Boards›Tips & Tricks

I need some jungle advice

Raemnant·11/14/2014, 9:33:08 AM·1 votes·1,110 views

Okay, so I can play all roles, but jungle happens to be my 3rd favorite, after support, and ADC. My junglers are Wukong, who I almost always play, Vi, Alistar, and Skarner(Who I used to main).

I usually find myself in a tough spot, when it comes to ganking. When I'm purple side, I like to clear blue>wolves>red>golems>wraiths, then gank top or mid, When I'm blue side, its Red>Wolves>Blue>Wight>Golems, then gank for mid or bot. However, the large majority of the time, the lanes haven't really gotten advantage on each other yet, and the enemy team usually isn't in any position to gank. I always have the mindset that "Even if you cant kill anyone, you should still gank simply for fear and lane pressure" But I arrive, and of course, I cant do anything yet. 4/5 times, no kills happen. When the enemy jungler shows up, it always seems like they ALWAYS get kills. Is that on me? Should I wait a little longer to gank, maybe let the enemy get a bit lower, or let my team build up a bit more damage?

Its not like I show up out of nowhere and charge right in when my laner is pushed, I sit and wait for the right moment, and I wont gank at all if our lane isnt at least even, or being pushed on us. I come in stealthed, or whatnot, use my dashes, use my CC, all that stuff. I just dont know why its so hard for me to get my lanes kills so early

12 Comments

Koukami11/14/2014, 10:04:33 AM1 votes

It sounds like your jungle routes are a little stretched out and not optimal for the sake of clear speed and being in an advantageous position. I tend to take things in a sweep with minimal running between camps, so Blue>wolves>wraiths>red(Smite will just be coming up by then) and if healthy enough golems, then search for gank. If no immediate gank, back to buy and regen, and either farm the respawns, counter jungle/invade, or prep a camp until advantage presents itself.

On that note, whether or not ganks are available really depend on your jungler and as you've noted, your lane's presence. If your lane has dominance and is pinning the enemy under their tower, ask for wards in their lane brush. If there's no lane brush wards, walk in from the back of the lane and camp the brush, letting your guys bait an engage or pull back their push.

Best case: Enemy team pushes back out, leaving them wide open for an engage, you guys engage and snag a kill hopefully on advantage.

Worst case: Enemy jungler catches wind of your lane's pressure and moves to punish them. It's a good thing you're here, you can either fight them off with your team, or if things go in your favor get a kill anyways.

From your currently listed junglers, I think Vi and Wukong are your strongest ones. How do you fare with Ali/skarner?

ForFoxSakes11/14/2014, 3:30:44 PM1 votes

Stop sitting in a bush waiting for the right moment. It wastes your time and sets you behind and gives more time for your laner to give away signs theyre trying to bait a gank. If theyre not gankable just clear out enemy vision so they have to play safer or give your laner vision so they know they're safe from that angle. Scan, ward and move on to another lane or clear a camp then consider coming back.

Forcing a bad gank isnt efficient. First 2 jungle paths I do it to rush level 2 jungle item, boots, wards/pots and levels. Jungling after that is dependent on what area of the map needs my help more

Also tell your team where you'll be going. "Wolves then top" will let your top know relief is coming so if theyre even in lane he can poke a bit more to soften them up and ensure that his cooldowns are ready when you're there to gank, or if theyre being pushed he knows he can just farm with a bit more risk to get gold to shop

For ganking junglers you can look for a gank around level 3-4, while more ult reliant ones should look for a lane to help at 6. Waiting around too long trying to gank will end up having the laner being 1 or more levels above you making it much harder to gank

Build wise you don't have to finish a full item most of the time. IE item 3074 costs a lot more when item 3077 is more than enough damage to gank with. You dont need to finish a item 3071 right away, most champs get item 3134 then move to another item, finishing the much later.

If you're finding yourself low HP often in the jung, pick up tough skin& recovery as your first 4 points in defensive tree even if you're not a tank jungler.

SparrowPriest11/14/2014, 3:59:38 PM1 votes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mbr8Rcktsu4 Unless you have some sort of cc you don't try to force ganks. You continue doing your thing in the jungle till you see an opportunity such as either a lane with someone low health or that is overextended. Jungle routes are not something you have to finish before you gank if you see an opportunity or someone needs help you just go straight from where you are at. If you sense their jungler will be ganking a lane you will probably want to be there as well maybe scout passed the bushes and counter jungle or ward their red. Try to defend towers if you have to. No opportunity no ganks just farm until there is one. Also, make sure you keep an eye on dragon the entire laning phase at least. The only time you would want to go to a lane just to harass is if your team mate is getting wrecked and to give him an advantage by getting the enemy lower in hp or sent back.

XDisturbedX11/14/2014, 5:13:02 PM1 votes

Honestly dude the best advise I can give you is make plays, sweep the lanes and counter ward along with ganking. You want to mix it up and try to be unpredictable. My favorite jungle hero is Rammus because his ganking ability all game is top notch. If you start to fall behind in levels don't worry. That's okay your job is to make plays not have the highest farm count. I tend to help bottom the most for obvious reasons there's two people there to kill. Its also in your teams best interest for you to counter ward there junglers blue and red to try to follow his movements to counter gank. This last point is very important to supporting your team as the main roaming hero.

The jungle is the one position that has the ability to affect each lane. Try to support your other lanes by giving them your buffs. Mid gets blue ect..