Howdy! We haven't written in a long time now, we know, but we are back with one more guidance and building today which is for a support - Karma. This is build NJ often uses and we hope you like it! :)
We need to talk about Karma a bit. As many of you people don't know Karma is one of the greatest supporters in the game. Even though Karma is one of the champions rarely used, we assure you that her strength is beyond imaginable!
There is also one stereotype concerning Karma. All of you might think Karma is either a full support or a full AP caster, but that is completely inaccurate. We shall show you one of the builds that, as NJ says, makes Karma a tank, a support and an AP carry. This is all packed in one, so fasten your seat-belts as we are about to reveal you the true Karma build! We will leave NJ to talk about it for now. :)
Let's talk about what are her advantages and disadvantages:
Advantages:
Summoner spells:
Summoner Heal - Even though Karma has her mantra heal this spell is utterly helpful when team fights start. You may be able to support your teammates. So besides your mantra heal, summoner heal and shield can help to turn the tides of any battle.
Clarity - This will be another supporter spell, but this time for yourself. If any of your teammates need it, don't be afraid to use it, but it is really good spell to deal with your mana, since we will not focus building mana too much.
Changes for Clarity:
OK, since I think summoner heal is more important spell, you should always take it. Anyway, there are people who dislike summoner heal / clarity combination and if you are one of them you can take some of the spells from the list below instead of clarity (this also depends on what the type of your play is).
Clairvoyance - spell that will reveal a location on map. I don't find this spell really important, because wards can deal really good with this, but if you think it will help you more, take it.
Note of caution: You don't need to go to location to reveal a map as you would with wards, but is this really that useful?
Flash - OK, this is really good change because it will help you as a gap closing skill. I have played more than 150 Karma games and I have never used this spell on her but I know it can be really helpful if you are aggressive player. If you play semi-aggressive, like I do, you needn't this spell.
Ignite - Will help you reduce healing of an enemy target and deal them final blow.
Exhaust - If no one in your team has this spell, you will need to take it as it is a necessary spell for your team.
Smite - If you are playing tank AP carry you may be able to jungle with Karma.
Note of caution: We will not cover Karma's jungling in this guide. Jungling Karma building and guidance will be written in different section as it is already in progress.
Skills:
Explanation: When playing Karma you really need to know how to let your enemy lower your health points, but you mustn't get too low as you will be easy target. Realizing when to drop your healths down and when to heal yourself may be of crucial importance for you. I usually don't go lower than half of her health points.
Heavenly Wave
Explanation: This is one of Karma's main abilities as it provides her a big damage output and a healing ability. This will not only make you a hardcore support but also a strong AP carry.
Spirit Bond
Karma creates a beam between an ally or enemy for up to 5 seconds. Allied anchors move 10% / 12% / 14% / 16% / 18% faster and enemy anchors are slowed by 10% / 12% / 14 %/ 16% / 18%. The beam deals 80 / 125 / 170 / 215 / 260 (+70% Ability Power) magic damage to enemies and applies the same movement speed adjustment anchors receive to any champion it passes through. The beam breaks if the bonded target is stealthed. Mantra Bonus: Karma strengthens the bond to double the effect of the movement speed modifier.
Cooldown 15 / 14 / 13 / 12 / 11 / 10 seconds
Cost 65 / 75 / 85 / 95 / 105 Mana
Range 800
Explanation: This is your double edged ability as well. Cast on your teammates it will be like you and your teammate had both cast ghost summoner spell. Doubling effect with a mantra bonus will make it like you and your teammate had cast two ghost simultaneously. Cast on enemy... ...well let's just say it's like you have ghost and they've been exhausted. That way you will always be quicker than them no matter what's yours and what's theirs speed.
Soul Shield
Karma summons a protective shield that absorbs 80 / 120 / 160 / 200 / 240 (+80% Ability Power) damage for 5 seconds. Mantra Bonus: In addition to casting the shield, energy radiates out from the shield dealing 70 / 110 / 150 / 190 / 230 (+80% Ability Power) magic damage to enemy units around her target.
