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A new player's honest questions about runes

Botanist3··1 votes·556 views

OK. I'm going to start this off by saying I am posting this because every post I've seen on this subject consists of 90% people saying "the T1 and T2 runes are 100% bad, don't buy them" so, I've heard that opinion many times before please don't post it here, and I mostly agree with it. The difference between T2 and T3 seems minuscule, but with what I have learned since starting to play I am totally convinced that it can make all the difference in the early game between players of similar skill. But I am still wondering if T1 and T2 runes could help with something I want to start doing sooner rather than later: learning to jungle.

Some background. I started playing this game after watching S5 worlds with my bf. I knew it was like his super bowl and so I decided to embrace it and danrned if I wasn't completely fascinated with the game. The large-scale objective balancing act reminded me of the RTS games I loved as a kid. So, I started playing with him on a smurf that he made so we wouldn't get matched with a bunch of lv30s. As I started to learn I decided that the roles I liked best were support and jungle. I began with support because I didn't get smite until lv 10 and I've done OK as support (Blitz, Lulu, and Morg being my favorites right now). I still have a lot to figure out, but it seems like a role that can realistically be done without runes and such. At least at my lower account level. Jungling has been a different story. I recently acquired a couple of junglers I've seen a lot at my level (Yi and Warwick) and decided to try them out. Clearing camps was terrible. I first tried in a custom game I made with no bots just to get the feel. I got creamed with Warwick, but had a bit more success with Yi. So, I took Yi to a real game and even with a really good leash I struggled to do camps until like lv4-5ish. Part of the reason why, as it was explained to me is: runes.

On to the question. Could it be worth to buy some T1 and/or T2 runes to make a general jungle page to be able to actually play the role? I know that jungling is one of the most intense roles in the game (or at least it seems that way to me) between balancing your farm and ganks and being a huge part (with the support) of controlling macro vision. So, if I want to learn the role it seems advantageous to start early. The barrier to doing so just seems so high. So, if I did set up this rune page would it be worth it? And should I go with T1 or T2 runes?

20 Comments

lil schizo4 votes

Depends on your summoner level, and since you're level 14 it should be fine for you to use tier 2 runes up until level 20. Tier 1 and 2 runes aren't the greatest but they're incredibly cheap and the only option that low level summoners have so buying them can't possibly hurt you more than help you. I'd say yeah, buy the ones you need but get two sets of tier 2 runes at max cause you'll need to save up for the more expensive tier 3 runes, so you can start using those once you hit level 20.

Obviously any early stats you can get from your runes will help your jungling in the early game, but only slightly since tier 2 runes and the amount of unlocked rune slots at level 14 don't make that big of an impact. The difference in damage and survivability starts getting noticable once you're level 30 and use a proper full runepage of T3 runes. If you're having trouble clearing camps early then I suggest you watch some guides on how to clear efficiently and kiting the camps in between your AA's (auto attacks) and spells to nullify some damage from the monsters. You can create custom games in summoner's rift and practice farming early, lots of players practice farming this way. Try watching good junglers play on a regular basis to understand their thoughts and actions in different situations and slowly learn the game in general.

That's all I got mate, GL!

Botanist31 votes

Thank you for the advice! That's sort of what I was thinking, I had just heard so much negativity on the idea of buying anything that wasn't a T3. My brain just almost exploded seeing the price difference, that's what really confuses me. I can get a descent champ for less than 3x any T3 quint. But at this point I have decided that I am basically done buying champs for now so I can save IP for T3 runes when I hit lv20.

I've been watching some streamers and some youtube vids (both for support and Jungle roles) and it has helped. The difficulty is there isn't much out there that I have found on jungling pre-lv30. But, I do know kiting is one big mechanical thing I haven't gotten down yet, so maybe I will focus on that more.

lil schizo2 votes

Sounds good. Keeping your champion pool small at first is great because you'll be able to focus on a small amount of champions and really get the feel of them before slowly expanding your champion pool. You might even stumble upon a new favorite champion or role, who knows!

Some great recommendable challenger tier junglers who stream on a daily basis are Nightblue3, Valkrin and C9 meteos. Challenger tier though, so if you're up to the challenge!

Botanist31 votes

I've already found NB3, he is one of my favorites (him and aphromoo on the support side). I am a grad student and when I just have desk-work I'll often have him on in the background. I will have to check those others that you listed out too. I've also been watching the NA and EU LCS games which has been a huge learning experience. Honestly, I wish I had discovered this game in high school or early college and had more time to learn it.

