Katarina Build Guide by ReiK

Chapter 1

Introduction

Hi everybody, today i wanna introduce you my Katarina build. I remember playing LoL for the first time... I was really attracted by Katarina. You ask why ? Because she is so sexy and her abilities in fights seemed pretty cool and powerful. You know what ? I was right ! Katarina is one of the most powerful champions i know but i totally disagree with some people saying : "Katarina is very easy to use, even noobs can have good score like 10-2-15". No no no, its not true... Her abilities are easy to use, but the champion is not. You dont understand ? Just read a lil bit more the build ^^.

Runes

Alright then... Lets talk about her runes do you ? Katarina's runes... No... My runes are really simple and i guess most of people using Katarina use the same runes as me. Why's that ? Because there are not a lot of choice. Katarina is a chaser and a nuker so...

Greater Mark of Magic Penetration. Katarina needs Magic Penetration. All of her skills (except one) require it. You will do more damages and its very useful if you have to fight against tankies. There is not a lot of items in the game with Magic Penetration, so we really need these runes.

Greater Quintessence of Magic Penetration. About her Quintesceces, same here, we go for Magic Penetration. Why not Ability Power ? Thats a good question. As a magic nuker, Katarina needs AP, but 15 AP (this is the number of AP that 3 Quintescences can give you) against 5.67 Magic Penetration... you will deal more damages with Magic Penetration AND it will be more useful against Tankies...

Greater Seal of Evasion. You will need Dodge. Ok you are not like Jax, but Dodge's Seals are very nice for you too, it will help you farming at the very beginning and... will probably save your life at least once in a game.

Greater Glyph of Ability Power. You can go with AP Glyphs, it will give you a small boost (9 AP) at the beginning. You will increase your Q by 5 and your E by 8... why not ? But i have to admit it, during mid game and late game, 9 AP is not a big difference.

Greater Glyph of Cooldown Reduction. You can also go for CDR. It can be more interesting, because Katarina needs also CDR. The truth is,Katarina's CD are really low when you mast her skills, but during the lane phase, some CDR will be appreciate.

Masteries

My Masteries are also simple and very commun. 9-21-0. The only difference is : Cleanse. I go for Cleanse because i use it a lot. This is my way how to play, maybe other players will prefer to go for something else, it can be good, maybe better, i dont know, but Cleanse is my choice !

Skills

Alright alright, now lets talk about Katarina's skills, and i can tell you there is a LOT to tell about them !!!


Voracity : Voracity is her passive, and its a crazy passive ! It allows you to get a 15 sec CDR about all your skills when you get a kill or an assist. For exemple, during a team fight, you kill or assist someone, all you skills will be refresh by 15 sec. Your Q, W and E will be totally refresh, and your R (ult) will be refresh by 15 sec. At level 18 if you get 2 kills or assists thats mean your Ult will be almost totally refresh, so you can do it barely again just after you casted it... Crazy no? ???

Bouncing Blades : This skill is really nice for many reason. Usually i up it first. It allows you to farm minions really quickly BUT also to hit a target (a champ by exemple) very far from you. You just stay behind your minions, use your Q and your enemy gets hit and he cant do anything because he is too far away... The best harasement ever...

Preparation : Its also a good skill in two different ways. If you use it with your Q, your enemy will receive a debuff. His heal regen will be decrease for 5 sec. Its good if you see your foe taking a potion. If you use it with your E, Katatina will gain armor and Magic Resist for 3 seconds, just enough for casting your ult !

Shumpo : This is a CRAZY skill. First of all, it deals a lot of damage on a single target and it allow you to TP in the middle of the battle to perform your ultimate. You can also use it to run away, targeting ally's units or champ. (You cant target Teemo's mushrooms or Wards anymore tho). Shumpo as a good range, you can use it to go throw walls.

Death Lotus : This is your ultimate !!! And your enemies are soooo afraid by it. It deals crazy damages to ALL your enemies around you. Most of people just run away after you cast it, but be careful ! A simple silence, stun or bump can stop it. Even if your CD is kinda low, be sure to kill someone when you use it.

Chapter 6

Items (Core)

The first item i go for is Doran's Shield, Its a good item and with it, you wont go every minute regen your HP at your spawn. I use it when i lane or when i solo mid.

The second item is Boots of Speed You will upgrate it soon for Sorcerer's Shoes. These last boots are the best shoes ever for Kat, because as i said it before, she needs a lot of Magic Penetration. You can also go for Ionian Boots of Lucidity if you prefer to have CDR. If the enemies have a lot of CC, maybe you will prefer getting Mercury's Treads, it can help a lot.

