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
  죽음 극복

  카서스가 죽으면 영혼이 되어 스킬을 사용할 수 있습니다.

  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
  황폐화

  카서스가 특정 위치에 잠시 후 폭발을 일으켜 근처 적에게 피해를 입힙니다. 단일 대상에게는 더 큰 피해를 입힙니다.

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

• W
  고통의 벽

  카서스가 에너지를 빨아들이는 통행 가능한 벽을 생성합니다. 이 벽을 지나는 모든 적 유닛의 이동 속도와 마법 저항력이 일정 시간 감소합니다.

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

• E
  부패

  카서스는 적에게서 마력을 훔쳐 적을 처치할 때마다 마나를 획득합니다. 또 카서스는 희생양의 영혼을 자신 주위에 둘러 적들에게 피해를 입힐 수도 있지만, 이럴 경우 마나가 매우 빨리 소모됩니다.

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

• R
  진혼곡

  카서스가 3초 동안 정신 집중을 마치면 모든 적 챔피언이 피해를 입습니다.

  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.