Check out the video of Faker playing Jarvan at this time index.
https://youtu.be/F31hAbj6jak?t=117
After each hit on the big chicken he steps back a pace then steps in and hits again, out hit, out hit and it puzzles me. Is this just because there is a reflex to keep moving or can you avoid damage by stepping out. If you can avoid it what is the timing that allows one to avoid it?
Thanks.
The attack speed animation is so slow on most jungle monsters that you avoid taking as much damage than you would if you were just standing there. You essentially slow their attack speed because their walking animation (As they chase you) will cancel their attack animation until they get close enough to start the attack animation.
It is also a good habit to have just in case there is a enemy ward (Or enemy assumes your position) on you and an enemy is waiting in the fog of war to catch you out.
Part of the in-out "dance" is due to habit. And you do find quite a few players who regularly play in lane often doing it sheerly out of repetition both when playing traditional mid and top lanes as well as when they are in other roles (e.g., you can even see it when they are autofilled support and jungle). Such moves in lane avoid appearing predictable so it's partially ingrained. And sometimes you do see players who usually lane when jungling falling into old habits. (And it could have proved helpful here if the chickens were warded.)
But here, there is a bit more going on. Initially Faker did look like he was doing the above, but when he actually got going he was timing his "dance" pattern to avoid the golem's attack sequence. The in-out movement you see from Faker a bit further into the video was timed to avoid golem strikes.
This will benefit champions with higher attack speeds since they can fit in 2 auto's before they move while only taking 1 auto in return. Most other, its because they are ranged. Some champions you won't negate any damage because their attack speed is too low.
You'll often find that pros seem to do that even when clearing wards which I find interesting. Probably a mix of habit and to help save a fraction of a second if an enemy shows up, although I reckon it's more the former than the latter.
it doesnt really mitigate damage that much. if you watch earlier in the clip he does it for brambleback and still gets hit. more than anything i think it's just a habit, but the one major benefit is that once you get into a rhythm of how fast you can hit then you can start clicking to attack while moving. the reason why jarvan didnt receive damage from the raptor camp is because he was healing with a potion. auto attacks hit regardless of range once they've reached a certain point in the animation. it might slow down attack speed on melee champs, but raptors are ranged either way. it's referred to as kiting i think and the idea is that you move away from your opponent and cause them to start their attack animation then reset it while moving back into range and attacking then leaving range rinse and repeat. the problem with jungle camp kiting is that you cant ever leave their attack range because they'll reset aggro and heal up completely. of the 6 camps 4 are melee (golem, bramble, wolves, and krugs.) so if your movement speed, range, and attack speed are high you can mitigate some damage, but not much.
you can do the same without hit and move0 the comment below said it can benefit you is worng
Kiting habit. Everyone do that, it can save you some time if someone appear too. There is absolute no real advantage of doing that in the situations you described.
I think it's a good habit to have to maximize DPS, as you should fit an auto or two inbetween every spell. It doesn't matter much agaisnt monsters but it's pretty thing to do in 1v1.
