Nocturne vs Karthus JUNGLE Matchup Guide | LaneStomp

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Champion

Opponent

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Nocturne

VS

Jungle

Karthus

Nocturne vs Karthus

Updated Jun 4, 2026

Overview

Nocturne aims to full clear efficiently and reach level 6 to leverage his global (R) for picks and objective control.
Prioritize tracking Karthus's pathing to punish his vulnerable early clears and avoid multi-lane collapses that hinder Nocturne's dueling.

Jungle Plan

Invade Karthus's jungle during his first clears to disrupt his tempo and force him off camps before level 6.
Use your (R) to punish overextended lanes and create numbers advantages for dragon or Rift Herald setups.
Prioritize river control and vision to deny Karthus safe objective access and force him into unfavorable fights.

Danger windows

Beware early invade timings when Karthus is vulnerable but lanes cannot assist; multi-lane collapses can overwhelm you.
Isolated river fights are risky without lane priority; avoid forced smite contests without vision control.
Low-health clears or extended fights near objectives expose you to (R) finishing damage; disengage if you lack support.

Early game

Start with a full clear route that secures level 6 on schedule without losing dragon or Herald access.
Fight for first Scuttle only if nearby lanes have priority to avoid risky isolated river fights.
Avoid early river brawls unless you have spell shield ready and lane priority to counter-gank Karthus's weak early dueling.

Power spikes

At level 6, use (R) to create cross-map pressure and secure picks before starting objectives.
Your (W) spell shield grants strong dueling potential by blocking Karthus's key spells; fight when it is available.
Respect Karthus's first AP item spike as his clear speed and global damage increase, so avoid blind face-checks and contest objectives with vision.

Win conditions

Convert level 6 ultimate picks into dragon and Rift Herald control by forcing Karthus off camps and objectives.
Use superior dueling and spell shield to contest or steal camps during Karthus's slow early clears.
Maintain vision and track Karthus to counter-gank effectively and deny his scaling by disrupting his farm and tempo.