5e Katarina, the Sinister Blade build (League of Legends)
(Artwork by Riot Games. In b4 Tumblr gives me ToS for this picture.)
In my defense I had this build planned since pre-Tasha’s. With Katarina being absolutely nuts in preseason right now along with her just generally being one of League’s most popular champs I’d have to get around to making a build for her eventually.
Look it was either her or Zac. The only other build I really want to do right now is Miss Fortune and truthfully I’m kinda stumped on her. This build isn’t a build it’s a cry for help.
GOALS
Preparation - We’ll need to always be ready for a fight, with a weapon in hand and ways to rush in.
Shunpo - We’ll also need a way to jump on our foes, or jump away.
Death Lotus - When push comes to shove we’ll need to shred through everyone close by spinning and throwing daggers at a rapid pace!
RACE
Katarina is a human but with some special, magical talents. I’m sure by now people know my aversion to Variant Humans and my love of Eberron Dragonmarks so the Mark of Finding is perfect for finding marks and ending them.
With the Mark of Finding you get some Ability Score Improvements but thanks to Tasha’s we can get a +2 to our Intelligence and a +1 to our Dexterity. You also have Darkvision up to 60 feet, and Hunter’s Intuition, letting you add a d4 to Perception and Survival checks. Finally Finder’s Magic giving you some innate spells.
ABILITY SCORES
15; DEXTERITY - You’re an assassin who hops, skips, and jumps around the battlefield.
14; INTELLIGENCE - For whatever reason Katerina does AP damage? I mean she did. Now she builds Kraken Slayer because lol Rito balance.
13; CHARISMA - People don’t only main you because you’re strong.
12; WISDOM - Kata in lore is a bit of a hot-head but Wisdom is attached to many skills that an assassin needs.
10; CONSTITUTION - You’re a squishy midlaner.
8; STRENGTH - We simply don’t need Strength and with your build I doubt you have much. Even if jumping around like that requires a lot of muscles in the legs and chest.
BACKGROUND
So apparently Katerina is part of a Noxian Noble family? Regardless as a Noble you gain proficiency in History but I’d suggest swapping your Persuasion proficiency with Intimidation instead. You also get proficiency with a gaming set and a language of your choice.
Thanks to your noble birth you have a Position of Privilege, meaning that other nobles will welcome you within their circles and common folk will do their best to please you in order to avoid getting a dagger in their throat. You can even secure an audience with a noble if you need to! Perhaps you need to put a knife in their throat? An assassin doesn’t ask questions.
(Artwork by Riot Games)
THE BUILD
LEVEL 1 - ROGUE 1
Starting off as a Rogue for skill proficiencies also because yeah duh. As a Rogue you get proficiency in four skills from the Rogue list: Acrobatics is an obvious choice, Athletics will help your poor Strength score, Perception will help you spot incoming hooded assassins, and Stealth will let you do Rogue things. Rogue things like Sneak Attack if an ally is near an enemy or you have advantage, granting you an extra d6 on the attack roll.
You also get Expertise in two of your skills: both Stealth and Acrobatics make sense for an assassin. Speaking of assassin Thieves’ Cant will let you communicate with them in a way that your enemies can’t understand. And to top it off Finder’s Magic you can cast Hunter’s Mark once per Long Rest. Smite and Ignite to get First Blood.
LEVEL 2 - ROGUE 2
Second level Rogues get Cunning Action to Dash, Disengage, or Hide as a Bonus Action. "Never play fair."
LEVEL 3 - ROGUE 3
Third level Rogues get to choose their Roguish Archetype and there’s two important things about your knives:
They do magic damage (for some reason.)
You throw them a lot.
With that in mind we shall be going for the Soulknife from Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything. As a Soulknife you get Psionic Power for a pool of d6 Psionic Energy die that can be used for a variety of features. Psi-Bolstered Knack will let you boost your ability checks as long as you’re proficient, and Psychic Whispers will let you keep assassination plans to team chat.
Of course what we’re really here for is Psychic Blades, a magic d6 psychic damage knife that you can make when you attack which can be dual-wielded and thrown up to 60 feet. You can also attack again with your Bonus Action if you already stabbed with your main action, but the extra attack will only do a d4 instead of a d6.
Speaking of magic: you also get Locate Object from Finder’s Magic. Perhaps not as useful as Find Person, but thievery isn’t beneath you. Your Sneak Attack also increases to 2d6.
