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the Deathsinger

Karthus build & stats

Mage C 88 games · patch 16.18
Win rate
48.9%
Pick rate
4.9%
Ban rate
0.0%
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

Solid sample

Finish these three

Blackfire Torch
Blackfire Torch
2,800 gold
Rabadon's Deathcap
Rabadon's Deathcap
3,500 gold
Malignance
Malignance
2,700 gold
9,000 gold
62.5% WR 8 games

Boots

Sorcerer's Shoes
Sorcerer's Shoes
1,100 gold
46.0% 63 games

Runes

Domination Domination + Precision Precision
40.0% WR
20 games · 23% pick
Dark Harvest
Dark Harvest

Damaging a low health champion inflicts adaptive damage and harvests a soul from the victim.

Domination Domination
Electrocute Dark Harvest Hail of Blades
Cheap Shot Taste of Blood Sudden Impact
Sixth Sense Grisly Mementos Deep Ward
Relentless Hunter Ultimate Hunter Treasure Hunter
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

Flash Clarity
62.5% 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. Sample sizes are shown next to every choice.

Tips for Karthus

Generated from this patch's numbers

  • Karthus wins 48.9% of games as any role on patch 16.18 (88 games).
  • Most common core: Blackfire Torch → Rabadon's Deathcap → Malignance — 62% win rate over 8 games.
  • Take Dark Harvest as keystone: picked in 69% of games with a 46% win rate.

Items

Most common sets of three completed items

Core build

Blackfire Torch
Blackfire Torch
Rabadon's Deathcap
Rabadon's Deathcap
Malignance
Malignance
62.5% WR
8 games · 9% pick
Blackfire Torch
Blackfire Torch
Malignance
Malignance
Liandry's Torment
Liandry's Torment
33.3% WR
6 games · 7% pick
Rabadon's Deathcap
Rabadon's Deathcap
Malignance
Malignance
Shadowflame
Shadowflame
50.0% WR
6 games · 7% pick

Boots

Sorcerer's Shoes
Sorcerer's Shoes
46.0% WR
63 games · 72% pick
Ionian Boots of Lucidity
Ionian Boots of Lucidity
25.0% WR
4 games · 5% pick

Legendary items by win rate

ItemWin ratePick
Stormsurge Stormsurge
 66.7% 7% (6)
Zhonya's Hourglass Zhonya's Hourglass
 66.7% 3% (3)
Shadowflame Shadowflame
 57.1% 48% (42)
Rabadon's Deathcap Rabadon's Deathcap
 55.6% 41% (36)
Luden's Echo Luden's Echo
 55.6% 10% (9)
Void Staff Void Staff
 54.2% 27% (24)
Liandry's Torment Liandry's Torment
 54.0% 72% (63)
Blackfire Torch Blackfire Torch
 52.3% 50% (44)
Rod of Ages Rod of Ages
 50.0% 5% (4)
Malignance Malignance
 44.4% 72% (63)
Rylai's Crystal Scepter Rylai's Crystal Scepter
 41.7% 14% (12)
Morellonomicon Morellonomicon
 36.4% 13% (11)

Runes

Most played full pages and keystone win rates

Domination Domination + Sorcery Sorcery
30.4% WR
23 games · 26% pick
Dark Harvest
Dark Harvest

Damaging a low health champion inflicts adaptive damage and harvests a soul from the victim.

Domination Domination
Electrocute Dark Harvest Hail of Blades
Cheap Shot Taste of Blood Sudden Impact
Sixth Sense Grisly Mementos Deep Ward
Relentless Hunter Ultimate Hunter Treasure Hunter
Sorcery Sorcery
Axiom Arcanist Manaflow Band Nimbus Cloak
Transcendence Absolute Focus Celerity
Waterwalking Gathering Storm Scorch
Shards
Adaptive Force Attack Speed Ability Haste
Adaptive Force Move Speed Health Scaling
Health Tenacity and Slow Resist Health Scaling
Domination Domination + Precision Precision
40.0% WR
20 games · 23% pick
Dark Harvest Cheap Shot Grisly Mementos Ultimate Hunter Coup de Grace Presence of Mind
Inspiration Inspiration + Domination Domination
57.1% WR
7 games · 8% pick
First Strike Magical Footwear Time Warp Tonic Cosmic Insight Grisly Mementos Ultimate Hunter

Keystones

  • Dark Harvest Dark Harvest Damaging a low health champion inflicts adaptive damage and harvests a soul from the victim. 45.9%69% pick
  • First Strike First Strike When you initiate champion combat, deal 7% extra damage for 3 seconds and gain gold based on damage dealt. 50.0%14% pick
  • Deathfire Touch Deathfire Touch Damaging a champion with an ability burns them over time. 70.0%11% pick
  • Arcane Comet Arcane Comet Damaging a champion with an ability hurls a damaging comet at their location. 33.3%3% pick

Summoner spells

  • Flash Mark Flash + Mark 47.6%72% pick
  • Flash Clarity Flash + Clarity 62.5%9% pick
  • Flash Ghost Flash + Ghost 0.0%5% 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.