This is guide to playing Karma top lane and utilizing speed and map vision playing as an off-tank split-pusher with a team fighting presence. She is able to bully lane early and provides some late game utility.

She is not the strongest pick, but she can be an excellent choice to shut down early game or snowballing type melee top-laners like Pantheon or Jax. If you are able to save flash, to counter-flash any melee characters. Master Yi is tough, due to his speed and ability to become untargetable, allowing for an easy dodge. Characters like Talon which stealth can still be hit and kited, not a problem. But any kind of teleport move will cause problems. She is very reliant on landing her Q. Any characters with "blink" type moves, and those with good dashes can dodge her Q and cause problems. Ghost blade users can be a problem, but not the end of the world. Fizz another difficult one to deal with. She is not a strong choice vs tanks. Playing Juggernauts in the top lane is very difficult. Her real bread and butter is counter picking Pantheon, Riven, Fiora, Jax, Darius, Irelia, Talon, Shyvana, Tryndamere, Aatarox, and maybe a few others.

Your early laning vs. most top laners is exceptionally easy. You can lane bully all the way up to lvl 6, just watch for the early ganks. After lvl 6, ward, ward often, and buy vision wards. You will easily escape ganks with your raptor cloak and abilities. Taking cleanse(or buy Mikael's Crucible) is not a bad idea vs certain top laners or junglers, escaping one CC is often the difference between being ganked and kiting a jungler into futility.

Karma's abilities are perfect for poking and kiting, using Mantra allows great initiation as well. Use your abilities and speed to be very aggressive, you can do good poke damage and safely retreat repeatedly, this will force them into defense and you should out-farm for the first 6 levels.

You will have early game advantage due to Soulflare and her general awesomeness. You will have a power spike when you purchase the Needlessly Large Rod. When you get to the Raptor Cloak you will have a huge speed advantage.

Late game Karma is a great team fighter. With Focused Resolve / Renewal, Karma can engage for decent damage while healing herself and land a decent root. It can also be used to get a quick heal off of jungle monsters, this will help you sustain a bit in the lanes. Soulflare does great damage, really great damage. It has good AP ratios, if you don't build high AP, make sure to get some Penetration. Be very careful on when and where you use Inspire, shielding the correct teammate at the right time can win games.

The active on ohmwrecker can be fun. Have a teammate with decent Auto Attacks set a ward near a deep tower; then, teleport in, activate Ohmwrecker and down goes the tower.

Zz'Rot Portal voidlings can be used to force enemies into defending lanes while you group with team.

Hope someone tries this build and enjoys Speed Tank Karma as much as I do.

Skilling Order

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Max Innerflame(Q) first, I skip level 4 Focused Resolve (W) to have a harder hitting Inner Flame (Q) and try to force your opponent back to the fountain early. Add a second point into Inspire (E) at level 8 to beef up your shield, then max Focused Resolve (W) for dueling strength and the Mantra'd Healing on it. Max Inspire (E) last.

Boots + Faerie Charm With this open Karma can poke in and out bullying the enemy laner, She won't need health pots, she shouldn't take any damage in the opening lane stage, and your mastery points in resolve help as well. Be a bit careful with mana usage, if you are agressive and need to use inspire to escape, you will kill your mana pool. Karma should sustain and outlast her opponent in the lane, forcing them home for health.

Karma needs items for Mana / Mana Regen / Cooldown Reduction /Speed. These are essential for kiting with Karma. We will need to build AP / Defense / Penetration Items.

A good sequence for AD is opening with boots of speed and a Faerie Charm, following up with forbidden idol, Fiendish Codex, and Sorceror's Shoes. Next up Morellonomicon and Raptor cloak. You should be able to build Luden's Echo next, but if needed you can start building some defense. After Luden's I definitely Suggest picking up Frozen Heart if the ADC has gotten fed and is starting to roam. Otherwise you likely would pick up Zhonya's. Then Voidstaff / Deathcap or Liandry's Death Cap.

Against AP, similar to AD, open with boots of speed and a Faerie Charm, following up with Chalice of Harmony, Fiendish Codex, and Sorceror's Shoes. You can move into a Raptor Cloak and abyssal scepter from here, followed by Athene's and Liandry's. Finish up with Luden's / Death Cap / Zhonya's

If you end up in a lane where you are unable to bully and your opponent is diving on you, you are going to have to play passive. Get an Eye of the Watcher and a catalyst of the protector, and work into a Split pushing rod of ages build, or a Frostqueen's Claim / Righteous Glory build.

If you know you are going to be pushing your opponent around and landing spells on them, the Spell thief edge opening can get you a decent gold advantage.

For builds using the Raptor Cloak. After you have your mana regen and CDR items. Go Needlessly Large Rod and Raptor Cloak, before completing the Morellonomicon / Athene's Unholy Grail / Frost Queen's Claim At the absolute latest, you need to buy the Raptor Cloak before once you lose your first tower.

Quints and Glyphs to start with 15 Flat Ability Power, 16 Scaling.
Penetration Marks for ... Penetrating.
I prefer always using Scaling Armor Seals, but you could take Health Seals against AP.