Win Rate: 54.6%
Pick Rate: 0.2%
Ban Rate: 0.6%

Karthus ADC Build: Items & Boots

Mage

Patch: 26.20
Games: 295
Lane: Bot
Tier: All Tiers
Last Updated: Oct 13, 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, Void Staff, Zhonya's Hourglass, Farsight Alteration: 6.33% of games, 59.3% 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

Best WR

Highest Win Rate Build

Shadowflame
Void Staff
Blackfire Torch

Best Karthus Build - Highest Win Rate Items

Full Build

Early Build Order

Top Summoner Spells

Flash + Exhaust
70.0%Win Rate85.7%Pick Rate
Flash + Teleport
40.0%Win Rate7.1%Pick Rate

Build Stats

67.14%Win Rate

+12.56%WR Diff

5.15%Pick Rate

70Matches

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, Void Staff, and Blackfire Torch. This item combination achieves a 67.1% win rate across 70 matches analyzed.

At full build, Karthus gains a total of 435 AP and 300 Health, giving a strong power profile for magic damage.

Best Karthus Runes

Sorcery

Precision

View full runes

Karthus Abilities

View ability details

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

Build Deep Dive

The most popular starting items for Karthus are Doran's Ring, Health Potion, Health Potion, Stealth Ward with a 70.8% win rate and 34.3% pick rate.

Doran's Ring

Health Potion

Stealth Ward

70.8%Win Rate

34.3%Pick Rate

These are Karthus's essential core items that you should build in nearly every game. Shadowflame (55.8% WR, +1.2% WR diff, 79.0% pick rate) provides 110 AP. Void Staff (65.1% WR, +10.5% WR diff, 29.1% pick rate) provides 95 AP. Blackfire Torch (54.8% WR, +0.2% WR diff, 92.2% 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
55.79%Win Rate
+1.21%WR Diff
78.98%Pick Rate
Void Staff S Tier
Void Staff
3,000
65.12%Win Rate
+10.54%WR Diff
29.15%Pick Rate
Blackfire Torch S Tier
Blackfire Torch
2,800
54.78%Win Rate
+0.20%WR Diff
92.20%Pick Rate

MetaBot Desktop

Theorycraft Your Next Karthus Build

Test any item combination — even off-meta — against thousands of real Karthus matches. See win rate, KDA, damage, and every item's real impact before you ever lock in.

Any item combo — even off-meta
Thousands of real matches
Win rate by rank & game length

Download for Windows More InfoFree download

Build Theorycrafter in the MetaBot Desktop app analyzing a custom League of Legends item build

Karthus players complete Blackfire Torch first in 91% of games, winning 54.3% of them. The median first item is finished at 10:18 (25th to 75th percentile: 9:06 to 11:36).

First item

Build	Win Rate	Pick Rate	Done at	Games
Blackfire Torch	54.3%	91.2%	10:18	258
Malignance	42.9%	4.9%	10:48	14
Liandry's Torment	66.7%	1.1%	13:12	3

First two items

Build	Win Rate	Pick Rate	Done at	Games
Blackfire TorchShadowflame	55.6%	60.0%	17:36	162
Blackfire TorchStormsurge	61.8%	12.6%	16:42	34
Blackfire TorchLiandry's Torment	45.7%	13.0%	17:30	35

Three-item core

Build	Win Rate	Pick Rate	Done at	Games
Blackfire TorchShadowflameStormsurge	64.0%	22.1%	21:48	50
Blackfire TorchShadowflameRabadon's Deathcap	50.9%	25.2%	24:06	57
Blackfire TorchStormsurgeShadowflame	61.1%	8.0%	22:06	18

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.

Small sampleBased on 283 matches. This is a small sample, so these numbers show a direction rather than a reliable figure.

Karthus players max Q > E > W in 97% of games, winning 54.5% of the 279 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		6
W														1	2		3	4
E		1						2		3		4	5
R						1					2					3

Q > W > E: 2% of games, 50.0% win rate
E > Q > W: 1% of games, 100.0% win rate

Small sampleBased on 287 matches. This is a small sample, so these numbers show a direction rather than a reliable figure.

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

Stormsurge S Tier
Stormsurge
2,800
61.61%Win Rate
+7.03%WR Diff
37.97%Pick Rate
Liandry's Torment S Tier
Liandry's Torment
3,000
54.02%Win Rate
-0.56%WR Diff
29.49%Pick Rate

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
54.72%Win Rate
+0.14%WR Diff
89.83%Pick Rate

The recommended trinket for Karthus is Farsight Alteration for vision control and map awareness.