LEVEL 4 - ROGUE 4
4th level Rogues get an Ability Score Improvement: turns out Dexterity is pretty important for a Rogue so increase that by 2.
(Artwork by Jennifer Wuestling. Made for Riot Games.)
LEVEL 5 - WIZARD 1
Time for an AP boost. First level Wizards get Spellcasting because what else did you think they got? You learn three cantrips and six leveled spells when starting out as a Wizard, even if you can only prepare a number of spells equal to your Wizard level plus your Intelligence modifier:
CANTRIPS
Instead of making a dinky d4 knife empower it with Booming Blade for some Thunder damage, and even more damage if the enemy moves.
To twirl around with Voracity Sword Burst will strike everyone near one of your daggers with your knives.
For a long ranged damage tool that inflicts Grievous Wounds Chill Touch will let you make sure your lane opponent doesn’t run away and heal up.
SPELLS
Mage Armor will help you avoid a few more hits.
For a Bouncing Blade (sorta) take Ice Knife to hit your target and anyone close to them.
For a shield thanks to Gunblade (like it’s TFT) take False Life to bolster yourself somewhat.
Disguise Self will be helpful for any infiltration missions.
Detect Magic likewise is useful to locate any magical traps.
Every good Rogue has a backup plan: Feather Fall is always useful in a pinch.
You also get Arcane Recovery, allowing you to recover spell slots with a combined total level of half your Wizard level.
LEVEL 6 - WIZARD 2
Second level Wizards get to choose their Arcane Tradition. There is actually a school for magic knives and that school is the art of Bladesinging! As a Bladesinger you get Training in War and Song for proficiency in Performance along with a one-handed melee weapon of your choice: for whatever reason Rogues don’t get proficiency in Scimitars so grab that I guess?
But much more importantly you can invoke a Bladesong as a Bonus Action, which lasts for 1 minute but ends early if you are incapacitated. (Or if you don medium or heavy armor or a shield, or if you use two hands to make an attack with a weapon. I guess.) You can also dismiss the Bladesong at any time with no action required.
While your Bladesong is active you gain a bonus to your AC equal to your Intelligence modifier, your walking speed increases by 10 feet, you have advantage on Acrobatics checks, and you gain a bonus to Concentration checks equal to your Intelligence modifier. You can activate Bladesong a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses of it when you finish a long rest.
You can also learn more spells like Color Spray for a getaway option, or Cause Fear of incoming ganks.
LEVEL 7 - WIZARD 3
Third level Wizards can learn second level spells like Mirror Image to be everywhere at once, and Misty Step for legally not Flash.
LEVEL 8 - WIZARD 4
4th level Wizards get an Ability Score Improvement: more Dexterity means more AC and deadlier stabs with your knife.
You can also learn more spells like Invisibility for some Duskblade resets, and Enhance Ability (ty Tasha’s) to make sure you’re the best around. And you can learn another cantrip like Prestidigitation for some generic utility sorcery.
LEVEL 9 - WIZARD 5
5th level Wizards can learn third level spells like Haste to up your APM, and Spirit Shroud to make all your stabs all the deadlier.
LEVEL 10 - WIZARD 6
At 6th level you get an Extra Attack as a Bladesinger, but unlike most Extra Attacks you can also cast a cantrip along with attacking! The interesting thing about this is that (rules as written) you can attack twice after casting Booming Blade with this! And depending on your DM you might even still have your Cunning Action!
And on the subject of spells you can learn two more such as Clairvoyance for some Farsight Alterations, and Nondetection to... not be detected...
(Artwork by Atey Ghailan. Made for Riot Games.)
LEVEL 11 - ROGUE 5
5th level Rogues get Uncanny Dodge. When you’re hit with an attack you can use your reaction to halve the damage. Additionally your Psionic Energy die increases to a d8, and your Sneak Attack increases to 3d6.
LEVEL 12 - ROGUE 6
6th level Rogues get Expertise in two more skills: Perception will help you avoid ganks and Intimidation will help you extract information.
LEVEL 13 - ROGUE 7
7th level Rogues get Evasion. If you’re forced to make a Dexterity save you can make some pro plays to dodge, taking no damage on a successful save and half damage on a failed save.
Your Sneak Attack also increases to 4d6, so you can jump onto them after dodging their skill shot.
