Karthus - League of Legends Champion
Win Rate
52.6%
Pick Rate
0.9%

Karthusvs Nasus

SMage
Patch26.14
Matches491,560
LaneAll Lanes
TierAll Tiers
Last UpdatedJul 23, 2026
MethodologyData Methodology

Karthus vs Nasus is a decisive matchup in LoL patch 26.14. Nasus wins with a 61.5% win rate (+23.1%) over Karthus based on 13 games. Karthus wins the early laning phase while Nasus scales better into the late game. Below you'll find the best Karthus build, runes, laning stats, and strategies for the Karthus vs Nasus 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 - 38.5% win rate in this matchup
Karthus
38.5% WR
VS
Nasus vs Karthus matchup - 61.5% win rate
Nasus
61.5% WR

Who Wins the Karthus vs Nasus Matchup?

Nasus wins the Karthus vs Nasus matchup
Winner
Nasus
Matches: 13
38.5%
Win Rate
61.5%
1.6
CS / min
1.5
1,250
DMG / min
738
13,792
Gold / game
13,581
265
Heal / min
962
499
DMG Mitigated / min
1,964
0.6
CC / min
0.7
66.7%
Early Game WR
33.3%
30.0%
Late Game WR
70.0%

Karthus vs Nasus Matchup Summary

The Karthus vs Nasus matchup is a decisive matchup in League of Legends ranked play. Based on 13 recent matches analyzed, Nasus wins with a 61.5% win rate compared to Karthus's 38.5%, giving Nasus a 23.1 percentage point advantage. Game phase dynamics play a critical role here: Karthus controls the early laning stage, but Nasus outscales as the game goes longer. The matchup shifts dramatically depending on game length — Karthus needs to press advantages before Nasus reaches their power spikes, while Nasus should focus on safe farming and hitting key item breakpoints. The most significant statistical gap is in sustain, where Nasus leads by 2,162 HP/min — a difference that heavily influences the outcome of trades and skirmishes. Nasus 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 Nasus 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 Nasus Laning Phase Breakdown

Karthus wins the laning phase against Nasus in League of Legends

Karthus is favored during the laning phase against Nasus, 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
1.5Nasus
Karthus and Nasus farm at nearly identical rates in this matchup, with only a 0.1 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
1,250Karthus
738Nasus
Karthus heavily out-damages Nasus by 512 DMG/min, dominating both short trades and all-in fights. Nasus 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
13,792Karthus
13,581Nasus
Karthus and Nasus generate nearly equal gold per game, with just a 211 gold difference. Neither champion has a clear economic advantage, so gold leads will depend on individual play quality, kill participation, and objective contributions.
Utility
0.6Karthus
0.7Nasus
Both Karthus and Nasus provide similar amounts of crowd control (0.2s/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
764Karthus
2,926Nasus
Nasus vastly out-sustains Karthus, healing and mitigating 2,162 more damage per minute. This massive durability gap means Nasus 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 Nasus

Sorcerer's Shoes is the optimal boots choice against Nasus, providing the mobility and stats Karthus needs most in this matchup. The top-performing core items for Karthus against Nasus are Liandry's Torment, Shadowflame and Blackfire Torch. This combination gives Karthus an effective balance of damage, survivability, and utility for the matchup. This build has a 33.3% win rate across 3 games. While the overall matchup may be difficult, this item path gives Karthus the best chance to compete against Nasus. Adjustments may be needed based on team compositions and game state, but this build provides the strongest foundation for the Karthus vs Nasus matchup.

Early Game vs Late Game

Early Game
Karthus
66.7%
+33.3% advantage
Karthus early game win rateKarthus66.7%
Nasus early game win rateNasus33.3%
Late Game
Nasus
70.0%
+40.0% advantage
Karthus late game win rateKarthus30.0%
Nasus late game win rateNasus70.0%

Karthus dominates the early game (first 15 minutes) with a commanding 66.7% win rate — a 33.3 percentage point lead over Nasus. This lopsided early game means Karthus can dictate the pace of the lane from level 1, controlling trades, wave state, and river priority.

Nasus is far superior in the late game (25+ minutes), boasting a 70.0% win rate — 40.0 points above Karthus. Extended games heavily favor Nasus, whose kit and scaling make them a dominant force in team fights and objective control.

This matchup features a dramatic power shift: Karthus must aggressively press their early advantage and close out the game before Nasus reaches their scaling breakpoints. If Nasus 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 Nasus

Domination rune tree - Karthus primary runes vs NasusDomination
Dark Harvest - best Karthus rune vs NasusCheap Shot - best Karthus rune vs NasusGrisly Mementos - best Karthus rune vs NasusUltimate Hunter - best Karthus rune vs Nasus
Sorcery rune tree - Karthus secondary runes vs NasusSorcery
Axiom Arcanist - best Karthus rune vs NasusGathering Storm - best Karthus rune vs Nasus
60.0% WR

