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How to Win Zilean vs Karthus Counter MatchupZilean is in the s tier of champions

Zilean vs Karthus

How to Beat Karthus as Zilean in LoLZilean is in the b tier of champions
SupportMage
Mage

How to Beat Karthus as Zilean

based on 604 Zilean vs Karthus matchups
Win Rate
50.8 %
K/D/A
3.36
Pick Rate
1.4 %

How We Analyze LoL Champion Counters

At MOBA Champion, we evaluate millions of recently ranked LoL matches each week. Within our dataset, Zilean engaged Karthus in 604 matches. With so many matchups for Zilean versus Karthus provides us confidence in our ability to prepare useful statistics and a solid build to suppress your foe. This particular counter matchup is relatively rare. Zilean is forced to battle against Karthus in only 1.4% of his rounds.

Zilean vs Karthus Matchup Summary

Zilean has done a average job of beating Karthus. Typically, he wins a acceptable 50.8% of games the champs clash against each other in. In Zilean versus Karthus games, Zilean’s team is 0.1% less probable to earn first blood, implying that he probably won't be able to get first blood versus Karthus.

Best Zilean vs Karthus Counter Build

Items

Starter Items

Time Target
Health PotionWorld Atlas

Early Items

~5 Mins
BootsAmplifying Tome

Core Zilean Items

~22 Mins
Shurelya's BattlesongSolstice SleighImperial Mandate

Optional Items

Zhonya's HourglassSeraph's EmbraceZaz'Zak's RealmspikeMorellonomicon

Summoner Spells

summonerflash summoner spell D
summonerdot summoner spell F

Skill Order

First skill for Zilean to level upq
>
Second ability for Zilean to level upe
>
Last skill for Zilean to max outw

Runes

SorcerySummon AeryManaflow BandTranscendenceWaterwalking
DominationCheap ShotRelentless Hunter
Ability HasteAdaptive ForceArmor
Zilean's passive ability p
Zilean's q ability q
Zilean's w ability w
Zilean's e ability e
Zilean's ultimate ability r
1
Q
2
W
3
E
4
Q
5
Q
6
R
7
Q
8
E
9
Q
10
E
11
R
12
E
13
E
14
W
15
W
16
R

Guide to Countering Karthus as Zilean

Tips for Playing as Zilean against Karthus

Time Warp is an effective way to enable allies to finish off enemies, or escape from a losing battle.

Chronoshift is a powerful deterrent to attacking your carries, but casting Chronoshift too early in a fight can cause the enemy to switch targets too soon, making it less effective.

You can combine the use of Time Bomb and Rewind to place two Time Bombs on a target quickly. Placing the second bomb will detonate the first and stun all nearby enemies.

Advice to Win Against Karthus

Karthus can cast spells for a short duration after he is killed. Move away from his corpse to be safe.

Make sure you always have enough health to survive Requiem, even if you have to go back to the base more frequently to heal.

Zilean vs Karthus Counter Stats

Zilean Image
Win Rate
50.8 %
VS
Win Rate
49.2 %
Karthus Image
2.7
< Kills >
6.8
5
< Deaths >
7.6
14.1
< Assists >
9
0.54
< Killing Sprees >
1.59
60
< Minions Killed >
95
0.05
< Dragons Killed >
0.94
0.57
< Inhibitors >
0.3
1,053
< Physical Damage >
231
10,763
< Magic Damage >
30,633
739
< True Damage >
2,015
12,556
< Damage Dealt >
32,880
21,270
< Damage Taken >
30,237
9,520
< Gold Earned >
12,975
1.97
< Towers >
1.16
0.01
< Baron Takedowns >
0.26
8,196
< Total Healing >
9,344
12,952
< Experience >
15,157
56
< Vision Score >
19
24
< Wards Placed >
7
184
< Time Dealing CC >
228

How to Counter Karthus with Zilean in LoL

The stat comparisons shown on this page emphasize some valuable Zilean against Karthus matchup stats that may help us distinguish the differences and similarities between this set of champions. As an example, Zilean’s KDA ratio ([kills + assists] / deaths) of NaN is better than Karthus’s KDA ratio of NaN, indicating that Zilean may be more central to his team's team fighting capability than Karthus. This observation is largely caused by the differences in assists.

