Game patch 26.20Data Dragon 16.20.1

Reference patch 16.20.1

Cho'Gath

the Terror of the Void

Cho'Gath is a durable champion who creates space through control, protection or a committed front line. This overview keeps the explanation practical and leaves patch-sensitive numbers to Riot's structured data and the current in-game tooltip.

TopMostly magic damageMelee attacks

Open matchup guide Find counters Status effects

Usual roleTop

ClassTank · Mage

DifficultyMedium · 5/10

Basic attacksMeleeMelee basic attacks · 125 range.

Damage profileMostly magic damageMost normal kit pressure is magic. Magic resistance may help, but control, penetration and true damage still matter.

Reference patch16.20.1

Strengths and limits

What Cho'Gath does well, and what can go wrong

These are kit-level patterns, not a promise that every lane or matchup plays the same way.

Good patterns

Uses spells to shape space, punish predictable movement or control an approach.
Creates space through durability, control or a reliable front-line threat.

Limits to respect

Important pressure falls while key spells are unavailable or miss their intended area.
Durability does not make an unsupported engage safe or guarantee enough damage to finish a target.
Basic attacks require close access, so enemy range, slows and displacement can deny a clean trade.

Riot ally tips

Use these while learning the champion

Try to line up your attacks with Vorpal Spikes so that they kill minions and harass enemy champions at the same time.

If you're having difficulty feasting upon champions, try eating minions until you're larger.

Using Rupture on creeps in combination with Carnivore is a good way to gain Health and Mana.

Riot opponent tips

What an opponent is told to watch for

Purchasing a few HP items decreases the chances of Cho'Gath killing you quickly.

Focus on preventing Cho'Gath from reaching his max size.

Rupture has a smoke cloud indicating the area it will strike. Try to watch out for it to prevent Cho'Gath from being able to combo his abilities.

Practical champion reading

How to read Cho'Gath in a real fight

Use these patterns to ask better questions before choosing an item, target or commitment. They describe the kit, not a guaranteed result.

Damage delivery

Primarily magic pressure

Magic resistance can reduce the broad spell profile, but positioning and cooldown tracking still decide whether the important abilities connect.

Fight rhythm

Track the complete ability cycle

Do not judge the champion from one button. Watch which setup, payoff and escape tools are available before choosing a trade or commitment.

Range and access

Needs close access for basic attacks

Range, slows, displacement and terrain can deny the clean contact this champion wants. Plan the route in as carefully as the damage after arrival.

Typical team job

Create space and absorb attention

The kit is usually most valuable when it controls an entrance, protects a carry or begins a fight allies can actually reach. Durability does not make an isolated engage safe.

Control check

Identify the exact movement restriction

Tenacity can shorten only eligible control. Displacements, airborne effects and repeated slows need their own positioning, blocking or movement answer.

Protection and sustain

Check whether recovery changes the fight

Anti-heal or anti-shielding is situational. Buy it only when the effect is materially protecting targets and your champion can apply the answer reliably.

Resource pattern

Mana and cooldowns both matter

A spell being available does not mean the complete sequence is sustainable. Watch the resource bar as well as the setup and escape cooldowns.

Defensive item reference

What can help against Cho'Gath?

Start with the threat that is actually affecting the match. These are conditional comparisons, not an automatic counter build.

Pre-game choices

DEFENSIVE BOOTS

Mercury's Treads usually fit better

Magic resistance addresses the broad damage profile, while Tenacity can shorten reducible control.

Choose Plated Steelcaps instead only when physical basic attacks from this champion or the rest of the team are the larger repeated threat.

Reducible controlDisplacementSlowsHealing or sustainHealth-scaling or true damage

MAGIC DEFENCE

Magic defence

Kaenic Rookern · Force of Nature

Magic resistance can reduce the broad spell profile.

Choose a role-appropriate option only when repeated or burst magic damage is the problem.

CONTROL AND ONE KEY SPELL

Control and one key spell

Mercury's Treads · Quicksilver Sash · Banshee's Veil · Edge of Night

Tenacity and a removable-control active can help against the relevant disabling effects. Airborne and displacement effects are not solved simply by stacking Tenacity.

