An early Rift Herald can completely change the game in just a few seconds. To ensure you get both Rift Heralds, always keep vision on the Herald, ask your team for assistance, and pop the Herald’s eyes for maximum damage.
However, getting to the Herald can be challenging because it holds great value. The enemy team will often try to contest it. That’s why we’ve created this guide to help you secure more Rift Heralds in League of Legends.
Setting Up For the Herald
Setting up for an objective is crucial in securing it. Many new players underestimate this step and end up losing the Herald to the enemy jungler. To avoid this, follow these practices:
Warding Off the Rift Herald
The best way to secure any objective is to ward it. Place a Control Ward near the Herald to gain vision and disable enemy Stealth Wards. This gives your team time to rotate and contest if the enemy jungler tries to start the Herald.
Creating Pressure in Mid/Top Lane
If you want your team to rotate and help with the Herald, make sure your laners have control. Gank and help your laners by pushing the lane, but avoid ganking in unfavorable scenarios. Successful ganks can lead to your laner assisting with the Herald, putting the enemy jungler at a disadvantage.
Setting Up Your Pathing
Pathing is crucial for setting up for the Herald. Start your clear from the top side, make a full clear by 3-4 minutes, then recall. Repeat this from the bottom side, and by the 8-minute mark, you’ll be ready to set up for the Herald.
Killing the Rift Herald
After setting up for the Herald, it’s time to kill it. Follow these practices to secure the Herald:
Utilizing the Herald’s Eye
Whenever the Herald charges, an eye pops out of its back. Hitting the eye deals a significant amount of true damage. Try to hit the eye as much as possible, and if needed, have another teammate draw the Herald’s aggro to make it vulnerable.
Smiting The Herald
By the 8-minute mark, your smite should be leveled enough to secure the Herald. Time your smite with the Herald’s eye spawning and smite the Herald when it’s around 2k HP. This makes it harder for the enemy jungler to steal the Herald.
Stealing the Herald
If your team can’t contest the Herald, you can attempt a steal. However, be cautious as an unsuccessful steal can have dire consequences. If you have Smite and the means to escape the situation, stealing the Herald can be a good play.
Trading Drake For Herald
If you can’t contest the enemy team for a Drake, trading it for the Herald is a good alternative. Trading the first Drake for the Herald provides more value as the early turret gold can give you a lead in the game.
Can You Have Two Heralds on the Map at the Same Time?
In normal games, you can’t have two Heralds on the Rift simultaneously. However, in URF mode, it can be done using Anivia walls. Kill the first Herald and spawn it in the pit, then use Anivia walls to trap it. After 6 minutes, another Herald will spawn, kill it, and summon it as well. This tactic allows you to have multiple Heralds on the map.
Conclusion
Rift Heralds can greatly impact the game, so it’s important to secure them. By following the steps mentioned in this guide, you’ll not only be able to secure Heralds but also other objectives like Baron and Drakes. Good luck!