Karthus Build
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.
The most played Karthus Jungle build on patch 26.21 runs Dark Harvest with Cheap Shot, Grisly Mementos and Ultimate Hunter, plus Axiom Arcanist and Gathering Storm from the secondary tree. Take Smite and Exhaust. Start with Scorchclaw Pup and Health Potion, then build Blackfire Torch, Sorcerer's Shoes and Shadowflame, followed by Rabadon's Deathcap, Void Staff and Zhonya's Hourglass. Max Q (Lay Waste) first, then E (Defile), then W (Wall of Pain). It has a 49.5% win rate and a 1.3% pick rate.
Runes
Primary
Dark Harvest
Damaging a low health champion inflicts adaptive damage and harvests a soul from the victim.
Dark Harvest
Damaging a Champion below 50% health deals adaptive damage and harvests their soul, permanently increasing Dark Harvest's damage by 11. Dark Harvest damage: 30 (+11 damage per soul) (+0.1 bonus AD) (+0.05 AP) Cooldown: 35s (resets to 1.0s on takedown)
Cheap Shot
Deal bonus true damage to enemy champions with impaired movement or actions.
Cheap Shot
Damaging champions with impaired movement or actions deals 10 - 45 bonus true damage (based on level). Cooldown: 4s Activates on damage occurring after the impairment.
Grisly Mementos
Collect 1 memento on champion takedowns, up to 18 total. Gain 6 Trinket Haste for each collected.
Grisly Mementos
Collect 1 memento on champion takedowns, up to 18 total. Gain 6 Trinket Haste for each collected. In game modes where vision Trinkets do not exist, instead gain 3 Summoner Spell Haste.
Ultimate Hunter
Unique takedowns grant permanent cooldown reduction on your Ultimate.
Ultimate Hunter
Your ultimate gains 6 Ability Haste, plus an additional 5 Ability Haste per Bounty Hunter stack. Bounty Hunter stacks are earned the first time you get a takedown on each enemy champion.
Secondary
Axiom Arcanist
Your Ultimate has increased damage, healing, and shielding. Scoring a takedown on an enemy champion reduces your Ultimate's current cooldown.
Axiom Arcanist
Your 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%.
Gathering Storm
Gain increasing amounts of AD or AP, adaptive over the course of the game.
Gathering Storm
Every 10 min gain AP or AD, adaptive. 10 min: + 8 AP or 5 AD 20 min: + 24 AP or 14 AD 30 min: + 48 AP or 29 AD 40 min: + 80 AP or 48 AD 50 min: + 120 AP or 72 AD 60 min: + 168 AP or 101 AD etc...
Summoner Spells
Smite
Cooldown 15s
Smite
Cooldown 15s
Deals true damage to a monster or minion.
Exhaust
Cooldown 240s
Exhaust
Cooldown 240s
Slows target enemy champion and reduces their damage dealt.
Skill Priority
QLay Waste
Cooldown 0s · 20/25/30/35/40 Mana
Karthus unleashes a delayed blast at a location, dealing damage to nearby enemies. Deals increased damage to isolated enemies.
EDefile
Cooldown 0.5s · 30/42/54/66/78 Mana per Second
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.
WWall of Pain
Cooldown 15s · 70 Mana
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.
Item Build
Full build 16,850gStarting Items
Scorchclaw Pup
450g
Scorchclaw Pup
Jungle Companions Summon a Scorchclaw that assists you against monsters. The companion grows as you hunt monsters, empowering your Smite. When fully grown, it completes your Jungle Quest and periodically imbues your next Attack or Ability to burn enemies and Slow them. Killing large monsters readies this immediately.
Health Potion
50g
Health Potion
Consume Restores 120 Health over 15 seconds.
Core Build
1Blackfire Torch
2,800g80 AP · 600 Mana · 20 AH
Baleful Blaze · Blackfire
Blackfire Torch
2,800g- 80 Ability Power
- 600 Mana
- 20 Ability Haste
Baleful Blaze Damaging Abilities deals bonus magic damage for 3 seconds. Blackfire For each enemy champion, epic and large monster affected by your Baleful Blaze, gain 4% Ability Power.
2Sorcerer's Shoes
1,100g12 Magic Pen · 45 MS
Sorcerer's Shoes
1,100g- 12 Magic Penetration
- 45 Move Speed
Enhances Move Speed and magic damage
3Shadowflame
3,200g110 AP · 15 Magic Pen
Cinderbloom
Shadowflame
3,200g- 110 Ability Power
- 15 Magic Penetration
Cinderbloom Magic and true damage Critically Strike enemies below 40% Health, dealing 20% increased damage.
4Rabadon's Deathcap
3,500g130 AP
Magical Opus
Rabadon's Deathcap
3,500g- 130 Ability Power
Magical Opus Increases your total Ability Power by 30%.
5Void Staff
3,000g95 AP · 40% Magic Pen
Void Staff
3,000g- 95 Ability Power
- 40% Magic Penetration
Increases magic damage
6Zhonya's Hourglass
3,250g105 AP · 50 Armor
Time Stop
Zhonya's Hourglass
3,250g- 105 Ability Power
- 50 Armor
Time Stop Enter Stasis for 2.5 seconds.
Abilities & Skill Path
Death Defied
Upon dying, Karthus enters a spirit form that allows him to continue casting spells.
QLay Waste
Cooldown 0s · 20/25/30/35/40 Mana
Karthus unleashes a delayed blast at a location, dealing damage to nearby enemies. Deals increased damage to isolated enemies.
WWall of Pain
Cooldown 15s · 70 Mana
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.
EDefile
Cooldown 0.5s · 30/42/54/66/78 Mana per Second
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.
RRequiem
Cooldown 200/180/160s · 100 Mana
After channeling for 3 seconds, Karthus deals damage to all enemy champions.