Win Rate: 48.0%
Pick Rate: 0.4%
Ban Rate: 0.6%

Karthus Jungle Build: Items & Boots

Mage

Patch: 26.20
Games: 889
Lane: Jungle
Tier: All Tiers
Last Updated: Oct 19, 2026 UTC
Methodology: Data Methodology
Author: Dakota Chinnick

The most-played Patch 26.20 Karthus build is Sorcerer's Shoes, Shadowflame, Rabadon's Deathcap, Blackfire Torch, Liandry's Torment, Malignance, Oracle Lens: 6.19% of games, 56.85% win rate. Below are the boots, first items, starting items and summoner spells players pick most, each with its own win rate and game count.

Select a Karthus Build

Most Played

Best Karthus Build - Highest Win Rate Items

Full Build

Early Build Order

Top Summoner Spells

Exhaust + Smite
56.5%Win Rate63.0%Pick Rate
Smite + Flash
58.3%Win Rate32.9%Pick Rate

Build Stats

56.85%Win Rate

+8.82%WR Diff

6.19%Pick Rate

146Matches

This Karthus build focuses on ability power for maximum spell damage. Build the core items first for your power spike, then adapt with situational items based on enemy team composition.

The core items for this Karthus build are Shadowflame, Rabadon's Deathcap, and Blackfire Torch. This item combination achieves a 56.9% win rate across 146 matches analyzed.

At full build, Karthus gains a total of 470 AP and 300 Health, giving a strong power profile for magic damage.

Best Karthus Runes

Domination

Sorcery

View full runes

Karthus Abilities

View ability details

Build Strengths

Karthus build strength based on the items chosen in the build when compared to all builds across every champion. Strongest in: Magic Damage. Lower in: Physical Resistance, Magic Resistance, Physical Damage.

Build Deep Dive

Karthus Starting Items

The most popular starting items for Karthus are Scorchclaw Pup, Health Potion, Stealth Ward with a 61.5% win rate and 26.7% pick rate.

Scorchclaw Pup

Health Potion

Stealth Ward

61.5%Win Rate

26.7%Pick Rate

Best Karthus Core Items - Build These First

These are Karthus's essential core items that you should build in nearly every game. Shadowflame (51.7% WR, +3.7% WR diff, 69.6% pick rate) provides 110 AP. Rabadon's Deathcap (55.4% WR, +7.4% WR diff, 43.9% pick rate) provides 130 AP. Blackfire Torch (49.3% WR, +1.3% WR diff, 59.1% pick rate) provides 600 Mana, 80 AP. Rush these items first to reach your power spike and maximize your impact.

Shadowflame S Tier
Shadowflame
3,200
51.70%Win Rate
+3.67%WR Diff
69.63%Pick Rate
Rabadon's Deathcap S Tier
Rabadon's Deathcap
3,500
55.38%Win Rate
+7.35%WR Diff
43.87%Pick Rate
Blackfire Torch S Tier
Blackfire Torch
2,800
49.33%Win Rate
+1.30%WR Diff
59.06%Pick Rate

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Any item combo — even off-meta
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Karthus Build Path & Item Timing

Karthus players complete Scorchclaw Pup first in 71% of games, winning 48.1% of them. The median first item is finished at 0:12 (25th to 75th percentile: 0:06 to 0:18).

First item

Build	Win Rate	Pick Rate	Done at	Games
Scorchclaw Pup	48.1%	70.9%	0:12	630
Gustwalker Hatchling	48.0%	25.6%	0:12	227
Mosstomper Seedling	48.4%	3.5%	0:12	31

First two items

Build	Win Rate	Pick Rate	Done at	Games
Scorchclaw PupBlackfire Torch	51.4%	39.2%	10:12	333
Gustwalker HatchlingMalignance	53.3%	10.8%	10:30	92
Scorchclaw PupMalignance	44.6%	29.3%	10:18	249

Three-item core

Build	Win Rate	Pick Rate	Done at	Games
Gustwalker HatchlingMalignanceShadowflame	74.3%	4.4%	18:18	35
Scorchclaw PupBlackfire TorchMalignance	62.5%	6.0%	17:24	48
Scorchclaw PupBlackfire TorchLiandry's Torment	53.2%	9.6%	18:00	77

Stages keep purchase order, so "A then B" and "B then A" are counted separately. Completion time is the minute the last item of the stage was bought. Boots are tracked separately.

Fair sampleBased on 888 matches. That is enough matches for these numbers to be a fair guide, though they will still move between patches.

Karthus Skill Order

Karthus players max Q > E > W in 95% of games, winning 48.1% of the 813 games that followed that order. The grid shows the most common ability at every level.

Skill priority

Level	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18
Q	1		2		3		4		5
W				1										2	3		4	5
E		1						2		3		4	5
R						1					2					3

Q > W > E: 3% of games, 53.6% win rate
E > Q > W: 2% of games, 61.5% win rate

Fair sampleBased on 858 matches. That is enough matches for these numbers to be a fair guide, though they will still move between patches.