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


Karthus matchup data for League of Legends patch 26.14. 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 26.14
Opponent
Win Rate
Matches
CS/min
DMG/min
Gold/game
Early WR
Late WR
50.00%341.51,21014,46054.5%47.8%
53.85%261.71,10713,35375.0%44.4%
65.38%261.61,21314,12962.5%66.7%
42.86%211.61,27314,86962.5%30.8%
57.14%216.71,27214,85833.3%66.7%
66.67%216.91,36914,65075.0%61.5%
60.00%206.21,54715,16337.5%75.0%
47.37%192.31,29912,04137.5%54.5%
36.84%196.31,22212,59850.0%30.8%
63.16%191.31,18912,55066.7%61.5%
44.44%181.598412,23128.6%54.5%
41.18%171.31,17413,39350.0%36.4%
64.71%171.41,13313,53860.0%66.7%
58.82%176.11,29612,02328.6%80.0%
31.25%161.199810,23422.2%42.9%
37.50%161.21,03611,54922.2%57.1%
56.25%161.41,29115,82233.3%61.5%
53.33%153.81,15513,36371.4%37.5%
57.14%141.51,18916,77080.0%44.4%
71.43%141.11,31714,69160.0%77.8%
38.46%132.11,36416,13750.0%33.3%
69.23%131.71,10914,29450.0%77.8%
38.46%131.61,25013,79266.7%30.0%
38.46%131.91,01213,36340.0%37.5%
50.00%121.61,10111,97450.0%50.0%
50.00%121.31,07513,07060.0%42.9%
33.33%125.81,24213,03514.3%60.0%
36.36%111.21,17313,47040.0%33.3%
45.45%111.31,27013,00666.7%37.5%
45.45%111.41,19814,74550.0%44.4%
72.73%111.71,13312,27275.0%71.4%
40.00%106.41,24514,25550.0%37.5%
50.00%101.21,07211,23725.0%66.7%
60.00%103.81,32616,244100.0%55.6%
50.00%107.01,11913,92733.3%57.1%
50.00%106.11,27114,6470.0%62.5%
66.67%91.71,14715,247100.0%57.1%
77.78%96.61,16214,76466.7%83.3%
37.50%85.91,03911,3920.0%100.0%
87.50%84.11,12512,35175.0%100.0%
57.14%71.71,40716,43933.3%75.0%
57.14%76.81,18913,55850.0%60.0%
28.57%75.78099,61440.0%0.0%
71.43%75.31,42315,6410.0%83.3%
50.00%67.81,51610,97075.0%0.0%
16.67%66.81,0689,34925.0%0.0%
16.67%67.01,14313,26333.3%0.0%
66.67%65.71,15611,1440.0%100.0%
50.00%62.51,11011,40975.0%0.0%
66.67%67.51,51118,2240.0%80.0%
60.00%55.61,04712,658100.0%50.0%
60.00%51.41,36115,8020.0%75.0%
40.00%52.11,18610,48033.3%50.0%
60.00%52.31,12814,9440.0%75.0%
20.00%55.81,75514,34450.0%0.0%
40.00%57.01,62911,36466.7%0.0%
80.00%53.31,36913,229100.0%66.7%
40.00%53.21,67613,06650.0%33.3%
60.00%51.11,23114,7290.0%75.0%
100.00%21.51,21814,599100.0%100.0%

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Karthus vs Nasus - Frequently Asked Questions

How does Karthus do against Nasus in League of Legends?

Nasus wins the Karthus vs Nasus matchup with a 61.5% win rate compared to Karthus's 38.5%, a 23.1 percentage point difference. This data is based on 13 recent ranked games in patch 26.14.

How does Karthus do against Nasus in the early game?

In the early game, Karthus has the advantage against Nasus with a 66.7% win rate versus 33.3%. Karthus players should look to press their lane advantage through aggressive trades and wave control during the first 15 minutes.

How does Karthus do against Nasus in the late game?

In the late game, Nasus takes over the Karthus vs Nasus matchup with a 70.0% win rate compared to 30.0%. Nasus scales better into team fights and objective contests after 25 minutes.

Who wins the Karthus vs Nasus matchup?

Nasus wins the matchup against Karthus with a 61.5% win rate in League of Legends patch 26.14. The 23.1 percentage point advantage means Nasus is significantly favored in this lane matchup based on 13 games analyzed.

What is the best Karthus build against Nasus?

The best Karthus build against Nasus includes Liandry's Torment, Shadowflame, Blackfire Torch with Sorcerer's Shoes. This build achieves a 33.3% 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 Nasus?

The best Karthus runes against Nasus use the Domination primary tree with Sorcery secondary. This rune setup achieves a 60.0% win rate in the Karthus vs Nasus matchup. See the full rune breakdown in the matchup comparison above.

Does Karthus counter Nasus?

No, Karthus struggles against Nasus with only a 38.5% win rate. Nasus has the advantage in this matchup. Karthus players should focus on safe farming and avoiding extended trades to minimize Nasus's lead.

How do I play Karthus against Nasus?

When playing Karthus against Nasus, play cautiously and avoid Nasus's power spikes. Look for jungle assistance and team-dependent plays since Nasus has the statistical advantage at most stages. Use the matchup-specific build and runes above to optimize your chances.