- Win Rate
- 54.6%
- Pick Rate
- 0.2%
- Ban Rate
- 0.6%
Karthus ADC Runes: Keystone & Shards
- Patch
- 26.20
- Games
- 295
- Lane
- Bot
- Tier
- All Tiers
- Last Updated
- Oct 15, 2026 UTC
- Methodology
- Data Methodology
- Author
- Dakota Chinnick
Best Bot Karthus runes for LoL Patch 26.20 - Deathfire Touch from the Sorcery tree with Precision secondary (52.5% WR, 20.0% pick rate). Karthus's optimal primary runes are Deathfire Touch, Axiom Arcanist, Transcendence, Scorch. Secondary tree: Presence of Mind, Last Stand.
Primary Tree
Sorcery
Deathfire TouchDamaging a champion with an ability burns them for 3 - 12 based on level (+
Duration:
Single Target: 4s
Area of Effect: 2s
Damage over Time: 1s
Axiom ArcanistYour Ultimate has 12% increased damage, healing, and shielding.
(AoE damage is reduced to a 8% increase)
Scoring a takedown on an enemy champion reduces your Ultimate's current cooldown by 7%.
TranscendenceGain bonuses upon reaching the following levels:
Level 5: +5
Level 8: +5
Level 11: On Champion takedown, reduce the remaining cooldown of basic abilities by 20%.
ScorchYour next damaging ability hit sets champions on fire dealing 20 - 40 bonus magic damage based on level after 1s.
Cooldown: 10s
Presence of MindDamaging an enemy champion restores 6-50 (80% for ranged) mana or 6 energy.
Takedowns restore 15% of your maximum mana or energy.
Cooldown for damage restoration: 8s
Last StandDeal 5% - 11% increased damage to champions while you are below 60% health. Max damage gained at 30% health.
Primary Tree
SorceryDeathfire TouchDamaging a champion with an ability burns them for 3 - 12 based on level (+
Duration:
Single Target: 4s
Area of Effect: 2s
Damage over Time: 1s
Axiom ArcanistYour Ultimate has 12% increased damage, healing, and shielding.
(AoE damage is reduced to a 8% increase)
Scoring a takedown on an enemy champion reduces your Ultimate's current cooldown by 7%.
TranscendenceGain bonuses upon reaching the following levels:
Level 5: +5
Level 8: +5
Level 11: On Champion takedown, reduce the remaining cooldown of basic abilities by 20%.
ScorchYour next damaging ability hit sets champions on fire dealing 20 - 40 bonus magic damage based on level after 1s.
Cooldown: 10s
Presence of MindDamaging an enemy champion restores 6-50 (80% for ranged) mana or 6 energy.
Takedowns restore 15% of your maximum mana or energy.
Cooldown for damage restoration: 8s
Last StandDeal 5% - 11% increased damage to champions while you are below 60% health. Max damage gained at 30% health.
Every Karthus Bot Keystone and Secondary Tree (Patch 26.20)
285 gamesKarthus Bot runs Deathfire Touch in 60% of games, with a 56.4% win rate. Precision is the usual secondary tree (77%). Standard stat shards: Adaptive Force (offense), Adaptive Force (flex), Health (defense).
Keystones
| Rune | Players | Win Rate | Games |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deathfire TouchMost played | 60.4% | 56.4% | 172 |
 Dark Harvest | 37.2% | 50.0% | 106 |
Secondary trees
| Rune | Players | Win Rate | Games |
|---|---|---|---|
 PrecisionMost played | 76.8% | 56.2% | 219 |
| Sorcery | 20.4% | 51.7% | 58 |
Pick rate is the share of Karthus games in this lane that used the rune; options under 40 games are left out. A higher win rate on a rarely picked rune is usually a matchup-specific choice, not a general upgrade.
Karthus Minor Runes by Tree
Every minor rune Karthus players take, grouped by rune tree, with how often it is picked and how often it wins.
Sorcery
| Rune | Players | Win Rate | Games |
|---|---|---|---|
| Axiom ArcanistMost played | 74.4% | 55.2% | 212 |
| Transcendence | 46.7% | 54.9% | 133 |
| Scorch | 45.6% | 55.4% | 130 |
 Gathering Storm | 32.6% | 53.8% | 93 |
 Absolute Focus | 16.8% | 60.4% | 48 |
Precision
| Rune | Players | Win Rate | Games |
|---|---|---|---|
| Last StandMost played | 71.6% | 56.4% | 204 |
| Presence of Mind | 62.5% | 53.4% | 178 |
 Triumph | 14.4% | 68.3% | 41 |
Domination
| Rune | Players | Win Rate | Games |
|---|---|---|---|
 Cheap ShotMost played | 36.5% | 51.0% | 104 |
 Ultimate Hunter | 31.9% | 46.2% | 91 |
 Grisly Mementos | 29.8% | 50.6% | 85 |
Karthus Stat Shards
Which stat shards Karthus players choose in each of the three shard rows, and the win rate of each.
| Rune | Players | Win Rate | Games |
|---|---|---|---|
 Adaptive Force (flex)Most played | 98.9% | 54.6% | 282 |
| Adaptive Force (offense) | 93.0% | 56.2% | 265 |
 Health (defense) | 62.8% | 54.2% | 179 |
| Health Scaling (defense) | 34.7% | 54.5% | 99 |
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Karthus Runes FAQ - Patch 26.20
What is the best keystone for Karthus Bot?
Deathfire Touch: Karthus Bot takes it in 60% of ranked games and wins 56.4% of 172 games. Alternatives: Dark Harvest (37%, 50.0%).
What stat shards should Karthus take?
Most Karthus players take Adaptive Force (offense), Adaptive Force (flex), Health (defense) — one from each shard row.
What are the best Karthus runes in patch 26.20?
The best Karthus runes in patch 26.20 use the Sorcery tree with Deathfire Touch, Axiom Arcanist, Transcendence, and Scorch, and the Precision tree with Presence of Mind and Last Stand. This rune setup achieves a 52.5% win rate with a 20.0% pick rate.
What is the win rate for Karthus's best rune page?
Karthus's best rune page has a 52.5% win rate in patch 26.20, which is -2.0% compared to Karthus's average win rate. This rune setup has a 20.0% pick rate among Karthus players.
What keystone should I use on Karthus?
Deathfire Touch from the Sorcery tree is the best keystone rune for Karthus in patch 26.20. This keystone synergizes well with Karthus's kit and provides a 52.5% win rate.
What is Karthus's primary rune tree?
Karthus's primary rune tree is Sorcery. The optimal Sorcery runes for Karthus are Deathfire Touch, Axiom Arcanist, Transcendence, and Scorch, with Deathfire Touch being the keystone of choice.
What is Karthus's secondary rune tree?
Karthus's best secondary rune tree is Precision. The recommended Precision runes are Presence of Mind and Last Stand, which complement Karthus's Sorcery primary tree.
What are alternative rune setups for Karthus?
An alternative Karthus rune setup uses Deathfire Touch from the Sorcery tree. This alternate build may be preferred in certain matchups or playstyles. Check the alternative rune page above for full details including win rate and pick rate.
How popular are Karthus's runes?
Karthus's top rune page has a 20.0% pick rate in patch 26.20. This indicates that 20.0% of Karthus players use the Deathfire Touch setup with Sorcery and Precision trees.