Cooldown 10 seconds
Cost 70 / 80 / 90 / 100 / 110 mana
Range 650
Explanation: This is one of your main defensive spells. Casting it will grant you and your teammates great amount of damage absorption from either physical or magical damage. This is like having Locket of Iron of Solaris bought. Using mantra bonus will turn your shield not only to protection tool but to deal a large amount of damage to enemies within radius of damage that is similar to Evelynn's stealth circle.
Mantra
Karma empowers her next ability with an additional effect. Karma gains a charge every 25 seconds up to 2 charges. The refresh rate is reduced by Cooldown Reduction.
Cooldown 30/25/20 seconds at levels 1/7/13
This is ultimate that makes Karma unbeatable and unique. You do not level it so all of your spells have six levels in upgrading. Use this spell wisely. My personal choice is to strengthen my 'q' or 'e' skills, but sometimes you really need your 'w' strengthen.
Skill order:
The best thing is to max simultaneously your Heavenly Wave and Soul Shield as quickly as possible. Maxing your Spirit Bond should be lastly as it is already too strong. In early game you do not need it stronger than level two.
Karma building:
Starting:
Doran's Ring - This is a great item to start with Karma. It will give you enough AP to battle your enemies and will give you tankiness you could use in the early game.
Shoes:
Mercury's Threads - These are the boost that will help you most of all. They will give you a decent movement speed (about 380, and you needn't more than that) and you will gain a decant magic resistance. Furthermore, reducing tendency will help spending less time under Crowd Control effects of enemy.
Supporting item / Gold accumulating item:
Kage's Lucky Pick
This is the item you can get to accumulate gold. Usually, I do not like getting it if you aren't going to merge it, but you should get it and not sell it until your slots are all fully filled. It will help you get your core items quickly, so it is good choice to have it.
Note of caution: If you are playing solo top you won't need this item.
Core items:
Note of caution: Because we cannot predict what the game outcome will be, we will put whole items in order which we find mostly appropriate. You cannot know whether you'd get easily fed or not, so this is the list of items that will fulfill Karma support, AP carry and tank role. In other words, it's your own choice which items you will firstly build before you merge them in big ones.
Frozen Heart - This is her main tool to destroying the enemy's game. It will make you extremely tanky and it will give you mana you'd really need. Furthermore, it would cripple enemy carries by reducing theirs attack speed.
Ryle's Crystal Scepter - Usually, Frozen Heart can go very well in combination with Ryle's Crystal Scepter or Frozen Mallet. Since Karma is AP based, you need Ryle's Crystal Scepter. It will give you everything you need.
Goal after core items:
Randui's Omen - This is the item you really need. This will make you even bigger support and you will become more tanky. With this item and Frozen Heart you can stop all of the enemies melee dealers in track. They will not be able to match your team anymore.
Note of caution: Never forget to activate it!
Rabadon's Deathcap - This should be your final AP item and as you may see you will only have two AP items. Amount of AP gained should be slightly bigger than 250AP. You needn't more than that. Karma has a really great AP ration and this is all you need. Buying this item should be as your fifth in order (sixth if we are counting D-Ring) and should give you everything you need of AP. You will gain more AP with your passive as well, so don't worry, all of your damages may exceed 500 magical damage, which is more than enough coming from you.
Note of caution: Sell the Kage's Lucky Pick to make a slot for this item (if you have built Kage's Lucky Pick at all :) ).
Late game items (Situational):
When to get Guardian Angel: (this should be your primarily item buy in the late game)
More defense that can be really useful to you. Even if you die you may end up reviving and continuing supporting your allies. To make the slot for the Guardian Angel you need to sell your D-Ring first. You may not have the chance to get this item because game is probably to having ended by this time. Still, if you get the chance, go for this item.
