Karthus - League of Legends Champion
Win Rate
49.1%
Pick Rate
1.2%

Karthusvs Gragas

DMage
Patch26.10
Matches1,009,027
LaneAll Lanes
TierAll Tiers
Last UpdatedMay 18, 2026
MethodologyData Methodology

Karthus vs Gragas is a decisive matchup in LoL patch 26.10. Gragas wins with a 60.0% win rate (+20.0%) over Karthus based on 5 games. Gragas wins the early laning phase while Karthus scales better into the late game. Below you'll find the best Karthus build, runes, laning stats, and strategies for the Karthus vs Gragas matchup.

Karthus Matchup Breakdown

Use the dropdown to select an opponent and see a detailed breakdown of how Karthus performs against them. You'll get head-to-head win rates, laning stats, the best build and runes for the matchup, and early vs late game analysis — all based on real ranked data.

Compare against an opponent
Gragas - 40.0% win rateGragas(40.0%)
Karthus - 40.0% win rate in this matchup
Karthus
40.0% WR
VS
Gragas vs Karthus matchup - 60.0% win rate
Gragas
60.0% WR

Who Wins the Karthus vs Gragas Matchup?

Gragas wins the Karthus vs Gragas matchup
Winner
Gragas
Matches: 5
40.0%
Win Rate
60.0%
1.2
CS / min
1.1
1,243
DMG / min
859
14,337
Gold / game
14,754
284
Heal / min
604
449
DMG Mitigated / min
886
0.8
CC / min
1.2
0.0%
Early Game WR
100.0%
50.0%
Late Game WR
50.0%

Karthus vs Gragas Matchup Summary

The Karthus vs Gragas matchup is a decisive matchup in League of Legends ranked play. Based on 5 recent matches analyzed, Gragas wins with a 60.0% win rate compared to Karthus's 40.0%, giving Gragas a 20.0 percentage point advantage. Game phase dynamics play a critical role here: Gragas controls the early laning stage, but Karthus outscales as the game goes longer. The matchup shifts dramatically depending on game length — Gragas needs to press advantages before Karthus reaches their power spikes, while Karthus should focus on safe farming and hitting key item breakpoints. The most significant statistical gap is in sustain, where Gragas leads by 757 HP/min — a difference that heavily influences the outcome of trades and skirmishes. Gragas has a strong advantage in this matchup. Karthus players should play defensively, prioritize safe farming under tower, and look for opportunities created by jungle pressure or Gragas overextending. Avoid prolonged trades and wait for team fights where positioning and coordination matter more. Understanding these matchup dynamics is essential for champion select decisions and in-game strategy when facing this lane opponent.

Karthus vs Gragas Laning Phase Breakdown

Gragas wins the laning phase against Karthus in League of Legends

Gragas is favored during the laning phase against Karthus, winning 3 out of 5 key stat categories. Gragas holds advantages in gold income, crowd control and sustain, making them the stronger laner in this matchup.

Farming
1.2Karthus
1.1Gragas
Karthus and Gragas farm at nearly identical rates in this matchup, with only a 0.2 CS/min difference. Neither champion holds a meaningful farming advantage, so lane dominance will come from trading and jungle interaction rather than CS leads.
Damage
1,243Karthus
859Gragas
Karthus heavily out-damages Gragas by 384 DMG/min, dominating both short trades and all-in fights. Gragas should avoid extended combat and instead focus on burst trade patterns — short engages followed by immediate disengagement — to avoid letting Karthus's sustained damage advantage take over.
Economy
14,337Karthus
14,754Gragas
Gragas earns 416 more gold per game than Karthus, equivalent to roughly one additional component item. This economic edge comes from a combination of better farming, kill participation, and objective control, giving Gragas slightly faster item completions.
Utility
0.8Karthus
1.2Gragas
Gragas provides 0.3 seconds more crowd control per minute than Karthus, offering better gank setup potential and slightly more team fight utility. This CC advantage helps Gragas coordinate with their jungler and control the pace of skirmishes.
Sustain
733Karthus
1,490Gragas
Gragas vastly out-sustains Karthus, healing and mitigating 757 more damage per minute. This massive durability gap means Gragas can absorb significant punishment and remain in lane while Karthus is forced to recall. Building grievous wounds early is essential for Karthus, and focusing on burst trade patterns rather than sustained fights is critical.

Best Karthus Build Against Gragas

Sorcerer's Shoes is the optimal boots choice against Gragas, providing the mobility and stats Karthus needs most in this matchup. The top-performing core items for Karthus against Gragas are Shadowflame, Zhonya's Hourglass and Blackfire Torch. This combination gives Karthus an effective balance of damage, survivability, and utility for the matchup. Adjustments may be needed based on team compositions and game state, but this build provides the strongest foundation for the Karthus vs Gragas matchup.

