What Mages Can Actually Jungle?

Wèaver·May 18, 2018·2 votes·3,379 views

With the recent jungle update, many rioters stated that they wanted to open up the jungle scene to less than traditional picks in the form of mages with the reworked Runic Echoes. My question is, with the recent changes and the emphasis on not only lvl 2 skirmishes for scuttle, but speed differentials and sustain differentials being increased due to an extra camp being added, what mage did Riot have in mind? From my point of view, runic was nerfed for ap champions that can actually jungle, and buffed for champions that will realistically never see play. And from a pro balance perspective, when will a mage ever be picked in the jungle in pro play? So again, I simply want to know what mages riot thinks can actually jungle at a high elo level. If the answer is none, I feel cheated with the new Runic.

End of rant

Edit 1: This was slightly rhetorical in nature, I know there are AP junglers in the game, but it is unlikely that there any mages, not AP assassins, that can actually be meta in a competitive league environment. Jungle Morgana after her mini passive rework pre-hotfix is an example of what I mean. I view Diana, Ekko and the like as divers, not true mages. Because they actually benefit more from the MS and build path of the previous iteration of echoes. I guess what I was truly looking to get out of this post was a discussion of Riot's theory that mages should jungle. My opinion is no, change my mind. (Insert image of that meme here)

9 Comments

ParoeMay 18, 20181 votes

Elise Amumu Gragas Nunu Velkoz

You noticing a pattern here? They all build bruiser

Pure mages are not capable of jungling, because they will never clear the jungle fast enough with their base damage alone due to their scaling and thus get hit a lot more (plus theyre generally very squish).

BeatzBoyFTWMay 18, 20182 votes

Why Velkoz? You're just gonna become a seriously ez target to counterjungle.

ParoeMay 18, 20181 votes

{quoted}

Why Velkoz? You're just gonna become a seriously ez target to counterjungle.

Velkoz is actually a pretty reliable jungler post echos. You really just have to juggle aggro if someone tries to invade - people like to do it at birds, after their own level 2~3 depending on on clearspeed. Just kite into the bushes and usually they either die, trade, or back off because the birds hurt.

{quoted}

I beg to differ

... Fiddlesticks cant jungle properly. Hes a farm jungler who only ganks post 6 and doesnt have enough damage on single targets to clear anything but krugs/birds/wolves effectively.

BeatzBoyFTWMay 18, 20181 votes

Fiddlestick has all the CC he needs to dismantle the enemy laner for his own laner to follow up the gank. Velkoz on the other hand lacks the amount of self-defence to protect himself if the enemy laner chooses to turn on you & you only can depend on your skillshots to protect yourself/make an effective gank.

z63XnLCMwXMay 18, 20181 votes

{quoted}

Velkoz is actually a pretty reliable jungler post echos. You really just have to juggle aggro if someone tries to invade - people like to do it at birds, after their own level 2~3 depending on on clearspeed. Just kite into the bushes and usually they either die, trade, or back off because the birds hurt.

... Fiddlesticks cant jungle properly. Hes a farm jungler who only ganks post 6 and doesnt have enough damage on single targets to clear anything but krugs/birds/wolves effectively.

Another mage Nidalee . Well, I don't know how Nidalee is an assassin when ahri is a mage.

TwinkieProMay 18, 20181 votes

{quoted}

Another mage . Well, I don't know how Nidalee is an assassin when ahri is a mage.

Single target versus early accessible and easy wave clear.

z63XnLCMwXMay 18, 20181 votes

{quoted}

You noticing a pattern here? They all build bruiser

Pure mages are not capable of jungling, because they will never clear the jungle fast enough with their base damage alone due to their scaling and thus get hit a lot more (plus theyre generally very squish).

I beg to differ Fiddlesticks

GabresolMay 18, 20181 votes

{quoted}

I beg to differ

Fiddle clears really slow though... He is far more effective as a support or midlaner

Aerial Queen LizMay 18, 20181 votes

Diana , Ekko Oooor if you wanna go with something a bit more out of the meta but that can still pull it off: Morgana , Zyra , Fizz , Karthus , Syndra , Rumble . Zyra's clear is great, she doesn't take damage, her ganks are good thanks to her E but if you get invaded you're D E A D.