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the Deathsinger

Karthus Top build & stats

Mage – 30 games · patch 16.18
Win rate
36.7%
Pick rate
0.1%
Ban rate
1.4%
Solo/Duo Flex ARAM
16.18 16.17 16.16
Division
All divisions
All divisions Challenger no data Grandmaster no data Master no data Diamond no data Emerald no data Platinum no data Gold no data Silver no data Bronze no data Iron no data

Recommended build

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

Built from single items

Best three items so far

Liandry's Torment
Liandry's Torment
3,000 gold
Malignance
Malignance
2,700 gold
Shadowflame
Shadowflame
3,200 gold
8,900 gold
50.0% WR each item separately

Boots

Sorcerer's Shoes
Sorcerer's Shoes
1,100 gold
43.5% 23 games

Runes

Sorcery Sorcery + Precision Precision
20.0% WR
5 games · 17% 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 Ignite
37.5% 8 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. Not enough players have finished the same three items yet, so the core above is the three strongest items measured one by one. Sample sizes are shown next to every choice.

Tips for Karthus

Generated from this patch's numbers

  • Karthus wins 36.7% of games as Top on patch 16.18 (30 games).
  • Take Deathfire Touch as keystone: picked in 70% of games with a 38% win rate.

Items

Most common sets of three completed items

Core build

Blackfire Torch
Blackfire Torch
Zhonya's Hourglass
Zhonya's Hourglass
Shadowflame
Shadowflame
0.0% WR
3 games · 10% pick

Boots

Sorcerer's Shoes
Sorcerer's Shoes
43.5% WR
23 games · 77% pick

Legendary items by win rate

ItemWin ratePick
Liandry's Torment Liandry's Torment
 55.6% 30% (9)
Malignance Malignance
 50.0% 20% (6)
Shadowflame Shadowflame
 40.0% 50% (15)
Blackfire Torch Blackfire Torch
 32.0% 83% (25)
Rabadon's Deathcap Rabadon's Deathcap
 25.0% 13% (4)
Zhonya's Hourglass Zhonya's Hourglass
 20.0% 17% (5)

Runes

Most played full pages and keystone win rates

Sorcery Sorcery + Precision Precision
20.0% WR
5 games · 17% 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
Domination Domination + Sorcery Sorcery
33.3% WR
3 games · 10% pick
Dark Harvest Cheap Shot Grisly Mementos Ultimate Hunter Axiom Arcanist Gathering Storm
Sorcery Sorcery + Precision Precision
100.0% WR
3 games · 10% pick
Deathfire Touch Axiom Arcanist Transcendence Scorch Last Stand Presence of Mind

Keystones

  • Deathfire Touch Deathfire Touch Damaging a champion with an ability burns them over time. 38.1%70% pick
  • Dark Harvest Dark Harvest Damaging a low health champion inflicts adaptive damage and harvests a soul from the victim. 28.6%23% pick

Summoner spells

  • Exhaust Ignite Exhaust + Ignite 37.5%27% pick
  • Exhaust Flash Exhaust + Flash 37.5%27% pick
  • Exhaust Teleport Exhaust + Teleport 14.3%23% 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.