Karthus — Mid Farm-and-Scale — S3 standard
Karthus · Mid · patch 3.15.5 · by Lanekit Archive
0
Q-farm to a massive gold lead, then Zhonya's plus Defile let Karthus die in the middle of a teamfight and still deal the most damage in the game. (Season 3 source: www.mobafire.com)
Overview
Q-farm to a massive gold lead, then Zhonya's plus Defile let Karthus die in the middle of a teamfight and still deal the most damage in the game.
Sourced from a 2013-era guide: https://www.mobafire.com/league-of-legends/build/s3-farmville-karthus-304164
Summoner spells: Flash + Ghost
Items
Item Build — 15,315g total
Start
Boots of Speed 325gSlightly increases Movement SpeedLimited to 1.
UNIQUE Passive - Enhanced Movement: +25 Movement Speed
(Unique Passives with the same name don't stack.)
Health Potion 35gConsume to restore Health over timeLimited to 5 at one time.
Click to Consume: Restores 150 Health over 15 seconds.Health Potion 35gConsume to restore Health over timeLimited to 5 at one time.
Click to Consume: Restores 150 Health over 15 seconds.Health Potion 35gConsume to restore Health over timeLimited to 5 at one time.
Click to Consume: Restores 150 Health over 15 seconds.
Boots of Speed 325gSlightly increases Movement Speed(Unique Passives with the same name don't stack.)
Health Potion 35gConsume to restore Health over timeHealth Potion 35gConsume to restore Health over timeHealth Potion 35gConsume to restore Health over timeCore
Rod of Ages 2,800gGreatly increases Health, Mana, and Ability Power+450 Health
+450 Mana
+60 Ability Power
Passive: Grants +20 Health, +20 Mana, and +2 Ability Power per stack (max +200 Health, +200 Mana, and +20 Ability Power). Grants 1 stack per minute (max 10 stacks).
UNIQUE Passive - Valor's Reward: Upon leveling up, restores 150 Health and 200 Mana over 8 seconds.
(Unique Passives with the same name don't stack.)
Rabadon's Deathcap 3,300gMassively increases Ability Power+120 Ability Power
UNIQUE Passive: Increases Ability Power by 30%.
Sorcerer's Shoes 1,100gEnhances Movement Speed and magic damage+15 Magic Penetration
UNIQUE Passive - Enhanced Movement: +45 Movement Speed
(Magic Penetration: Magic damage is increased by ignoring an amount of the target's Magic Resist equal to Magic Penetration.)
(Unique Passives with the same name don't stack.)
Rod of Ages 2,800gGreatly increases Health, Mana, and Ability Power+450 Mana
+60 Ability Power
(Unique Passives with the same name don't stack.)
Rabadon's Deathcap 3,300gMassively increases Ability PowerSorcerer's Shoes 1,100gEnhances Movement Speed and magic damage(Magic Penetration: Magic damage is increased by ignoring an amount of the target's Magic Resist equal to Magic Penetration.)
(Unique Passives with the same name don't stack.)
FullSorcerer's Shoes 1,100gEnhances Movement Speed and magic damage+15 Magic Penetration
UNIQUE Passive - Enhanced Movement: +45 Movement Speed
(Magic Penetration: Magic damage is increased by ignoring an amount of the target's Magic Resist equal to Magic Penetration.)
(Unique Passives with the same name don't stack.)Rod of Ages 2,800gGreatly increases Health, Mana, and Ability Power+450 Health
+450 Mana
+60 Ability Power
Passive: Grants +20 Health, +20 Mana, and +2 Ability Power per stack (max +200 Health, +200 Mana, and +20 Ability Power). Grants 1 stack per minute (max 10 stacks).
UNIQUE Passive - Valor's Reward: Upon leveling up, restores 150 Health and 200 Mana over 8 seconds.
(Unique Passives with the same name don't stack.)Rabadon's Deathcap 3,300gMassively increases Ability Power+120 Ability Power
UNIQUE Passive: Increases Ability Power by 30%.
