Karthus the Deathsinger
The harbinger of oblivion, Karthus is an undying spirit whose haunting songs are a prelude to the horror of his nightmarish appearance. The living fear the eternity of undeath, but Karthus sees only beauty and purity in its embrace, a perfect union of life and death. When Karthus emerges from the Shadow Isles, it is to bring the joy of death to mortals, an apostle of the unliving.
Death Defied
Upon dying, Karthus enters a spirit form that allows him to continue casting spells.
Lay Waste
Karthus unleashes a delayed blast at a location, dealing damage to nearby enemies. Deals increased damage to isolated enemies.
Cost:- 20/
- 25/
- 30/
- 35/
- 40
Cooldown:- 0
Range:- 875
Wall of Pain
Karthus creates a passable screen of leeching energy. Any enemy units that walk through the screen have their Move Speed and Magic Resist reduced for a period.
Cost:- 70
Cooldown:- 15
Range:- 1000
Defile
Karthus passively steals energy from his victims, gaining Mana on each kill. Alternatively, Karthus can surround himself in the souls of his prey, dealing damage to nearby enemies, but quickly draining his own Mana.
Cost:- 30/
- 42/
- 54/
- 66/
- 78
Cooldown:- 1
Range:- 550
Requiem
After channeling for 3 seconds, Karthus deals damage to all enemy champions.
Cost:- 100
Cooldown:- 200/
- 180/
- 160
Range:- 10000
- Mage
Patch 26.1 Karthus Changes
Quick overview of Karthus's optimal setup in League of Legends. Karthus's top build includes Sorcerer's Shoes, Zhonya's Hourglass, Rabadon's Deathcap, using Dark Harvest, Cheap Shot, Sixth Sense for maximum effectiveness. Karthus performs well against Chogath, MissFortune, Kaisa but struggles against Evelynn, Vi, Jax.
- Karthus's Top Build
- Karthus's Best Runes
- Karthus's Top Matchups
- Karthus's Counters
Karthus's base statistics in League of Legends. Karthus has 620 base health, 46 attack damage, 21 armor, and 30 magic resist. Understanding Karthus's stats is crucial for maximizing Karthus's effectiveness in lane and team fights. Compare Karthus's stats against other champions to see how Karthus ranks.
AP:0
AD:46(3.25 per level)
AS:0(2.11 per level)
Crit Chance:0%
Mana:467(31 per level)
Mana Regen:8(0.8 per level)
Health:620(110 per level)
Health Regen:6(0.55 per level)
Armor:21(4.7 per level)
MR:30(1.3 per level)
Speed:335
Attack Range:450(450 per level)
Karthus Early vs Late Game Performance's win rate varies throughout the game based on match duration. Karthus Early vs Late Game Performance peaks at 55.00% win rate in 50+ minute games, while performing lowest at 44.44% in 25 minute games. Understanding Karthus Early vs Late Game Performance's power spikes across game duration helps optimize your playstyle and decision-making.
Karthus's performance across key metrics in League of Legends. Early Game: 29.6%, Late Game: 91.3%, Objective Control: 38.4%, Supportive Strength: 37.8%, Creep Farming: 35.5%, Damage: 99.4%. These percentile rankings show how Karthus compares to other champions in each category.
Karthus exhibits a notable skill ceiling, with win rates increasing as player skill level rises across ranked tiers. Analysis of Karthus's performance shows a 6.2% win rate difference between Iron and Diamond tiers, indicating that Karthus rewards mechanical mastery and game knowledge. In lower tiers like Iron (50.0% win rate), players may struggle to execute Karthus's full potential due to the champion's technical demands. However, as players climb to higher tiers such as Diamond (56.2% win rate), Karthus's win rate improves significantly. This upward trend across ranks demonstrates that Karthus has a high skill ceiling and benefits greatly from experienced players who understand optimal ability usage, trading patterns, and macro decision-making. Players looking to master Karthus should focus on mechanical practice, studying high-level gameplay, and understanding matchup-specific strategies. The data across tiers (Iron (50.0%), Bronze (53.0%), Silver (48.2%), Gold (50.8%), Platinum (49.8%)) clearly shows that investing time to learn Karthus's intricacies pays dividends at higher levels of play, making Karthus an excellent choice for dedicated players seeking a rewarding champion to master.
When to Pick Karthus
Strengths
- Solid win rate (51%) shows reliable performance
- Strong matchups against Cho'Gath and Miss Fortune
- Optimal rune setup achieves 66.7% win rate
- Consistent performance throughout all game phases
Weaknesses
- Struggles against Evelynn (23.8% enemy WR)
- Requires safe laning to reach power spikes
- Requires proper positioning and cooldown management
- Can be punished by coordinated team play
Strategic Tips
Pick Karthus into favorable matchups like Cho'Gath where you can dominate lane and snowball your lead.
Use the optimal $Domination + $Sorcery rune setup for a $66.7% win rate.
Learn your champion's key item and level power spikes to maximize fight potential.
Karthus Overview - Frequently Asked Questions
What tier is Karthus in League of Legends?
Karthus is currently A tier in League of Legends patch 26.1. Karthus ranks among the top champions in the current meta.
What is Karthus's win rate?
Karthus has a 51% win rate in League of Legends patch 26.1. This win rate is calculated across all ranks and reflects Karthus's overall performance in ranked games.
Which champions are similar to Karthus?
Champions similar to Karthus include Neeko, Vex, and Kayle. These champions share similar playstyles, abilities, or roles as Karthus in League of Legends.
How does Karthus perform during different match durations?
Karthus's performance varies throughout the game. Early game strength, mid game power spikes, and late game scaling all contribute to Karthus's overall effectiveness. Check the match duration win rate chart to see Karthus's performance at different game lengths.