About when to get Banshee's Veil:
As you all may already realized, we've focused on build where magic resistance hasn't been applied to. Well, in most case you will have not needed it, but if enemies are having devastating magic damage dealers you should go for Banshee's Veil, but big problem is instead of which item and what the order of buying it will be? Well, you should buy it after Ryle's Crystal Scepter, then your next item ought to be Rabadon's Deathcap, because you will need AP it gives and for late game you will need to buy Randui's Omen. Still, I haven't used that build very often because Karma can deal with every character in game, but if trouble happens it's always good to know what to do. :)
About when to get Thornmail:
If you are to be the one initiating against heavily bruiser team, you will need this item as quickly as possible. Then, you are to start with D-Ring and Mercury's Threads as first, but after that you need to go for Thornmail asap. Then, you will need Frozen Heart and after that you should go for Giant's Belt and Rabadon's Deathcap. Thereby, you are to buy Ryle's Crystal Scepter next and go for one last item you need.
About when to get Morello's Evil Tome:
This is item you don't really need, but if AP carry asks for you to get one, accept it gladly. Instead of getting Ryle's Crystal Scepter get Morello's Evil Tome but before you get Frozen Heart. So your build should go like this: D-Ring, Mercury's Threads, Morello's Evil Tome, Frozen Heart, Rabadon's Deathcap and sell D-Ring in the end to buy Ryle's Crystal Scepter or some item you need like Banshee's Veil or Guardian Angel.
About when to get Will of the Ancient:
You can go for Will of the Ancients whenever you feel that the game will be soon to end. There is no particular order when to get this item. Buy it only if you are confident that you will soon win or your opponents are not that strong.
Items that you should not buy on Karma:
Rod of Ages - This is the item that Karma doesn't actually need. You can get everything you need with build shown above. There is no place for Rod of Ages and you don't need it's effects. You are not AP assassin in the end.
Warmog's Armor - Needlessly item on her. You do not need to have too much health. You are to get all health you need with Randui's Omen and Ryle's Crystal Scepter. You do not need this item because you can heal and support yourself. Having this item will just take free slot that some other item may better fulfill.
Zeek's Herald - This is popular supporter item but you are not to get it for Karma because she doesn't need it and she supports so good that filling up one slot with this item is not very bright. You have other ways to support your teammates than with this item.
Shurelya's Revery - I think all of you must be thinking: "What is this retard saying!?" but trust me, you don't need this item. You have your beam and even though it is a single focus it will help you more than this item. There is actually better item to fill the slot than this one. If your team really needs it then ask any jungler to get this item, but I assure you, you won't need it at all.
When playing solo top:
When you are playing a solo top you need to be aggressive and Karma can do that. Last hit minions and constantly go damaging your enemy with either Heavenly Waves or Soul Shield which you've used mantra on before. Don't be afraid, there is no champion able to counter her easily at solo top. This way, you will force their jungler to gank you constantly so his other teammates won't get any help they need.
When playing solo top against 1 vs 2:
If you are outnumbered in the lane your best chance is to stay by a turret. Come out to kill the minion or poke them a bit. Let them wound you, but never let yourself to end with lesser than 20% of health. More they damage you they will feel more confident that they can kill you and they will turret dive you. Playing everything right, using mantra and shield to gain more "health" and using mantra and Heavenly Wave to heal you, you are sure to kill them. If you feel you are going to die it's always good to have summoner heal with you.
When playing middle lane:
Your tactics do not differ from ones written in the "playing solo top" topic. If you are interested more about this, go back a bit and read topic again.
When playing bottom as support:
Should we talk about basic supporting? We believe you all know what to do when supporting AD carry. :)
We believe this covers everything there is to! We hope you liked this guidance and building and we hope you found it useful! Jungle Karma build will come soon! Feel free to comment about any remark you encountered!
All the best on the fields of justice!
We need to talk about Karma a bit. As many of you people don't know Karma is one of the greatest supporters in the game. Even though Karma is one of the champions rarely used, we assure you that her strength is beyond imaginable!