After that, you will buy Hextech Revolver, this item is really good with Kat, because it will allow you to heal yourself pretty fast using your skills. Most of players go for Hextech Gunblade, but dont do it ! In my opinion, the Gunblade is a really good item, but useless with Kat during early and mid game. This item will be the LAST ONE you will buy if the game is really long.

Instead of this, go buy Rabadon's Deathcap, it will boost your AP a lot. If you solo mid, you will get this item before other players, and with it, you will be able to gank very easely...

Then, we go for Rylai's Crystal Scepter. This item is CRAZY good with Kat. Why ? For many reason. First of all, Kat is a nuker, but not a nuker like Veigar or even Brand. She goes in the core of the battle to nuke everyone around her with her ultimate. Because of that, she needs some HP. The Rylai will grant her another ability, all of her skills will slow her enemies... what does that mean ??? Thats mean, when you will use your Death Lotus, all your enemies hit by it will be slow... They will not be able to run away very fast : you will deal more damage to them !

Items (Good)

Void Staff : If you have to fight tanky enemies, go for it. With 40% Magic Penetration, your ultimate will be so much worse for them...

Banshee's Veil : This item is really good with Kat. Usually, when you Shumpo then Death Lotus, the enemy tank will do something to stop you : stun, silence, bump or something else, but with it, you will be immune to it, so you will be able to perform your ultimate.

Mejai's Soulstealer : There is a big problem with this item : you have to play very carefully. Try to avoid to die, or else just sell it. If you can reach 20 stacks, most of the time, the enemy team will just surrender, because you will be just too powerful for them. But if its not the case and if you just stay around 5-10 stacks... just sell it.

Abyssal Mask : If you have a problem with AP, go for this item, it will grant you a lot of MR.

Zhonya's Hourglass : Same thing but with AD, if you see you cant face AD enemy, just buy it. Be careful tho, if you perform your ultimate, you cant use the second ability of the Hourglass, or else, your ultimate will be stopped.

Items (Bad)

Guardian Angel: Usually, this item is good for tank and you are not one. Could be good if you reach 20 stacks with your Mejai, but think about it... If you have 20 stacks, most of your enemies will run away and not fight your Death Lotus... and if you die during a gank or a bait... it willbe still easy to reach again 20 stacks.

Sunfire Cape : 40 damages to nearby enemies... Its a joke compare to your Death Lotus. Never buy it, even if you have AD problems...

Warmog's Armor: Same with Angel, this item is most of the time good for tanks, you already have your Rylai, it will be a waste of money.

Chapter 10

Creeping / Jungling

Katarina is not a good Jungler... It takes a lot of time for you to get Red or Blue buff, because she is a nuker and her auto attack is really poor even with Hextech Gunblade, because she doesnt have attack speed. If you need money, just go to a lane and kill minions, or kill the basic monsters in the jungle : Wolves, Wraiths and Golems. Avoid to waste your time trying to get buffs, or ask to your teammates to help you. Just one thing to know... the Red buff is really useless on Kat. The only good buff is the Blue one.

Another thing, this time about the dragon : Even if Katarina has a crazy score (let say 10-2-6), even if she has good items, she cant kill the dragon by herself very fast... Dont ask her to do it, or dont complain she doesnt have enough DPS about that : Its not her role !!!

Team Work

Ok ok, lets talk about your role in a team fight !

Katarina is not a tank... she is not a real mage and she doesnt hit that strong with auto attacks. d(O.O)b "So... what should i do ? "
Its very simple, Katarina will stay in the back of the fight, with the mages or AD carries. Then you will jump into it after waiting the enemy tank used his CC(s). Dont try to aim the tank... try to reach enemy squishies or AD carry, then Death Lotus them !

If everything goes well, you will (or your teammates) kill barely everyone except the tank and maybe 1 coward (or 2). Your second job starts !!! Katarina is maybe the best chaser in the game. Because of her Shumpo, she can run VERY fast, goes throw walls and kills cowards trying to reach their base.
After your first Death Lotus, you will get at least 1 assist, just enough to refresh his CD. Some cowards run away with low life...just Shumpothem (maybe with a Bouncing Blades) and they will die. Some run away because they see their team is dead... in that case, you will be probably the only one in your team with a ready ultimate (because of your passive), use it a second time to kill the last one.

Pros / Cons

Pros :
- No mana.
- Crazy ultimate (multi target).
- Good chaser.
- Good ganker.
- Good at harrassing.
- Very versatile.
- Sexy !!! d(O.O)b


Cons :
- Champ using only her skills to do real damages (cant fight super minions).
- Crazy ultimate (can be canceled very easely).
- Has to go into the core of the battle to use her ultimate.

Chapter 14

Thank you for reading me. If you see something weird in my guide just tell me and i will try to change it. Dont forget to rate ^^.