Early Game vs Late Game

Early Game
Gragas
100.0%
+100.0% advantage
Karthus early game win rateKarthus0.0%
Gragas early game win rateGragas100.0%
Late Game
Karthus
50.0%
+0.0% advantage
Karthus late game win rateKarthus50.0%
Gragas late game win rateGragas50.0%

Gragas dominates the early game (first 15 minutes) with a commanding 100.0% win rate — a 100.0 percentage point lead over Karthus. This lopsided early game means Gragas can dictate the pace of the lane from level 1, controlling trades, wave state, and river priority.

Late game (25+ minutes) is equally balanced, with Karthus at 50.0% win rate — only 0.0 points ahead of Gragas. Team fight execution and macro play determine the winner at this stage, not champion matchup advantage.

The power dynamics shift as the game progresses — Gragas has the edge early, but Karthus gradually takes over. However, the margins are slim enough that either champion can win at any stage with the right plays. Focus on taking advantages when you have them rather than waiting for a specific game phase.

Best Karthus Runes Against Gragas

Sorcery rune tree - Karthus primary runes vs GragasSorcery
Deathfire Touch - best Karthus rune vs GragasAxiom Arcanist - best Karthus rune vs GragasAbsolute Focus - best Karthus rune vs GragasGathering Storm - best Karthus rune vs Gragas
Domination rune tree - Karthus secondary runes vs GragasDomination
Cheap Shot - best Karthus rune vs GragasUltimate Hunter - best Karthus rune vs Gragas
100.0% WR

The Sorcery and Domination rune setup gives Karthus the best tools to compete against Gragas in this difficult matchup, compensating for the statistical disadvantages with optimal rune synergies.


Karthus matchup data for League of Legends patch 26.10. The table below shows Karthus's win rate, gold difference, and performance stats against every champion in the current meta. Click any champion name to see a detailed head-to-head breakdown including the best Karthus build, runes, laning stats, and early vs late game analysis for that specific matchup.

Karthus matchup win rates and stats in League of Legends patch 26.10
Opponent
Win Rate
Matches
CS/min
DMG/min
Gold/game
Early WR
Late WR
52.63%766.51,41414,97948.0%54.9%
58.73%631.41,23515,11965.0%55.8%
54.84%626.61,22013,28372.0%43.2%
50.82%611.31,10412,23253.6%48.5%
55.74%611.41,18614,39360.9%52.6%
44.07%591.21,15413,16832.0%52.9%
53.45%586.61,27114,30063.2%48.7%
47.37%571.51,17612,83542.3%51.6%
49.09%551.31,03612,97252.0%46.7%
44.23%526.71,30413,71345.0%43.8%
54.17%486.81,37214,31752.9%54.8%
45.65%461.51,12713,58443.8%46.7%
40.00%451.81,25514,27436.4%41.2%
40.91%441.41,06113,05435.3%44.4%
41.86%436.41,27112,60859.1%23.8%
53.49%436.51,31214,81946.1%56.7%
38.10%421.31,18814,17040.0%37.0%
55.26%381.41,17914,22669.2%48.0%
65.71%351.21,00512,49061.5%68.2%
48.57%352.01,17112,76255.0%40.0%
67.65%346.51,51716,74361.5%71.4%
35.48%311.91,17111,87042.9%29.4%
63.33%301.11,24112,86053.9%70.6%
50.00%306.31,20515,23362.5%45.5%
43.33%301.61,19613,04435.7%50.0%
46.67%304.71,24912,90953.3%40.0%
44.83%291.61,04612,03742.9%46.7%
58.62%292.31,23414,58675.0%52.4%
42.86%281.51,15112,98244.4%42.1%
48.15%276.41,19614,77350.0%47.4%
44.44%271.31,37514,78245.5%43.8%
76.00%251.21,12812,09493.3%50.0%
40.00%251.31,15711,99735.7%45.5%
70.83%241.81,15812,39783.3%58.3%
56.52%231.31,29214,79357.1%56.3%
52.17%234.21,35316,52050.0%52.6%
47.83%231.41,23214,01637.5%53.3%
45.45%221.71,21014,03550.0%42.9%
54.55%223.91,24813,95857.1%53.3%
38.10%211.21,19113,42937.5%38.5%
63.16%195.51,06114,21850.0%66.7%
50.00%181.81,23914,16057.1%45.5%
77.78%181.61,11413,56383.3%75.0%
61.11%181.41,03812,58471.4%54.5%
55.56%182.51,18515,3870.0%66.7%
72.22%181.91,25913,52266.7%77.8%
23.53%171.31,13512,85611.1%37.5%
64.71%171.31,27312,95257.1%70.0%
43.75%166.51,39914,01860.0%36.4%
37.50%166.81,05611,99928.6%44.4%
50.00%166.91,30313,66057.1%44.4%
56.25%161.21,13113,65162.5%50.0%
25.00%162.01,01412,90811.1%42.9%
46.67%156.91,20414,97725.0%54.5%
53.33%156.91,06712,00342.9%62.5%
46.67%156.11,14112,57842.9%50.0%
33.33%151.81,25213,46833.3%33.3%
40.00%156.51,32813,94433.3%50.0%
66.67%156.41,11012,42250.0%72.7%
69.23%136.21,15114,73480.0%62.5%
46.15%136.51,26313,14133.3%57.1%
46.15%133.21,27612,01833.3%57.1%
76.92%135.21,39315,12450.0%88.9%
30.77%135.91,26814,20366.7%20.0%
50.00%123.71,19713,93540.0%57.1%
75.00%125.91,01312,248100.0%66.7%
41.67%124.71,50814,33533.3%44.4%
58.33%127.21,11611,73785.7%20.0%
50.00%126.41,40915,21960.0%42.9%
58.33%123.01,36715,47566.7%55.6%
50.00%121.81,07412,38242.9%60.0%
27.27%112.01,07915,245100.0%11.1%
36.36%116.11,36615,45533.3%37.5%
45.45%116.81,47514,77014.3%100.0%
50.00%102.01,05311,35440.0%60.0%
70.00%103.41,18811,66875.0%66.7%
50.00%102.497112,34920.0%80.0%
30.00%106.81,36513,06020.0%40.0%
50.00%106.51,09913,8180.0%62.5%
44.44%94.11,27811,24240.0%50.0%
55.56%96.71,63112,50066.7%50.0%
77.78%91.41,39617,214100.0%71.4%
62.50%85.71,14113,67166.7%60.0%
37.50%85.31,11610,64020.0%66.7%
25.00%84.21,40415,2450.0%28.6%
62.50%82.81,42912,94050.0%75.0%
50.00%81.91,1639,83850.0%50.0%
0.00%85.998011,7850.0%0.0%
25.00%82.71,10414,9690.0%28.6%
37.50%86.71,35111,8980.0%60.0%
50.00%83.31,22314,53525.0%75.0%
42.86%76.61,31310,15740.0%50.0%
42.86%76.91,20412,14520.0%100.0%
85.71%72.21,08214,23166.7%100.0%
71.43%76.192110,23860.0%100.0%
42.86%76.71,08311,84766.7%25.0%
66.67%63.11,13213,94050.0%75.0%
83.33%62.71,32615,021100.0%75.0%
66.67%63.01,00111,241100.0%50.0%
33.33%66.690210,44350.0%25.0%
66.67%62.31,10912,99950.0%75.0%
50.00%60.91,04812,67666.7%33.3%
66.67%61.61,45612,58466.7%66.7%
33.33%66.61,17315,65550.0%25.0%
40.00%55.01,16511,9310.0%66.7%
40.00%54.91,0497,76550.0%0.0%
0.00%51.91,40215,4570.0%0.0%
20.00%51.81,38411,9150.0%100.0%
40.00%54.11,21413,09666.7%0.0%
40.00%52.61,12313,03850.0%33.3%
40.00%51.21,24314,3370.0%50.0%
40.00%56.51,40214,92350.0%33.3%
60.00%56.21,11911,62833.3%100.0%
100.00%55.71,67113,762100.0%100.0%

