The problem with playing Katarina as a hybrid is that you aren't making the most out of her ultimate - which scales with damage or AP, not both.


I'm still trying out the new Katarina - Deathfire's Grasp seems like a solid item in an AP Katarina build, and now DPS builds are more viable as well - I'd probably focus on pure damage instead of crits, attack speed or lifesteal, as BB and her ultimate don't carry any effects, and are timered making attack speed largely pointless.

I'll update the guide this weekend.

Nice guide, however I suggest for either build to include a Deathfire Grip. Works equally well with AP and DPS in the games I've done. Adds 5% of enemies health to every of her ulti's attacks. Also, one BB in a teamfight does 25% of the other team's health. Shunpo with 10% of their health is an awesome finisher.

Didn't try an AP build yet but I can't say that I feel it on her.

I usually go as boots / phage / phage / zeal -> trinity force / -> mallet / black cleaver / "da" bane .

I get a nice hp bonus, a nice damage bonus, slow ( a lot of it ) , extra movement speed. You can actually harass/kill almost any hero during any part of the game.

But ... I hate Teemo's dart ...

Indeed, Deathfire works well on her, but you're confused about one thing - Deathfire does damage equal to 5/10% of the hero's current HP, not his max HP. So the effects are not as drastic as you say. In particular, as a finisher Shunpo doesn't benefit that much from it, since the enemy will be at low life anyway (For example, 10% of 200 life = 20).

It's still very good, and yes, every knife thrown by the ultimate triggers it. That is so broken that I think they must change it.

Well if it works for you that's great. In the previous patch I don't think that would be a good build as it wouldn't boost her ultimate at all (leading many people to conclude, along with other reasons, that the ultimate 'sucks').
In the new patch your build is better, but I still think its easier to rack up overall damage using an AP build than with a DPS one - with an AP build every hit you do will be Lich Bane-enhanced anyway, so you'll be hitting for upwards of 400 damage...

You can get HP from Rylai's, Damage from Lich Bane, Slow from Rylai's again, and extra movement speed from Lich Bane as well. Give it a shot.

Too bad we can't get Deathfire anymore. Otherwise build is obviously Sorc Boots -> Rylai -> Deathfire -> Deathfire -> Deathfire -> Warmogs. Don't need Lich Bane because I'm pretty sure there's no need to attack after 3x Deathfire ultimate.

Tried DPS build once but I've been playing her AP build the most and holy god is it amazing.

I had a ridiculously long game and had several Z rings and about 700 AP. It was fun to watch a fully fed Cho'gath player melt when I hit my ulti.

Ummm, why we cant get Deathfire anymore? They removed it from game or what? Im at office now, cant check ingame actually. And changelogs says othing about it.

People were stacking it and abusing it. It was too powerful. So they are removing it until they can hotfix it.