Poppy - League of Legends Champion
Win Rate
51.4%
Pick Rate
1.7%

Poppyvs Karthus

STankFighter
Patch26.4
Matches1,089,240
LaneAll Lanes
TierAll Tiers
Last UpdatedMar 4, 2026
MethodologyData Methodology

Poppy vs Karthus is a decisive matchup in LoL patch 26.4. Poppy wins with a 60.0% win rate (+20.0%) over Karthus based on 5 games. Poppy holds the advantage in both the early and late game. Below you'll find the best Poppy build, runes, laning stats, and strategies for the Poppy vs Karthus matchup.

Poppy Matchup Breakdown

Use the dropdown to select an opponent and see a detailed breakdown of how Poppy 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 - 60.0% win rateKarthus(60.0%)
Poppy - 60.0% win rate in this matchup
Poppy
60.0% WR
VS
Karthus vs Poppy matchup - 40.0% win rate
Karthus
40.0% WR

Who Wins the Poppy vs Karthus Matchup?

Poppy wins the Poppy vs Karthus matchup
Winner
Poppy
Matches: 5
60.0%
Win Rate
40.0%
0.6
CS / min
1.3
714
DMG / min
1,189
13,006
Gold / game
15,253
347
Heal / min
297
1,298
DMG Mitigated / min
472
1.2
CC / min
0.6
50.0%
Early Game WR
50.0%
66.7%
Late Game WR
33.3%

Poppy vs Karthus Matchup Summary

The Poppy vs Karthus matchup is a decisive matchup in League of Legends ranked play. Based on 5 recent matches analyzed, Poppy wins with a 60.0% win rate compared to Karthus's 40.0%, giving Poppy a 20.0 percentage point advantage. Poppy dominates at every stage — from early laning through late game team fights. This consistent advantage makes it difficult for Karthus players to find favorable windows, so team-dependent strategies and avoiding solo confrontations are essential. The most significant statistical gap is in CS, where Karthus leads by 0.7 CS/min — a difference that heavily influences the outcome of trades and skirmishes. Poppy players can confidently pick into Karthus and play aggressively from level 1. Look to establish lane dominance early through favorable trades and zone Karthus away from CS whenever possible. Understanding these matchup dynamics is essential for champion select decisions and in-game strategy when facing this lane opponent.

Poppy vs Karthus Laning Phase Breakdown

Karthus wins the laning phase against Poppy in League of Legends

Karthus is favored during the laning phase against Poppy, 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
0.6Poppy
1.3Karthus
Karthus edges out Poppy by 0.7 CS per minute — a moderate farming advantage that adds up to roughly 11 CS over a 15-minute laning phase. This translates to earlier component purchases and slightly faster power spikes for Karthus.
Damage
714Poppy
1,189Karthus
Karthus heavily out-damages Poppy by 474 DMG/min, dominating both short trades and all-in fights. Poppy 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
13,006Poppy
15,253Karthus
Karthus generates a commanding 2,247 more gold per game than Poppy. This substantial economic advantage means Karthus consistently reaches key item breakpoints earlier, creating a compounding lead that grows throughout the game. Poppy should focus on cost-effective item choices and avoid unnecessary deaths to prevent falling further behind.
Utility
1.2Poppy
0.6Karthus
Poppy provides 0.6 seconds more crowd control per minute than Karthus, offering better gank setup potential and slightly more team fight utility. This CC advantage helps Poppy coordinate with their jungler and control the pace of skirmishes.
Sustain
1,645Poppy
769Karthus
Poppy vastly out-sustains Karthus, healing and mitigating 875 more damage per minute. This massive durability gap means Poppy 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 Poppy Build Against Karthus

Boots of Swiftness is the optimal boots choice against Karthus, providing the mobility and stats Poppy needs most in this matchup. The top-performing core items for Poppy against Karthus are Iceborn Gauntlet, Sundered Sky and Dead Man's Plate. This combination gives Poppy an effective balance of damage, survivability, and utility for the matchup. This build performs exceptionally well, achieving a 100.0% win rate across 1 games — well above average and making it the top item path against Karthus. Adjustments may be needed based on team compositions and game state, but this build provides the strongest foundation for the Poppy vs Karthus matchup.

Early Game vs Late Game

Early Game
Poppy
50.0%
+0.0% advantage
Poppy early game win ratePoppy50.0%
Karthus early game win rateKarthus50.0%
Late Game
Poppy
66.7%
+33.3% advantage
Poppy late game win ratePoppy66.7%
Karthus late game win rateKarthus33.3%

The early game (first 15 minutes) is a toss-up between Poppy and Karthus, with Poppy holding a razor-thin 50.0% win rate edge (+0.0%). Individual skill and jungle proximity will matter more than champion advantage in the early laning phase.