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Karthus vs Gragas - Frequently Asked Questions

How does Karthus do against Gragas in League of Legends?

Gragas wins the Karthus vs Gragas matchup with a 60.0% win rate compared to Karthus's 40.0%, a 20.0 percentage point difference. This data is based on 5 recent ranked games in patch 26.10.

How does Karthus do against Gragas in the early game?

In the early game, Gragas has the advantage against Karthus with a 100.0% win rate versus 0.0%. Gragas players should look to press their lane advantage through aggressive trades and wave control during the first 15 minutes.

How does Karthus do against Gragas in the late game?

In the late game, Karthus takes over the Karthus vs Gragas matchup with a 50.0% win rate compared to 50.0%. Karthus scales better into team fights and objective contests after 25 minutes.

Who wins the Karthus vs Gragas matchup?

Gragas wins the matchup against Karthus with a 60.0% win rate in League of Legends patch 26.10. The 20.0 percentage point advantage means Gragas is significantly favored in this lane matchup based on 5 games analyzed.

What is the best Karthus build against Gragas?

The best Karthus build against Gragas includes Shadowflame, Zhonya's Hourglass, Blackfire Torch with Sorcerer's Shoes. Check the matchup breakdown above for the full item path and build order.

What are the best Karthus runes against Gragas?

The best Karthus runes against Gragas use the Sorcery primary tree with Domination secondary. This rune setup achieves a 100.0% win rate in the Karthus vs Gragas matchup. See the full rune breakdown in the matchup comparison above.

Does Karthus counter Gragas?

No, Karthus struggles against Gragas with only a 40.0% win rate. Gragas has the advantage in this matchup. Karthus players should focus on safe farming and avoiding extended trades to minimize Gragas's lead.

How do I play Karthus against Gragas?

When playing Karthus against Gragas, play cautiously and avoid Gragas's power spikes. Focus on safe farming — you outscale Gragas in the late game. Use the matchup-specific build and runes above to optimize your chances.