How to beat Karthus

Common role: Jungle / Mid

A scaling mage whose global ultimate executes low targets anywhere on the map.

What makes Karthus dangerous

Karthus spams Q for poke and farm, slows and shreds resists in his E aura, and his global ultimate hits your entire team after a channel — every low-HP member dies wherever they are. Even dead, he keeps casting for several seconds. He outscales almost everything if left alone.

How to play against Karthus

• 1Back before you're low: recall at 40%+ HP when his ult is up, or you die crossing the map.
• 2His Q hits harder on isolated targets — stand near minions/allies to halve it.
• 3Walk away from his corpse: the passive keeps casting for 7 seconds after death.
• 4Invade and end early — he's a weak early jungler and needs farm.

Weaknesses to exploit

• ✓Very weak early game, especially in the jungle.
• ✓No mobility and almost no CC — dives kill him for free.
• ✓His ult is countered by heals, shields and Zhonya's timed on the channel.
• ✓Needs items and levels — deny farm and he's a minion.

Abilities & how to counter them

What each of Karthus's abilities does — and how to play around it.

• P
  Dem Tod getrotzt

  Wenn Karthus stirbt, nimmt er die Form eines Geistes an. So kann er weitere Fähigkeiten einsetzen.

  Strong: after dying he keeps casting free spells for 7 seconds. Weak: just walk out of his corpse's range — don't stand in the death zone.

• Q
  Verwüsten

  Karthus erzeugt eine verzögerte Explosion an einer Stelle, wodurch er an allen nahen Gegnern Schaden verursacht. Isolierte Gegner erleiden erhöhten Schaden.

  Strong: spammable poke that deals double damage to an isolated target. Weak: halve it by standing near minions or allies.

• W
  Mauer des Schmerzes

  Karthus erzeugt eine passierbare Wand aus negativer Energie. Jede gegnerische Einheit, welche die Wand durchschreitet, verliert für eine bestimmte Zeit Lauftempo und Magieresistenz.

  Strong: a wide slow-and-shred wall that sets up his kite. Weak: pure utility, no damage — dash through or around it.

• E
  Vernichtung

  Karthus stiehlt passiv Energie von seinen Opfern, wodurch er mit jedem Todesstoß Mana gewinnt. Alternativ kann Karthus sich selbst mit den Seelen seiner Beute umgeben und so Schaden an nahen Gegnern verursachen. Doch dadurch verbraucht er sein Mana sehr schnell.

  Strong: an AoE aura that melts melee attackers standing on him. Weak: it drains his mana fast — poke him while it's toggled.

• R
  Requiem

  Nachdem Karthus sich 3 Sekunden lang konzentriert hat, fügt er allen gegnerischen Champions magischen Schaden zu, egal wo sie sich befinden.

  Strong: a global nuke on your ENTIRE team after a 3s channel. Weak: fully counterable — heals, shields, Zhonya's on the channel; don't walk around low.

Itemization

Track his ult timer and don't walk around low. Heals/shields/Zhonya's answer the ultimate. Dive him — he has no escape.

This guide covers Karthus's core kit and playstyle — advice that holds up across patches.