Zhonya's Hourglass 3,260gActivate to become invincible but unable to take actions+120 Ability Power
+50 Armor
UNIQUE Active - Stasis: Champion becomes invulnerable and untargetable for 2.5 seconds, but is unable to move, attack, cast spells, or use items during this time (90 second cooldown).
Void Staff 2,295gIncreases magic damage+70 Ability Power
UNIQUE Passive: Magic damage ignores 35% of the target's Magic Resist (applies before Magic Penetration).
Abyssal Scepter 2,560gReduces Magic Resist of nearby enemies+70 Ability Power
+45 Magic Resist
UNIQUE Aura: Reduces the Magic Resist of nearby enemies by 20.
Sorcerer's Shoes 1,100gEnhances Movement Speed and magic damage(Magic Penetration: Magic damage is increased by ignoring an amount of the target's Magic Resist equal to Magic Penetration.)
(Unique Passives with the same name don't stack.)
Rod of Ages 2,800gGreatly increases Health, Mana, and Ability Power+450 Mana
+60 Ability Power
(Unique Passives with the same name don't stack.)
Rabadon's Deathcap 3,300gMassively increases Ability PowerZhonya's Hourglass 3,260gActivate to become invincible but unable to take actions+50 Armor
Void Staff 2,295gIncreases magic damageAbyssal Scepter 2,560gReduces Magic Resist of nearby enemies+45 Magic Resist
Gold efficiency (raw stats)
| Item | Cost | Stat value | Efficiency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sorcerer's Shoes | 1,100g | 585g | 53% |
| Rod of Ages | 2,800g | 3,393g | 121% |
| Rabadon's Deathcap | 3,300g | 2,610g | 79% |
| Zhonya's Hourglass | 3,260g | 3,610g | 111% |
| Void Staff | 2,295g | 1,523g | 66% |
| Abyssal Scepter | 2,560g | 2,423g | 95% |
Gold values derived from patch 3.15 basic items: 1 AD = 36g, 1 AP = 21.8g, 1 Health = 2.6g, 1 Armor = 20g, 1 MR = 20g. Passives and actives are not priced — items below 100% raw efficiency pay for their effects.
Runes
Rune Page
Greater Seal of Scaling Mana Regeneration · Tier 3+0.01 Mana Regen / 5 per level+0.065 mana regen / 5 sec. per level (+1.17 at champion level 18)Greater Seal of Scaling Mana Regeneration · Tier 3+0.01 Mana Regen / 5 per level+0.065 mana regen / 5 sec. per level (+1.17 at champion level 18)Greater Seal of Scaling Mana Regeneration · Tier 3+0.01 Mana Regen / 5 per level+0.065 mana regen / 5 sec. per level (+1.17 at champion level 18)Greater Seal of Scaling Mana Regeneration · Tier 3+0.01 Mana Regen / 5 per level+0.065 mana regen / 5 sec. per level (+1.17 at champion level 18)Greater Seal of Scaling Mana Regeneration · Tier 3+0.01 Mana Regen / 5 per level+0.065 mana regen / 5 sec. per level (+1.17 at champion level 18)Greater Seal of Scaling Mana Regeneration · Tier 3+0.01 Mana Regen / 5 per level+0.065 mana regen / 5 sec. per level (+1.17 at champion level 18)Greater Seal of Scaling Mana Regeneration · Tier 3+0.01 Mana Regen / 5 per level+0.065 mana regen / 5 sec. per level (+1.17 at champion level 18)Greater Seal of Scaling Mana Regeneration · Tier 3+0.01 Mana Regen / 5 per level+0.065 mana regen / 5 sec. per level (+1.17 at champion level 18)Greater Seal of Scaling Mana Regeneration · Tier 3+0.01 Mana Regen / 5 per level+0.065 mana regen / 5 sec. per level (+1.17 at champion level 18)