There is also one stereotype concerning Karma. All of you might think Karma is either a full support or a full AP caster, but that is completely inaccurate. We shall show you one of the builds that, as NJ says, makes Karma a tank, a support and an AP carry. This is all packed in one, so fasten your seat-belts as we are about to reveal you the true Karma build! We will leave NJ to talk about it for now. :)
Let's talk about what are her advantages and disadvantages:
Advantages:
- A best supporter in the game;
- A strong damager;
- A high mobility champion;
- Able to battle anyone in 1 vs 1 battle;
- Also good for 1 v 2, 1 v 3 and with help of turret she can solely stop 4 characters;
- Extremely tanky;
- Great in the early game;
- Great in the late game;
- Good in all lanes;
- She can jungle as well, though I don't recommend that;
- A great support;
- All of the spells are AoE based and can deal tons of AoE damage.
- Hard to play;
- Player needs quick reflexes to play her well;
- No Crowd Control effects except slow;
- Player needs to be experienced to be able to play well with her.
Summoner spells:
Summoner Heal - Even though Karma has her mantra heal this spell is utterly helpful when team fights start. You may be able to support your teammates. So besides your mantra heal, summoner heal and shield can help to turn the tides of any battle. Clarity - This will be another supporter spell, but this time for yourself. If any of your teammates need it, don't be afraid to use it, but it is really good spell to deal with your mana, since we will not focus building mana too much.Changes for Clarity:
OK, since I think summoner heal is more important spell, you should always take it. Anyway, there are people who dislike summoner heal / clarity combination and if you are one of them you can take some of the spells from the list below instead of clarity (this also depends on what the type of your play is).
Clairvoyance - spell that will reveal a location on map. I don't find this spell really important, because wards can deal really good with this, but if you think it will help you more, take it.Note of caution: You don't need to go to location to reveal a map as you would with wards, but is this really that useful?
Flash - OK, this is really good change because it will help you as a gap closing skill. I have played more than 150 Karma games and I have never used this spell on her but I know it can be really helpful if you are aggressive player. If you play semi-aggressive, like I do, you needn't this spell. Ignite - Will help you reduce healing of an enemy target and deal them final blow. Exhaust - If no one in your team has this spell, you will need to take it as it is a necessary spell for your team. Smite - If you are playing tank AP carry you may be able to jungle with Karma.Note of caution: We will not cover Karma's jungling in this guide. Jungling Karma building and guidance will be written in different section as it is already in progress.
Skills:
 |
Inner Flame (Passive) | Karma gains increased Ability Power corresponding to her % of missing Health. |
Explanation: When playing Karma you really need to know how to let your enemy lower your health points, but you mustn't get too low as you will be easy target. Realizing when to drop your healths down and when to heal yourself may be of crucial importance for you. I usually don't go lower than half of her health points.
Heavenly Wave| Karma sends forth hidden blades from her fans, dealing 70 / 110 / 150 / 190 / 230 (+60%
Ability Power) magic damage to units in a cone in front of her. Mantra
Bonus: In addition to dealing damage to enemies, Heavenly Wave will also
heal allies in the cone for 35 / 55 / 75 / 95 / 115 / 135 plus 5% (+%) of their missing Health. Cooldown 6 seconds Cost 65 / 75 / 85 / 95 / 105 Mana Range 500 |
Explanation: This is one of Karma's main abilities as it provides her a big damage output and a healing ability. This will not only make you a hardcore support but also a strong AP carry.
Spirit BondKarma creates a beam between an ally or enemy for up to 5 seconds. Allied anchors move 10% / 12% / 14% / 16% / 18% faster and enemy anchors are slowed by 10% / 12% / 14 %/ 16% / 18%. The beam deals 80 / 125 / 170 / 215 / 260 (+70% Ability Power) magic damage to enemies and applies the same movement speed adjustment anchors receive to any champion it passes through. The beam breaks if the bonded target is stealthed. Mantra Bonus: Karma strengthens the bond to double the effect of the movement speed modifier.
Cooldown 15 / 14 / 13 / 12 / 11 / 10 seconds
Cost 65 / 75 / 85 / 95 / 105 Mana
Range 800
Explanation: This is your double edged ability as well. Cast on your teammates it will be like you and your teammate had both cast ghost summoner spell. Doubling effect with a mantra bonus will make it like you and your teammate had cast two ghost simultaneously. Cast on enemy... ...well let's just say it's like you have ghost and they've been exhausted. That way you will always be quicker than them no matter what's yours and what's theirs speed.
