Support Karthus Build

Support Karthus Build.

Support Karthus build with runes and items. Support Karthus guide offers in-depth how-to play, skill order and tips. Play Support Karthus build in League of Legends Patch 14.23!

Updated: 2024-05-20 ()

TLDR

Starting items
Bandleglass Mirror should be final item in your build.
Tear of the Goddess should be final item in your build.
Quick Skill Order
Karthus ability Wall of Pain should be leveled first.
W
Karthus ability Defile should be leveled second.
E
Karthus ability Lay Waste should be leveled third.
Q
Final items
Ionian Boots of Lucidity should be final item in your build.
Imperial Mandate should be final item in your build.
Spirit Visage should be final item in your build.
Rylai's Crystal Scepter should be final item in your build.
Morellonomicon should be final item in your build.
Kaenic Rookern should be final item in your build.
Quick Runes
Major rune Guardian from Resolve tree.
Minor rune Precision.
Summoner spells
Pick Exhaust as your Summoner Spell.
Pick Flash as your Summoner Spell.

Support Karthus Runes

Resolve
Resolve major tree Grasp of the Undying rune.
Resolve major tree Aftershock rune.
Resolve major tree Guardian rune.
Resolve major tree Demolish rune.
Resolve major tree Font of Life rune.
Resolve major tree Shield Bash rune.
Resolve major tree Conditioning rune.
Resolve major tree Second Wind rune.
Resolve major tree Bone Plating rune.
Resolve major tree Overgrowth rune.
Resolve major tree Revitalize rune.
Resolve major tree Unflinching rune.
Precision
Precision minor tree Absorb Life rune.
Precision minor tree Triumph rune.
Precision minor tree Presence of Mind rune.
Precision minor tree Legend: Alacrity rune.
Precision minor tree Legend: Haste rune.
Precision minor tree Legend: Bloodline rune.
Precision minor tree Coup de Grace rune.
Precision minor tree Cut Down rune.
Precision minor tree Last Stand rune.
Passive
Passive tree Adaptive Force rune (+9 Adaptive Force).
Passive tree Attack Speed rune (+10% Attack Speed).
Passive tree Ability Haste rune (+8 Ability Haste).
Passive tree Adaptive Force rune (+9 Adaptive Force).
Passive tree Move Speed rune (+2 Movement Speed).
Passive tree Health Scaling rune (+10-180 Health (based on level)).
Passive tree Health rune (+65 Health).
Passive tree Tenacity And Slow Resist rune (+10 Tenacity and Slow Resist).
Passive tree Health Scaling rune (+10-180 Health (based on level)).

How it works

General
  1. This build is all about Imperial Mandate.
  2. And also all about slows.
  3. You support through disrupting fights, being annoying, Slowing/Healing/Buffing and soaking damage.

How to play

General
  1. Your core items - Imperial Mandate and optionally Rylai's Crystal Scepter for even more slows (and consistency).
  2. Your slows trigger Font of Life AND Imperial Mandate, healing and buffing your allies.
  3. Remember that you need to keep close to your allies to trigger Guardian.
  4. Since LoL Patch 14.1 Imperial Mandate is changed. Now you need your team to proc it to deal any damage. So you need to play a little bit differently. Do not spam mindlessly. Try coordinating it with your team - when they are about to poke or when they go in.
  5. Font of Life heal can trigger various support items, like Ardent Censer or Staff of Flowing Water or even Moonstone Renewer!
  6. You need to adapt your items to the game. Enemy team heavy on AP? Buy MR. They heavy on AD? Buy Armor. You need some damage? Well buy that.

Tips and Tricks

General
  1. Late in the game, you can sell boots and go for sixth AP item.
  2. You can stop push by using W on minions.
  3. You can die in strategic positions and prevent an enemy team from pushing/defending turret.
  4. You can start casting your R when somebody is dead and has 2 seconds left, so you will hit him instantly with R (i.e Fizz won't use E to dodge it).
  5. Enemies in your base? Use E before taking portal (frost-gate) - you will damage them on your way!
Riot
  1. Ask your allies to help point out when you should use Requiem to get kills in different lanes.
  2. Lay Waste is very strong at farming minions and harassing enemy champions.

Skill Order

  • Karthus [object Object] ability.
    Q
    Lay Waste
  • Karthus [object Object] ability.
    W
    Wall of Pain
  • Karthus [object Object] ability.
    E
    Defile
  • Karthus [object Object] ability.
    R
    Requiem

Items

Starting items
Bandleglass Mirror item.
Tear of the Goddess item.
Rush this #1
Imperial Mandate item.
Optional rush #2
Rylai's Crystal Scepter item.
Boots
Ionian Boots of Lucidity item.
Good support items
Additional considerations for these items is advised!
Locket of the Iron Solari item.
Moonstone Renewer item.
Redemption item.
Ardent Censer item.
Staff of Flowing Water item.
Shurelya's Battlesong item.
Good tank items
Knight's Vow item.
Warmog's Armor item.
Jak'Sho, The Protean item.
Good MR items
Force of Nature item.
Kaenic Rookern item.
Spirit Visage item.
Good Armor items
Iceborn Gauntlet item.
Dead Man's Plate item.
Frozen Heart item.
Randuin's Omen item.
Thornmail item.
For mana problems
Tear of the Goddess item.
Seraph's Embrace item.
Situational dmg items
Cryptbloom item.
Zhonya's Hourglass item.
Rod of Ages item.
Blackfire Torch item.
Liandry's Torment item.
Cosmic Drive item.
Rabadon's Deathcap item.
Counter healing
Oblivion Orb item.
Morellonomicon item.
Counter shielding
Serpent's Fang item.
For the last fight
Additional considerations for these items is advised!
Seeker's Armguard item.
Elixir of Iron item.
Elixir of Sorcery item.
Example final build
Ionian Boots of Lucidity item.
Imperial Mandate item.
Spirit Visage item.
Rylai's Crystal Scepter item.
Morellonomicon item.
Kaenic Rookern item.