High Win Rate Situational Items for Karthus

Top situational items for Karthus include Liandry's Torment, Malignance. These can be swapped out depending on the enemy composition and team needs.

Liandry's Torment S Tier
Liandry's Torment
3,000
49.18%Win Rate
+1.15%WR Diff
41.39%Pick Rate
Malignance S Tier
Malignance
2,700
48.69%Win Rate
+0.66%WR Diff
55.68%Pick Rate

Karthus Boots

The best boots for Karthus are Sorcerer's Shoes. Adjust based on enemy team comp.

Sorcerer's Shoes S Tier
Sorcerer's Shoes
1,100
47.47%Win Rate
-0.56%WR Diff
73.45%Pick Rate

Karthus Trinket

The recommended trinket for Karthus is Oracle Lens for vision control and map awareness.

Oracle Lens S Tier
Oracle Lens
0
48.34%Win Rate
+0.31%WR Diff
43.98%Pick Rate

Complete Karthus Build Item Stats

Combined statistics from all items in this Karthus build.

Movement Speed:45
Ability Power:470
Mana:1200
Health:300

Build Comparison

Best WR

Most Played

Speed

505

470

Mana

1200

Health

300

Karthus Counter Build Advice

When facing Karthus's top counters like Lillia, LeeSin, Chogath, consider adjusting your situational items to increase survivability and match their damage output. If counter champions are building high damage, prioritize armor items against AD-heavy counter picks or magic resistance items against AP threats in your situational item slots to reduce burst damage and improve trading potential. Your core build provides strong damage output. Against tanky counter picks, consider penetration items or percentage-based damage from your situational options to maintain kill pressure. Adapt your final build slots with items like Liandry's Torment or Malignance based on which counter champions you're facing and their itemization patterns. Monitor enemy builds and adjust accordingly for optimal Karthus performance.

When Should You Play This Karthus Build

burst mageFirst Power Spike3,200gScorchclaw Pup at 0:12 (median)

This Karthus burst mage build is optimized for players looking to maximize their impact in League of Legends. Its 56.9% win rate comes from only 146 games, so treat it as an observation rather than a proven edge. The build's key strengths include devastating ability power scaling with 470 total AP. Choose this build when your team needs magic damage, especially if teammates are primarily AD-focused. Karthus with this build can punish teams that stack armor. Consider the enemy team composition when finalizing your situational items to maximize Karthus's effectiveness. However, be aware that this build lacks defensive stats making Karthus vulnerable to burst damage and no built-in sustain for extended fights. With a total gold cost of 16,300, this Karthus build scales into the late game. Focus on farming efficiently and reaching your Shadowflame, Rabadon's Deathcap, and Blackfire Torch power spike before taking major fights. For optimal results with this Karthus build, focus on proper itemization timing, positioning in teamfights, and adapting your situational items based on the specific challenges each game presents.

Strengths

Devastating ability power scaling with 470 total AP

Weaknesses

Lacks defensive stats making Karthus vulnerable to burst damage
No built-in sustain for extended fights
Limited ability haste may result in longer cooldowns

Champions with Similar Builds to Karthus

Karthus Jungle Boots, Starting Items & Summoner Spells (Patch 26.20)

855 games

Most Karthus Jungle players rush Scorchclaw Pup first (71% of games), finished at a median of 0.2 minutes. Sorcerer's Shoes are the usual boots (76%). The standard summoner spells are Exhaust + Smite (58%). The game usually starts with Scorchclaw Pup + Health Potion + Stealth Ward.

Karthus boots

Option	Players	Win Rate	Games
Sorcerer's ShoesMost played	76.3%	47.5%	652

Karthus starting items

Option	Players	Win Rate	Games
Scorchclaw Pup + Health Potion + Stealth WardMost played	26.2%	52.2%	224
Scorchclaw Pup	18.1%	47.7%	155
Scorchclaw Pup + Health Potion	12.2%	50.0%	104
Gustwalker Hatchling + Health Potion + Stealth Ward	9.6%	47.6%	82

Karthus summoner spells

Option	Players	Win Rate	Games
Exhaust + SmiteMost played	58.2%	46.6%	498
Flash + Smite	35.0%	51.2%	299
Smite + Ignite	5.3%	51.1%	45

Every option is listed with its own pick rate, win rate and game count from ranked games this patch. Options under 40 games are left out.

Karthus First Item and Core Build Timing

Which item Karthus players finish first and which three-item core they build, with the median completion minute and the middle 50% of games — the timing to beat if you want to spike before your opponent.

