Talk:Karthus/@comment-11272698-20140607194944/@comment-24967087-20140608003145

I've played Karthus for a good while (1 Year), but I'm silver (beware).

I play Karthus witha mana regen page (Red Penetration, all else Flat Mana Regen). In masteries I grab 10% CDR (5% from offense and 5% from utility), the AP from offense (Up to the +6 AP) and max utility to grab additional mana regeneration.

Why mana regen instead of AP? Karthus runs out of mana without outside help of items, using runes I am able to ignore mana costs and spam my Q for maximum farm and zone. Karthus' Q has a good AP ratio, but it has EVEN BETTER BASE DAMAGE. 80 damage for 20 mana? 240 damage for 44 mana? Most of your damage as Karthus will be from consecutive landed single target Qs after wall slowing the enemy.

Your starting item doesn't matter (You have everything you need from runes and masteries, I choose mana crystal (To build towards Tear of the Goddess).

Karthus' gameplay is simple, sweet, fun. Q to last hit (If you choose to go mana regen runes for infinity mana you will have to learn to last hit well, it is not impossible, just not as easy mode as an AP rune page, which is also fine, but mana regen runes is more fun).

Second, if your opponent gets within wall range and exhausts their dangerous skills (Lux's Q or some other powerful CC) you can try to land your wall. If they get slowed, it is HAPPY HOUR, land your Q, make sure to stay within range to keep landing Q (It has a long cast range, but it is not global, make use of the slow to reposition yourself between casts). Happy hour is what MAKES Karthus, his ultimate is just a hilarious finisher or KS skill. If it is not happy hour, don't do anything stupid like being caught out by the enemy when Qing a non slowed enemy (Don't do it, Q after W except when farming, unless you're god or whatever).

I build towards the Archangel item (Built from Tear) for more manas, then aim for maxing my CDR, with my 10% CDR from masteries all I need is another 30% CDR to max it. Morellonomicon is a very good item with its AP and 20% CDR, mana regen is decorative at this point since you have infinity mana. For my last 10% CDR I usually go for Kindlegem if I want to stay alive (Nice HP boost for lategame teamfigths where kiting will be much more difficult). I also get move speed items (Like Wisp and Lich Bane), but that is preference, build whatever you want, deathcap, deathfire, warmoggs?, rod of ages, what I really think is important is getting your 40% CDR for 0.6 second Qs (Dat base damage) and enough survivability to keep casting it and making life hell for the enemy.

Now it is time for review:

1) Laning Phase:  Farm with Q, make sure to hit ONE SINGLE TARGET WITH EACH Q, more likely to land a last hit with your doubled damage.  Because missing a last hit with Q is EASY if you hit more than one minion.  Dear god don't go into the enemy's face if his abilities are offcooldown, W slow and Q his ass when his cooldowns are on.

Get good at dodging skillshots, your Q makes dodging and last hitting simultaneously possible thanks to your ridiculous cast range. This allows you to delay buying tanky items in favor of CDR and AP (If you insist on AP).

2) Fun Trivia:  Your ultimates CD with maxed CDR is 108 seconds long (Having R offcooldown often is important), kakakakaka.

3) Max Q first, W Second, E last.  Always Max R in favor of Q.  E is hard to use and doesn't do much single target DPS, but good passive.

4) AP is good, but Karthus can benefit more from other stats such as HP (Armor/MR) thanks to his low CD Q with high base damage.  Survive longer, Q more, enemies QQ at your Q.

THIS IS ONE WAY TO PLAY KARTHUS. Other Karthuses go full AP and flash in middle of teamfights and trigger Hourglass stasis. Others do some other crazy stuff.

What is important is what you are aiming for, do you want to not run out of mana? Do you want your Qs to hit a little harder? Will you use your ultimate to KS (Really good use of it) or save it for teamfights? Do you want to lower your CDs? How do plan to stay alive? Movement? HP? Hourglass? Denial?

I encourage you to try out my build and to really try to love Karthus and work hard to make him a good friend in your roster. His kit is a very unique one which makes new champion kits look like unimaginative trash, lets you KS anywhere (Yeeeeees D;), and has many ways to exploit it. Alas, he has a skill floor, and it involves dodging skillshots, landing Q, landing Q on a single target and landing THAT WALL.