Zilean typically has a significantly smaller longest kill spree than his foe does. On average, he takes less damage than Karthus. This often reflects differing health capacities, but it can also imply that the one champion has less mobility and thus is unable to kite away from further damage when engaged or poked.

Differences between Zilean and Karthus

Damage Types Compared

Zilean
Karthus
Physical Damage
Magic Damage
True Damage

Champion Playstyles Compared

Zilean
Karthus

Who is Better, Zilean or Karthus?

Both League champs are great. Both have their strengths, weaknesses, and counters. In League's current meta, Zilean usually fairs equally well when taking on Karthus, with a 50.8% win rate. As a result, Zilean makes an ok counter to Karthus.

While Zilean does have a higher winrate than Karthus, when facing one another, Zilean also has a lower difficulty level that makes him a less time consuming champ to learn. You should be careful when picking Zilean into Karthus.

Additionally, Zilean also has a lot of CC and other utility, a similar amount to Karthus. This often makes her just as valuable during team fights, especially when facing champions with a ton of burst damage.

While there is not a single best champion overall in League of Legends, in Zilean vs Karthus matchups, Zilean is the better champion with a similar win rate, less champion complexity, and a similar amount of utility to help out your team members during team fights.

Zilean is a decent counter to Karthus. You will do well by focussing your tactics on maximizing your gold income and destroying objectives. If you are able to do that, you should be able to stand on your own as Zilean against Karthus.

Other Champion Matchups Against Zilean

Zilean Loses Against

LilliaLillia46.8% winrateMiss FortuneMiss Fortune46.8% winrateViVi47% winrateJayceJayce47% winrate

Zilean Wins Against

SkarnerSkarner58.2% winrateRenata GlascRenata Glasc57.3% winrateYuumiYuumi56.8% winrateSivirSivir56.5% winrate

Top Synergies by Role

ViVi+ 54.1% 1233 GamesMaster YiMaster Yi+ 54.1% 2307 GamesTrundleTrundle+ 55.6% 2563 GamesSkarnerSkarner+ 57.6% 132 Games

Additional Information for Zilean Players

How We Calculated Our Zilean vs Karthus Build and Stats

For this guide on countering Karthus as Zilean, we analyzed 604 matchups from recent LoL games. We use rigorous data cleaning and processing methods to ensure that our counter stats are of the highest quality. You can rest assured that the recommended build to counter Karthus as Zilean comes from real data and is not the fabrication of some random LoL player, as some other sites provide. You can use the filters at the top of the page to view the most relevant stats and items to your rank.

Other Useful Resources

Zilean Build Karthus Build

Further Insights to Win this Matchup

If you would like to truly master Zilean in order to counter Karthus during both the early game and mid / late game phases of League of Legends, you should continue reading to learn a few extra lessons on this matchup. If you mind the build and stats presented above, you will increase your win rate significantly and be that much closer to League of Legends pro players.

Zilean often gets less CS relative to Karthus. Champs who on average don't get many minion kills usualy don't need much CS to be valuable teammates, such as sup champs. These kinds of champions are capable of scaling properly off of their skills, stats, and first items alone. Yet, champions with a lot of CS, such as hyper-carries, typically need a lot of items to be effective. In either situation, try to do better than the values displayed here to do well.

The top items to use in your Zilean versus Karthus build include Shurelya's Battlesong, Solstice Sleigh, and Imperial Mandate. When Zilean bought at least these three items in his build, he performed significantly better when facing Karthus than with most other commonly used builds. In fact, Zilean had an average win rate of 50.8% when countering Karthus with this counter build.

To have the greatest likelihood of defeating Karthus as Zilean, Zilean players should take the Summon Aery, Manaflow Band, Transcendence, Waterwalking, Cheap Shot, and Relentless Hunter runes from the Sorcery and Domination rune sets. Of all the rune combinations we have analyed for Zilean vs Karthus face-offs, this order of runes resulted in the greatest win rate. Notably, these runes provided a 50.8% winrate overall.

By default, tips, stats, and builds on how to beat Karthus as Zilean are shown for every ranked division. To filter the stats and builds to a particular rank, you should use the selection menu earlier on the page.