Check the current tooltip and whether the exact effect can be shortened, removed or blocked.

REPEATED SLOWS

Repeated slows

Boots of Swiftness

Slow resistance can be more useful than Tenacity when repeated slowing strength is the main problem.

It gives no armour or magic resistance, so compare the rest of the opposing team.

MEANINGFUL HEALING

Meaningful healing

Bramble Vest or Thornmail · Morellonomicon · Mortal Reminder

A role-appropriate Grievous Wounds item can reduce healing.

Buy it only when healing is materially changing fights and your champion can apply it reliably.

HEALTH-SCALING OR TRUE DAMAGE

Health-scaling or true damage

Shields · sustain · positioning · exact resistance check

Raw health or one resistance may be incomplete against percent-health, missing-health or true-damage mechanics.

Read the current ability tooltip before choosing defence; these mechanics do not all use the same counter.

Normal Draft and Ranked role map

Where Cho'Gath fits on Summoner's Rift

Each lane is assessed separately. Open a role to reach its queue-specific build and matchup preparation.

TopPrimary role

Historical reference. Recommendation review pending. Cho'Gath has an established solo-lane plan with the income and space needed to trade, manage waves and influence a side lane.

Review this role Open matchup

JunglePlayer-chosen flex

Historical reference. Recommendation review pending. Cho'Gath can be selected here as a deliberate player-chosen strategy, but it is not a primary role. The pick still needs a matchup and team plan.

Review this role Open matchup

MidPlayer-chosen flex

Historical reference. Recommendation review pending. Cho'Gath can be selected here as a deliberate player-chosen strategy, but it is not a primary role. The pick still needs a matchup and team plan.

Review this role Open matchup

BotUnestablished route

Historical reference. Recommendation review pending. Cho'Gath is normally played Top and does not currently have a reviewed Bot route. Bot usually needs dependable duo-lane scaling and sustained damage with shared early pressure. Treat this as a deliberate experiment, not a standard recommendation.

Review this role

SupportUnestablished route

Historical reference. Recommendation review pending. Cho'Gath is normally played Top and does not currently have a reviewed Support route. Support usually needs useful engage, peel or utility while operating on low gold income. Treat this as a deliberate experiment, not a standard recommendation.

Review this role

Situational AP purchase

When should you buy anti-heal?

Buy healing reduction when enemy healing or regeneration is deciding fights and you can keep damaging the relevant target. Grievous Wounds reduces healing; it does not reduce shields, magic damage or crowd control.

Start with the component

Oblivion Orb can provide healing reduction without immediately paying for a completed Morellonomicon. Fit the component around your core damage, mana and survival needs; check the current queue's item tooltip.

Finish when it fits the fight

Complete Morellonomicon when its stats and slot efficiency suit your build. Do not treat it as a mandatory first item just because your champion deals magic damage.

Coordinate coverage

Multiple Grievous Wounds sources do not add their percentages together. Another reliable applier may cover the same target, but you may still need your own source for a separate fight or target.

Repeated spell damage and damage over time can maintain coverage more reliably than a single hit. Match the purchase to your actual spell access, enemy sustain and the teammates who can apply the debuff.

Will the fight last long enough?

If you die before dealing damage, you apply no healing reduction. If your target dies before healing, there is little healing to prevent. The debuff applies on qualifying damage immediately; it does not need to build up. It remains briefly after your last hit, so teammates can benefit even after you disengage.

Only healing during the active debuff counts. For example, 40% reduction prevents 80 of a 200-point heal, or 400 of a 1,000-point heal, before other modifiers. Compare that with the damage, penetration or survival you delayed; neither example guarantees a kill. Healing after the debuff expires is unaffected.

See the Oblivion Orb and Morellonomicon references for current effects and queue availability. These are situational decisions, not a measured best-build claim.

Kit reference

Cho'Gath abilities

Ability names, descriptions and numeric fields come from Riot Data Dragon. Practical reads are independently written; the current in-game tooltip remains authoritative.

Abilities Data Dragon 16.20.1Cooldown / Cost / Range Data Dragon 16.20.1

Passive

Carnivore

What it doesWhenever Cho'Gath kills a unit, he recovers Health and Mana. The values restored increase with Cho'Gath's level.

