Karthus - League of Legends Champion
Win Rate
50.0%
Pick Rate
1.1%

Karthusvs Lee Sin

CMage
Patch26.11
Matches776,441
LaneAll Lanes
TierAll Tiers
Last UpdatedJun 4, 2026
MethodologyData Methodology

Karthus vs Lee Sin is a decisive matchup in LoL patch 26.11. Lee Sin wins with a 54.9% win rate (+9.8%) over Karthus based on 51 games. Lee Sin 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 Lee Sin matchup.

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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
Karthus - 45.1% win rate in this matchup
Karthus
45.1% WR
VS
Lee Sin vs Karthus matchup - 54.9% win rate
Lee Sin
54.9% WR

Who Wins the Karthus vs Lee Sin Matchup?

Lee Sin wins the Karthus vs Lee Sin matchup
Winner
Lee Sin
Matches: 51
45.1%
Win Rate
54.9%
1.6
CS / min
1.0
1,057
DMG / min
666
13,346
Gold / game
13,041
274
Heal / min
515
446
DMG Mitigated / min
1,262
0.6
CC / min
0.7
31.8%
Early Game WR
68.2%
55.2%
Late Game WR
44.8%

Karthus vs Lee Sin Matchup Summary

The Karthus vs Lee Sin matchup is a decisive matchup in League of Legends ranked play. Based on 51 recent matches analyzed, Lee Sin wins with a 54.9% win rate compared to Karthus's 45.1%, giving Lee Sin a 9.8 percentage point advantage. Game phase dynamics play a critical role here: Lee Sin controls the early laning stage, but Karthus outscales as the game goes longer. The matchup shifts dramatically depending on game length — Lee Sin 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 Lee Sin leads by 1,057 HP/min — a difference that heavily influences the outcome of trades and skirmishes. Lee Sin 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 Lee Sin 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 Lee Sin Laning Phase Breakdown

Karthus wins the laning phase against Lee Sin in League of Legends

Karthus is favored during the laning phase against Lee Sin, winning 3 out of 5 key stat categories. Karthus holds advantages in farming, damage and gold income, making them the stronger laner in this matchup.

Farming
1.6Karthus
1.0Lee Sin
Karthus edges out Lee Sin by 0.6 CS per minute — a moderate farming advantage that adds up to roughly 9 CS over a 15-minute laning phase. This translates to earlier component purchases and slightly faster power spikes for Karthus.
Damage
1,057Karthus
666Lee Sin
Karthus heavily out-damages Lee Sin by 391 DMG/min, dominating both short trades and all-in fights. Lee Sin 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
13,346Karthus
13,041Lee Sin
Karthus earns 305 more gold per game than Lee Sin, equivalent to roughly one additional component item. This economic edge comes from a combination of better farming, kill participation, and objective control, giving Karthus slightly faster item completions.
Utility
0.6Karthus
0.7Lee Sin
Both Karthus and Lee Sin provide similar amounts of crowd control (0.1s/min difference), meaning neither has a significant advantage in locking down opponents for ganks or team fights. Lane ganks are equally effective for both sides.
Sustain
720Karthus
1,777Lee Sin
Lee Sin vastly out-sustains Karthus, healing and mitigating 1,057 more damage per minute. This massive durability gap means Lee Sin 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 Lee Sin

Sorcerer's Shoes is the optimal boots choice against Lee Sin, providing the mobility and stats Karthus needs most in this matchup. The top-performing core items for Karthus against Lee Sin are Shadowflame, Zhonya's Hourglass and Rabadon's Deathcap. This combination gives Karthus an effective balance of damage, survivability, and utility for the matchup. This build performs exceptionally well, achieving a 66.7% win rate across 3 games — well above average and making it the top item path against Lee Sin. Adjustments may be needed based on team compositions and game state, but this build provides the strongest foundation for the Karthus vs Lee Sin matchup.

Early Game vs Late Game

Early Game
Lee Sin
68.2%
+36.4% advantage
Karthus early game win rateKarthus31.8%
Lee Sin early game win rateLee Sin68.2%
Late Game
Karthus
55.2%
+10.3% advantage
Karthus late game win rateKarthus55.2%
Lee Sin late game win rateLee Sin44.8%

Lee Sin dominates the early game (first 15 minutes) with a commanding 68.2% win rate — a 36.4 percentage point lead over Karthus. This lopsided early game means Lee Sin can dictate the pace of the lane from level 1, controlling trades, wave state, and river priority.

