Zed vs Karthus JUNGLE Matchup Guide | LaneStomp

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Champion

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Zed

VS

Jungle

Karthus

Zed vs Karthus

Updated Jun 6, 2026

Overview

Zed's early jungle strength and mobility let him pressure Karthus's vulnerable early clears to disrupt his tempo.
This is a snowball vs scale matchup where Zed must invade and deny Karthus farm before his global damage spikes.

Jungle Plan

Invade Karthus during his first full clears to force him off camps and delay his item spikes.
Prioritize securing early Scuttle Crabs and river vision to control objective setups and track Karthus's movements.
Use superior mobility to counter-gank lanes where Karthus shows early presence and to contest dragon and Rift Herald when safe.

Danger windows

Avoid fighting Karthus alone in river early when he can kite and use repeated (Q) damage to punish.
Be cautious contesting objectives if Karthus has vision and can safely use (R) to finish low-health targets.
Low-health clears are risky; do not overextend on camps without vision as Karthus can capitalize with global damage.

Early game

Start on the side opposite Karthus to avoid early contest and aim for a fast level 3 to enable strong dueling.
Contest first Scuttle only if nearby lanes have priority to avoid risky isolated fights.
Avoid extended river fights early since Karthus can punish overcommitment with his area damage and global ultimate.

Power spikes

Level 3 unlocks Zed's full combo (W)+(E)+(Q) for strong early dueling and invade potential; use this to punish Karthus's slow clears.
Level 6 grants Zed's ultimate (R), enabling reliable all-ins and picks before Karthus can respond.
Completing first lethality item boosts Zed's burst, allowing him to pressure waves and force Karthus off camps more confidently.

Win conditions

Convert early invade and counter-jungle pressure into dragon and Rift Herald control by leveraging river vision and lane priority.
Use Zed's mobility and burst to pick off isolated targets before Karthus can impact fights with (R).
Deny Karthus free farm and item spikes by invading and forcing him into inefficient pathing, preventing his late-game scaling impact.