Dark Harvest: Pre-Season Powerhouse
Last week, Riot Games reworked the Dark Harvest rune in Patch 8.23, but quickly had to release a hotfix nerf due to its overwhelming strength. However, even after the nerf, Dark Harvest remains one of the most dominant runes in the 2019 pre-season.
Popular among champions like Karthus, Brand, Zyra, and many supports and mid lane champs, Dark Harvest continues to shine in ARAM games. It can be run on any champion type, providing a significant advantage if utilized effectively. The issue lies in the fact that if your team can use Dark Harvest better than the enemy team, your chances of winning skyrocket.
A Change in Dynamic
In last week’s patch, Dark Harvest transformed from a rune focused on farming to one centered around fighting. Instead of stacking through farming, you now stack by hitting enemy champions below a health threshold. Each stack also deals substantial damage. Although it now has a longer cooldown, Dark Harvest still offers a significant damage burst in fights, promoting a more aggressive playstyle. The hotfix nerf reduced both stacking and base damage due to its excessive power.
The ARAM Advantage
ARAM games see Dark Harvest’s potential fully realized. With the new changes, the rune triggers on abilities in addition to basic attacks. This means that champions with long-range poke abilities become even more powerful. If your team manages to draft more poke-oriented mages than the enemy team, the advantage is significantly heightened.
Furthermore, Dark Harvest’s cooldown resets after each takedown. In ARAMs, where takedowns occur frequently, the rune’s massive burst damage becomes available more often, surpassing the impact of other runes like Electrocute and Arcane Comet.
Seeking Balance
Currently, Dark Harvest is being played in nearly a quarter of all games, and its win rate has not suffered despite its popularity. To address this issue, Riot Games needs to either remove the takedown reset mechanic or reduce the rune’s overall effectiveness, especially in Howling Abyss.
While we anticipate more nerfs in the future, take advantage of Dark Harvest’s strength while you can, as it remains an incredibly powerful rune.
Dark Harvest, pre-season, runes, ARAM, balance, takedown reset.