Protecting one's jungle

Omnem Occido·Feb 2, 2015·1 votes·987 views

So, I have had some really tough games recently as jungle. I have been counter-jungled to the end of the earth, and I don't know what to do anymore. It seems these days junglers with weak early games are just not viable, as they are easily killed in the beginning, especially with a team that is too slow to react (Jungling in Bronze ELO is the seventh layer of Hell). Is there going to be any way for junglers who have weak early games to ever be viable?

I have tried so many different things: abandoning the jungle to the enemy team, forgoing buffs and focusing on lanes; backing after every gank or after clearing a side of the jungle so I'm never low enough to get picked off; begging unresponsive teammates to ward and to help when I am being counter-jungled. Nothing works anymore. I feel that it is almost better to just play duo top in lower ELOs than try to jungle. Can anyone offer some help?

30 Comments

PhifeFeb 2, 20151 votes

go b @ 450 gold and get the aoe smite.

Omnem OccidoFeb 2, 20151 votes

Right, but that still doesn't tell me what to do when an enemy Vi/Lee Sin/Rek'sai walks into my jungle while I'm there, beats my face in, takes my creeps and buffs, and walks out unopposed.

disregardableFeb 2, 20151 votes

Play better junglers.

Omnem OccidoFeb 2, 20152 votes

But wasn't the whole purpose of Season 5 supposed to be "More options in the Jungle?"

DorkunedAurasFeb 2, 20152 votes

yeah, and we all know how that worked out.

ErockandrollFeb 2, 20151 votes

Best I can tell you is fast clear and Mobility. Clear your camps before counter jungling ever becomes a problem.

You could pick a better duelist. But I find that a good duelist comes at the cost of ganking power.

Omnem OccidoFeb 2, 20151 votes

I guess my complaint is that they have tried to make it a jungle for more champions and more styles, but the list of viable champs has only gotten a couple of champions bigger since Season 4. Like, what if my team needs a tank, and I am picking for jungle. There just are no viable solutions for that anymore. It seems any more, top lane or support has to be the tank.

AnomalousChimeraFeb 2, 20151 votes

Have you tried Sejuani?

Omnem OccidoFeb 2, 20151 votes

I have not. I don't own her yet. Is she pretty good?

TTUPhoenixFeb 2, 20151 votes

I've been learning her, and her first clear is pretty rough. I'm used to using WW, Vi or Naut and being able to do a full clear before backing for upgraded machete and boots. Sej can't do that (at least not with my rune setup). I can get the two buffs and maybe two smaller camps before backing. She's certainly viable, though, and she brings a lot of CC to ganks.

Omnem OccidoFeb 3, 20151 votes

See, but that's the problem. By the time you get done with red buff, you are going to have roughly 400 health. Enter duelist jungle (all of the good jungles anymore).

First Blood goes to enemy jungler.

Lt CuddlesFeb 2, 20151 votes

Have you tried Chogath ? Or Rammus ?

Omnem OccidoFeb 3, 20151 votes

Yeah, both of them have the same problem: they have a tough time early, struggle with camps, and are easily killed by any duelist jungle (or for that matter, anyone that is not a tank).

Lt CuddlesFeb 3, 20151 votes

Poor tanks, life is hell for one atm.

SociopathFriendFeb 2, 20151 votes

May I suggest Malphite? His clear speed is actually pretty fast once you get going, and after 6 your ganks are phenomenal. Before 6 you can still be useful with a good Q and E but I just try to hit 6 ASAP. Plus you get tanky very easily.

Omnem OccidoFeb 3, 20151 votes

I have, but my problem is that I get jumped in my own jungle by the enemy jungle at level 2 while doing red buff or similar.

Skia AsteriFeb 3, 20151 votes

[{quoted}](name=Omnem Occido,realm=NA,application-id=3ErqAdtq,discussion-id=eEqagRAL,comment-id=0002000000020000,timestamp=2015-02-03T08:10:30.953+0000)

I have, but my problem is that I get jumped in my own jungle by the enemy jungle at level 2 while doing red buff or similar.