Karthus is far superior in the late game (25+ minutes), boasting a 55.2% win rate — 10.3 points above Lee Sin. Extended games heavily favor Karthus, whose kit and scaling make them a dominant force in team fights and objective control.

This matchup features a dramatic power shift: Lee Sin must aggressively press their early advantage and close out the game before Karthus reaches their scaling breakpoints. If Karthus survives the laning phase without falling too far behind, the matchup flips in their favor. Dragon and Rift Herald control are pivotal — the team that secures early objectives can snowball or buy time to scale.

Best Karthus Runes Against Lee Sin

Domination rune tree - Karthus primary runes vs Lee SinDomination
Dark Harvest - best Karthus rune vs Lee SinCheap Shot - best Karthus rune vs Lee SinGrisly Mementos - best Karthus rune vs Lee SinUltimate Hunter - best Karthus rune vs Lee Sin
Sorcery rune tree - Karthus secondary runes vs Lee SinSorcery
Axiom Arcanist - best Karthus rune vs Lee SinGathering Storm - best Karthus rune vs Lee Sin
53.3% WR

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


Karthus matchup data for League of Legends patch 26.11. 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 26.11
Opponent
Win Rate
Matches
CS/min
DMG/min
Gold/game
Early WR
Late WR
49.09%551.41,03012,95747.8%50.0%
43.64%551.71,17013,03740.0%46.7%
45.10%511.61,05713,34631.8%55.2%
59.18%496.31,29113,60950.0%65.5%
52.08%481.51,25914,65547.1%54.8%
42.22%451.51,01713,07143.8%41.4%
37.78%451.31,02712,76840.9%34.8%
64.44%456.51,32616,02286.7%53.3%
50.00%426.61,19713,07066.7%33.3%
43.59%396.31,21513,23850.0%36.8%
57.89%381.41,26313,76053.3%60.9%
47.37%381.51,14413,40237.5%54.5%
34.21%381.91,06712,86740.0%30.4%
43.24%371.81,21213,46357.1%34.8%
38.24%347.01,24713,84233.3%42.1%
46.88%321.81,14612,84538.5%52.6%
43.33%301.81,29414,56958.3%33.3%
55.17%296.11,20312,39066.7%42.9%
46.43%281.41,03012,47453.3%38.5%
57.14%286.61,42315,21450.0%62.5%
40.74%271.31,33515,99216.7%47.6%
28.00%251.81,16313,29530.0%26.7%
66.67%241.61,14614,33775.0%58.3%
45.45%221.51,30714,90550.0%44.4%
66.67%212.21,20113,57277.8%58.3%
55.00%201.61,26713,96860.0%50.0%
68.42%195.61,49616,092100.0%60.0%
63.16%191.31,11614,40962.5%63.6%
38.89%181.51,44814,53542.9%36.4%
55.56%186.41,27613,45466.7%44.4%
72.22%185.11,12111,32260.0%87.5%
35.29%171.51,05612,45536.4%33.3%
52.94%171.31,37015,16157.1%50.0%
76.47%176.51,26315,48280.0%75.0%
47.06%171.596012,24444.4%50.0%
52.94%176.51,33013,71966.7%45.5%
43.75%161.41,24415,49750.0%41.7%
56.25%161.31,08013,22180.0%45.5%
53.33%155.41,37313,67875.0%45.5%
35.71%141.61,23913,56744.4%20.0%
28.57%146.71,35911,93450.0%12.5%
42.86%142.41,25014,77740.0%44.4%
50.00%141.61,08215,54125.0%60.0%
69.23%136.51,30513,96557.1%83.3%
61.54%136.51,25612,93960.0%62.5%
53.85%132.51,05212,27675.0%44.4%
58.33%125.91,02710,26957.1%60.0%
83.33%121.31,22913,18380.0%85.7%
50.00%125.41,34014,96775.0%37.5%
45.45%111.41,03113,14557.1%25.0%
72.73%111.61,02712,997100.0%57.1%
27.27%115.91,13213,2320.0%42.9%
30.00%103.21,05913,47225.0%33.3%
70.00%107.41,27115,568100.0%57.1%
70.00%102.91,14415,271100.0%62.5%
50.00%107.21,13812,21650.0%50.0%
40.00%102.91,37615,5780.0%44.4%
55.56%95.51,26613,15150.0%60.0%
33.33%94.992710,92520.0%50.0%
44.44%96.21,07210,46733.3%66.7%
55.56%93.31,21214,875100.0%42.9%
55.56%91.41,25215,076100.0%42.9%
77.78%92.91,16514,15366.7%83.3%
33.33%92.11,19513,83433.3%33.3%
87.50%81.31,11314,33780.0%100.0%
25.00%81.31,28513,22250.0%16.7%
87.50%86.41,18214,46450.0%100.0%
75.00%81.71,65016,96550.0%83.3%
75.00%86.71,19715,02375.0%75.0%
62.50%82.099113,519100.0%50.0%
37.50%81.799613,5240.0%50.0%
57.14%76.31,63217,174100.0%50.0%
42.86%72.91,10811,95025.0%66.7%
14.29%71.190712,62625.0%0.0%
71.43%76.91,20214,28450.0%80.0%
85.71%75.51,33217,1080.0%85.7%
42.86%74.11,21013,9640.0%50.0%
28.57%76.01,44213,3670.0%40.0%
57.14%77.01,42713,69033.3%75.0%
57.14%72.41,12412,10740.0%100.0%
85.71%71.01,06214,10450.0%100.0%
50.00%67.11,38812,74350.0%50.0%
33.33%66.81,14411,4860.0%66.7%
66.67%64.21,44015,135100.0%60.0%
33.33%62.39659,7790.0%50.0%
33.33%62.51,07412,12050.0%0.0%
33.33%66.61,31611,4480.0%66.7%
16.67%65.81,30313,2700.0%25.0%
50.00%62.51,43716,7350.0%75.0%
20.00%56.31,40913,9390.0%33.3%
40.00%55.37986,5180.0%100.0%
40.00%51.11,41814,8040.0%50.0%
40.00%53.41,19015,0350.0%50.0%
60.00%54.61,65613,73266.7%50.0%
80.00%56.71,33110,47066.7%100.0%
60.00%52.01,29214,405100.0%50.0%
20.00%56.01,20610,84633.3%0.0%
40.00%56.71,01212,7100.0%50.0%
40.00%56.31,48213,690100.0%25.0%
60.00%55.91,40013,38366.7%50.0%
40.00%56.51,1899,67725.0%100.0%