Poppy is far superior in the late game (25+ minutes), boasting a 66.7% win rate — 33.3 points above Karthus. Extended games heavily favor Poppy, whose kit and scaling make them a dominant force in team fights and objective control.

Poppy holds the advantage at every stage of the game, making this a consistently favorable matchup from lane through late game team fights. Karthus players should look for outplays, team-dependent strategies, and picks rather than relying on scaling to win this matchup.

Best Poppy Runes Against Karthus

Domination rune tree - Poppy primary runes vs KarthusDomination
Hail of Blades - best Poppy rune vs KarthusCheap Shot - best Poppy rune vs KarthusGrisly Mementos - best Poppy rune vs KarthusRelentless Hunter - best Poppy rune vs Karthus
Sorcery rune tree - Poppy secondary runes vs KarthusSorcery
Celerity - best Poppy rune vs KarthusWaterwalking - best Poppy rune vs Karthus
100.0% WR

Running Domination primary with Sorcery secondary allows Poppy to press their advantage against Karthus, amplifying the strengths that make this a favorable matchup.


Poppy matchup data for League of Legends patch 26.4. The table below shows Poppy'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 Poppy build, runes, laning stats, and early vs late game analysis for that specific matchup.

Poppy matchup win rates and stats in League of Legends patch 26.4
Opponent
Win Rate
Matches
CS/min
DMG/min
Gold/game
Early WR
Late WR
54.95%1111.24779,14148.3%62.3%
53.21%1101.25259,73660.0%48.4%
50.00%1061.24589,46747.9%51.8%
46.24%931.34689,34041.5%50.0%
59.34%911.34749,49859.5%59.2%
43.84%731.24859,78548.4%40.5%
47.89%711.34849,27347.4%48.5%
58.46%651.255210,12266.7%50.0%
60.32%631.256310,04666.7%54.5%
49.21%631.25199,92850.0%48.6%
61.29%621.24968,72765.8%54.2%
57.38%625.784110,82462.1%53.1%
51.67%601.348510,04355.2%48.4%
57.63%591.34258,95858.1%57.1%
49.12%571.356310,13852.2%47.1%
50.00%562.57309,91946.9%54.2%
46.30%541.25209,20341.4%52.0%
48.15%543.96219,76346.1%50.0%
57.41%541.45439,77853.9%60.7%
59.62%531.752510,55150.0%63.9%
64.58%481.458310,22561.9%66.7%
57.45%471.14469,81663.2%53.6%
53.19%474.81,10511,73437.5%61.3%
43.48%464.185010,83347.6%40.0%
39.13%461.151610,06538.9%39.3%
48.89%451.85649,50641.7%57.1%
59.09%441.447910,06165.0%54.2%
51.16%431.34939,53342.9%55.2%
53.49%431.24729,15140.0%65.2%
54.76%421.14908,80059.1%50.0%
47.62%424.779911,23135.0%59.1%
52.38%426.180410,81973.7%34.8%
43.90%414.364310,93241.2%45.8%
60.00%405.587012,98340.0%66.7%
38.46%395.571510,00045.0%31.6%
41.67%366.279212,02035.3%47.4%
51.43%356.283811,33227.8%76.5%
65.71%353.975711,72872.7%62.5%
45.71%355.499512,30561.5%36.4%
55.88%341.362810,56462.5%50.0%
63.64%336.28089,31154.5%81.8%
51.61%325.187810,60842.9%58.8%
56.25%325.474410,29652.9%60.0%
37.50%324.161411,11340.0%36.4%
62.50%325.378011,48376.9%52.6%
54.84%316.184310,17552.6%58.3%
46.43%281.44529,87150.0%44.4%
35.71%281.955810,13023.1%46.7%
40.74%285.191310,80918.2%56.3%
70.37%271.349711,32890.0%58.8%
40.74%275.87519,88033.3%55.6%
76.00%250.964010,81076.9%75.0%
40.00%255.582311,11944.4%37.5%
58.33%246.096311,53460.0%57.1%
50.00%246.267610,65033.3%66.7%
45.83%241.161010,44741.7%50.0%
65.22%241.966012,17942.9%75.0%
52.17%235.580710,85240.0%55.6%
52.17%231.34899,84266.7%47.1%
47.83%232.473612,99542.9%50.0%
45.45%225.785410,99125.0%57.1%
45.45%225.86289,95760.0%33.3%
50.00%225.782910,28445.5%54.5%
52.38%216.081210,82146.1%62.5%
47.62%210.866012,44840.0%50.0%
42.86%215.483512,00228.6%50.0%
71.43%211.24318,69860.0%81.8%
45.00%201.358210,71737.5%50.0%
50.00%201.056511,11654.5%44.4%
57.89%205.575312,66550.0%63.6%
45.00%201.959410,59445.5%44.4%
42.11%196.38559,89650.0%33.3%
38.89%183.575211,53822.2%55.6%
55.56%181.454110,60980.0%46.1%
64.71%172.15849,00577.8%50.0%
58.82%175.974610,59858.3%60.0%
70.59%174.179110,26357.1%80.0%
58.82%171.059011,43560.0%58.3%
31.25%161.04908,26133.3%28.6%
50.00%161.34718,75862.5%37.5%
37.50%161.564110,44837.5%37.5%
56.25%164.486811,60562.5%50.0%
53.33%151.153810,86525.0%63.6%
46.67%150.749210,09250.0%42.9%
53.33%150.957210,49755.6%50.0%
28.57%145.759111,7170.0%33.3%
42.86%142.953510,35357.1%28.6%
42.86%141.658513,10075.0%30.0%
78.57%146.081911,12762.5%100.0%
57.14%141.65459,97966.7%50.0%
35.71%145.369810,60616.7%50.0%
23.08%130.858211,88137.5%0.0%
69.23%132.857111,26671.4%66.7%
50.00%120.951210,76850.0%50.0%
54.55%114.65339,97071.4%25.0%
45.45%111.665711,41240.0%50.0%
45.45%114.772712,154100.0%40.0%
50.00%101.963110,72025.0%66.7%
50.00%101.265610,95457.1%33.3%
50.00%103.381112,26150.0%50.0%
55.56%105.970610,34250.0%60.0%
20.00%101.053910,90128.6%0.0%
22.22%94.085312,08625.0%20.0%
33.33%92.772112,7380.0%50.0%
50.00%91.24488,51350.0%50.0%
62.50%92.74609,10066.7%60.0%
55.56%91.654311,53150.0%60.0%
33.33%95.059711,0530.0%50.0%
55.56%96.11,04410,03833.3%100.0%
66.67%90.660011,10875.0%60.0%
75.00%86.27467,99480.0%66.7%
75.00%84.377512,10150.0%83.3%
37.50%81.75269,35140.0%33.3%
25.00%81.94619,20533.3%20.0%
28.57%71.752110,8690.0%66.7%
71.43%71.246010,162100.0%60.0%
57.14%70.858011,48750.0%60.0%
57.14%76.181011,53866.7%50.0%
14.29%72.952211,2810.0%20.0%
71.43%72.06559,870100.0%60.0%
33.33%60.760812,7490.0%40.0%
50.00%66.373711,17025.0%100.0%
33.33%64.051910,5680.0%66.7%
60.00%51.74868,90366.7%50.0%
60.00%50.671413,00650.0%66.7%
40.00%52.551410,43666.7%0.0%
80.00%50.852411,2690.0%100.0%
60.00%50.84689,06133.3%100.0%
🔍

