Build Guide by Alleyana

Introduction

Katarina has been my baby for a long time. I have played her countless times, and consider it a 'bad game' if I manage under 15 kills with her (which doesn't happen too often, fortunately). Katarina is absolutely terrifying, particularly when she gets fed. Playing as Kat, feeding needs to be your priority, closely followed by not dieing. With this guide, I hope you'll find that Katarina doesn't just climb in your windows to snatch your people up, she will shunpo right through your ******** wall.

Runes

Why Movement Speed Quints?

This is purely my own preference. In low levels, though, when my ghost is on cd I like to be able to run close enough to my minions so I can shunpo for a quick escape. It also helps when chasing in for the kill with your shunpo by more than you'd expect.

Another option is definitely AP Quints, but that's just not my personal style.

Marks

Katarina should be played AP. Magic Penetration should just be obvious.

Glyphs

She's AP. Get her more of that earlier on. She will rape not just opponents, but their wives and husbands as well.

Seals

Dodge runes to help her not be interupted during her ult. Killer instincts + Shunpo helps this, dodge runes are just the icing on the cake.

Masteries

Why Offense

That's just my personal preference. I like to rape early game, and I find this helps me considerably. Yes, I understand that it is essential to NOT DIE while playing as Kat, because lost stacks = pain the ***, but I've played both Defense and Offense, and find myself prefering this. Shunpo + Ghost usually saves me unless I get cc'd to death (even then, I can typically find a way out)

If you aren't confident in your escaping, you may want to go for defense.

Summoner Spells

Why Ghost and Ignite?

I like to be able to get the hell out when **** hits the fan, and that is primarily why I choose Ghost over Exhaust, though both are entirely viable options. Sometimes, I get Exhaust, I'll be honest. It's super fun to pop Death Lotus and while you're raping, Exhaust somebody while you Ignite the other, but that doesn't always work.

Ghost, however, gets you out of sticky situations when you're being chased and may not yet have Rylai's Crystal Scepter to slow the enemy down. It gets you clsoe enough to something that you can then Shunpo to.

Items

Doran's Shield

I used to get Doran's Ring + Health Potion but since they screwed around with Doran's items, I decided to get a Doran's Shield for it's health regen. I've tried both, and you just lane longer with the Shield, so you'll probably want to get that.

Mejai's Soulstealer

If you wanna carry the team, get this. If you think you'll have another carry who will do the job right, you can decide to build maybe a bit more surivable by getting a Rod of Ages or get yourself a Lich Bane if the stacks just aren't adding up and you find youself with a dead Mejai's.

Sorcerer's Shoes or Mercury's Treads

If you aren't too worried about getting the **** cc'd out of you, go for the Magic Pen on the Sorcerer's Shoes. However, Mercury's Treads will save your *** from quite a few bad situations, and staying alive is essential keep a Mejai's from dying.

Rylai's Crystal Scepter

This is Katarina's bread and butter with sugar on top with a side of rape. If you don't get it, you're really ******ed. Honestly, not only will your ult rape, but nobody can get out of it, so the rape is prolonged.

This will help you get away from some sticky situations, possibly even helping you and your teamates get out of an attempted gang bang by tossing a Bouncing Blades in there to slow everyone down.

Rabadon's Deathcap

This item gives you a ****-ton of AP & has a Unique Passive that gives you more AP. A must get.

Zhonya's Hourglass

I don't really get this item for the armor; I get it for it's 100 AP that works out to 130 AP if I already have a Rabadon's. It's nice to pop it's active too, to keep yourself alive if things start to go downhill in a team fight and you just need that couple more seconds for your teamates to pick of the stragglers from your ult before you die. Some people may not get this, and replace it with a Lich Bane, which is understandable. It's just my own preference for why I get it.

Abyssal Mask

I like this item for it's Magic Resist more than it's Magic Pen, but both are awesome. If you're not having any troubles with survivability and nobody's building Magic Resist, then I'd probably get yourself a Lich Bane instead.

Skills

Bouncing Blades

This skill is incredibly essential to Katarina's harassing. Get it first. Spam it.

I like to target the enemy champions if I can, because the more people it has to hit before them, the less damage it will do.

In early game, you should Preparation + Bouncing Blades your enemies, and then, just when they go to skillshot you/target you, Shunpo your fine little *** out of there and laugh as their skillshots fail epicly.

Preparation

Preparation + Shunpo = reduced damage for a set amount of time. Use this prior to your ultimate and, unless cc'd to death, you will get out alive.

Preparation + Bouncing Blades = Healing Reduction and increased damage. Harass the hell out of your enemies early game before shunpoing in for the kill.

Always get one point in Killer Instincts at level 3.

Shunpo

This is like a built in flash. It will not only snag you kills, but will also help you escape after you get those kills.

The thing about shunpo though is that there has to be something there for you to shunpo to. This can honestly be anything. Your creeps, enemy creeps, allied and enemy champs, wards, and even things like Teemo's shrooms. Have map awarenessp before you go into something. Look for an escape. Make sure there will be something to shunpo to in case **** hits the fan.

Death Lotus

This. Is. Rape.

Targets the three closest enemy champions, even if they are stealthed. Shove a blade or 10 up Akali's *** while she tries to hide in her little portable bush.

Your combo should always be Preparation + Shunpo + Death Lotus, and if that doesn't destroy everyone, toss a Bouncing Blades in there to finish them off and possibly Ignite the stragglers.

If you don't get at least a Triple Kill from that, then you're either against some badass tanks or you got the **** ks'd out of you.

Voracity

Badass passive. extra 25 gold per kill/assist as well as -15 seconds on all cooldowns. You can now spam the hell out of your ult, which already has a low cooldown, and you can buy your items like nobody's business.

Remember

Katarina takes no Mana. Spam the hell out of everything.

Playing Style

Katarina should always be moving

Run around and shunpo that fine little *** of yours to every ******** minion you see so NOBODY knows what the **** you're gonna do next, and never targets you.

While laning, GET BUSH CONTROL. Monopolize that bush like nobody's business, peeking out to Bouncing Blades them, and then shunpo your *** back to avoid all targeting. Get back in the bush. Repeat that **** until they are low health, Shunpo them and Bouncing Blades their ***. Ignite if they still aren't dead.

Juking

Gonna die? No problem. Juke by shunpoing behind your attacker, expecially while in a team fight. He'll get confused, and you can escape while your teammates finish him off.

Juke to shrooms and wards that are in bushes. It'll work 9/10 times. So much fun.

Don't intiate

While Rylai's does give you some health, that doesn't give you the right run around like a ****** intiating teamfights. Your ult can be interupted. Wait until the tank initiates and everyone is busy fighting somebody until you Preparation + Shunpo in and then use your Death Lotus. Otherwise, you;ll just die, lose stacks and be utterly useless. A dead Kat is a useless Kat.

Summary

Have fun, comment and let me know if you have any suggestions! I'm always looking for better ways to rape summoners. Let me know how it goes, and remember ...

Violence solves everything