Greater Glyph of Scaling Ability Power · Tier 3+0.17 Ability Power per level+0.17 ability power per level (+3.06 at champion level 18)Greater Glyph of Scaling Ability Power · Tier 3+0.17 Ability Power per level+0.17 ability power per level (+3.06 at champion level 18)Greater Glyph of Scaling Ability Power · Tier 3+0.17 Ability Power per level+0.17 ability power per level (+3.06 at champion level 18)Greater Glyph of Scaling Ability Power · Tier 3+0.17 Ability Power per level+0.17 ability power per level (+3.06 at champion level 18)Greater Glyph of Scaling Ability Power · Tier 3+0.17 Ability Power per level+0.17 ability power per level (+3.06 at champion level 18)Greater Glyph of Scaling Ability Power · Tier 3+0.17 Ability Power per level+0.17 ability power per level (+3.06 at champion level 18)Greater Glyph of Scaling Ability Power · Tier 3+0.17 Ability Power per level+0.17 ability power per level (+3.06 at champion level 18)Greater Glyph of Scaling Ability Power · Tier 3+0.17 Ability Power per level+0.17 ability power per level (+3.06 at champion level 18)Greater Glyph of Scaling Ability Power · Tier 3+0.17 Ability Power per level+0.17 ability power per level (+3.06 at champion level 18)
Greater Mark of Magic Penetration · Tier 3+0.87 Magic Penetration+0.87 magic penetrationGreater Mark of Magic Penetration · Tier 3+0.87 Magic Penetration+0.87 magic penetrationGreater Mark of Magic Penetration · Tier 3+0.87 Magic Penetration+0.87 magic penetrationGreater Mark of Magic Penetration · Tier 3+0.87 Magic Penetration+0.87 magic penetrationGreater Mark of Magic Penetration · Tier 3+0.87 Magic Penetration+0.87 magic penetrationGreater Mark of Magic Penetration · Tier 3+0.87 Magic Penetration+0.87 magic penetrationGreater Mark of Magic Penetration · Tier 3+0.87 Magic Penetration+0.87 magic penetrationGreater Mark of Magic Penetration · Tier 3+0.87 Magic Penetration+0.87 magic penetrationGreater Mark of Magic Penetration · Tier 3+0.87 Magic Penetration+0.87 magic penetration
Greater Quintessence of Ability Power · Tier 3+4.95 Ability Power+4.95 ability powerGreater Quintessence of Ability Power · Tier 3+4.95 Ability Power+4.95 ability powerGreater Quintessence of Ability Power · Tier 3+4.95 Ability Power+4.95 ability powerStatistics
Magic Penetration
+7.83
Mana Regen / 5 per level
+0.12
Ability Power per level
+1.56
Ability Power
+14.85
×9Greater Mark of Magic Penetration×9 Greater Mark of Magic Penetration · Tier 3+0.87 Magic Penetration (each)+7.83 Magic Penetration total+0.87 magic penetration×9Greater Seal of Scaling Mana Regeneration×9 Greater Seal of Scaling Mana Regeneration · Tier 3+0.01 Mana Regen / 5 per level (each)+0.12 Mana Regen / 5 per level total+0.065 mana regen / 5 sec. per level (+1.17 at champion level 18)×9Greater Glyph of Scaling Ability Power×9 Greater Glyph of Scaling Ability Power · Tier 3+0.17 Ability Power per level (each)+1.56 Ability Power per level total+0.17 ability power per level (+3.06 at champion level 18)×3Greater Quintessence of Ability Power×3 Greater Quintessence of Ability Power · Tier 3+4.95 Ability Power (each)+14.85 Ability Power total+4.95 ability powerMasteries (21/9/0)