LEVEL 14 - ROGUE 8
8th level Rogues get another Ability Score Improvement: since your Dexterity is maxed let’s invest in that Intelligence... sorta. The Observant feat will let you increase your Intelligence by 1 along with granting a +5 bonus to passive Perception and Investigation so you can watch those wards, and the ability to read lips! Definitely helpful for an assassin.
(Artwork by Katie “TeaTime” De Sousa. Made for Riot Games.)
LEVEL 15 - ROGUE 9
Hey how about we get your actual abilities at total level 15? Finally with level 9 in Soul KInife you get Soul Blades for two new abilities that use your Psionic Energy die. Homing Strikes will let you add your Psionic Energy die to an attack roll if you miss, and Psychic Teleportation will let you throw out a knife and teleport to it!
Something something read how the ability works yourself because these are guides on how to make a character and I won’t tell you what every class in Tasha’s does. Oh your Sneak Attack also increases to 5d6 now.
LEVEL 16 - WIZARD 7
7th level Wizards get 4th level spells like Phantasmal Killer to make your own jungler (one who’ll actually gank!), and Dimension Door to Teleport into lane. Or out!
LEVEL 17 - WIZARD 8
Level 8? How about an ASI? You may notice that we have two uneven ability scores: increase both your Intelligence and Charisma by 1.
You can also learn more spells but there honestly isn’t much I want from fourth level so hop back to level 3 for Sending. But you can also take Greater Invisibility for some Duskblade resets. Look I just really need a 5th level spell but it’s hard to justify magic on a champion who throws knives and nothing else.
LEVEL 18 - WIZARD 9
Time to finally get the last ability we’re missing: Death Lotus. Or more precisely Steel Wind Strike to hit everyone with your daggers and then maybe Shunpo to them after the fact. Speaking of Shunpo for seemingly unlimited jumps take Far Step, allowing you to be everywhere at once. Just know that you’ll only have one 5th level slot.
(Artwork by Esben Lash Rasmussen. Made for Riot Games.)
LEVEL 19 - ROGUE 10
Picking up our last two levels in Rogue: level 10 means another ASI. Capped off Intelligence woo!
LEVEL 20 - ROGUE 11
11th level Rogues get Reliable Talent, meaning that you can’t roll below a 10 on any skill you’re proficient in. As a capstone skill let’s check what the minimum roll you can get on your skills is:
27 on Acrobatics and Stealth
24 on Intimidation
23 on Perception
21 on History
18 on Performance (Bladesinger lul)
15 on Athletics
And to top it off your Psionic Energy die increases to a d10, along with your Sneak Attack capping off at 6d6!
FINAL BUILD
PROS
They fear my weapons? I am the weapon - Regardless of your choice of tools you are extremely deadly. On one hand 6d6 sneak attack daggers you can apply 3d8 Booming Blade damage to, and on the other hand plenty of potent spells like Haste and Spirit Shroud.
If you run, you won't see me stab you! - You are also incredibly mobile with Misty Step, Far Step, Psychic Teleportation, Bladesong, and just general Cunning Actions. Not to mention that Bladesong gives a big boost to AC which combines well with Uncanny Dodge and Evasion.
A victory is sweetest when it leads to another - Rogues are meant to be skilled professionals and you are certainly that. The skills you are proficient in can be boosted by psionics. Oh and 28 Passive Perception thanks to Observant is just a little bit nutty.
CONS
Ready for trouble? - While you have many a skill you have many more that are lacking. You can put on a mean face sure, but for an important check like Arcana your psionic potential won’t save you.
Better dead than dull - Your spell slots are limited, and quite notably you only have one 5th level slot for Death Lotus IE Steel Wind Strike. While magic can supplement you nicely remember to ration yourself appropriately.
Come on, live a little... while you can! - You know what class doesn’t have a lot of health? Wizards, and half your levels are in Wizard. With a 10 in CON and most of your hit die being d6s your enemies won’t even need to hit you to Power Word Kill you.
But as an assassin you prove why your house is the best in the business. Talk is cheap and you’re always prepared: go in with knives at the ready, take out your target and anyone in their way before slipping out unscathed. You can always reset after a rest; just be sure to remember your cooldowns.
🍜Has anyone played the new akali yet??🍜 Its been literally months since ive been able to play league regularly thx to work and art :((( Welp heres a painting i stopped doing early bc i did all the painting on one layer so i got frustrated and quit. Ill have more for you guys soon! 🍥
