Karthus Probuilds: Mastering the Symphony of Death

Karthus, the haunting Deathsinger, emerges from the Shadow Isles to dominate the rift. Learn the pro builds, secrets, and strategies to harness his full potential.

Champion
KDA
VS
Runes
Karthus
Jiizuke
2/3/2
1.3
Skarner
First Strike
Domination
FlashSmite
Karthus
Clid
6/0/4
Perfect
Viego
Dark Harvest
Sorcery
SmiteFlash
Karthus
Jiizuke
4/2/5
4.5
Rengar
First Strike
Domination
FlashSmite
Karthus
Fanatiik
17/5/22
7.8
Nunu & Willump
Dark Harvest
Precision
SmiteFlash
Karthus
Clid
6/0/6
Perfect
Taliyah
Dark Harvest
Sorcery
SmiteFlash
LoL Karthus Probuilds

The Deathsinger, Karthus, is a captivating figure in the lore of League of Legends. Heralding oblivion with his haunting melodies, his mere presence evokes dread. But for Karthus, there's an elegance in the union of life and death. This undying spirit emerges from the Shadow Isles, not to frighten, but to share the serenity of death's embrace with mortals. In the rift, Karthus doesn't merely sing - he dominates, especially when played in the JUNGLE.

Looking at the stats, Karthus has a 0.2% pick rate with a 52.7% win rate. Though he sits in the B tier, a significant 19.7% ban rate suggests many players respect or fear his potential. With the right Probuilds for Karthus, you can harness this potential too. If you're seeking to master the Deathsinger, our Karthus Pro Builds guide is designed just for you. From beginner to intermediate players, this guide aims to provide clear insights into the Pro Karthus Builds adopted by pros.

Itemization for Karthus

Mastering Karthus is as much about strategy as it is about the right itemization. The correct items magnify Karthus's potential, turning him into a force to be reckoned with. This section dives deep into the Karthus Probuilds, showcasing which items synergize best with his abilities. We'll explore starting items, boots, the all-important mythic, core items, and the situational items to adapt to specific game scenarios.

Starting Items

Scorchclaw Pup
  • Scorchclaw Pup: An essential early-game item to enhance clear speed in the jungle., Health Potion: For sustaining in the jungle, ensuring Karthus stays healthy during his early clears.

Boots

Sorcerer's Shoes
  • Sorcerer's Shoes: Amplifies Karthus's magic damage, making his abilities hit even harder.

Core Items

MalignanceLiandry's Torment
  • Shadowflame: A top priority item that boosts magic penetration and damage, ensuring Karthus's abilities land with maximum impact., Rabadon's Deathcap: A massive boost to Karthus's ability power, amplifying all his magical damage outputs.

Situational Items

Rabadon's DeathcapShadowflameVoid Staff
  • Void Staff: Ideal for piercing through enemy magic resistances., Zhonya's Hourglass: Provides essential survivability, especially when in a tight spot, allowing Karthus to buy time for his team., Mejai's Soulstealer: For those games when Karthus is ahead and looking to snowball, granting bonus ability power for champion takedowns.

Runes for Karthus

Runes, like items, are fundamental in leveraging Karthus's strengths. The right runes augment his natural abilities and playstyle. Our Karthus Probuilds guide will detail the preferred rune paths, enhancing both his damage output and efficiency throughout the game. Whether it's laning or the late game, these runes will ensure you maximize Karthus's potential at every phase.

InspirationInspiration
Glacial Augment
Unsealed Spellbook
First Strike
Hextech Flashtraption
Magical Footwear
Triple Tonic
Future's Market
Minion Dematerializer
Biscuit Delivery
Cosmic Insight
Approach Velocity
Time Warp Tonic
DominationDomination
Cheap Shot
Taste of Blood
Sudden Impact
Zombie Ward
Ghost Poro
Eyeball Collection
Treasure Hunter
Ingenious Hunter
Relentless Hunter
Ultimate Hunter
Offense
Offense
Offense
Offense
Flex
Defense
Defense
Defense
Defense

Primary Tree

  • Keystone Rune - First Strike: Allows Karthus to gain extra gold and damage against champions he attacks first, maximizing his early-game pressure.
  • Future's Market: Grants Karthus the ability to borrow gold and buy essential items sooner, accelerating his power spikes.
  • Cosmic Insight: Provides valuable cooldown reduction, enhancing Karthus's ability uptime.
  • Magical Footwear: Offers free boots at a set time, ensuring gold can be invested elsewhere without compromising on mobility.

Secondary Tree

  • Ultimate Hunter: Reduces the cooldown of Karthus's ultimate, allowing more frequent casts of his game-changing ability.
  • Eyeball Collection: Bolsters Karthus's ability power as he racks up champion takedowns, further snowballing his lead.

Karthus's Champion Spells

The magic of Karthus lies not just in his eerie songs, but in his array of potent spells. Each spell has its own purpose, and when used strategically, can lead to his team's victory. In our Karthus Probuilds guide, we'll delve deep into each of his spells and their ideal use-cases. Remember, the general spell skill priority is

Requiem
R
Lay Waste
Q
Defile
E
Wall of Pain
W
.

Lay Waste
Q
1
3
5
7
9
Wall of Pain
W
4
Defile
E
2
8
10
Requiem
R
6

Lay Waste (Q)

  • Description: Karthus delivers a delayed blast at a specified location, damaging nearby foes. Isolated targets suffer enhanced damage.
  • Usage: Primary poke and wave-clear tool. Ideal for zoning enemies and securing last-hits, especially when they're isolated.

Wall of Pain (W)

  • Description: A screen of sapping energy is conjured by Karthus. Enemies traversing this screen undergo a reduction in Move Speed and Magic Resist for a duration.
  • Usage: Use strategically to control enemy movement during skirmishes or to peel for yourself and allies. Also beneficial for amplifying damage against magic-resist-debuffed targets.

Defile (E)

  • Description: Passive: Grants Karthus Mana upon securing kills. Active: Karthus enshrouds himself in the spirits of the defeated, harming nearby enemies but rapidly depleting his Mana.
  • Usage: Activate during close-range combats for consistent damage. Remember to toggle off if Mana gets too low. The passive ensures some Mana sustainability during laning.

Requiem (R)

  • Description: After a 3-second channel, Karthus deals damage to all enemy champions, irrespective of their location on the map.
  • Usage: Best used as a finisher or to assist allies in skirmishes across the map. Ensure safety during the channel, as interruptions will cancel the ultimate.

Conclusion

In our journey through the Karthus Probuilds guide, we've dissected the optimal ways to equip and empower the Deathsinger. From items that augment his magical onslaught, to runes that solidify his dominance, each choice plays a pivotal role.

Furthermore, mastering Karthus's spells is crucial. Following the

Requiem
R
Lay Waste
Q
Defile
E
Wall of Pain
W
sequence aids in maximizing his damage output and overall impact. It's not just about understanding the spells, but about utilizing them at the right moments.

To conclude, our Pro Karthus Builds guide provides a holistic approach to mastering this champion. Remember, adaptation based on the game's flow remains key. Armed with this knowledge, you're set to deliver the perfect symphony of death on the Summoner's Rift.