Soul Shield Karma summons a protective shield that absorbs 80 / 120 / 160 / 200 / 240 (+80% Ability Power) damage for 5 seconds. Mantra Bonus: In addition to casting the shield, energy radiates out from the shield dealing 70 / 110 / 150 / 190 / 230 (+80% Ability Power) magic damage to enemy units around her target.
Cooldown 10 seconds
Cost 70 / 80 / 90 / 100 / 110 mana
Range 650
Explanation: This is one of your main defensive spells. Casting it will grant you and your teammates great amount of damage absorption from either physical or magical damage. This is like having Locket of Iron of Solaris bought. Using mantra bonus will turn your shield not only to protection tool but to deal a large amount of damage to enemies within radius of damage that is similar to Evelynn's stealth circle.
MantraKarma empowers her next ability with an additional effect. Karma gains a charge every 25 seconds up to 2 charges. The refresh rate is reduced by Cooldown Reduction.
Cooldown 30/25/20 seconds at levels 1/7/13
This is ultimate that makes Karma unbeatable and unique. You do not level it so all of your spells have six levels in upgrading. Use this spell wisely. My personal choice is to strengthen my 'q' or 'e' skills, but sometimes you really need your 'w' strengthen.
Skill order:
The best thing is to max simultaneously your Heavenly Wave and Soul Shield as quickly as possible. Maxing your Spirit Bond should be lastly as it is already too strong. In early game you do not need it stronger than level two.
Karma building:
Starting:
Doran's Ring - This is a great item to start with Karma. It will give you enough AP to battle your enemies and will give you tankiness you could use in the early game.Shoes:
Mercury's Threads - These are the boost that will help you most of all. They will give you a decent movement speed (about 380, and you needn't more than that) and you will gain a decant magic resistance. Furthermore, reducing tendency will help spending less time under Crowd Control effects of enemy.Supporting item / Gold accumulating item:
Kage's Lucky PickThis is the item you can get to accumulate gold. Usually, I do not like getting it if you aren't going to merge it, but you should get it and not sell it until your slots are all fully filled. It will help you get your core items quickly, so it is good choice to have it.
Note of caution: If you are playing solo top you won't need this item.
Core items:
Note of caution: Because we cannot predict what the game outcome will be, we will put whole items in order which we find mostly appropriate. You cannot know whether you'd get easily fed or not, so this is the list of items that will fulfill Karma support, AP carry and tank role. In other words, it's your own choice which items you will firstly build before you merge them in big ones.
Frozen Heart - This is her main tool to destroying the enemy's game. It will make you extremely tanky and it will give you mana you'd really need. Furthermore, it would cripple enemy carries by reducing theirs attack speed. Ryle's Crystal Scepter - Usually, Frozen Heart can go very well in combination with Ryle's Crystal Scepter or Frozen Mallet. Since Karma is AP based, you need Ryle's Crystal Scepter. It will give you everything you need.Goal after core items:
Randui's Omen - This is the item you really need. This will make you even bigger support and you will become more tanky. With this item and Frozen Heart you can stop all of the enemies melee dealers in track. They will not be able to match your team anymore.Note of caution: Never forget to activate it!
Rabadon's Deathcap - This should be your final AP item and as you may see you will only have two AP items. Amount of AP gained should be slightly bigger than 250AP. You needn't more than that. Karma has a really great AP ration and this is all you need. Buying this item should be as your fifth in order (sixth if we are counting D-Ring) and should give you everything you need of AP. You will gain more AP with your passive as well, so don't worry, all of your damages may exceed 500 magical damage, which is more than enough coming from you.Note of caution: Sell the Kage's Lucky Pick to make a slot for this item (if you have built Kage's Lucky Pick at all :) ).
