Playstyle: Karthus Builds

  1. Execute & Burn

    6,376 Games

    Dark Harvest
    Precision
    Liandry's Anguish

    54%

  2. Adaptive & Burn

    1,919 Games

    First Strike
    Domination
    Liandry's Anguish

    55%

  3. Execute & Wave Clear

    1,703 Games

    Dark Harvest
    Precision
    Luden's Tempest

    52%

Core Karthus Item Build Order

Doran's Shield

Starting

Liandry's Anguish
Lost Chapter
Fiendish Codex

1st

Sorcerer's Shoes
Boots

2nd

Shadowflame
Hextech Alternator
Needlessly Large Rod

3rd

Rabadon's Deathcap
Needlessly Large Rod
Needlessly Large Rod

4th

Void Staff
Blighting Jewel
Blasting Wand

5th

Zhonya's Hourglass
Seeker's Armguard
Fiendish Codex
Stopwatch

6th

Doran's Shield

Starting

Liandry's Anguish
Lost Chapter
Fiendish Codex

1st

Sorcerer's Shoes
Boots

2nd

Shadowflame
Hextech Alternator
Needlessly Large Rod

3rd

Rabadon's Deathcap
Needlessly Large Rod
Needlessly Large Rod

4th

Void Staff
Blighting Jewel
Blasting Wand

5th

Zhonya's Hourglass
Seeker's Armguard
Fiendish Codex
Stopwatch

6th

Core Karthus Item Build Path

Doran's Shield
Lost Chapter
Fiendish Codex
Liandry's Anguish
Boots
Sorcerer's Shoes
Hextech Alternator
Needlessly Large Rod
Shadowflame

Situational

Morellonomicon
Deathfire Grasp
Demonic Embrace
Rylai's Crystal Scepter
Archangel's Staff
Horizon Focus
Cosmic Drive

Summoner Spells

FlashSmite

Damage Breakdown

Karthus Runes

PrecisionDominationSorceryInspirationResolve
ElectrocutePredatorDark HarvestHail of Blades
Cheap ShotTaste of BloodSudden Impact
Zombie WardGhost PoroEyeball Collection
Treasure HunterIngenious HunterRelentless HunterUltimate Hunter
PrecisionSorceryInspirationResolve
OverhealTriumphPresence of Mind
Legend: AlacrityLegend: TenacityLegend: Bloodline
Coup de GraceCut DownLast Stand
lol:shardInfo.adaptive_force,Adaptive Forcelol:shardInfo.attack_speed,Attack Speedlol:shardInfo.ability_haste,Ability Haste
lol:shardInfo.adaptive_force,Adaptive Forcelol:shardInfo.armor,Armorlol:shardInfo.magic_resist,Magic Resist
lol:shardInfo.scaling_health,Scaling Healthlol:shardInfo.armor,Armorlol:shardInfo.magic_resist,Magic Resist
Death Defied

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

Lay Waste

Q

Q

Q

Q

Q

Wall of Pain

W

W

W

W

W

Defile

E

E

E

E

E

Requiem

R

R

R

Karthus Skill Order

Q

E

W

Karthus Guide

Key Insights
If
Karthus
Q
only hits one enemy, it deals double damage.
Karthus
Q
and
Karthus
W
reveal their affected areas.
Karthus
E
deals an extra tick of damage when Karthus recasts it.
Karthus
R
damages all targetable enemy champions.
Strengths
Even if Karthus is killed first, he continues fighting with
Karthus
P
, giving his team an advantage in fights since enemy resources were used on him.
Forces enemies to play with a "lower HP bar" since he can cast
Karthus
R
at any point to finish them off.
Synergizes well with
Liandry's Anguish
,
Shadowflame
,
Horizon Focus
,
Rabadon's Deathcap
,
Zhonya's Hourglass
, and
Rylai's Crystal Scepter
. Can opt for
Night Harvester
or
Luden's Tempest
for more burst.
Weaknesses
Completely immobile, leaving him vulnerable to ganks.
When fighting, if Karthus misses a single
Karthus
Q
, it becomes much harder to land one.
Buying
Edge of Night
/
Hexdrinker
as an AD champion,
Banshee's Veil
as a mage, or
Locket of the Iron Solari
as a support/tank will aid in negating
Karthus
R
's damage.