Crystalline Overgrowth is a new turret mechanic introduced in League of Legends in Patch 26.1. Crystals build up automatically on lane turrets over time, and when an enemy champion hits that charged turret, the overgrowth bursts and deals bonus true damage. In this article, we'll explore what Crystalline Overgrowth is, how it works, how much damage it deals, and how it changed the Demolish rune.
What is Crystalline Overgrowth?
Crystalline Overgrowth is a passive mechanic that gives every champion a built-in turret-cracking tool, regardless of class, role, or stats. Riot Games introduced it in Patch 26.1 to make split-pushing and lane sieging more viable across Summoner's Rift.
Before this mechanic existed, low-DPS champions like enchanters, tanks, and mages had almost no ability to make meaningful turret progress on their own. Crystalline Overgrowth removes that barrier. Because the bonus damage is not based on the attacker's stats, any champion who attacks a charged turret gets the burst.
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How Does Crystalline Overgrowth Work?
All targetable lane turrets are subject to Crystalline Overgrowth. After a 90-second startup, the turret enters a minimum damage state for 60 seconds, then scales up linearly over the next 240 seconds until it holds at maximum charge indefinitely. The moment an enemy champion attacks the turret, the overgrowth detonates, and the 90-second cooldown begins again.
The full cycle from startup to maximum charge takes approximately 6.5 minutes. In Swiftplay, all timers are compressed. Melee champions also get an expanded turret attack hitbox as the overgrowth grows, making it easier to trigger without standing directly underneath.
How Much Damage Does It Deal?
Damage is calculated as a percentage of the turret's maximum health, based on the average level of the attacking team, not the individual attacker.
Team Average Level | Minimum Damage | Maximum Damage |
|---|---|---|
Level 1 | 2% of turret max HP | 3.3% of turret max HP |
Level 18 | 8.8% of turret max HP | 18.9% of turret max HP |
At full charge and high team levels, a single proc can remove close to one-fifth of a turret's total health in one hit.
Also Read: The Complete League of Legends Patch Schedule (2026)
How It Changed the Demolish Rune
Because Crystalline Overgrowth fills a similar role to Demolish, Riot simplified the rune. Your third consecutive attack against a turret now triggers the bonus physical damage, on a 30-second cooldown. Damage was reduced: melee dropped to 85 + 28% max HP (from 100 + 35%), and ranged to 50 + 20% max HP (from 100 + 35%). The two effects stack. Picking Demolish still adds a meaningful burst on top of the overgrowth proc.
Final Words
Crystalline Overgrowth gives every champion on the LoL roster a reliable way to make turret progress, regardless of DPS. The mechanic rewards players who understand the charge timer and avoid wasting procs at minimum damage. Time it well, and a single attack can swing a siege.
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