Game patch 26.20Data Dragon 16.20.1
Reference patch 16.20.1
the Enlightened One
Karma is a spell-focused champion who plays around range, cooldowns and controlled areas. This overview keeps the explanation practical and leaves patch-sensitive numbers to Riot's structured data and the current in-game tooltip.
Usual roleSupportStrengths and limits
These are kit-level patterns, not a promise that every lane or matchup plays the same way.
Gathering Fire rewards aggressive play. Look to land abilities and basic attacks on your opponent to lower Mantra's cooldown and stay on the offensive.
When using Focused Resolve, slow your opponents with Inner Flame or speed yourself up with Inspire if you're having trouble sticking to a target.
Don't be too conservative with Mantra. Gathering Fire is strongest in teamfights, making it easy to recharge Mantra multiple times.
Karma's passive lowers her Mantra cooldown when she hits enemy champions with abilities and basic attacks. Deny her from getting free hits on you.
Karma's Soulflare erupts for bonus damage in the area in which it's placed. React quickly and escape the circle to avoid taking heavy damage.
Focused Resolve is a strong disengage tool. Create distance to avoid being rooted and seek to engage afterwards.
Practical champion reading
Use these patterns to ask better questions before choosing an item, target or commitment. They describe the kit, not a guaranteed result.
Magic resistance can reduce the broad spell profile, but positioning and cooldown tracking still decide whether the important abilities connect.
Do not judge the champion from one button. Watch which setup, payoff and escape tools are available before choosing a trade or commitment.
Ranged attacks are useful only while a safe line to the target remains. Flanks, hard control and blocked escape routes can remove that advantage quickly.
Protection, setup and information can matter more than personal damage. Position so the next useful spell can reach the ally or target that needs it.
Tenacity can shorten only eligible control. Displacements, airborne effects and repeated slows need their own positioning, blocking or movement answer.
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.
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
Start with the threat that is actually affecting the match. These are conditional comparisons, not an automatic counter build.
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.Normal Draft and Ranked role map
Each lane is assessed separately. Open a role to reach its queue-specific build and matchup preparation.
Historical reference. Recommendation review pending. Karma is normally played Support and does not currently have a reviewed Top route. Top usually needs independent laning, durable trading or reliable side-lane pressure. Treat this as a deliberate experiment, not a standard recommendation.
Historical reference. Recommendation review pending. Karma is normally played Support and does not currently have a reviewed Jungle route. Jungle usually needs repeatable monster clear, safe pathing and objective control without lane income. Treat this as a deliberate experiment, not a standard recommendation.
Historical reference. Recommendation review pending. Karma is normally played Support and does not currently have a reviewed Mid route. Mid usually needs solo-lane safety plus wave control, roaming or reliable burst pressure. Treat this as a deliberate experiment, not a standard recommendation.
Historical reference. Recommendation review pending. Karma is normally played Support 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.
Historical reference. Recommendation review pending. Karma has an established low-income Support plan with useful lane pressure, protection, engage or team utility.
Situational AP purchase
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
Ability names, descriptions and numeric fields come from Riot Data Dragon. Practical reads are independently written; the current in-game tooltip remains authoritative.
What it doesKarma's damaging abilities will reduce the cooldown of Mantra.
Practical readGathering Fire is the always-on rule shaping Karma's normal trading and fight pattern. Watch its in-game state before committing.
What it doesKarma sends forth a ball of spirit energy that explodes and deals damage upon hitting an enemy unit. Mantra Bonus: In addition to the explosion, Mantra increases the destructive power of her Inner Flame, creating a cataclysm which deals damage after a short delay.
Practical readInner Flame contributes damage. Its value changes with cooldown, range and target access; recognise the setup before moving into its effective area.
What it doesKarma creates a tether between herself and a targeted enemy, dealing damage and revealing them. If the tether is not broken, the enemy will be rooted and damaged again. Mantra Bonus: Karma strengthens the link, healing herself and extending the root duration.
Practical readFocused Resolve contributes hard crowd control and protection or sustain. Its value changes with cooldown, range and target access; recognise the setup before moving into its effective area.
The protection or sustain is part of the cast's value. Compare its timing with incoming damage rather than reading only the offensive effect.
What it doesKarma summons a protective shield that absorbs incoming damage and increases the Move Speed of the protected ally. Mantra Bonus: Energy radiates out from her target, strengthening the initial shield and applying Inspire to nearby allied champions.
Practical readInspire contributes protection or sustain and damage. Its value changes with cooldown, range and target access; recognise the setup before moving into its effective area.
The protection or sustain is part of the cast's value. Compare its timing with incoming damage rather than reading only the offensive effect.
What it doesKarma empowers her next ability to do an additional effect. Mantra is available at level 1 and does not require a skill point.
Practical readMantra changes a following cast rather than acting as an isolated button. Choose the version needed before committing, then check the current tooltip for each upgraded effect.
Levels 1–18
Base values exclude items, runes, temporary buffs and mode-specific modifiers. Cooldowns are the listed base cooldown before ability haste.
Cooldown Data Dragon 16.20.1
Can receive its first point from level 1. Later ranks normally become available at levels 3, 5, 7 and 9.
Can receive its first point from level 1. Later ranks normally become available at levels 3, 5, 7 and 9.
Can receive its first point from level 1. Later ranks normally become available at levels 3, 5, 7 and 9.
Mantra begins at rank 1 and has four listed ranks, with later ranks tied to champion levels.
| Level | Health | Mana | Ability milestone |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 630 | 374 Mana | Mantra begins available |
| 2 | 708 | 403 Mana | Add another basic ability or rank |
| 3 | 791 | 433 Mana | Add another basic ability or rank |
| 4 | 877 | 465 Mana | Spend one ability point |
| 5 | 967 | 498 Mana | Spend one ability point |
| 6 | 1,061 | 532 Mana | First ultimate rank normally available |
| 7 | 1,158 | 568 Mana | Spend one ability point |
| 8 | 1,259 | 605 Mana | Spend one ability point |
| 9 | 1,365 | 644 Mana | Spend one ability point |
| 10 | 1,474 | 684 Mana | Spend one ability point |
| 11 | 1,586 | 725 Mana | Second ultimate rank normally available |
| 12 | 1,703 | 768 Mana | Spend one ability point |
| 13 | 1,824 | 812 Mana | Spend one ability point |
| 14 | 1,948 | 858 Mana | Spend one ability point |
| 15 | 2,076 | 905 Mana | Spend one ability point |
| 16 | 2,208 | 953 Mana | Final ultimate rank normally available |
| 17 | 2,343 | 1,003 Mana | Spend one ability point |
| 18 | 2,483 | 1,054 Mana | Spend one ability point |
Choose the next question
Choose a queue-aware build, compare a lane opponent, or return to the full champion library.
