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
  Inganno alla morte

  Quando muore, Karthus si trasforma in spirito e può continuare a lanciare incantesimi.

  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
  Devastazione

  Karthus rilascia uno scoppio ritardato in un punto, infliggendo danni ai nemici nelle vicinanze. Infligge danni aumentati ai nemici isolati.

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

• W
  Muro del dolore

  Karthus crea uno schermo di energia salassante. Qualsiasi unità nemica attraversi lo schermo ha la velocità di movimento e la resistenza magica ridotte per un certo periodo di tempo.

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

• E
  Profanare

  Karthus ruba passivamente energia alle sue vittime, ottenendo mana per ogni uccisione. In alternativa, Karthus può circondarsi delle anime delle sue prede, infliggendo danni ai nemici nelle vicinanze, ma consumando il suo mana molto rapidamente.

  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

  Dopo aver canalizzato energia per 3 secondi, Karthus infligge danni a tutti i campioni nemici.

  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.