Farsight Alteration S Tier
Farsight Alteration
0
55.41%Win Rate
+0.83%WR Diff
50.17%Pick Rate

Combined statistics from all items in this Karthus build.

Movement Speed:45
Ability Power:435
Mana:600
Movement Speed:6%
Health:300

Build Comparison

Best WR

Most Played

Speed

435

520

Mana

600

Speed

0.06%

Health

300

When facing Karthus's top counters like Viktor, Ashe, Yunara, 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 Stormsurge or Liandry's Torment based on which counter champions you're facing and their itemization patterns. Monitor enemy builds and adjust accordingly for optimal Karthus performance.

Viktor
0.0%Win Rate
-54.58%WR Diff
Ashe
23.1%Win Rate
-31.50%WR Diff
Counter Items
- Zhonya's Hourglass
Yunara
42.1%Win Rate
-12.47%WR Diff
Counter Items
- Zhonya's Hourglass

burst mageFirst Power Spike3,200gBlackfire Torch at 10:18 (median)

This Karthus burst mage build is optimized for players looking to maximize their impact in League of Legends. Its 67.1% win rate comes from only 70 games, so treat it as an observation rather than a proven edge. The build's key strengths include devastating ability power scaling with 435 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 15,900, this Karthus build scales into the late game. Focus on farming efficiently and reaching your Shadowflame, Void Staff, 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 435 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 Bot Boots, Starting Items & Summoner Spells (Patch 26.20)

285 games

Most Karthus Bot players rush Blackfire Torch first (91% of games), finished at a median of 10.3 minutes. Sorcerer's Shoes are the usual boots (93%). The standard summoner spells are Exhaust + Flash (78%). The game usually starts with Doran's Ring + Health Potion + Health Potion.

Karthus boots

Option	Players	Win Rate	Games
Sorcerer's ShoesMost played	93.0%	54.7%	265

Karthus starting items

Option	Players	Win Rate	Games
Doran's Ring + Health Potion ×2Most played	49.1%	54.3%	140
Doran's Ring + Health Potion ×2 + Stealth Ward	36.8%	51.4%	105

Karthus summoner spells

Option	Players	Win Rate	Games
Exhaust + FlashMost played	78.2%	57.4%	223

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
Blackfire Torch	10.3 min 9.1-11.6 min	91.2%	54.3%	258

Three-item core

Items	Finished	Players	Win Rate	Games
Blackfire Torch → Shadowflame → Rabadon's Deathcap	24.1 min 21.3-26.0 min	25.2%	50.9%	57
Blackfire Torch → Shadowflame → Stormsurge	21.8 min 19.7-24.0 min	22.1%	64.0%	50

Every Karthus Bot 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
Blackfire TorchMost played	95.4%	54.8%	272
Shadowflame	81.8%	55.8%	233
Rabadon's Deathcap	42.1%	54.2%	120
Stormsurge	39.3%	61.6%	112
Liandry's Torment	30.5%	54.0%	87
Void Staff	30.2%	65.1%	86
Zhonya's Hourglass	15.4%	70.5%	44

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 (4/6)

Total gold10,600

This core is in our ranked data: 50.9% win rate over 57 games.

Total stats from items

Ability Power: 320
Ability Haste: 20
Magic Pen: 27
Mana: 600
Move Speed: 45

🔍

Help us maintain accuracy! If you notice incorrect stats, missing data, or any issues, your feedback directly improves the quality of our data for the entire community.

Report an Issue

Karthus Build - Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best Karthus build?

The best Karthus build in this patch includes Shadowflame, Void Staff, and Blackfire Torch. This build has a 67.14% win rate and is picked 5.15% of the time.

What are Karthus's core items?

Karthus's core items are Shadowflame, Void Staff, 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 5.2% of Karthus builds.

What is the best trinket for Karthus?

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

Are there alternative Karthus builds?

Yes, alternative Karthus builds include options like Shadowflame, Rabadon's Deathcap, and Blackfire Torch. 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 ADC 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

Void Staff

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

Stormsurge

Liandry's Torment

Karthus Boots

Sorcerer's Shoes

Karthus Trinket

Farsight Alteration

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 Bot 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 Bot 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 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?