B
Karthus (Deathfire Touch) Guide
Patch 26.19 Iron-Emerald·Difficulty:
This is Deathfire Touch Karthus, the burn build the best Karthus players run. You out farm the map for the first ten minutes, then turn every fight into ground nobody wants to stand on: E on, Q on whoever is alone, and R when it hits the most. Blackfire Torch is your first item every game. You do not have to die to press R; play the fight as a carry who stays alive, and let Q and E do the damage.
Runes
Quick Tips
All phases
- •Deathfire Touch over Dark Harvest. Most Karthus players still run Dark Harvest, but the best ones and the higher win rate are on Deathfire Touch.
- •Put your teammates on camera keys so you can watch their fights for R without leaving your clear.
- •Flash is the pick over Exhaust from Master up, and it is the only escape you have before P.
Skill Priority
Q
›E
›W
Q
1
·
3
·
5
W
·
·
·
4
·
E
·
2
·
·
·
Early Game
Before 1st item
- •Your first clear should have you level 4 by 2:51, and by 2:38 once you are Master.
- •Clear top to bot.
- •Full clear first, every time. Karthus is a farmer, and a clean clear is worth more to you than a gank that might not work.
- •If they invade, do not fight for the camp. Losing a camp costs far less than giving a kill.
- •On a gank, Q first and hold W until they burn Flash, so the slow lands when they cannot escape it.
- •Walk into ganks and skirmishes with mana to spare; E runs dry fast this early.
First Back
Regular full clear & crab
Core Build Examples
Default
Snowballing
vs tanky front line
vs assassins
vs melee dive
Mid Game
1-3 items
- •Base the moment your next item is affordable. Your power is completed items, not gold in your pocket.
- •Full clear before every objective, then arrive with R up.
- •Play the side of the map where your strongest teammate is, so your Q and E reach their fights.
- •Into a squishy team, cast R before the fight starts. Enemies who arrive low play scared.
- •Contesting an objective you are behind on, Q it from range while it is alone for the double damage, then Smite.
Situational
vs assassins and divers
Good Vs
vs melee dive teams
Good Vs
vs healing
Good Vs
vs magic resist
Good Vs
vs squishy teams
Good Vs
ahead into your best matchups
Good Vs
Late Game
4+ items
- •Stay near your strongest teammate and let the enemy walk into your E. You do not start fights.
- •Stand at the edge of the fight and keep Q on whoever is alone. Every second you stay alive is damage.
- •Check R before every objective. Opening with R puts their whole team low before the fight begins.
B
Karthus (Deathfire Touch) Guide
Patch 26.19 Iron-Emerald·Difficulty:
Why Jungle Kingdom?
Most sites tell you what to build. We teach you how to win. Our guides are researched and written by Challenger junglers, breaking down the early, mid, and late game decisions that actually decide games.
Runes
Skill Priority
Q
›E
›W
Q
1
·
3
·
5
W
·
·
·
4
·
E
·
2
·
·
·
Core Build Examples
Default
Snowballing
vs tanky front line
vs assassins
vs melee dive
First Back
Regular full clear & crab
Situational
vs assassins and divers
Good Vs
vs melee dive teams
Good Vs
vs healing
Good Vs
vs magic resist
Good Vs
vs squishy teams
Good Vs
ahead into your best matchups
Good Vs
Quick Tips
All phases
- •Deathfire Touch over Dark Harvest. Most Karthus players still run Dark Harvest, but the best ones and the higher win rate are on Deathfire Touch.
- •Put your teammates on camera keys so you can watch their fights for R without leaving your clear.
- •Flash is the pick over Exhaust from Master up, and it is the only escape you have before P.
Early Game
Before 1st item
- •Your first clear should have you level 4 by 2:51, and by 2:38 once you are Master.
- •Clear top to bot.
- •Full clear first, every time. Karthus is a farmer, and a clean clear is worth more to you than a gank that might not work.
- •If they invade, do not fight for the camp. Losing a camp costs far less than giving a kill.
- •On a gank, Q first and hold W until they burn Flash, so the slow lands when they cannot escape it.
- •Walk into ganks and skirmishes with mana to spare; E runs dry fast this early.
Mid Game
1-3 items
- •Base the moment your next item is affordable. Your power is completed items, not gold in your pocket.
- •Full clear before every objective, then arrive with R up.
- •Play the side of the map where your strongest teammate is, so your Q and E reach their fights.
- •Into a squishy team, cast R before the fight starts. Enemies who arrive low play scared.
- •Contesting an objective you are behind on, Q it from range while it is alone for the double damage, then Smite.
Late Game
4+ items
- •Stay near your strongest teammate and let the enemy walk into your E. You do not start fights.
- •Stand at the edge of the fight and keep Q on whoever is alone. Every second you stay alive is damage.
- •Check R before every objective. Opening with R puts their whole team low before the fight begins.