Karma Build Idea - Would Off-Tank [Top] Be Viable?

[quote=bsbm12587496]How would a build, against an AD heavy team, in which Karma top rushed Tear into Seraph's Embrace, Rod of Ages, Frozen Heart, Iceborn Gauntlet(Optional, or another tank item), Liandry's & Rylai's (Void if nec,) (Late Game Mantra E) then build tanky accordingly (Randuin's, Sunfire, Banshee's etc) work out? I've been experimenting with Karma recently and found that this approach in certain circumstances (AD Heavy, for one, and provided that your team's Mid and ADC or Jungler are damage oriented enough) can fare pretty well. You become more of an off-tank with support-like abilities, while still doing decent damage due to the Mana and Seraph's. Im not saying this is optimal of course, but more of an experimental approach that could serve in certain team comps/ against certain enemy teams.[/quote]

[quote=The_Nameless_Bard]I disagree with most of the items in that build. Very few of them have any particular synergy with [[Karma]]. [[Karma]] doesn't really work as an off-tank except as a support (where sometimes this will happen whether you like it or not). If you want to play top lane [[Karma]], you should build similarly to mid [[Karma]] or you're not going to do much. core being: [icon=sorcerer's shoes size=30]([icon=Athene's Unholy Grail size=30] or [icon=morellonomicon size=30])[icon=Rabadon's Deathcap size=30][icon=Void Staff size=30] with these as other options: [icon=Zhonya's Hourglass size=30][icon=deathfire grasp size=30][icon=liandry's torment size=30] [[Rylai's Crystal Scepter]] is utterly redundant on [[Karma]], don't bother with it. [[Iceborn Gauntlet]] doesn't really have any synergy with her kit. She doesn't need [[Tear of the Goddess]]/[[Seraph's Embrace]] and [[Rod of Ages]] doesn't really fit her style of play. [[Frozen Heart]] isn't good unless you've already itemized a decent amount of health and it's not something I'd build on [[Karma]]. The only purely defensive item I would consider is [[Banshee's Veil]], the others you mention instead ([[Randuin's Omen]], [[Sunfire cape]]) are not better than a [[Zhonya's Hourglass]] on her.[/quote]

[quote=FantasySniper][[Ryze]] and [[Vladimir]] can do top-lane AP bruiser infinitely better than [[Karma]], and you'd be better off picking them for that situation. As a support, you can make it work, depending heavily upon your own team's composition. In practicality for any role, the best you will be able to manage for tankiness is [[Zhonya's Hourglass]] + [[Rod of Ages]] + [[Liandry's Torment]] + [[Athene's Unholy Grail]]. See above (Bard's) post, also.[/quote]

[quote=The_Nameless_Bard][quote=FantasySniper]the best you will be able to manage for tankiness is [[Zhonya's Hourglass]] + [[Liandry's Torment]] + [[Athene's Unholy Grail]].[/quote]ftfy [size=1]seriously, [[rod of ages]] is crap on [[Karma]], there's no time when buying it makes sense or is good[/size][/quote]

[quote=Mooninites][[Rod of Ages]] is actually pretty damn good on [[Karma]], especially top lane. If I was going to play top lane [[karma]] and was against an AD champ I would build RoA. If I was against an AP champ I would build Athene's. Health in general is really good on Karma because of [[Mantra]]'d [[Focused Resolve]], which is pretty much what you should be doing if you want to play a bruiser karma. I think in general bruiser karma is fine, although I agree with nameless it's definitely not as effectiv as mid or support karma. If you are building a bruiser oriented [[karma]] skip the [[tear of the goddess]], it delays you too much, and really I don't think tear is that good on karma. [[Iceborn Gauntlet]] is bad for karma, I love that item, but it's still bad for karma. [[Frozen Heart]] is okay if you can get use out of the passive. But if they have champion's like [[riven]] or [[corki]]/[[graves]] or whatever, more caster oriented physical damage threats I would probably go [[sunfire cape]] or better yet [[randuin's omen]]; both those options give health, I would say in most situations you wouldn't build [[frozen heart]]. [[Liandry's torment]] is good, but I feel it's a more poke-oriented style build. It still might be core for a bruiser karma though. [[Rylai's Crystal Scepter]] is not bad on [[karma]], I just question the use you can get out of it. there's probably better options out there. please do not build [[deathfire grasp]] on any karma. She's more poke-oriented, not burst. [[Spirit Visage]] is probably better than [[Banshee's Veil]] 90% of the time with this build, you can build both, but if you're playing more of a bruiser you want to make use of your heal on Mantra'd W i guess a build for me would look like (in no particular order) [[Rod of Ages]], [[Sorcerer's Boots]], [[Frozen Heart]], [[Spirit Visage]], [[Zhonya's Hourglass]], etc. Idk though, CDR is so good on [[karma]] and that build lacks it. Generally I would say if you're going for a bruiser karma build you want CDR > Health > Magic Pen > Armor/MR > AP. Generally, you're kind of a support tank that's a huge front line thats hard to take down with some damage. It's pretty difficult to do for AP champions, because in general AD bruisers have more consistent damage output[/quote]