Diana: Scorn of the Moon

Diana is a champion in League of Legends primarily played in the jungle and mid lane positions, classified as an Assassin / Diver (legacy class: Fighter / Assassin). The Scorn of the Moon uses Mana (375 – 866.63 at max level) and deals Magic damage. Diana was released on August 7, 2012, and is currently in patch V26.03.

📊 Base Statistics

💡 Unique Mechanic: Diana’s Moonsilver Blade passive gives her a permanent 15-37% attack speed bonus that triples to 45-112% for 5 seconds after any ability cast. This means after using Q or W, her auto attacks become rapid-fire. Combined with the cleave on every 3rd attack (20-270 + 50% AP magic damage), Diana deals both burst AND sustained DPS — a rare combination for an assassin.

🌙 Passive: Moonsilver Blade

INNATE: Diana gains 15% – 37.35% (based on level) bonus attack speed. After casting an ability, this bonus is tripled to 45% – 112.06% for 5 seconds.

INNATE – MOONSILVER BLADE: Diana’s basic attacks on-hit generate a stack of Moonsilver Blade for 5 seconds, stacking up to 2 times. At 2 stacks, Diana empowers her next basic attack to additionally cleave nearby enemies, dealing them 20 – 270 (based on level) (+ 50% AP) magic damage. Moonsilver Blade deals 230% damage against monsters.

🌙 Q: Crescent Strike

Cost: 50 Mana | Cooldown: 8 / 7.5 / 7 / 6.5 / 6 | Cast Time: 0.25

ACTIVE: Diana unleashes a bolt of lunar energy that travels in a counter-clockwise arc before exploding at the target location, granting sight of the area for 0.5 seconds and dealing magic damage to enemies hit and afflicting them with Moonlight for 3 seconds, during which they are revealed. Lunar Rush (E) interacts with Moonlight.

🛡️ W: Pale Cascade

Cost: 40 / 45 / 50 / 55 / 60 Mana | Cooldown: 15 / 13.5 / 12 / 10.5 / 9 | Cast Time: NONE

ACTIVE: Diana grants herself a shield for up to 5 seconds and creates three spheres that orbit her counterclockwise for the same duration, detonating upon contact with an enemy to deal magic damage to nearby enemies. If all three spheres detonate, Pale Cascade’s shield is reapplied, stacking with its original shield and refreshing the duration.

🌛 E: Lunar Rush

Cost: 40 / 45 / 50 / 55 / 60 Mana | Cooldown: 22 / 20 / 18 / 16 / 14 | Cast Time: NONE

ACTIVE: Diana dashes to the target enemy’s location, and upon completion, deals them magic damage and consumes Moonlight from all enemies. If the target is within 400 range, Diana will dash through to their location. If Moonlight is consumed from the target, Lunar Rush’s current cooldown is reduced to 0.25 seconds. Diana can cast any of her abilities during the dash.

💡 Key Detail: Lunar Rush’s reset mechanic is Diana’s core identity. Land Q → dash with E (Moonlight consumed = cooldown resets to 0.25s) → use R → dash AGAIN with E (no Moonlight needed, since first E already consumed it). This lets you dash twice in rapid succession during your combo. You can also cast Q and R during the E dash for seamless combos.

🌕 R: Moonfall (Ultimate)

Cost: 100 Mana | Cooldown: 100 / 90 / 80 | Cast Time: 0.25

ACTIVE: Diana pulls in all nearby enemies, during which they are revealed, then slows them for 2 seconds. If an enemy champion is pulled in, she calls down a beam of moonlight to strike the area after 1 second, dealing magic damage to all nearby enemies, increased for each champion pulled beyond the first.

💡 Pro Tip: Moonfall’s damage increases for each additional champion caught. At rank 3 with 500 AP, a 5-man Moonfall deals 400 + 300 + (85 + 75)*4 = base 400 + 60% AP + 4×(85 + 15% AP) bonus — that’s an absurd amount of AoE. The key is combining E (dash into the enemy cluster) → R (pull everyone in) → Zhonya’s (survive the focus). This is THE teamfight-winning combo and why Diana is such a feared engage tool.

🎮 Strategies and Gameplay Tips

Jungle: Early Game (Levels 1-6)

• Passive for Fast Clearing: Moonsilver Blade’s 230% monster damage on every 3rd hit combined with your tripled attack speed after ability casts makes Diana one of the fastest jungle clearers in the game. Start W on Raptors or Blue Buff, use abilities to trigger the attack speed steroid, and focus on hitting 3rd autos on the big monster for maximum damage.
• Full Clear into Gank at 6: Diana’s pre-6 ganks are weak since you only have E (dash) without your ultimate’s pull and burst. Your strongest strategy is full-clearing jungle efficiently, hitting level 6 as fast as possible, and then ganking with the Q → E → R combo that nearly guarantees a kill.
• Q Accuracy is Everything: If you miss Q, your E dash has a 22-second cooldown at rank 1 and no reset. If you hit Q, E’s cooldown resets to 0.25s after dashing. This is the difference between a successful gank and a wasted attempt. Practice the curved trajectory — Q arcs counter-clockwise, so aim to the right of your target.

