Karthus ADC Build Guides, Runes, Items, and Abilities

Karthus: The Deathsinger

Karthus, the Deathsinger, is one of League of Legends' most iconic mages. Known for his global impact and ability to influence fights even after death, Karthus excels at dealing massive amounts of damage over time. As a scaling champion, he becomes a true powerhouse in the late game, obliterating enemies with his abilities and punishing mispositioning across the map. This guide will explore Karthus’ strengths, weaknesses, tips, and tricks to help you make the most of this spectral mage.

1. Strengths:

• Global Impact with Requiem: Karthus’ ultimate, Requiem (R), allows him to deal damage to all enemy champions anywhere on the map, making him a threat even from the farthest reaches of the Rift.
• Strong AoE Damage: Lay Waste (Q) and Defile (E) allow Karthus to melt through grouped enemies, making him incredibly effective in team fights.
• Persistent Threat Post-Death: Death Defied (Passive) enables Karthus to continue casting spells for a few seconds after dying, ensuring he can still contribute to fights even when focused down.
• Excellent Waveclear: Lay Waste (Q) and Defile (E) provide Karthus with powerful tools to clear waves and control the mid-lane.
• Mana Sustainability: Defile’s passive mana restoration on kills allows Karthus to sustain himself in prolonged fights and during jungle clears.

Weaknesses:

• Lack of Mobility: Karthus is extremely immobile, making him vulnerable to crowd control and assassins.
• Fragility: As a squishy mage, Karthus can be easily bursted down if caught out of position.
• High Skill Cap: Effectively landing Lay Waste (Q) on isolated targets and managing Defile (E) without running out of mana requires good positioning and game sense.
• Reliance on Scaling: Karthus is weak in the early game and heavily relies on farming and itemization to become effective.

1. Maximizing Lay Waste (Q):

• Focus on isolating targets with Lay Waste to deal increased damage. This is particularly effective against jungle monsters and champions caught alone.
• Practice timing and positioning to land Q on moving targets.

2. Wall of Pain (W) Usage:

• Use Wall of Pain strategically to slow enemies and reduce their magic resist, amplifying your damage.
• Place the wall across choke points in team fights to control enemy movement.

3. Defile (E) Management:

• Activate Defile during fights to deal consistent AoE damage but be mindful of its mana drain. Turn it off when it’s no longer needed to conserve resources.
• Use Defile’s passive mana restoration to sustain yourself by killing minions and jungle monsters.

4. Requiem (R) Timing:

• Requiem is most effective when enemies are low on health. Use it after fights to finish off fleeing enemies or during fights to apply pressure across the map.
• Communicate with your team to coordinate engages and secure kills with your ultimate.

5. Positioning and Farming:

• Stay in the backline during team fights to avoid being targeted.
• Focus on farming efficiently in the early game to reach your power spikes faster.

6. Utilizing Death Defied (Passive):

• When you die, continue casting spells to deal as much damage as possible. Lay Waste (Q) is especially effective during this time due to its low cooldown.
• Position yourself in the center of enemies before dying to maximize Defile’s AoE damage.

• E + AA + Q + AA + Q: When at close range E AA instantly followed by Q and using AA's in between every Q cast.
• W + Q + E + Q + Q: When at long range W Q your target instantly then walk forward and E right before you are in range, then continue to use Q.
• Q + W + R + FLASH: If you're looking to deal damage as you retreat Q W instantly then R and F near the beginning of the cast animation.
• Q + W + Q + Q + R + Q: If you happen to die Q W instantly followed by two Q's. Use R quickly then one last Q as soon as the R channel finishes.
• Q + W + E + AA + Q + Q + AA: When at mid range Q W instantly followed by using E on your target. AA and right after use two Q's for every AA.
• Q + W + E + FLASH + Q + Q: To engage Q W E as fast as you can and instantly Flash forward, followed by hitting Q as many times as you can.

1. Early game

• Focus on power farming. You will need to hit level 6 as quickly as possible to unlock your Ultimate Requiem R.
• Once you’re level 6, keep an eye on the minimap and the enemies health bars. Whenever your Ultimate Requiem R is up, you’ll have global map pressure.
• Play safe in the early game. You need time to come online and if you fall behind, you will struggle to farm and you will delay your first major power spike.

2. Mid game

• Powerfarm in the mid-game. You need to earn as much gold and XP as possible so you can level up quickly.
• Try to secure objectives like the Baron and Dragon. Karthus can take objectives fast thanks to his Lay Waste Q and Defile E.
• Look for picks with your Wall of Pain W and your Ultimate Requiem R. Catching someone out with your Wall of Pain W is a great way of getting the numbers advantage while you can use your Ultimate Requiem R to pick off low health enemies.

3. Late game

• Play around your Ultimate Requiem R in the late game. It deals tons of damage and you need for it to be up before committing to a fight.
• Stick with your team in the late game. Getting caught out will result in your team having to play 4v5. As you’re the Jungler after all, if you die when the Baron’s up, the enemy will take it for free.
• Rush objectives as soon as they spawn. You should be able to take them fast thanks to your Lay Waste Q.

Karthus is a unique champion with unparalleled late-game impact and global presence. While his lack of mobility and early-game weaknesses require careful play, his ability to dish out massive AoE damage and persist as a threat post-death make him a force to be reckoned with. Mastering Karthus requires precise positioning, resource management, and strategic use of his abilities, but the reward is a champion capable of carrying games with his devastating power. Take control of the Rift and let the Deathsinger’s requiem echo through your enemies!

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Good luck to you! – Cheng