackfire Torch158.3%10:08
  2. Malignance238.1%10:57
  3. Sorcerer's Shoes355.2%13:02
  4. Liandry's Torment450.0%21:02
  5. Shadowflame550.0%21:11
  6. Stormsurge665.5%21:13
When items get finished
051015202530
Blackfire Torch
Malignance
Sorcerer's Shoes
Liandry's Torment
Shadowflame
Stormsurge

Median finish time in minutes, from the games that built each item.

Situational

  • Rabadon's Deathcap45.5%
  • Zhonya's Hourglass61.5%
  • Void Staff42.9%
  • Archangel's Staff33.3%

Skill path

Lay WasteQDefileEWall of PainWMost popular leveling order
Skill path
Lay WasteQ13579
Wall of PainW1314151718
DefileE2481012
RequiemR61116

Toughest matchups

These champions counter Karthus

Best matchups

Karthus beats these champions

Win rate by game length

Karthus holds up at every stage
< 25 min22 games25-30 min20 games30-35 min14 games35+ min13 games

Average gold vs the lane opponent at 15:00: -399 (61 games)

Damage breakdown

Physical1%Magic96%True3%

Similar champions

Playing as Karthus

  • Ask your allies to help point out when you should use Requiem to get kills in different lanes.
  • Lay Waste is very strong at farming minions and harassing enemy champions.

Playing against Karthus

  • Karthus can cast spells for a short duration after he is killed. Move away from his corpse to be safe.
  • Make sure you always have enough health to survive Requiem, even if you have to go back to the base more frequently to heal.

Official tips from Riot