League Meta is always changing and evolving, and Riot does a great job of keeping things fresh. One Mastery that has gained popularity in recent times is Dark Harvest. In this guide, we will explain what Dark Harvest does and how to use it effectively.
What is Dark Harvest?
Dark Harvest is a Mastery in the Domination Path that is designed for high-damage Champions. Here’s how it works: When Dark Harvest is off cooldown, it will grant a stack and deal bonus damage every time you damage an enemy Champion below 50% HP. After using Dark Harvest, it goes on cooldown for 45 seconds before you can gain another stack. These stacks are permanent throughout the game and increase the adaptive bonus damage of Dark Harvest. The goal is to stack Dark Harvest during the laning phase to maximize your damage in the mid to late game.
How to Stack Dark Harvest?
The strategy to stack Dark Harvest depends on the Champion and role you’re playing. ADCs and ranged Champions can stack it by poking their lane opponents. If your enemy laner is below half health, trading with them can be worth it for the stack you’ll gain. Junglers can stack Dark Harvest by ganking low-HP targets. Even if you can’t secure a kill, gaining a stack and applying pressure is worthwhile. Another option is to trade with the enemy Jungler, as both of you will likely end up below half health, giving you a stack each time you trade.
Dark Harvest or Electrocute?
Electrocute was a popular Mastery choice in the past because of its guaranteed damage after landing three autos or abilities. However, Dark Harvest has become a viable alternative without the late-game fall off. When should you choose Dark Harvest over Electrocute? If your Champion needs to win the early game and can consistently proc Electrocute, then go for it. But if you’re unable to secure kills in the early game or can kill without the additional damage from Electrocute, Dark Harvest is a better option. Many Junglers prefer Dark Harvest for its late-game potential, ensuring they remain relevant throughout the game.
Best Dark Harvest Champions
Dark Harvest works best on Assassins, but it can be used on various Champions depending on the game. However, some Champions benefit more from Dark Harvest than Electrocute:
- Jhin: Dark Harvest synergizes well with Jhin’s fourth auto-attack, making it the best Keystone for him. You can stack it easily with Jhin’s long-range W and well-placed E’s.
- Miss Fortune: Miss Fortune can sacrifice the benefits of other masteries for more innate damage. You can stack Dark Harvest with her Q and E abilities.
- Shaco: Dark Harvest complements Shaco’s playstyle, providing him with late-game strength. Stack Dark Harvest through early kills and ganks.
- Kha’Zix: Dark Harvest helps Kha’Zix remain relevant throughout the game. Stack it by evolving Q and hitting low-HP targets with abilities.
- Ekko: Dark Harvest provides late-game strength for Ekko. Stack it after getting the necessary items.
- Graves: Using Dark Harvest on Graves is fun and provides extra damage. You can stack it through early ganks and damage output.
- Everyone: Dark Harvest is a viable option for most Champions, offering scalable bonus damage. Try it out on your favorite Champ and see the results.
Dark Harvest & Electrocute Damage Calculator
To understand Dark Harvest better, let’s cover some details about the Mastery:
- Adaptive Damage: Dark Harvest’s bonus damage is adaptive, meaning it deals either magic or attack damage based on your stats.
- Cooldown Reset: Dark Harvest’s cooldown is 45 seconds, but it resets to 1.5 seconds if you score a Takedown (kill or assist).
- Turrets: If a turret, minion, or monster scores the killing blow after your damage, you’ll receive a Dark Harvest stack if it’s off cooldown.
- Clones & Zombies: Dark Harvest triggers on clones but not on Zombies or enemies with Chemtech Drake’s soul.
- Does Not Apply Dark Harvest: Some abilities and passives won’t trigger Dark Harvest if they don’t apply attack or spell effects.
That’s everything you need to know about Dark Harvest. Feel free to try it out on your favorite Champion, as it can be a fun and powerful choice for scaling bonus damage throughout the game. Good luck!