Karthus Review

Released on June 12, 2009, Karthus is a mage champion that has left an indelible mark on the League of Legends community. His unique blend of abilities and the mystique surrounding him have made him a favorite among players. As a player and gamer myself, I’m excited to delve into the world of Karthus and share my insights on why I find him so fascinating.

Lore

Karthus is no ordinary champion. He’s the harbinger of oblivion, a relentless spirit who finds beauty and purity in undeath. Emerging from the Shadow Isles, he’s an apostle of the unliving, dedicated to bringing death to the world. Karthus believes that life is a hindrance, preventing humanity from reaching its true potential. He feels no remorse for those he takes, seeing them as liberated.

Champion Abilities

Passive – Death Defied: Karthus continues to cast spells after death, a unique mechanic that sets him apart.
Q – Lay Waste: Karthus releases delayed blasts, dealing damage to enemies. The damage increases against isolated foes.
W – Wall of Pain: This ability creates a leeching energy screen, reducing the movement speed and magic resistance of any enemy that passes through.
E – Defile: Karthus passively gains Mana on each kill and can choose to deal damage to nearby enemies, quickly draining his own Mana.
R – Requiem: After channeling for three seconds, Karthus deals massive damage to all enemy champions on the map. A game-changing ult!

Advantages and Disadvantages of Karthus

Pros:

Karthus boasts the fastest jungle monster clear, maintaining excellent health throughout.
He dishes out a colossal amount of DPS at all game stages.
Karthus applies global pressure with his ultimate.
He’s a strong duelist, capable of fitting into various team compositions.
Karthus excels as a sidelane champion and scales exceptionally well into late-game.

Cons:

Karthus is an immobile champion, making positioning vital.
His DPS relies heavily on landing skill shots, demanding precision.
Optimal jungle clears require practice to execute effectively.
Vulnerable against high-ranged compositions and invade junglers.

Best Items for Karthus

Karthus can make good use of several mythic items, but in my experience, Liandry’s Anguish stands out. Karthus’s high DPS and damage over time with his E and passive synergize well with Liandry’s magic penetration and its burn effect.

Zhonya’s Hourglass is another essential item, complementing Karthus’s kit. Activating E and Zhonya’s can keep enemies within your damage radius, especially effective against dive-heavy teams.

Sorcerer’s Shoes are a must for Karthus. Since you’ll remain in combat even after death, these boots maximize your damage output.

Dark Seal is a cost-efficient item, particularly if you can stack it. It’s especially useful for Karthus as even if you die and press your ult, you can accumulate stacks. Consider upgrading it to Mejai’s if the game is going well.

Demonic Embrace adds some tankiness and damage over time, ideal when facing melee-heavy teams. Surviving longer in fights and maximizing damage is its specialty.

Best Lanes and Roles for Karthus

Karthus excels in the jungle, boasting the fastest clear speed and always maintaining a level advantage over opponents. His ultimate, available at level 6, provides kill pressure on all lanes. Pick Karthus when you need an AP jungler or seek a champion that scales well into late-game.

Champion Picks and Counter Picks

Karthus is a versatile champion, but let’s talk matchups. He excels in the jungle, particularly against champions like Rek’Sai and Kindred. However, he faces a tough time against Udyr and Gragas, so it’s best to avoid these confrontations.

Price of Karthus in 2023

As of 2023, Karthus is priced at 3150 BE or 790 RP, making him an accessible choice for players looking to add him to their champion roster.

My Feedback

Having mained Karthus for quite some time, I’ve witnessed his evolution. The visual rework has made him more viable as a jungler than a mid-laner, altering the way you approach playing him. Jungle Karthus focuses on farming and quick clears, avoiding ganks unless they’re almost guaranteed kills.

It’s essential to keep track of the enemy jungler’s position and clear their camps when possible, denying them farm while optimizing your own. Ignore gank requests unless they’re very safe, as Karthus isn’t built for frequent ganks. Stay vigilant and choose your battles wisely.

Best Guide for Karthus in 2023

For those looking for a detailed guide on playing Karthus, I recommend checking out this guide. It’s a valuable resource that can help you master this unique champion.

Best Skins for Karthus

Karthus offers a range of skins to suit various tastes:

Grim Reaper Karthus: This skin embodies death, featuring a menacing scythe and a powerful design.
Pentakill Karthus: Metalheads will love this skin, with thematic abilities and voice lines that make it perfect for those who appreciate the heavy side of music.
Infernal Karthus: Turn Karthus into a fiery guardian of Hell, complete with thematic abilities and animations.
Phantom Karthus: A cost-efficient skin that gives Karthus a unique, dark mage appearance.
Pentakill III: Lost Chapter Karthus: While it doesn’t feature a unique voiceover, it brings a metal vibe with cool features like a guitar riff on Q.
Karthus Lightsbane: This skin offers new abilities and animations, but be prepared for bright pink Qs and a bulkier character model.
Statue of Karthus: This goofy and fun skin features an outdated character model but provides humor and simplicity.
Fnatic Karthus: A somewhat lackluster esports skin with minimal changes and an outfit that may not suit Karthus.

Champion’s Tricks and Interesting Facts

Here are some tricks and interesting facts about Karthus:

Karthus is voiced by Adam Harrington, who also lends his voice to Kassadin, Mordekaiser, Ryze, and Shaco.
During development, Karthus was known as “Lich.”
The name “Requiem” for his ultimate likely references the Requiem Mass, alluding to Karthus’s singing for/about the dead.
Karthus’s Chinese Classic splash art made a cameo in Fright Night alongside Original Fiddlesticks.
For effective ganks, target overextended and low-health lanes, although Karthus’s ganking potential is limited.
Toggle Karthus’s E (Defile) on and off when farming jungle camps to maximize damage without draining your mana bar.
Keep a vigilant eye on the minimap and use your R (Requiem) to pick up kills on low-health enemies, even when they’re out of your sight.

Conclusion

Karthus, with his unique abilities and gameplay style, is a champion worth exploring. He may not be the flashiest champion, but he certainly has his charm. Whether you’re drawn to his lore, his powerful ultimate, or his versatility, Karthus offers an engaging experience that every League of Legends player should consider. Give him a shot and see if you can master the art of life and death on the Rift.

FAQ

Who is Karthus in League of Legends?

Karthus is a mage champion known for his relentless spirit and affiliation with the Shadow Isles. He’s dedicated to bringing death to the world, believing life is a hindrance.

What are Karthus’s abilities and playstyle?

Karthus has unique abilities like “Death Defied,” “Lay Waste,” “Wall of Pain,” “Defile,” and “Requiem.” He excels as a jungler, boasting fast clear speed and a game-changing ultimate.

What are Karthus’s strengths and weaknesses?

Pros include fast jungle clears, high DPS, global pressure, and strong scaling. Cons include immobility and the need for precise skill shots.

What are the best items for Karthus in 2023?

Recommended items include Liandry’s Anguish, Zhonya’s Hourglass, Sorcerer’s Shoes, Dark Seal, and Demonic Embrace to maximize his damage and survivability.

What are the best skins, interesting facts, and tips for playing Karthus?

Karthus has various skins, interesting facts like his voice actor, and gameplay tips, including toggling his “Defile” ability while farming and using his “Requiem” ultimate strategically.