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Poppy vs Karthus - Frequently Asked Questions

How does Poppy do against Karthus in League of Legends?

Poppy wins the Poppy vs Karthus 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 26.4.

How does Poppy do against Karthus in the early game?

In the early game, Poppy has the advantage against Karthus with a 50.0% win rate versus 50.0%. Poppy players should look to press their lane advantage through aggressive trades and wave control during the first 15 minutes.

How does Poppy do against Karthus in the late game?

In the late game, Poppy takes over the Poppy vs Karthus matchup with a 66.7% win rate compared to 33.3%. Poppy scales better into team fights and objective contests after 25 minutes.

Who wins the Poppy vs Karthus matchup?

Poppy wins the matchup against Karthus with a 60.0% win rate in League of Legends patch 26.4. The 20.0 percentage point advantage means Poppy is significantly favored in this lane matchup based on 5 games analyzed.

What is the best Poppy build against Karthus?

The best Poppy build against Karthus includes Iceborn Gauntlet, Sundered Sky, Dead Man's Plate with Boots of Swiftness. This build achieves a 100.0% win rate in the matchup. Check the matchup breakdown above for the full item path and build order.

What are the best Poppy runes against Karthus?

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

Does Poppy counter Karthus?

Yes, Poppy has a favorable matchup against Karthus with a 60.0% win rate. Poppy strongly counters Karthus in lane based on current patch 26.4 data.

How do I play Poppy against Karthus?

When playing Poppy against Karthus, leverage your statistical advantages by trading aggressively during favorable windows. You have early game priority — look for kills and zone control before first recall. Build the recommended items and runes for this specific matchup for the best results.