The Sinister Blade, introduced in 2009, is one of the oldest champions in League of Legends. Known for her incredible in-and-out burst potential, she is considered one of the best snowball carries in the game.

But the burning question remains: is Katarina an AP or AD champion?

Stay tuned as we delve into this article to uncover the truth.

Is Katarina AP or AD in LoL?

Katarina is primarily an AP Assassin who relies on her burst damage to dominate her foes. While arguments can be made for various champion builds in LoL, a well-fed Katarina is often considered one of the most formidable champions in the game, with immense snowball potential. As an Assassin, she excels at diving into fights, eliminating a target, typically a squishy enemy, and then swiftly escaping.

Katarina’s kit is perfectly suited for the role of a backline assassin for her team. Her abilities enable her to engage, eliminate a target, and disengage with ease.

Here is a breakdown of Katarina’s abilities in League of Legends:

• Voracity (Passive): Reduces ability cooldown by fifteen seconds whenever an enemy dies within three seconds of being damaged by Katarina.
• Bouncing Blade (Q): Throws a dagger that deals Magic Damage to the primary target and nearby enemies, then lands behind the primary target.
• Preparation (W): Tosses a dagger in the air and gains a temporary movement speed boost.
• Shunpo (E): Dashes to a target enemy, ally, or dagger, dealing Magic Damage if it’s an enemy.
• Death Lotus (R): Channels rapid attacks on the nearest three enemies, dealing Magic and Physical Damage and applying Grievous Wounds.

Should you build AP or AD items?

Given that Katarina’s abilities primarily scale with AP, she is often built as an AP Assassin, with core items like Lich Bane and Shadowflame.

However, her Ultimate benefits from AD items as well, leading some experienced Katarina players to opt for an on-hit build with items such as BOTRK, Nashor’s Tooth, and Kraken Slayer.

Ultimately, there is no definitive answer to whether you should build Katarina as AP or AD. She can benefit from both types of items, so it’s best to experiment with different builds based on your matchup and playstyle.

Read next: Is Volibear AP or AD in League of Legends?