Lane edge
Win rate vs Lux
Lane opponent
How to play
Rank
All ranks
Patch 16.16.21–16.22
171819202122
How to play Nocturne
Read the full guide
Gank the hallway, not the health bar: Nocturne's pre-6 play works when Duskbringer and Unspeakable Horror get a long run at someone walking home, so skip the short-lane tease and full clear toward lanes where the fear line can actually finish.
Walk the leash once E is on—step through the escape path, mirror the flash, W the spell that would snap contact, and buffer Q during R travel so you land with trail and bonus AD already under the fight.
A good Paranoia starts with the blackout, not the landing: turn the lights off as they commit to a retreat path, ward, or side wave, then ride the dash only if that blind movement leaves them with no clean way to break the line, which is why Nocturne's better games still cluster before 25 minutes.
Skip Paranoia when the lane is too short for fear to finish, when the target still has an easy escape plus peel behind them, or when you would have to fly maximum range into a fully set team just to start contact. That usually means waiting a few seconds for someone to step farther on a side wave, for a fight to already begin, or for the key spell that snaps your tether to get used first. If you cannot picture the target's retreat path and how you will walk the leash through it after landing, the cast is probably early. Good Nocturne ults usually feel decided before you press R.
Every few seconds, Nocturne's next attack strikes surrounding enemies for bonus physical damage and heals himself. Nocturne's basic attacks reduce this cooldown.
Nocturne throws a shadow blade that deals damage, leaves a Dusk Trail, and causes champions to leave a Dusk Trail. While on the trail, Nocturne can move through units and has increased Move Speed and Attack Damage.
Nocturne empowers his blades, passively gaining Attack Speed. Activating Shroud of Darkness allows Nocturne to fade into the shadows, creating a magical barrier which blocks a single enemy ability and doubles his passive Attack Speed if successful.
Nocturne plants a nightmare into his target's mind, dealing damage each second and applying fear to the target if they do not get out of range by the end of the duration.
Nocturne reduces the sight radius of all enemy champions and removes their ally vision in the process. He can then launch himself at a nearby enemy champion.
