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Wild RiftLoLClassic
Karthus League Classic Patch HistoryLC

KarthusPatch History

Mage

League ClassicAlso in: Karthus in League of Legends

Karthus Current Status

Karthus was last added in Patch 26.15 ().

Build GuideArchangel's StaffRabadon's DeathcapZhonya's HourglassMid

Karthus Build Guide (Mid)

Karthus wins fights he is not in: farm with Lay Waste, wall skirmishes apart, and drop Requiem on three low health bars across the map. Even dying is a damage phase thanks to Death Defied.

Summoner Spells

FlashIgnite

Runes

  • Mark of Magic Penetration9x Mark of Magic Penetration (+1 Magic Penetration)
  • Seal of Armor9x Seal of Armor (+1 Armor)
  • Glyph of Ability Power9x Glyph of Ability Power (+1.2 Ability Power)
  • Quintessence of Ability Power3x Quintessence of Ability Power (+5 Ability Power)

Magic penetration makes single-target Lay Waste hit like a truck; ability power glyphs and quints scale Requiem, armor seals survive the assassins sent at you.

Masteries 21/0/9

Offense (21)
Summoner's Wrath 0/10/1
Fury 0/40/4
Sorcery 4/44/4
Butcher 0/20/2
Deadliness 0/40/4
Blast 4/44/4
Destruction 0/10/1
Havoc 3/33/3
Weapon Expertise 0/10/1
Arcane Knowledge 1/11/1
Lethality 0/20/2
Brute Force 0/20/2
Mental Force 3/33/3
Spellsword 1/11/1
Frenzy 0/10/1
Sunder 0/30/3
Archmage 4/44/4
Executioner 1/11/1
Utility (9)
Summoner's Insight 1/11/1
Wanderer 0/30/3
Meditation 3/33/3
Improved Recall 0/10/1
Scout 0/10/1
Mastermind 2/32/3
Expanded Mind 3/33/3
Artificer 0/20/2
Greed 0/40/4
Runic Affinity 0/10/1
Vampirism 0/30/3
Biscuiteer 0/10/1
Wealth 0/20/2
Awareness 0/40/4
Strength of Spirit 0/30/3
Explorer 0/10/1
Pickpocket 0/10/1
Intelligence 0/30/3
Nimble 0/10/1

21/0/9 caster page: the full ability power line, with utility mana regeneration to keep Defile running longer.

Skill Order R > Q > E > W

123456789101112131415161718
Lay WasteQQQQQ
Wall of PainWWWWW
DefileEEEEE
RequiemRRR

Max Lay Waste - doubled on isolated targets, it is your poke, farm and duel tool. Defile second for teamfights; one Wall of Pain point creates picks on its own.

Item Build

Starting

Sapphire CrystalSapphire CrystalHealth Potionx2Health Potion

Sapphire Crystal into Tear - Karthus turns mana into damage better than anyone.

Early goals

Tear of the GoddessTear of the GoddessDoran's RingDoran's RingBoots of SpeedBoots of Speed

Tear charges itself through Lay Waste spam; add a ring and boots.

Core build

Archangel's StaffArchangel's StaffRabadon's DeathcapRabadon's DeathcapZhonya's HourglassZhonya's Hourglass

Archangel's converts the Tear, Deathcap multiplies everything, Zhonya's makes Death Defied a full extra damage phase inside their team.

Boots

Sorcerer's ShoesSorcerer's ShoesMercury's TreadsMercury's Treads

Sorcerer's Shoes for kill pressure; Mercury's Treads into heavy crowd control.

Situational

Void StaffVoid StaffRylai's Crystal ScepterRylai's Crystal ScepterBanshee's VeilBanshee's VeilRod of AgesRod of Ages

Void Staff against stacked magic resist, Rylai's turns Defile into a slow zone, Banshee's blocks the engage, Rod of Ages to survive lane.

Item path informed in part by the League of Legends Wiki's 2013 strategy page (CC BY-SA).

Ability DetailsFull kit, stats, and scaling
Death DefiedLC
Passive - Death Defied

When Karthus dies he can use his Abilities for free for 7 seconds.

Lay WasteLC
Q - Lay Waste
Cost: 20/26/32/38/44 Mana
CD: 1

Creates a delayed blast, after 0.5 seconds, deals 40/60/80/100/120 (+30% AP) magic damage to each nearby enemy, this deals double damage if it hits only a single unit.

Wall of PainLC
W - Wall of Pain
Cost: 100 Mana
CD: 18

Creates a wall at target location that lasts for 5 seconds. Enemies that pass through the wall have their Magic Resist reduced by 15% and Slowed by 40/50/60/70/80% for 5 seconds (their Movement Speed gradually recovers over the duration).

DefileLC
E - Defile
Cost: 30/42/54/66/78 Mana
CD: 0.5

Toggle Off: When Karthus kills a unit, he restores 20/27/34/41/48 Mana. Toggle On: Deal 30/50/70/90/110 (+20% AP) magic damage to nearby enemies each second.

RequiemLC
R - Requiem
Cost: 150/175/200 Mana
CD: 200/180/160

After channeling for 3 seconds, Karthus deals 250/400/550 (+60% AP) magic damage to all enemy champions.

Base Stats

HP: 465
HP/lvl: 75
HP Regen: 1.21
AD: 45.45
AD/lvl: 3.25
Armor: 18.5
Armor/lvl: 3.5
MR: 30
Attack Range: 450
Attack Speed: 0.625
Move Speed: 335
Mana: 331

Karthus Changes

Patch 26.15

new

Karthus added to League Classic

Added to League Classic at launch.

[New] Champion

  • Karthus joins the League Classic roster with their classic-era kit.

Related League Classic Champions

Karthus League Classic FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions
When was Karthus last changed in League Classic?
Karthus was last added in League Classic Patch 26.15, released July 29, 2026.
How many times has Karthus been buffed or nerfed in League Classic?
Karthus has been changed in 1 League Classic patch.
Was Karthus changed in League Classic Patch 26.16?
No - Karthus was not changed in Patch 26.16. Its most recent change was in Patch 26.15.
What is the best Karthus build in League Classic?
Karthus's League Classic build guide is for Mid, with core items Archangel's Staff, Rabadon's Deathcap and Zhonya's Hourglass. The full guide on this page covers items, runes, masteries and skill order.
When was Karthus released in League Classic?
Karthus was released in League Classic in Patch 26.15 on July 29, 2026.