The trick to avoiding that is working out a plan to keep the enemy jungler from knowing where you started. Things like starting on the other side of the jungle from the usual spot and/or starting without a leash. And watching for wards being placed to see where you started.

And then finish the side they expect to find you in before they come, so they will find only disappointment.

Thresh Outta FuxFeb 2, 20151 votes

Who do you jungle as? That's the most important first question.

Omnem OccidoFeb 2, 20151 votes

I usually do Rengar, Mao'kai, Amumu, and Nautilus.

Thresh Outta FuxFeb 2, 20151 votes

[{quoted}](name=Omnem Occido,realm=NA,application-id=3ErqAdtq,discussion-id=eEqagRAL,comment-id=00030000,timestamp=2015-02-02T06:18:25.576+0000)

I usually do Rengar, Mao'kai, Amumu, and Nautilus.

I can't give you advice on Rengar, but as Mao/Amumu/Nautilus, just don't clear your camps. Focus on ganking. If the enemy player is wasting time with a poachers knife, then you not clearing your camps after they fail to do so is just them crippling themselves.

Otherwise, make sure to pay attention to your map. Remember which camps you visited last, and in what order. This way, you'll know when whatever is spawning, and can do them immediately.

But seriously. If the enemy jungler is just sitting in your jungle killing your camps, go help your team. They can play PvE while the big kids play PvP.

Omnem OccidoFeb 2, 20151 votes

My only concern then is that I won't be able to level well if I don't at least try to get a camp or two in between the ganks.

Lt CuddlesFeb 2, 20151 votes

Quick question, how do you like to build Rengar ?

Omnem OccidoFeb 3, 20152 votes

Depends on the game. Usually, I go pretty damage oriented, as he can really blow someone up. If my team is having a rough game, I go a little more tanky to be able to handle fed enemies.

Lt CuddlesFeb 3, 20151 votes

Sounds about right, I like getting things like this together: item 3047 item 3143 item 3156 item 3071 item 3074 item 3078 but this is more for dealing with the annoying AD carry the I'll probably target in teamfights.

BatteryDeadFeb 2, 20151 votes

If you find yourself getting counter jungled investing in pinks is a good choice, pinking the bush by the mid river that goes into your jungle is a good place.

Omnem OccidoFeb 2, 20151 votes

Right, but even if I see the enemy walk into my jungle, there's nothing I can do about it, especially if it is a Vi/Lee Sin/Rek'sai. The only thing I can do is just gank the opposite lane when they are farming my jungles.

ZmuecatFeb 2, 20151 votes

Sometimes it's not what you can do about it, but the fact that people can see that Vi/LS/Rek coming and back off.

Vision wins games, never not put a ward (green or pink) down because you may not be able to help, put a ward down because it can be the difference between you getting a gank off, you dying, or your team picking off that one kill that changes the tide of the game.

Omnem OccidoFeb 3, 20151 votes

But when I can't even have my own buffs or monster kills, it leaves me under-leveled, and the game runs away from me. The problem is that I could ping for assistance in my jungle for 40 minutes, and at my ELO, absolutely no one will come.

SociopathFriendFeb 2, 20151 votes

Maybe you're just been lucking out- I've rarely been invaded in the new season. The jungle is a scary place. Although the one time the enemy jungler was Shaco with ignite I knew my life was going to be hell. I think you're just having a slight bit of bad luck, because I use Malphite, Fiddlesticks, and Nautilus and I am not being invaded very much.

Omnem OccidoFeb 3, 20151 votes

It seems like 4 out of 5 games in ranked as a jungle, my jungle has been invaded, and I have been killed inside my own jungle. I don't know what to do. I have tried Shaco jungle, but when I set up a perfect steal and everything, the enemy's laners will magically appear. It was a bad game (teammates yelling at me because I "fed" their lanes by dying in the jungle, etc.). I beg to not play jungle anymore. It's not worth it. I have gone duo top in a ranked game because I didn't want to even try to jungle against an enemy Rek'sai