Karthus · Jungle
Karthus Matchups and Counters
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This guide is assembled by the site from match data and the game's own information — nobody wrote it by hand. Official and community guides appear alongside it when they exist.
Overview
This guide covers Karthus's matchups and how to adapt to them. Riot publishes no matchup statistics, so the matchups below come from the champions' own stats and kits: attack range, starting durability, crowd control and mobility. They describe an advantage on paper, not a measured result.
Strengths
- Requiem hits several enemies: a strong team fight tool.
- High magic damage: Riot rates it 10/10 in magic.
- Clear job in the team: clear camps efficiently, gank the lanes that can win and control dragons, grubs and Baron.
Weaknesses
- Fragile: Riot rates it 2/10 in defense.
- No dash or blink in the kit: vulnerable to ganks without vision.
- Mana-hungry early: spamming abilities leaves you empty before the fight.
Build cheat sheet
Pick the build that fits what you want to do this game.
- Against physical damageDefensiveRecommendedFor a lane or a team that hits with attacks: armor boots and an armor item in the core.
- Against magic damageDefensiveSituationalFor a team that kills with abilities: magic resist boots and a magic resist item in the core.
- Against healingDefensiveSituationalFor games against healers, life steal or regeneration: the anti-heal item goes into the core instead of waiting.
Builds
Against physical damage
When to use it
For a lane or a team that hits with attacks: armor boots and an armor item in the core.
Where it's played
Picked before the game: the main lane first, then the alternatives.
1100%- JungleMain100% of matches
Jungle priorities
StartBlue buff
Objectives by priority
- 1Scuttle Crab
- 2Dragons
- 3Voidgrubs
- 4Baron Nashor
- 5Atakhan
- 6Gank mid
Guideline, not a measurement: a scaling jungler starting blue side. Farm efficiently, contest the scuttle and trade for dragons rather than forcing early ganks.
Starting items
Core items
- 1Cryptbloom
- 2Archangel's Staff
- 3Zhonya's Hourglass
Boots
Situational
Runes
Primary· Sorcery
Secondary· Resolve
Shards
Summoner spells
Flash
Smite
Against magic damage
When to use it
For a team that kills with abilities: magic resist boots and a magic resist item in the core.
Where it's played
Picked before the game: the main lane first, then the alternatives.
1100%- JungleMain100% of matches
Jungle priorities
StartBlue buff
Objectives by priority
- 1Scuttle Crab
- 2Dragons
- 3Voidgrubs
- 4Baron Nashor
- 5Atakhan
- 6Gank mid
Guideline, not a measurement: a scaling jungler starting blue side. Farm efficiently, contest the scuttle and trade for dragons rather than forcing early ganks.
Starting items
Core items
- 1Cryptbloom
- 2Archangel's Staff
- 3Banshee's Veil
Boots
Situational
Runes
Primary· Sorcery
Secondary· Resolve
Shards
Summoner spells
- Flash
- Smite
Against healing
When to use it
For games against healers, life steal or regeneration: the anti-heal item goes into the core instead of waiting.
Where it's played
Picked before the game: the main lane first, then the alternatives.
1100%- JungleMain100% of matches
Jungle priorities
StartBlue buff
Objectives by priority
- 1Scuttle Crab
- 2Dragons
- 3Voidgrubs
- 4Baron Nashor
- 5Atakhan
- 6Gank mid
Guideline, not a measurement: a scaling jungler starting blue side. Farm efficiently, contest the scuttle and trade for dragons rather than forcing early ganks.
Starting items
Core items
- 1Cryptbloom
- 2Archangel's Staff
- 3Morellonomicon
Boots
Situational
Runes
Primary· Sorcery
Secondary· Resolve
Shards
Summoner spells
- Flash
- Smite
Abilities
Death DefiedPassiveUpon dying, Karthus enters a spirit form that allows him to continue casting spells.
QLay Waste20/25/30/35/40 mpKarthus unleashes a delayed blast at a location, dealing damage to nearby enemies. Deals increased damage to isolated enemies.- Cost
- 20·25·30·35·40
- Range
- 875
WWall of Pain15s70 mpKarthus creates a passable screen of leeching energy. Any enemy units that walk through the screen have their Move Speed and Magic Resist reduced for a period.- Cooldown
- 15
- Cost
- 70
- Range
- 1000
EDefile0.5s30/42/54/66/78 mpKarthus passively steals energy from his victims, gaining Mana on each kill. Alternatively, Karthus can surround himself in the souls of his prey, dealing damage to nearby enemies, but quickly draining his own Mana.- Cooldown
- 0.5
- Cost
- 30·42·54·66·78
- Range
- 550
RRequiemUltimate200/180/160s100 mpAfter channeling for 3 seconds, Karthus deals damage to all enemy champions.- Cooldown
- 200·180·160
- Cost
- 100
- Range
- 10000
Strategy
1Good matchups
Karthus does well against these:
- Amumu: Karthus attacks from 450 units and Amumu from 125: every skirmish in the jungle happens at a distance they cannot answer.
- Briar: Karthus attacks from 450 units and Briar from 125: every skirmish in the jungle happens at a distance they cannot answer.
- Ekko: Karthus attacks from 450 units and Ekko from 125: every skirmish in the jungle happens at a distance they cannot answer.
2Tough matchups
Karthus struggles against these:
- Fiddlesticks: Reap silences Karthus, whose damage comes from abilities.
- Nidalee: Bushwhack / Pounce lets Nidalee reach Karthus, who has no escape in the kit.
- Shaco: Deceive lets Shaco reach Karthus, who has no escape in the kit.
3Synergies
Karthus works well alongside these, because their kits fit together:
- Renata Glasc: Handshake from Renata Glasc holds enemies in place for Requiem from Karthus.
- Alistar: Trample from Alistar holds enemies in place for Requiem from Karthus.
- Leona: Shield of Daybreak from Leona holds enemies in place for Requiem from Karthus.
4Adapting the build
The situational builds in this guide answer specific threats: Against physical damage, Against magic damage and Against healing.
5Playing against Karthus
If you're on the other side, this is what to exploit:
- 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.
Tips
- Look at the enemy team before choosing your build: the situational builds below answer the most common threats.
- Good matchup: Amumu. Play forward when you face them.
- Tough matchup: Fiddlesticks. Play safer and wait for your team.
- In a tough matchup, an even lane is already a good result.
Matchups
Strong against
Karthus attacks from 450 units and Amumu from 125: every skirmish in the jungle happens at a distance they cannot answer.
Karthus attacks from 450 units and Briar from 125: every skirmish in the jungle happens at a distance they cannot answer.
Karthus attacks from 450 units and Ekko from 125: every skirmish in the jungle happens at a distance they cannot answer.
Weak against
Reap silences Karthus, whose damage comes from abilities.
Bushwhack / Pounce lets Nidalee reach Karthus, who has no escape in the kit.
Deceive lets Shaco reach Karthus, who has no escape in the kit.
Works well with
Handshake from Renata Glasc holds enemies in place for Requiem from Karthus.
Trample from Alistar holds enemies in place for Requiem from Karthus.
Shield of Daybreak from Leona holds enemies in place for Requiem from Karthus.
Changelog
- Guide created for patch 16.19.1.
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