Summary
Katarina is one of the characters whose snowball effect is the most impressive: getting a kill can make you unstoppable. However, she is very dependent on her items to be effective, which handicaps her at the beginning of the game.
Boots
- Sorcerer's Shoes is a good choice. Once again, any magical penetration available is good to take.
- Mercury's Treads is an other option if your match-up neutralizes you completely without you being able to fight back.
Core items
- Hextech Gunblade is the must-have item on Katarina. It will allow you to inflict instant damage via its active, will give you sustain, and a lot of damage since your champion has AD and AP spells.
- Then head towards Oblivion Orb. You'll finish your Morellonomicon later because you already have the Orb's magical penetration and the Morellonomicon's anti-regen is of little use to Katarina.
- Zhonya's Hourglass will allow you not to fear assassins such as Zed or Talon. Stasis allows you to delay a little and let you take an overview of the situation before attempting your next move.
Situational items
- If you need more damage Rabadon's Deathcap and Void Staff are good options.
- If you feel very comfortable in the game and want to get it over with as quickly as possible, Mejai's Soulstealer and Spellbinder will allow you to do so.
- If you are playing against champions with hard controls (Malzahar, Pantheon) head for a Quicksilver Sash and/or a Banshee's Veil.
Playing Katarina
Katarina needs time to familiarize with the character, it's a champion who has to prepare her action before she can get into the battle. You need to place your daggers using Q - Bouncing Blade and W - Preparation, as most of your damage comes from Passive - Voracity. Katarina is a complex character especially at the beginning of the game, but if you take the time to improve with her, her potential in team combat is unmatched.
- Level 1: Q - Bouncing Blade allows you to kill minions without taking too much damage in return, or poke your opponent.
- Level 2: E - Shunpo gives you mobility. If ever Q - Bouncing Blade hits your opponent, don't hesitate to E - Shunpo on him, follow with a auto-attack and the damage of your Passive - Voracity when you step on your dagger. Once the recovery time is reduced, use E - Shunpo to move away from your opponent.
- Level 3: If your opponent is weakened enough by your fight at level 2 try to use your entire arsenal to go and assassinate him. Be careful not to put yourself in too much danger, however, and make sure your opponent's jungler is not close to the mid lane.
If you haven't been able to gain any advantage in the first few levels, play defensively until you've collected enough gold to buy your items. If you are ahead of the game, however, it becomes easier and easier to kill your opponent repeatedly.
From level 6 onwards, try to roam from your lane regularly to look for opportunities on the lower lane, or help your jungle to challenge your opponent's jungle. Katarina is most effective when she can search for easy prey outside her lane.
Match-ups
- Always use W - Preparation Before R - Death Lotus the dagger will fall on you and the damage from the spell will be added to your ultimate spell damage.
- It is not necessary to use R - Death Lotus all the way through. On the contrary, try to use your spells as often as possible when they are reset, the burst of the daggers is more important than the damage of R - Death Lotus and you will succeed in following your enemies more easily.
- R - Death Lotus reduces healing (more than Morellonomicon).
- E - Shunpo can teleport you to wherever you want around your target, use this to place your daggers more easily or to dodge your opponents' spells.
- E - Shunpo resets Katarina's auto attacks.
- Q - Bouncing blade always lands at the same distance from your target, opposite your position, and always takes the same time to hit the ground.
- Hextech Gunblade should be used as early as possible in your combo, the slow down will allow you to place your daggers more easily.
- Do not use the your Hextech Gunblade during your R - Death Lotus, otherwise it will be cancelled.