Jungle: Mid Game (Levels 7-13)

• Dusk and Dawn Powerspike: Once you complete your jungle item Dusk and Dawn, Diana’s burst becomes devastating. The Q → E → W → auto combo with Moonsilver Blade procs one-shots squishies. Look for picks in the river and invade aggressively — most junglers can’t duel you 1v1 at this point.
• Objective Fight Engage: Dragon and Baron fights are where Diana truly shines. E into the clustered enemy team → R to pull everyone in → Zhonya’s to survive while your team follows up. A 3-4 person Moonfall with 60% AP scaling usually wins the fight outright before the stasis even ends.
• Flash + R for Maximum AoE: Flash extends your Moonfall range beyond what enemies expect. Flash into the middle of the enemy team → R immediately. The pull + slow + moonbeam on 4-5 targets is game-changing. Save Flash specifically for these high-impact R plays.

Mid Lane: Playstyle

• Electrocute for Burst: Mid lane Diana runs Electrocute instead of Conqueror for maximum burst. The Q → E → W → auto combo procs Electrocute instantly, and Stormsurge first item amplifies the one-shot potential. Your goal is to roam and assassinate after hitting 6.
• W Shield for Trades: Pale Cascade’s shield absorbs incoming poke and the 3 orbiting spheres deal damage when they detonate. If all 3 pop, the shield doubles. Walk into melee range after landing Q, use W to absorb their counter-trade, and E → auto for the Moonsilver proc. You take less damage than they do.
• Roam Post-6: Push the wave with Q + passive cleave, then roam to side lanes with R available. Diana’s roam pattern is: shove mid → walk to bot/top → Q → E → R on 2+ targets → free kills. Her engage is one of the best in the game for mid lane assassin roams.

❌ Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

• Dashing Without Landing Q First: Using E without Moonlight on the target means 22-14 second cooldown with no reset. That’s your ONLY gap closer on a massive timer. Always confirm Q hit before pressing E. If Q misses, do NOT dash — wait for the next Q cooldown (6-8 seconds).
• Using R Solo Instead of in Teamfights: Moonfall’s damage increases per champion pulled. Using it on a single target wastes the scaling — the base damage alone (200-400 + 60% AP) often isn’t enough to one-shot. Save R for situations where you can hit 2+ champions for the bonus damage, or use it for the pull/slow utility even solo when necessary for kills.
• Forgetting Passive Attack Speed: After casting any ability, your attack speed triples for 5 seconds. Many Diana players cast Q → E → R and ignore auto-attacking entirely. You’re leaving massive DPS on the table — each 3rd auto deals 20-270 + 50% AP bonus damage. Always weave 3 autos between ability casts.
• Engaging Without Zhonya’s: Diana’s teamfight combo (E into team → R) puts you in the middle of 5 enemies. Without Zhonya’s, you die instantly before the moonbeam even lands. NEVER engage without Zhonya’s available. The combo is E → R → Zhonya’s, not E → R → hope.
• Not Detonating All 3 W Orbs: If only 1-2 orbs detonate, you get a single shield (45-105 + 30% AP). If all 3 detonate, the shield doubles to 90-210 + 60% AP. In melee fights, walk into the enemy to ensure all orbs pop. The doubled shield is the difference between surviving a trade and dying.

⚙️ Recommended Build and Itemization

Core Items (Jungle)

• Dusk and Dawn: Diana’s dedicated jungle item. Provides AP, ability haste, and the jungle-specific passives she needs for efficient clearing. This is always your first completed item in jungle and the foundation for her mid-game powerspike.
• Riftmaker: Provides sustain through omnivamp in extended fights, AP for burst, and a ramping true damage passive that synergizes perfectly with Diana’s sustained DPS from passive auto attacks. Your W shield + Riftmaker healing makes you surprisingly tanky for an assassin.
• Zhonya’s Hourglass: Non-negotiable. Diana’s teamfight combo requires diving into the enemy team and pressing R. Without Zhonya’s stasis, you die before the moonbeam lands. Build this 2nd or 3rd item every single game — it’s not optional, it’s mandatory.

Core Items (Mid Lane)

• Stormsurge: Amplifies your burst for assassination potential. The movement speed bonus helps with roaming, and the damage proc stacks with Electrocute for instant one-shot combos on squishy targets.
• Shadowflame: Magic penetration and AP that scales your one-shot combo. Against targets building MR, this ensures your Q → E → W → auto combo still kills through defensive itemization.