Byankuya3 votes

People said not to get the T1/T2 because their prices were just as high as the T3 early on. They lowered some of them (or was it all? I can't remember). So I'd say picking them up early on due to how cheap they are can help you learn how to customize runes towards champions and roles, just know getting the T3 might take a while. Once you find your niche junglers you'll do better. Each type relies on different strategies to gank or farm effectively. I tend to steer towards Kindred personally just because her all in kind of kit is fun to me, plus the circle of no death has helped me a lot. You might like Cho'gath jungle by the way: he heals each time he kills something, it's his passive and as he gets bigger from his R he gets more health. It's pretty nice, especially if you can get a gank off with his silence(w) and knock up (q).

Botanist31 votes

Thanks! I don't have Chogath right now, but I will have to try that once he comes around the free rotation again to see if I like it. Kindred is too expensive for me right now, but I do kind of like what I've seen when I see her played. That's one I've filed away for when my mechanics improve. Although, Captado mentioned kiting above. I haven't mastered that yet, but maybe it would be easier to avoid unnecessary damage early on when clearing with a ranged jungler if I leaned to kite properly...

Byankuya1 votes

Kindred takes some time, but her W has a healing mechanic to it. At 100 you heal the next auto attack so it makes her more bearable in jungle plus the active to her W makes wolf help her out with farming. Cho'gath is tons of fun, at least he's isnt that pricey if you do decide to make him apart of your roster. So you'll be focusing on healing tank jungler for the beginning then? Good luck finding who's your play style and just remember to always look at champions in a different light: Even if someone says a champion can't jungle, it may be that they just haven't figure out an effective way to do it (but still try it out in a custom before normals, I tried bard jungle when he first came out in a normals, that was not a good idea whatsoever XD). Also try different smite upgrades and build paths, some are more fun than others. -going to stop now before I write a novel when I'm not a jungler main-

Void Nargacuga2 votes

If you want to learn to jungle use Warwick, apparently he doesn't even need the standard complete rune page for jungling to do well as a introductory jungler. I wish I had known this sooner honestly. I'm probably gonna practice jungle more often now with him to get the basics down.

Botanist31 votes

Thanks for the advice! I will have to give him another try. I had a lot more trouble with him that with Yi, but maybe that stemmed from not using his abilities correctly (which I'm sure I did). I was also about to ask how you got the little picture of Warwick , but I found it at the bottom of the text box :)

Void Nargacuga2 votes

Yep, those come in handy. Also for a quick bit of advice for Warwick : Sated Devourer will be his best jungle enchantment to get. Other items that could possibly do well on him: item 3065 item 3146 item 3124 item 3742 for boots I am unsure.

Botanist31 votes

Awesome, thank you! Items are a whole different headache for me. I've started getting to the point where I can sort of tailor at least my defensive items to what the other team is doing, but the rest is still so out there. There's so many... My policy for boots as of now is you are never really HURT buying item 3009 , you are just less helped than if you had gotten the right boots. So, I'll start there and see how it goes :)

Void Nargacuga1 votes

Don't forget about the other players giving you advice. Ask them as well for more detailed info.

Troiann1 votes

I believe a better build would be

Sated, BORK, Frozen Heart, Visage, Boots, and then a conditional item.

WW works with on hit, while hybrid items aren't bad on him it's better to just build to cater to the ult, especially for newer players.

Void Nargacuga1 votes

Alright that would make sense then. Thanks for the tip and advice.

Lovely Pants2 votes

T1 runes are cheap enough that it's not such a big deal to get a basic set of them. Wouldn't advise you to bother with Tier 2 whatsoever. Some armor seals in particular will go a long way for you if you want to, though.

Sustain junglers can do pretty well without rune investment. Nunu and Fiddlesticks are easy to survive with, though your mileage with them may vary.

Botanist31 votes

Thanks for the info! I have Nunu too since I got a free starter bundle by linking my amazon account. I know she can jungle, I just haven't seen it too much yet. I will have to look up some guides.

Void Nargacuga2 votes

Nunu is a he... Just an fyi.

Old Man Teeto2 votes

As someone with a smurf account (now 27 but it's been nearly three years of leveling)

Tier 1 runes make a huge difference in jungling and are only a few games worth of IP.

Tier 2 runes however are a complete and utter trap as they're significantly more expensive and will be replaced (Rune combiner is 100% garbage)

If you expect to have that account to 20+ within the next 2 weeks however, (since you're already 14) just wait for tier 3 runes, you've made it most of the way already.

Botanist31 votes

Thanks. I don't have time to play super often (1-2 games/day usually if I have time. Every once in a while more than that), so it may be a while before I get lv20. Based on the feedback I've gotten so far I may do some research and invest in a general set for jungling, but not more than that.

TNHA Baritone1 votes

Do NOT BUY ANY RUNES THAT ARE NOT T3 JUST DONT EVEN THINK OIF IT

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