Karthus

Few champions convert raw greed for damage into a win condition as directly as Karthus. His entire kit is built around one idea: keep dealing damage no matter what, even after death. Death Defied lets him continue casting spells in spirit form after he dies, so diving Karthus often costs the attacker more health than the kill was worth — he simply plants himself in the fight and keeps channeling destruction.

Lay Waste is the backbone of his pattern, a short-cooldown delayed blast that deals bonus damage to isolated enemies. Mastering Karthus means landing these small explosions relentlessly — for last-hitting, poking, and dueling — since a single missed Q is lost damage in a kit with no burst combo to fall back on. Defile complements it two ways: passively refunding mana on kills to fuel his hungry casting, and actively turning him into a walking damage aura for close-range fights. Wall of Pain shreds magic resist and slows anyone who walks through it, setting up his damage and cutting off escapes.

The global threat

Requiem defines his map presence: after a three-second channel, every enemy champion takes damage, anywhere on the map. Low-health enemies are never safe, and Karthus contributes to fights he is nowhere near — a pressure that shapes how opponents play from mid game onward.

He is immobile, short-ranged for a mage, and utterly reliant on positioning, which makes him a scaling gamble. Players who enjoy attrition, discipline, and the psychology of a global execute will find Karthus deeply rewarding.