Late game items (Situational):
When to get Guardian Angel: (this should be your primarily item buy in the late game)
More defense that can be really useful to you. Even if you die you may end up reviving and continuing supporting your allies. To make the slot for the Guardian Angel you need to sell your D-Ring first. You may not have the chance to get this item because game is probably to having ended by this time. Still, if you get the chance, go for this item.
About when to get Banshee's Veil:
As you all may already realized, we've focused on build where magic resistance hasn't been applied to. Well, in most case you will have not needed it, but if enemies are having devastating magic damage dealers you should go for Banshee's Veil, but big problem is instead of which item and what the order of buying it will be? Well, you should buy it after Ryle's Crystal Scepter, then your next item ought to be Rabadon's Deathcap, because you will need AP it gives and for late game you will need to buy Randui's Omen. Still, I haven't used that build very often because Karma can deal with every character in game, but if trouble happens it's always good to know what to do. :)
About when to get Thornmail:
If you are to be the one initiating against heavily bruiser team, you will need this item as quickly as possible. Then, you are to start with D-Ring and Mercury's Threads as first, but after that you need to go for Thornmail asap. Then, you will need Frozen Heart and after that you should go for Giant's Belt and Rabadon's Deathcap. Thereby, you are to buy Ryle's Crystal Scepter next and go for one last item you need.
About when to get Morello's Evil Tome:
This is item you don't really need, but if AP carry asks for you to get one, accept it gladly. Instead of getting Ryle's Crystal Scepter get Morello's Evil Tome but before you get Frozen Heart. So your build should go like this: D-Ring, Mercury's Threads, Morello's Evil Tome, Frozen Heart, Rabadon's Deathcap and sell D-Ring in the end to buy Ryle's Crystal Scepter or some item you need like Banshee's Veil or Guardian Angel.
About when to get Will of the Ancient:
You can go for Will of the Ancients whenever you feel that the game will be soon to end. There is no particular order when to get this item. Buy it only if you are confident that you will soon win or your opponents are not that strong.
Items that you should not buy on Karma:
Rod of Ages - This is the item that Karma doesn't actually need. You can get everything you need with build shown above. There is no place for Rod of Ages and you don't need it's effects. You are not AP assassin in the end.
Warmog's Armor - Needlessly item on her. You do not need to have too much health. You are to get all health you need with Randui's Omen and Ryle's Crystal Scepter. You do not need this item because you can heal and support yourself. Having this item will just take free slot that some other item may better fulfill.
Zeek's Herald - This is popular supporter item but you are not to get it for Karma because she doesn't need it and she supports so good that filling up one slot with this item is not very bright. You have other ways to support your teammates than with this item.
Shurelya's Revery - I think all of you must be thinking: "What is this retard saying!?" but trust me, you don't need this item. You have your beam and even though it is a single focus it will help you more than this item. There is actually better item to fill the slot than this one. If your team really needs it then ask any jungler to get this item, but I assure you, you won't need it at all.
When playing solo top:
When you are playing a solo top you need to be aggressive and Karma can do that. Last hit minions and constantly go damaging your enemy with either Heavenly Waves or Soul Shield which you've used mantra on before. Don't be afraid, there is no champion able to counter her easily at solo top. This way, you will force their jungler to gank you constantly so his other teammates won't get any help they need.
When playing solo top against 1 vs 2:
If you are outnumbered in the lane your best chance is to stay by a turret. Come out to kill the minion or poke them a bit. Let them wound you, but never let yourself to end with lesser than 20% of health. More they damage you they will feel more confident that they can kill you and they will turret dive you. Playing everything right, using mantra and shield to gain more "health" and using mantra and Heavenly Wave to heal you, you are sure to kill them. If you feel you are going to die it's always good to have summoner heal with you.
When playing middle lane:
Your tactics do not differ from ones written in the "playing solo top" topic. If you are interested more about this, go back a bit and read topic again.
When playing bottom as support:
Should we talk about basic supporting? We believe you all know what to do when supporting AD carry. :)
We believe this covers everything there is to! We hope you liked this guidance and building and we hope you found it useful! Jungle Karma build will come soon! Feel free to comment about any remark you encountered!
All the best on the fields of justice!
| Troll Patrol |
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