How to win lane as Sylas against Karma · 52.92% win rate over 7,508 Emerald+ games · Updated 2026-07-27
| Stage | Favoured | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Karma | Karma starts with Mantra, so her empowered Q Inner Flame out-pokes and out-ranges you at level 1. |
| Level 2 | Karma | RQ Mantra poke plus the Inspire shield lets Karma win every short trade before you have your combo. |
| Level 3 | Karma | Her W Focused Resolve root punishes any Abscond engage and her shields negate your Chain Lash burst. |
| Levels 4-5 | Karma | Mantra cooldown poke and self-peel keep you off her while she pushes and pokes safely. |
| Level 6 | Sylas | Hijack lets you steal Karma's Mantra for a game-changing shield/root or copy any enemy ult for an all-in. |
| First item | Sylas | Your first item plus W Kingslayer healing lets you dive through her shields and kill her squishy frame. |
| Two+ items | Sylas | You outscale Karma's utility kit as an AP brawler, bursting her in fights while stealing key ultimates. |
Karma is the one champ who has her ult at level 1, so her Mantra-empowered Q Inner Flame out-ranges and out-pokes you badly in the first few levels. Don't try to trade into her shields, since Inspire negates your Chain Lash burst and W Focused Resolve roots any greedy Abscond. Focus on last-hitting safely and getting to 6, dodging her Mantra-Q lines to stay healthy.
The full Sylas vs Karma report continues with the mid-game plan, the late-game and teamfight plan, every power spike to play around, and the win conditions for both sides — plus cooldown tracking and the live enemy-jungle tracker inside the app.
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Playing the other side? Karma vs Sylas guide →
All Sylas mid lane matchups →
Also played in: Top Lane