Mastery Page
O 21 / D 9 / U 030/30
Offense
Double-Edged Sword (1/1 · Offense)Melee - Deal an additional 2% damage and receive an additional 1% damage<br>Ranged - Deal an additional 1.5% damage and receive an additional 1.5% damage
Fury (0/4 · Offense)+1.25% Attack SpeedAt 4 ranks: +5% Attack Speed
Sorcery (4/4 · Offense)+5% Cooldown Reduction
Butcher (0/1 · Offense)Basic attacks and single target spells deal an additional 2 damage to minions and monsters<br><br>This does not trigger off of area of effect damage or damage over time effects
Expose Weakness (1/1 · Offense)Damaging an enemy with a spell increases allied champions' damage to that enemy by 1% for the next 3 seconds
Brute Force (0/3 · Offense)+4 Attack Damage at level 18 (+0.22 Attack Damage per level)At 3 ranks: +10 Attack Damage at level 18 (0.55 Attack Damage per level)
Mental Force (3/3 · Offense)+16 Ability Power at level 18 (0.89 Ability Power per level)
Feast (0/1 · Offense)Killing a unit restores 2 Health and 1 Mana
Spell Weaving (0/1 · Offense)Damaging an enemy champion with a Basic Attack increases Spell Damage by 1%, stacking up to 3 times (max 3% damage increase)
Martial Mastery (0/1 · Offense)+4 Attack Damage
Arcane Mastery (1/1 · Offense)+6 Ability Power
Executioner (3/3 · Offense)Increases damage dealt to champions below 50% Health by 5%
Blade Weaving (0/1 · Offense)Damaging an enemy champion with a spell increases Basic Attack Damage by 1%, stacking up to 3 times (max 3% damage increase)
Warlord (0/3 · Offense)Increases bonus Attack Damage by 2%At 3 ranks: Increases Bonus Attack Damage by 5%
Archmage (3/3 · Offense)Increases Ability Power by 5%
Dangerous Game (1/1 · Offense)Killing a champion restores 5% missing Health and Mana
Frenzy (0/1 · Offense)Critical hits grant +5% Attack Speed for 3 seconds (stacks up to 3 times)
Devastating Strikes (3/3 · Offense)+6% Armor and Magic Penetration
Arcane Blade (0/1 · Offense)Basic Attacks also deal bonus magic damage equal to 5% of Ability Power
Havoc (1/1 · Offense)+3% increased damageDefense
Block (2/2 · Defense)Reduces incoming damage from champion basic attacks by 2
Recovery (2/2 · Defense)+2 Health per 5 seconds
Enchanted Armor (1/2 · Defense)Increases bonus Armor and Magic Resistance by 2.5%At 2 ranks: Increases bonus Armor and Magic Resistance by 5%
Tough Skin (0/2 · Defense)Reduces damage taken from neutral monsters by 1<br><br>This does not affect lane minionsAt 2 ranks: Reduces damage taken from neutral monsters by 2<br><br>This does not affect lane minions
Unyielding (1/1 · Defense)Melee - Reduces all incoming damage from champions by 2<br>Ranged - Reduces all incoming damage from champions by 1
Veteran's Scars (3/3 · Defense)+36 Health
Bladed Armor (0/1 · Defense)Taking Basic Attack Damage from neutral monsters cause them to bleed, dealing damage equal to 1% of their current Health each second<br>This does not work against lane minions
Oppression (0/1 · Defense)Reduces damage taken by 3% from enemies that have impaired movement (slows, snares, taunts, stuns, etc.)
