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the Deathsinger

Karthus ADC build & stats

Mage S 171 games · patch 16.18
Win rate
58.5%
Pick rate
0.6%
Ban rate
1.4%
Solo/Duo Flex ARAM
16.18 16.17 16.16
Division
Master
All divisions Challenger no data Grandmaster Master Diamond no data Emerald no data Platinum no data Gold no data Silver no data Bronze no data Iron no data
Build, runes, spells and skill order are from Master games only.

Recommended build

Chosen by win rate among builds with enough games, from ranked matches of high-elo players on patch 16.18

Solid sample

Finish these three

Blackfire Torch
Blackfire Torch
2,800 gold
Rabadon's Deathcap
Rabadon's Deathcap
3,500 gold
Void Staff
Void Staff
3,000 gold
9,300 gold
56.3% WR 16 games

Runes

Sorcery Sorcery + Precision Precision
42.9% WR
7 games · 4% pick
Deathfire Touch
Deathfire Touch

Damaging a champion with an ability burns them over time.

Sorcery Sorcery
Summon Aery Arcane Comet Stormraider's Surge Deathfire Touch
Axiom Arcanist Manaflow Band Nimbus Cloak
Transcendence Absolute Focus Celerity
Waterwalking Gathering Storm Scorch
Precision Precision
Presence of Mind Absorb Life Triumph
Legend: Bloodline Legend: Alacrity Legend: Haste
Coup de Grace Cut Down Last Stand
Shards
Adaptive Force Attack Speed Ability Haste
Adaptive Force Move Speed Health Scaling
Health Tenacity and Slow Resist Health Scaling

Summoner spells

Exhaust Flash
56.3% 48 games

Each line is the variant with the best win rate among those played enough times, not simply the most popular one. Win rates are smoothed so a lucky three-game build can't top the list. Sample sizes are shown next to every choice.

Tips for Karthus

Generated from this patch's numbers

  • Karthus wins 58.5% of games as ADC on patch 16.18 (171 games).
  • Most common core: Blackfire Torch → Rabadon's Deathcap → Void Staff — 55% win rate over 31 games.
  • Take Deathfire Touch as keystone: picked in 67% of games with a 61% win rate.
  • Best matchup: Kai'Sa (75% over 16 games). Hardest: Jinx (46% over 13 games) — consider a ban or a different pick when you see it.

Items

Most common sets of three completed items

Core build

Blackfire Torch
Blackfire Torch
Rabadon's Deathcap
Rabadon's Deathcap
Void Staff
Void Staff
56.3% WR
16 games · 9% pick
Blackfire Torch
Blackfire Torch
Void Staff
Void Staff
Shadowflame
Shadowflame
37.5% WR
8 games · 5% pick
Blackfire Torch
Blackfire Torch
Rabadon's Deathcap
Rabadon's Deathcap
Zhonya's Hourglass
Zhonya's Hourglass
60.0% WR
5 games · 3% pick

Legendary items by win rate

ItemWin ratePick
Stormsurge Stormsurge
 61.5% 8% (13)
Shadowflame Shadowflame
 57.8% 26% (45)
Blackfire Torch Blackfire Torch
 56.6% 31% (53)
Rabadon's Deathcap Rabadon's Deathcap
 56.0% 15% (25)
Void Staff Void Staff
 50.0% 15% (26)
Liandry's Torment Liandry's Torment
 50.0% 11% (18)
Zhonya's Hourglass Zhonya's Hourglass
 41.7% 7% (12)

Runes

Most played full pages and keystone win rates

Sorcery Sorcery + Precision Precision
42.9% WR
7 games · 4% pick
Deathfire Touch
Deathfire Touch

Damaging a champion with an ability burns them over time.

Sorcery Sorcery
Summon Aery Arcane Comet Stormraider's Surge Deathfire Touch
Axiom Arcanist Manaflow Band Nimbus Cloak
Transcendence Absolute Focus Celerity
Waterwalking Gathering Storm Scorch
Precision Precision
Presence of Mind Absorb Life Triumph
Legend: Bloodline Legend: Alacrity Legend: Haste
Coup de Grace Cut Down Last Stand
Shards
Adaptive Force Attack Speed Ability Haste
Adaptive Force Move Speed Health Scaling
Health Tenacity and Slow Resist Health Scaling
Sorcery Sorcery + Precision Precision
60.0% WR
5 games · 3% pick
Deathfire Touch Manaflow Band Absolute Focus Scorch Presence of Mind Coup de Grace
Sorcery Sorcery + Precision Precision
60.0% WR
5 games · 3% pick
Deathfire Touch Axiom Arcanist Absolute Focus Scorch Presence of Mind Coup de Grace

Keystones

  • Deathfire Touch Deathfire Touch Damaging a champion with an ability burns them over time. 54.8%25% pick
  • Dark Harvest Dark Harvest Damaging a low health champion inflicts adaptive damage and harvests a soul from the victim. 63.6%6% pick

Summoner spells

  • Exhaust Flash Exhaust + Flash 56.3%28% pick
  • Flash Teleport Flash + Teleport 75.0%2% pick

Abilities & skill order

  • PDeath Defied

    Upon dying, Karthus enters a spirit form that allows him to continue casting spells.

  • QLay Waste

    Karthus unleashes a delayed blast at a location, dealing damage to nearby enemies. Deals increased damage to isolated enemies.

  • WWall of Pain

    Karthus 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.

  • EDefile

    Karthus 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.

  • RRequiem

    After channeling for 3 seconds, Karthus deals damage to all enemy champions.