Katarina is now garbage Because of Items

You HAVE to build 3 of THE MOST expensive items in the game.

Rabadon's Zhonya's Luden's

The cheapest is 3200. Non Mana AP mages are so gold hungry now its almost impossible to do anything against anyone.

And then the power boosts building into those items gives you is NOTHING. Compared to Lich Bane who suddenly causes your dmg to skyrocket with one half of it. Or the CDR in most other items like Morellonomicon and WotA. Either a bit of Armor, a little MS, or a bit more AP.

And Mana champs have CHEAP ways to counter the advantage of having no mana. The Tear or Chalice of Harmony. And the tear eventually leads into one of the HIGHEST AP granting items and the Chalice goes into the Grail which gives MR and 20% CDR on top of enough mana regen to count as HAVING NO MANA.

Riot is currently focusing on mage Jungles and AD mid assassins. But Katarina is being destroyed because she can't handle the power boosts the cheaper items give the other champs. First back and most champs have little worry about mana sustain. Zed just rush builds a Ghostblade and boom that armor you got from rushing Zhonya's might as well not exist. And he is gonna get final build first and already has the advantage over your new items because of the +10 pen one of the items give him before finishing it.

The big issue is there is no way to restrict items from mana champs. So it doesn't have mana or mana regen? Oh well I can still use it. So there is no way to really design an item to help this niche Katarina fills and not also give the same power to other champs. Akali will probably do better because she still has her insane sustain thanks to her single target Ult but Kat is fricked.

Mostly AoE abilities means most Spellvamp is not gonna be effective enough. Can't take certain items with out wasting money on Mana or mana regen that you don't need. Either has to get an insane amount of kills or have A LOT of support to stay ahead in farm in lane.

I hope Riot does something about this cause honestly I used to play her a lot in season 4 but since season 5 came out and made tanks so hellish she has been having a harder and harder time being able to DO anything.

Maybe its just my skill level with her but I honestly don't see her being able to win without having jungle CAMP mid.