Practical readCarnivore is the always-on rule shaping Cho'Gath's normal trading and fight pattern. Watch its in-game state before committing.

Q ability

Rupture

What it doesRuptures the ground at target location, popping enemy units into the air, dealing damage and slowing them.

Practical readRupture contributes a slowing effect and damage. Its value changes with cooldown, range and target access; recognise the setup before moving into its effective area.

Cooldown6 secCost50Listed range950 units

W ability

Feral Scream

What it doesCho'Gath unleashes a terrible scream at enemies in a cone, dealing magic damage and Silencing enemies for a few seconds.

Practical readFeral Scream contributes damage. Its value changes with cooldown, range and target access; recognise the setup before moving into its effective area.

Cooldown11/10.5/10/9.5/9 secCost70/75/80/85/90Listed range300 units

E ability

Vorpal Spikes

What it doesCho'Gath's attacks release deadly spikes, dealing damage and slowing all enemy units in front of him.

Practical readVorpal Spikes contributes a slowing effect and damage. Its value changes with cooldown, range and target access; recognise the setup before moving into its effective area.

Cooldown8/7/6/5/4 secCost30Listed range40 units

Ultimate

Feast

What it doesDevours an enemy unit, dealing a high amount of true damage. If the target is killed, Cho'Gath grows, gaining maximum Health.

Practical readFeast contributes damage. Its value changes with cooldown, range and target access; recognise the setup before moving into its effective area.

Cooldown80/70/60 secCost100Listed range175 units

Maximum-health interaction

This effect references a maximum-health value. Check whether the current tooltip uses the caster's or the target's health before comparing damage or protection.

Levels 1–18

Cho'Gath · Health / Mana · Abilities

Base values exclude items, runes, temporary buffs and mode-specific modifiers. Cooldowns are the listed base cooldown before ability haste.

Level 1644 Health270 Mana

Level 3783 Health359 Mana

Level 61,015 Health507 Mana

Level 111,469 Health797 Mana

Level 162,005 Health1,139 Mana

Level 182,242 Health1,290 Mana

Cooldown Data Dragon 16.20.1

Basic abilityRupture

Can receive its first point from level 1. Later ranks normally become available at levels 3, 5, 7 and 9.

All ranks6 sec

Basic abilityFeral Scream

Can receive its first point from level 1. Later ranks normally become available at levels 3, 5, 7 and 9.

Rank 111 secRank 210.5 secRank 310 secRank 49.5 secRank 59 sec

Basic abilityVorpal Spikes

Can receive its first point from level 1. Later ranks normally become available at levels 3, 5, 7 and 9.

Rank 18 secRank 27 secRank 36 secRank 45 secRank 54 sec

UltimateFeast

First rank becomes available at level 6; later ranks normally become available at levels 11 and 16.

Rank 180 secRank 270 secRank 360 sec

Open every levelHealth and mana from level 1 to 18

Level	Health	Mana	Ability milestone
1	644	270 Mana	Choose the first basic ability
2	712	313 Mana	Add another basic ability or rank
3	783	359 Mana	Add another basic ability or rank
4	857	406 Mana	Spend one ability point
5	934	455 Mana	Spend one ability point
6	1,015	507 Mana	First ultimate rank normally available
7	1,099	561 Mana	Spend one ability point
8	1,187	617 Mana	Spend one ability point
9	1,278	674 Mana	Spend one ability point
10	1,372	734 Mana	Spend one ability point
11	1,469	797 Mana	Second ultimate rank normally available
12	1,569	861 Mana	Spend one ability point
13	1,673	927 Mana	Spend one ability point
14	1,780	995 Mana	Spend one ability point
15	1,891	1,066 Mana	Spend one ability point
16	2,005	1,139 Mana	Final ultimate rank normally available
17	2,122	1,213 Mana	Spend one ability point
18	2,242	1,290 Mana	Spend one ability point

Choose the next question

Turn the profile into a pre-game plan

Choose a queue-aware build, compare a lane opponent, or return to the full champion library.

Open Cho'Gath builds Prepare a matchup Browse champions