Juggernaut (0/1 · Defense)+3% Maximum Health
Hardiness (0/3 · Defense)+2 ArmorAt 3 ranks: +5 Armor
Resistance (0/3 · Defense)+2 Magic ResistAt 3 ranks: +5 Magic Resistance
Perseverance (0/3 · Defense)Regenerates .7% missing Health every 5 secondsAt 3 ranks: Regenerates +2% of missing Health every 5 seconds
Swiftness (0/1 · Defense)Reduces the effectiveness of slows by 10%
Reinforced Armor (0/1 · Defense)Reduces damage taken by critical strikes by 10%
Evasive (0/1 · Defense)Reduces damage taken by 4% from Area of Effect magic damage
Second Wind (0/1 · Defense)Increases self-healing, Health Regen, Lifesteal, and Spellvamp by 10% when below 25% Health
Legendary Guardian (0/4 · Defense)+1 Armor and 0.5 Magic Resist for each nearby enemy championAt 4 ranks: +4 Armor and 2 Magic Resist for each nearby enemy champion
Runic Blessing (0/1 · Defense)Start the game with a 50 Health shield. This shield regenerates each time after respawning
Tenacious (0/1 · Defense)Reduces the duration of crowd control effects by 15%Utility
Phasewalker (0/1 · Utility)Reduces the casting time of Recall by 1 second<br><br>Dominion - Reduces the casting time of Enhanced Recall by 0.5 seconds
Fleet of Foot (0/3 · Utility)+0.5% Movement SpeedAt 3 ranks: +1.5% Movement Speed
Meditation (0/3 · Utility)+1 Mana Regen per 5 secondsAt 3 ranks: +3 Mana Regen per 5 seconds
Scout (0/1 · Utility)Increases the cast range of trinket items by 15%
Summoner's Insight (0/3 · Utility)Reduces the cooldown of Summoner Spells by 4%At 3 ranks: Reduces the cooldown of Summoner Spells by 10%
Strength of Spirit (0/1 · Utility)+1 Health Regen per 5 seconds for every 300 maximum Mana
Alchemist (0/1 · Utility)Increases the duration of potions and elixirs by 10%
Greed (0/3 · Utility)+0.5 Gold every 10 secondsAt 3 ranks: +1.5 Gold every 10 seconds
Runic Affinity (0/1 · Utility)Increases the duration of shrine, relic, quest, and neutral monster buffs by 20%
Vampirism (0/3 · Utility)+1% Lifesteal and SpellvampAt 3 ranks: +3% Lifesteal and Spellvamp
Culinary Master (0/1 · Utility)Health potions are upgraded into Biscuits that restore an additional 20 Health and 10 Mana instantly upon consumption
Scavenger (0/1 · Utility)+1 Gold each time an ally kills a nearby lane minion
Wealth (0/1 · Utility)+40 Starting Gold
Expanded Mind (0/3 · Utility)+2% increased maximum ManaAt 3 ranks: +5% increased maximum Mana
Inspiration (0/2 · Utility)+5 Experience every 10 seconds while near a higher level allied championAt 2 ranks: +10 Experience every 10 seconds while near a higher level allied champion
Bandit (0/1 · Utility)Melee - Grants +15 Gold on champion kill or assist<br>Ranged - Grants +3 Gold each time an enemy champion is attacked. This cannot trigger on the same champion more than once every 5 seconds
Intelligence (0/3 · Utility)+2% Cooldown Reduction and reduces the cooldown of Activated Items by 4%At 3 ranks: +5% Cooldown Reduction and reduces the cooldown of Activated Items by 10%
Wanderer (0/1 · Utility)+5% Movement Speed out of combatSkill Order
Skill Priority
RRequiem (R)After channeling for 3 seconds, Karthus deals damage to all enemy champions.›
QLay Waste (Q)Karthus unleashes a delayed blast at a location, dealing damage to nearby enemies.›
EDefile (E)Karthus passively steals energy from his victims, gaining Mana on each kill. Alternatively, Karthus can surround himself in the souls of his prey, dealing damage to nearby enemies, but quickly draining his own mana. ›
WWall of Pain (W)Karthus creates a passable screen of leeching energy. Any enemy units that walk through the screen have their Movement Speed and Magic Resist reduced for a period.The Math
Level 18 with full build
| Attack damage | 97.5 | Ability power | 440 |
| Health | 2,115 | Attack speed | 0.849 |
| Armor | 120.5 | Magic resist | 75 |
| Crit chance | 0% | Life steal | 0% |
Derived
| Sustained auto-attack DPS | 83 |
| Effective HP vs physical | 4,664 |
| Effective HP vs magic | 3,701 |
| Full build cost | 15,315g |
DPS = AD × AS × (1 + crit × (critMultiplier − 1)); crit multiplier 2.0 (2.5 with Infinity Edge). EHP = HP × (1 + resist ⁄ 100). Season 3 uses linear per-level stat growth; ability damage is champion-specific and not modeled here.
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