First completed item

Items	Finished	Players	Win Rate	Games
Scorchclaw Pup	0.2 min 0.1-0.3 min	71.0%	48.4%	607
Gustwalker Hatchling	0.2 min 0.1-0.3 min	25.4%	48.4%	217

Three-item core

Items	Finished	Players	Win Rate	Games
Scorchclaw Pup → Blackfire Torch → Shadowflame	18.7 min 17.4-20.4 min	21.3%	49.4%	170
Scorchclaw Pup → Malignance → Shadowflame	19.3 min 17.5-20.8 min	12.0%	46.9%	96
Scorchclaw Pup → Blackfire Torch → Liandry's Torment	18.0 min 16.3-19.9 min	9.6%	53.2%	77
Scorchclaw Pup → Blackfire Torch → Malignance	17.4 min 16.1-18.7 min	6.0%	62.5%	48

Every Karthus Jungle Item by Win Rate

The completed items Karthus players build most this patch, with the share of games each one appears in and its win rate. Situational items sit low in pick rate for a reason — read the win rate next to the game count.

Option	Players	Win Rate	Games
ShadowflameMost played	72.4%	51.7%	619
Blackfire Torch	61.3%	49.4%	524
Malignance	57.9%	48.7%	495
Rabadon's Deathcap	45.6%	55.4%	390
Liandry's Torment	43.0%	49.2%	368
Stormsurge	22.0%	51.6%	188
Void Staff	20.0%	55.0%	171
Zhonya's Hourglass	18.4%	49.7%	157
Mejai's Soulstealer	5.4%	78.3%	46

Karthus Build Planner

Plan a build

Start from Karthus's most common core and swap items to see the total gold and stats. When your picks contain a three-item core players actually build, its recorded win rate shows up.

Karthus's most-built items

Your build (3/6)

Total gold7,100

No recorded three-item core in this build yet — it may be off-meta.

Total stats from items

Ability Power: 190
Ability Haste: 20
Magic Pen: 27
Mana: 600
Move Speed: 45

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Karthus Build - Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best Karthus build?

The best Karthus build in this patch includes Shadowflame, Rabadon's Deathcap, and Blackfire Torch. This build has a 56.85% win rate and is picked 6.19% of the time.

What are Karthus's core items?

Karthus's core items are Shadowflame, Rabadon's Deathcap, and Blackfire Torch. These items provide the best stats and synergies for Karthus's kit and playstyle in League of Legends.

What are the best boots for Karthus?

Sorcerer's Shoes are the best boots for Karthus. These boots provide optimal mobility and stats for Karthus's playstyle. They are included in 6.2% of Karthus builds.

What is the best trinket for Karthus?

Oracle Lens is the best trinket for Karthus. This trinket provides optimal vision control and map awareness. Using Oracle Lens helps Karthus maintain vision around objectives and track enemy movements.

Are there alternative Karthus builds?

Yes, alternative Karthus builds include options like Shadowflame, Malignance, and Rabadon's Deathcap. Different builds can be more effective depending on team composition and matchups.

Where does MetaBot source build data for Karthus?

MetaBot sources its build data for Karthus directly from the Riot Games API, provided to developers for ingesting game data from League of Legends. MetaBot analyzes hundreds of thousands of matches daily to help it determine build statistics.

How does MetaBot determine what the best Karthus builds are?

MetaBot only counts Karthus games that reached a completed build (boots plus at least three finished items), groups them by their three core items, and ranks the groups by a confidence-adjusted win rate (Wilson lower bound) so a build with a handful of lucky games cannot outrank a well-played one. A build is only presented as the highest win rate once it has at least 50 games and a tenth of Karthus's build sample; otherwise the most-played build is shown.

Karthus community builds

All Karthus builds →

No one has published a Karthus build yet. Share yours and help other players climb.

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Karthus Jungle Build: Items & Boots

Select a Karthus Build

Best Karthus Build - Highest Win Rate Items

Full Build

Early Build Order

Top Summoner Spells

Build Stats

Best Karthus Runes

Karthus Abilities

Build Strengths

Karthus Starting Items

Best Karthus Core Items - Build These First

Shadowflame

Rabadon's Deathcap

Blackfire Torch

Theorycraft Your Next Karthus Build

Karthus Build Path & Item Timing

First item

First two items

Three-item core

Karthus Skill Order

High Win Rate Situational Items for Karthus

Liandry's Torment

Malignance

Karthus Boots

Sorcerer's Shoes

Karthus Trinket

Oracle Lens

Complete Karthus Build Item Stats

Build Comparison

Karthus Counter Build Advice

When Should You Play This Karthus Build

Strengths

Weaknesses

Champions with Similar Builds to Karthus

Karthus Jungle Boots, Starting Items & Summoner Spells (Patch 26.20)

Karthus boots

Karthus starting items

Karthus summoner spells

Karthus First Item and Core Build Timing

First completed item

Three-item core

Every Karthus Jungle Item by Win Rate

Karthus Build Planner

Plan a build

Karthus Build - Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best Karthus build?

What are Karthus's core items?

What are the best boots for Karthus?

What is the best trinket for Karthus?

Are there alternative Karthus builds?

Where does MetaBot source build data for Karthus?

How does MetaBot determine what the best Karthus builds are?

See Also

Karthus community builds

Karthus Build - Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best Karthus build?

What are Karthus's core items?

What are the best boots for Karthus?

What is the best trinket for Karthus?

Are there alternative Karthus builds?

Where does MetaBot source build data for Karthus?

How does MetaBot determine what the best Karthus builds are?