My build is an answer for changes, wich came with new update. It's mostly AP build with some AD items also. From now on AP+AD items are more effective on Katarina then only AP, that's why my item build consist of Guinsoo's Rageblad and Hextech Gunblade.

Pros:
-Powerfull Ultimate
-Great escape method
-No mana dependent
-Quite good farmer(Bouncing Blades+Shunpo)

Cons:
-Not easy start
-Easy to interrupt ultimate
-Item dependent
-Squishy

So, why did I choose such items? I looked into statistics, which do items like Hextech and Rylai.

Katarina isn't a good champion in early game, so you need to make it easier in first minutes of the game. With this item it's not only to survive, but also gain some kill, or even first blood. I tried other items, like boots and Aplyfying Tome and Doran's Shield seems the best option for good start. (lately I was in line with Kata with Tome, she could do nothing to me, I was to strong, she was to squishy:) )


Why Sorcerer's Shoes? Couse Kata doesn't need m. def, armor, nothing but boots, that increase defastation around her:)


Hextech Gunblade: firstly, it gives us exackly what we need: AP+AD. Active is also very nice, such as passive, by wich you don't need to press "b" to heal yourself often. But there is something more. Price of this item. According to information from LoL official forums, price/damage from Ulti has the lowest rate(excludind Mejai of course), so you just must buy it.


Mejai? I think it's obvious, it's just imbalanced item for massive killer, like Katarina, the earlier you buy it, the better for you.


Rylai. It's all about its passive- massive slow, u need it to kill unlucky fellows befor they escape.


NLR. Again, the price. It's almost as profitable as Hextech, and you will need it to make Zonya later.


Guinsoo. Like Hextech: AP+AD+Price+Passive=Enemies start qq


Rabadon's. Nice AP, nice bonus, all in topic ;)

Situational items:

Annoyed by stunners, silencers? After you buy this item noone can interrupt your brillant skill like your Ulti is. Additionaly usefull when need to escape from battle and maddening slowers.


Things going to easy by having few frags after first few levels? So it can be even easier, after killing more Champs with this item + Mejai's. But you must be very confident and sure you won't delevel theese items, if so, no sense to spend money and take no benefits. I would be carefull to take this item, couse Mejai's is enough risk, the second item like this can completly destroy your gameplay when you won't be able to keep Mejai's + Occult at least at level 8-10.

Starting items(470 gold):


First back(2335 gold):


Second back(2235 gold):


Third back(3105 gold):


Fourth back(1600 gold):


Fifth back(3190 gold):


Last back(1860 gold):


Total cost = 14795 gold

Ability Power: Need it for Shunpo, need it Bouncing Blades, need it for Ulti. For good start it's invaluable.


So, all of Katarina skills have magical output, so Magic Penetration is important for making satisfactory amount of damage.


By the masteries skill, every evasion of Katarina upgrade her speed by 10% for 5 seconds. It's quite nice bonus when you need to escape fast, helping your shunpo to be far awaz from enemies when actualy need it. And of course every dodge is less damage gained.


Not much to say, u need to make much damage from skills, much, much more damage, great bonus AP for early game, all to able you to get first kill.

Cooldown reduction is amazing. Thanks to this skill you are able to get double, triple, quadra, or even penta kill. Katarina isn't a champion that do damage by regular hits, she's cooldown addict.So after Ulti+Shunpo+Bouncing Blades first use you have at least 1 kill. It is Shunpo+BB already reused for another not killed by your Ultimate, so after third kill (it's quite often) you are able to use your Ulti again. Another little bonus is additional gold, 1 killed here gives you as much gold as for mellee minion ^^.


Last update gave Katarina some changes in this skill, so the discription should be like this:
Katarina throws a dagger that hits up to 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 enemies, dealing magic damage equal to 80% of her attack damage or 35% of her Ability Power plus 60 / 95 / 130 / 165 / 200 bonus damage to the primary target. Each subsequent hit deals 10% less damage.
Good skill if you want to attack from distance, like your enemy is near turret, or you are defending near your one. Also good for last hitting, champions, as well as minions.


It's not the most important skill in this champ, I even tell it's the less major skill, but combo this skill with Shunpo can let you survive in dangerous situations, like combo with Bouncing Blades is quite annoying for opposite team. Passive has a bit more sense after update, when Kata started to make little damage with regular hits (AD items).


First thing, news in description, after last patch:
Katarina goes into a state of extreme focus, throwing daggers with unrivaled speed at 1 / 2 / 3 closest enemy champion(s). Each dagger deals 40 / 50 / 60 magic damage plus 55% of her bonus attack damage and 30% of her ability power.
The quintesense of Katarina. Use Shunpo in right moment between all the enemies and do the concert started. Just looking your enemies HP quiclky goes down. An incredible skill for incredible Champion :)

Skill order:

I take Shunpo at first, couse of best damage output for start. It's maths, Shunpo: 90 basic damage + 0,75*33,76 = 115,32 + possible escape if something goes wrong. Quite nice, isn't it? Bouncing Blades: 60 basic damage + 0,8*53 = 102,4(92,16 for subsequent hit). Also good, but free flash in lvl 1 is useful. With Doran's shield Katarina isn't so squishy, so first blood is possible. I always try to have my Shunpo level maximalized, Bouncing Blades skill is 1 level lower and Killer Instinct is 1 level lower to BB. So on 14 level I have Skills levels like 5*E, 4*Q, 3*W and 2*R.

How to use skills:
In many situations I use combination like Killer Instinct->Shunpo->Death Lotus+Exhaust/Ignite->Bouncing Blades for potential last hit. In most of situations is an additional gold from killed Champs plus leveled Mejai's.

Ignite- Needed in early game, becouse of damage and bonus AP from your masteries


Exhaust- Don't have Rylai yet? No problem, this skill is nice substitute, +1 guaranteed :P


Alternatives:

Flash- good for chasing but also for escaping from angry enemies,when Shunpo is on cooldown, or nothing to use it with.

If I find some time, I will do strtategy for Katarina, for now I hope you will have good stats with Katarina and will be usefull for your teams, and btw, hoping for positives :)

E: Gameplay coming soon, for now my last match, I will send more later:

My last matches, the last one is after few beers, thats why a bit worse :P
Please comment and vote my build, thanks :)

Last Edit: 6.01.2010