All you need to know about Treasure Hunter and healing nerfs

League of Legends patch 12.6 introduced significant sustain reductions across multiple systems, fundamentally altering how champions maintain health during gameplay. The most notable change involves replacing Ravenous Hunter with Treasure Hunter in the Domination rune tree, eliminating one of the most universally selected runes in the game’s ecosystem.

This transformation represents a deliberate design pivot away from passive healing mechanics that allowed champions without innate sustain to effectively regenerate health through combat. The removal of Ravenous Hunter’s Omnivamp effect forces players to reconsider their survival strategies and resource management approaches.

Concurrent adjustments affected multiple healing sources including Fleet Footwork, Legend: Bloodline, and core items like Vampiric Scepter, Immortal Shieldbow, and Blade of the Ruined King. These coordinated nerfs create a more deliberate combat environment where health becomes a precious resource rather than a renewable asset.

Treasure Hunter occupies the Hunter node within the Domination rune tree, following the established pattern of scaling rewards based on unique champion takedowns. Unlike its predecessor that provided percentage-based health return, this new option delivers immediate economic advantages through bonus gold acquisition.

The rune’s progression system rewards players for diversifying their takedown targets, starting at 70 gold for the first unique champion elimination and scaling up to 140 gold at maximum stacks. This creates a strategic incentive to engage multiple opponents rather than focusing on repeated kills against the same champion.

Gold value peaks during the early to mid-game phases when item completion provides the most significant power spikes. This timing aligns perfectly with snowball-oriented champions who can convert early advantages into dominant lane control and map pressure.

Treasure Hunter excels when paired with champions who experience dramatic power spikes upon completing key items. Assassins, early-game bullies, and roaming specialists can leverage the additional gold to accelerate their core builds and establish dominance before opponents can respond effectively.

The rune naturally complements aggressive play patterns that prioritize early skirmishes and objective control. By amplifying the economic rewards from successful engagements, it encourages proactive map movement and calculated risk-taking.

Strategic synergy with the First Strike rune creates particularly potent combinations, as both runes multiply gold generation from successful offensive actions. This dual-economic approach can create insurmountable leads when executed properly.

Champions with strong level 2-6 power windows benefit immensely, as they can secure early takedowns and immediately convert the gold into combat advantages through item purchases.

Mastering Treasure Hunter requires understanding optimal execution timing and risk assessment. The most successful players prioritize securing unique takedowns during windows when they can immediately recall and convert gold into items, maximizing the timing advantage over opponents.

A common mistake involves over-prioritizing takedowns at the expense of farm and objective control. Balance remains crucial – the rune should complement your gameplay rather than dictate it.

Team coordination becomes increasingly important as the game progresses, since securing the fifth unique takedown often requires coordinated teamfighting or strategic target selection.

Riot’s systematic reduction of healing mechanisms reflects a broader design philosophy shift toward rewarding active playmaking over passive sustain. This change encourages more dynamic gameplay and reduces the frustration of opponents constantly regenerating health through runes and items alone.

For players transitioning from Ravenous Hunter, the adjustment requires fundamentally rethinking trading patterns and resource management throughout all phases of the match.

No reproduction without permission：Game Guides Online » All you need to know about Treasure Hunter and healing nerfs How Treasure Hunter rune transforms League of Legends gameplay with gold rewards and reduced healing mechanics