How to win lane as Karma against Cassiopeia · 36.36% win rate over 11 Emerald+ games · Updated 2026-07-27
| Stage | Favoured | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Even / skill | You have one strong cast here — open RQ Soulflare before she has Q poison stacking, and your single delayed-zone poke matches her one cast for the only time all lane. |
| Level 2 | Cassiopeia | Once her Q applies poison, Twin Fang (E) refunds its cooldown and chains on the poisoned target, so your lone Inner Flame can't out-trade her ramping DPS. |
| Level 3 | Cassiopeia | Her poison keeps stacking while she drifts in and out of your Soulflare zone on W passive move speed, and your E shield only buys one exchange. |
| Levels 4-5 | Cassiopeia | Your poke peak needs an immobile target, but she kites your Q line and chains Twin Fangs faster than your Q/RQ rotations can punish. |
| Level 6 | Cassiopeia | Your R is just re-empowerment while her Petrifying Gaze face-stuns your W-tether or RQ step-up if you're facing her, then deletes your thin frame. |
| First item | Cassiopeia | Even your first-item AP/haste spike can't out-DPS her ramping poison, and her W Miasma grounds and slows a Karma who has no dash to leave with anyway. |
| Two+ items | Cassiopeia | She out-scales hard — her single-target poison plus Liandry's and Malignance shred your no-resist body, so peel for your carries and never face her R alone. |
Level 1 is your only honest window — open with RQ Soulflare for a big delayed-zone poke before she has Q poison stacking, because right now your one empowered cast actually beats her one cast. The moment she hits 2-3 you lose it: her Q (Noxious Blast) lands poison, and Twin Fang (E) refunds its cooldown and chains on a poisoned target, so a single Inner Flame of yours can't trade back. Sidestep her Q line religiously — every poison tick ramps her damage, and if she pairs it with W Miasma you're slowed and grounded with no dash to leave anyway. Last-hit from max Q range and do not greed a second trade.
The full Karma vs Cassiopeia 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.
Become a Founding Member — $1.99/month →🔒 Secure checkout · 💰 7-day money-back guarantee · ✋ Cancel anytime
Early Access price — $3.99/month for new members after launch.
Playing the other side? Cassiopeia vs Karma guide →
All Karma top lane matchups →
Also played in: Mid Lane