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Karthus vs Lee Sin - Frequently Asked Questions

How does Karthus do against Lee Sin in League of Legends?

Lee Sin wins the Karthus vs Lee Sin matchup with a 54.9% win rate compared to Karthus's 45.1%, a 9.8 percentage point difference. This data is based on 51 recent ranked games in patch 26.11.

How does Karthus do against Lee Sin in the early game?

In the early game, Lee Sin has the advantage against Karthus with a 68.2% win rate versus 31.8%. Lee Sin players should look to press their lane advantage through aggressive trades and wave control during the first 15 minutes.

How does Karthus do against Lee Sin in the late game?

In the late game, Karthus takes over the Karthus vs Lee Sin matchup with a 55.2% win rate compared to 44.8%. Karthus scales better into team fights and objective contests after 25 minutes.

Who wins the Karthus vs Lee Sin matchup?

Lee Sin wins the matchup against Karthus with a 54.9% win rate in League of Legends patch 26.11. The 9.8 percentage point advantage means Lee Sin is significantly favored in this lane matchup based on 51 games analyzed.

What is the best Karthus build against Lee Sin?

The best Karthus build against Lee Sin includes Shadowflame, Zhonya's Hourglass, Rabadon's Deathcap with Sorcerer's Shoes. This build achieves a 66.7% win rate in the matchup. Check the matchup breakdown above for the full item path and build order.

What are the best Karthus runes against Lee Sin?

The best Karthus runes against Lee Sin use the Domination primary tree with Sorcery secondary. This rune setup achieves a 53.3% win rate in the Karthus vs Lee Sin matchup. See the full rune breakdown in the matchup comparison above.

Does Karthus counter Lee Sin?

No, Karthus struggles against Lee Sin with only a 45.1% win rate. Lee Sin has the advantage in this matchup. Karthus players should focus on safe farming and avoiding extended trades to minimize Lee Sin's lead.

How do I play Karthus against Lee Sin?

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