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Hey! I'm SkinnyLegendz, I'm a mid/sup main who enjoys playing around the map. I loved playing Karma back in the Kleptomancy days, but since Kelepto has been removed,I had to adapt a little bit. Karma Top isn't a perfect pick or in most places the most meta pick. But I firmly believe she is one of, if not the MOST versatile options in the top lane. She has phenomenal sustain from her percent heals, the ability to enable and support your full team, and still dish out large amounts of damage. Expect some more updates to matchups and synergies as I continue to work on this guide.

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Pros → Great Sustain, especially with pots + time warp tonic → High Base Damage → Multiple CC options → Rarely banned or expected → Teamwide Support with your empowered shield → Almost unstoppable in low ELO

Cons → Needs Core Items to really pop-off → If enemy actually builds anti-heal early you might struggle a little → A lot to manage, autos/items/kiting → May get flamed/banned out since non-meta → May get camped → Doesn't have as easy engage as another bruisers

FLASHFlash is essential as a get-away tool, securing kills, etc. Doesn't really need much explanation.

TELEPORTTeleport is essential to having map influence and mid-game sustain as well as roaming potential. Ignite is an option to lane where you feel more secure and maybe need grievous wounds (irelia/darius) Barrier is also an option if you are SURE you are going to be camped. Otherwise stay away. Ghost may be an option giving its up and coming buffs but you are so fast as is you may not need it.

RESOLVE

Grasp of the Undying is a great rune to develop and further your tankiness. Throughout the lane you can use this off-cooldown as Karma most of the time needs to be constantly autoing to match the enemy’s push power.

Shield Bash is a perfect rune for Karma as it boosts your damage based off additional health and shield power which synergizes really well with the overall build.

Bone Plating takes away some poke damage and makes your trades more efficient, helping you always come out on top.

Revitalize also works really well with Karma as the athene’s heals/focused resolve heals and your shield are all empowered in some clutch situations.

Lastly, the attack speed will help with autos on both the enemy but also with cs’ing, as well as the adaptive damage. You can substitute armor or magic resist for poke lanes but the health aids with the runes more. The secondary runes Biscuit Delivery and Time Warp Tonicsynergize really well with eachother providing more sustain.If you want speed and are willing to forfeit early lane pressure Magical Footwear works. Furthermore, if you need a stopwatch for some type of burst, Perfect Timing works.

SORCERY

Phase rush allows for heavy kiting and the ability to easily engage fights as well as disengage. However, this trade off removes a lot of tankiness in exchange for more damage and movement. Focus.

Manaflow Band aids with your mana and gives sustain and more poke throughout the lane.

Transcendence provides you with some additional CDR earlier on till you reach 40% later in which it supplies extra damage.

Scorch allows for more early bullying and poke damage throughout the lane, potentially resulting in an early kill or early back from the enemy lane.

Lastly, the attack speed will help with autos on both the enemy but also with cs’ing, as well as the adaptive damage. You can substitute armor or magic resist for poke lanes but the health aids with the runes more. If you want speed and are willing to forfeit early lane pressure Magical Footwear works. Furthermore, if you need a stopwatch for some type of burst, Perfect Timing works.

Gathering Fire Gathering Fire is the crux of top Karma. Mantra empowers each of your abilities, providing a secondary effect with gathering fire making that more accessible.. Furthermore, it’s cool down gets reduced by (2/3/4) seconds every time she damages an enemy with an ability, or by (1/1.5/2) with her basic attacks on-hi (so make sure you're getting those autos in) t. Inner Flame Inner flame is the core of your non-auto damage. Karma sends out a burst of spiritual energy detonating on hit and slowing by 35%. When used with Gathering Fire this does more damage and creates a slow field that slows for 50% and explodes after 1.5 seconds. Expect to be weaving this in and using this during teamfights and solo lane when you are at a distance and do not need the health from Focused Resolve or need to use Inspire to aid teammates. Inspire This shield is one of your core kiting means, providing a quick getaway with its 1.5 bonus movement speed. One of it’s core uses is in teamfights you can use it’s empowered version to shield your entire team if they are close enough to each other, although the shields are 30% weaker so use it on who needs it most. Mantra Mantra is the entire core of Karma’s kit, you need to have great awareness on Mantra’s cooldown and make sure you are consistently using it whenever its up to provide whatever you team needs (damage, shields, self-healing) like I had explained previously.

Why does she have full health? We want this item to increase Karma’s healing even more than it already is as well and provide some more mr.

You can’t play ranged top laners!! Iceborn goes BRRR This item makes Karma a pain in the *** to deal with. The 20% CDR, mana + armor, and sheen procs while still giving a slow, makes Karma more able to weave auto-attacks to easily refresh Mantra as well as makes kiting SO much easier.

I’m an enchanter but cooler This provides additional MR as well as increases shield power and your overall duel + healing capabilities. Ardent Censer and Redemption work as substitutes but personally I think ardent’s healing is the best, but if more teamplay is going on the others may work.

Ninja Tabi - These are extremely reliable into ad heavy comps or auto-focused enemy laners (irelia, quinn, garen, etc)

Mercury's Treads - These are a strong pick into AP heavy or CC heavy teams for the tenacity.

Ionian Boots of Lucidity - These work early for more CDR and can be sold for later, although if you aren't in need of tank items as much these can work well for extra CDR.

Tank Items

Thornmail - Auto-attack heavy teams, grievous wounds and dmg reduction.
Abyssal Mask - Mana restoration, health, CDR. Aura can work really well if you are an AP heavy team and is a good additional MR item.
Randuin's Omen - Good against fed crit adcs
Banshee's Veil - Less tanky, but good AP, also works against Mordekasier to prevent Realm of Death
Sunfire Aegis - Nice health-based dmg, can work into true dmg comps + synergizes with Warmog's Armor

Support Items

Ardent Censer - Good to buff a fed teamate with autos (Yi,Graves, any ADC)
Locket of the Iron Solari - Additional shield
Redemption - If teamfighting a lot, this is useful, additionally if you are behind this may help.
Twin Shadows - Lockdown + More CC + AP
Shurelya's Battlesong - AP + Movespeed
Zeke's Convergence - Can help buff a carry and allow you to thrive in teamfight chaos.

Damage Items

Liandry's Anguish - BEST DMG source in my opinion. You get almost always have all stacks up as you force all duels to be extended with your kiting.
Zhonya's Hourglass - AP based armor item, use into burst matchups to ignore dmg.
Luden's Tempest - More AP but I don't suggest it, very situational tho
Morellonomicon - Grevious Wounds + AP, very good
Nashor's Tooth - This is a more of a troll item, but it's fun to play with and can help with more CDR, AP, and attack speed.
Lich Bane - This is also somewhat troll, you can take this instead of Frostborn Gauntlet when you don't need to kite as hard for more dmg.
Mejai's Soulstealer - If you get ahead with dark seal, this is a great buy if you can avoid death and play smart.