So is there any point to farming the jungle
I mean I could get my cs and jungle gold to capitalize on the map's yield, or I could just piggy back off the catch up experience after fucking up a gank and be caught up after two camps.
I mean I could get my cs and jungle gold to capitalize on the map's yield, or I could just piggy back off the catch up experience after fucking up a gank and be caught up after two camps.
Catch up experience is still just catching up, it will still leave you behind an enemy jungler who is clearing effectively and keeping up on ganks / pressure.
The same is true of gold. True, the jungle is no longer supposed to be power-cleared and farmed as a lane itself. However in situations where all things are equal, I.E. there's no magical "gank us and get a free kill every time" lane on either side, failing to effectively farm the jungle camps and capitalize on what they offer will leave you behind in gold and xp.
You need gold to buy items, and farm gets you gold.