Tank Katarina Build

Tank Katarina Build.

Tank Katarina build with runes and items. Tank Katarina guide offers in-depth how-to play, skill order and tips. Play Tank Katarina build in League of Legends Patch 14.24!

Updated: 2024-08-26 ()

TLDR

Starting items
Guardian's Horn should be final item in your build.
Ruby Crystal should be final item in your build.
Quick Skill Order
Katarina ability Bouncing Blade should be leveled first.
Q
Katarina ability Shunpo should be leveled second.
E
Katarina ability Preparation should be leveled third.
W
Final items
Mercury's Treads should be final item in your build.
Jak'Sho, The Protean should be final item in your build.
Unending Despair should be final item in your build.
Abyssal Mask should be final item in your build.
Thornmail should be final item in your build.
Hollow Radiance should be final item in your build.
Quick Runes
Major rune Grasp of the Undying from Resolve tree.
Minor rune Precision.
Summoner spells
Pick Mark as your Summoner Spell.
Pick Flash as your Summoner Spell.

Tank Katarina Runes

Resolve
Resolve major tree Grasp of the Undying rune.
Resolve major tree Aftershock rune.
Resolve major tree Guardian rune.
Resolve major tree Demolish rune.
Resolve major tree Font of Life rune.
Resolve major tree Shield Bash rune.
Resolve major tree Conditioning rune.
Resolve major tree Second Wind rune.
Resolve major tree Bone Plating rune.
Resolve major tree Overgrowth rune.
Resolve major tree Revitalize rune.
Resolve major tree Unflinching rune.
Precision
Precision minor tree Absorb Life rune.
Precision minor tree Triumph rune.
Precision minor tree Presence of Mind rune.
Precision minor tree Legend: Alacrity rune.
Precision minor tree Legend: Haste rune.
Precision minor tree Legend: Bloodline rune.
Precision minor tree Coup de Grace rune.
Precision minor tree Cut Down rune.
Precision minor tree Last Stand rune.
Passive
Passive tree Adaptive Force rune (+9 Adaptive Force).
Passive tree Attack Speed rune (+10% Attack Speed).
Passive tree Ability Haste rune (+8 Ability Haste).
Passive tree Adaptive Force rune (+9 Adaptive Force).
Passive tree Move Speed rune (+2 Movement Speed).
Passive tree Health Scaling rune (+10-180 Health (based on level)).
Passive tree Health rune (+65 Health).
Passive tree Tenacity And Slow Resist rune (+10 Tenacity and Slow Resist).
Passive tree Health Scaling rune (+10-180 Health (based on level)).

How to play

General
  1. You start with Guardian's Horn. Your #1 rush should be item that counters enemy team most (MR or Armor item). Get Jak'Sho as #2 item. Then adapt.
  2. Guardian's Horn is a surprisingly good item for its price. You can keep it for very long time (or even have it as 6th item).
  3. You need to adapt your items to the game. Enemy team heavy on AP? Buy MR. They heavy on AD? Buy Armor. You need some damage? Well buy that.
  4. Remember to consume your Grasp of the Undying procs!
Katarina Tank specific
  1. Katarina can have great engages too! Buy Randuin Omen, Shunpo (E) into an enemy team and use active for heavy AoE slow!

Tips and Tricks

General
  1. You can elevate your Katarina play just by not looking at the Daggers, but facing away.
Riot
  1. Picking up Daggers will significantly reduce Shunpo's cooldown.
  2. Try waiting until the other team is distracted with fighting your team, and use Shunpo to teleport into the fray and unleash a devastating Death Lotus.
  3. Using Shunpo on an allied Champion, Dagger, or minion can be a great escape tactic.

Skill Order

  • Katarina [object Object] ability.
    Q
    Bouncing Blade
  • Katarina [object Object] ability.
    W
    Preparation
  • Katarina [object Object] ability.
    E
    Shunpo
  • Katarina [object Object] ability.
    R
    Death Lotus

Items

Starting items
Guardian's Horn item.
Ruby Crystal item.
Boots
Ionian Boots of Lucidity item.
Plated Steelcaps item.
Mercury's Treads item.
Good tank items
Jak'Sho, The Protean item.
Warmog's Armor item.
Good MR items
Force of Nature item.
Spirit Visage item.
Hollow Radiance item.
Abyssal Mask item.
Kaenic Rookern item.
Good Armor items
Iceborn Gauntlet item.
Randuin's Omen item.
Dead Man's Plate item.
Thornmail item.
Unending Despair item.
Sunfire Aegis item.
Situational items
Trailblazer item.
Knight's Vow item.
Situational DMG items
Additional considerations for these items is advised!
Titanic Hydra item.
Wit's End item.
Liandry's Torment item.
Overlord's Bloodmail item.
Zhonya's Hourglass item.
For the last fight
Additional considerations for these items is advised!
Elixir of Iron item.
Elixir of Sorcery item.
Example final build
Mercury's Treads item.
Jak'Sho, The Protean item.
Unending Despair item.
Abyssal Mask item.
Thornmail item.
Hollow Radiance item.