Situational Items

• Rabadon’s Deathcap: Pure AP amplification. With Diana’s strong AP ratios across passive (50%), Q (70%), W (60% doubled), E (60%), and R (60% + 15% per extra), Deathcap’s 35% AP bonus turns you into a teamfight nuke. Usually 4th-5th item.
• Banshee’s Veil: Against heavy CC comps that can interrupt your E → R engage. The spell shield absorbs the first CC ability, letting you complete your combo. Essential against teams with Morgana, Lux, or other binding/root champions.
• Void Staff: When enemies stack MR. The 40% magic penetration ensures your burst still kills through Force of Nature or Spirit Visage rushes. Usually needed when 2+ enemies build MR items.

⚔️ Counter Picks & Matchups

✅ Diana Counters

1. Qiyana (Jungle)

Why: Qiyana’s squishy nature and melee range make her the perfect Diana target. She has to get close to deal damage, which puts her inside your Moonfall pull range. Your W shield absorbs her burst combo, and your passive attack speed wins extended trades that Qiyana doesn’t want to take.

2. Malphite (Jungle)

Why: Malphite in the jungle is an AP tank who clears slowly and lacks sustained damage. Diana outfarms him massively with faster clear speed, outduels him at every stage, and her %HP-independent magic damage cuts through his armor stacking. He also can’t escape your E → R combo.

3. Naafiri (Jungle/Mid)

Why: Naafiri’s packmates are free Moonsilver Blade procs and her all-in burst gets absorbed by your W shield. Once she dashes in, your R pulls her (and her packmates) together for maximum damage, and your sustained DPS with passive attack speed overwhelms her after her initial burst is spent.

❌ Diana is Countered By

1. Nasus (Jungle)

Why: Nasus jungle in the current meta stacks efficiently and becomes an unkillable stat-checker that Diana can’t burst through. His Wither cripples your attack speed (destroying your passive DPS), he out-sustains your damage with lifesteal, and his R makes him too tanky for your combo to kill. A nightmare matchup at all stages.

2. Gwen (Jungle)

Why: Gwen’s Hallowed Mist makes her immune to your Q from outside the zone, completely denying your Moonlight application and E reset. Her %HP true damage shreds you regardless of your W shield, and she outscales you in sustained DPS. She also matches your split-push and invade pressure.

3. Master Yi (Jungle)

Why: Master Yi’s Alpha Strike dodges your R pull timing, his Meditate heals through your burst if you don’t kill him instantly, and his auto-attack hypercarry scaling outpaces your DPS in the late game. He also invades your jungle efficiently and takes objectives faster than Diana.

FAQ

Q: How does the Moonlight reset on E work?

A: When you hit Q, it applies Moonlight to all enemies hit for 3 seconds. When you dash with E, it consumes Moonlight from ALL enemies (not just the target). If the target you dashed to had Moonlight, E’s cooldown resets to 0.25 seconds, letting you use it again almost immediately. This enables the Q → E → R → E double-dash combo.

Q: Is Diana better in jungle or mid lane?

A: Diana jungle is currently ranked S/A tier in patch 26.03 with higher pick rate and more consistent performance. Her passive’s 230% monster damage makes her clear speed elite, and jungle lets her reach level 6 faster for her R power spike. Mid lane Diana is viable with Electrocute for burst assassination but has more difficult matchups and less map mobility pre-6.

Q: What’s the optimal Diana combo?

A: For single targets: Q (apply Moonlight) → E (dash, reset CD) → W (shield + orbs) → auto x3 (Moonsilver proc) → E again if needed. For teamfight engage: Q (apply Moonlight) → E into enemy cluster (dash, reset) → R immediately (pull + moonbeam) → Zhonya’s (survive). You can also cast R during E dash for instant pull upon arrival.

Q: Why does Moonsilver Blade deal 230% damage to monsters?

A: The 230% monster damage modifier on Diana’s passive is specifically tuned to make her a viable jungler. Without it, her clear would be too slow to compete. At level 6 with 100 AP, each 3rd auto cleave deals (95 + 50) * 2.3 = roughly 333 magic damage to the big monster. This is why Diana is one of the fastest clearers in the game.

Q: Should I max Q or W first?

A: Max Q first always. Crescent Strike’s damage scales (70 → 210 + 70% AP) and cooldown reduces (8s → 6s), which directly enables more frequent E resets — your core mechanic. W second for the doubled shield scaling and orb damage. E last since you mainly use it for the dash/reset, and the base damage scaling is minimal.

Q: What are the best runes for Diana?A: Jungle: Conqueror with Triumph, Legend: Alacrity, Coup de Grace, and Cosmic Insight + Magical Footwear secondary. Conqueror stacks rapidly with your passive attack speed and sustained damage. Mid Lane: Electrocute with Sudden Impact, Grisly Mementos, Treasure Hunter, and Bone Plating + Shield Bash secondary. Electrocute for maximum burst assassination potential.