Jungling: What If Every Lane Is Losing?

EkkoFroffles·Apr 12, 2015·1 votes·1,549 views

My last two jungling efforts in ranked... let's just say I'm not proud of them. 4/8/8, 5/11/9. Both were as Vi. In small part I think it was because this was my first time bringing Vi to ranked; I'd done consistently well in normals, but that's not the same as ranked. In large part, though, it was because 1) I was off my game and 2) nobody could win lane, or even keep it to something akin to a stalemate.

Yes, as a jungler possibly my most important job is to assist my laners, but when my 1.27 is the second best KDA in the match after our top laner's 2.00 (8/7/6) the first match, and when our bot lane's dominance (Jinx: 19/7/7) is rendered meaningless by top and mid's feeding frenzy (Riven: 15/9/4 vs. Khazix: 4/15/2 and Teemo: 12/7/13 vs. Karthus: 3/11/5) in the second match, what is a jungler to do? You might say "snowball Jinx more" in the second match, but when that means leaving Khazix and Karthus completely alone... that's not a plan I could endorse.

And the two matches after this, when I went Garen top, were along these exact same lines. I won, or at least held, lane both times. The first one, though, Master Yi just snowballed off my teammates early and it was game over. Our KDAs were all semi-respectable, but that's only because without Yi they fell apart. We tried our best to focus Yi, kill him, and go from there, but we were lucky to come out with an even trade because he was just that fed. And the second one, it was again the enemy jungler, this time Skarner, feasting upon my teammates, going 18/2/22.

So... as this just keeps happening, I wanted to know if there was any way I can hope to combat it. Should I start playing more Wukong jungle, that way I have a greater shot at being my team's version of that Yi and Skarner? Should I start training with Yi myself, as he's one of the junglers that can most easily run away with matches in bronze when he gets ahead, despite his win rate not being the highest? I like tanky, CC-heavy junglers like Amumu, Sejuani, and Nautilus, but they sort of need teammates who can follow up on all that CC. That's why I'm thinking I should just go into every match expecting to have to carry, and with champions who are built to carry, at least until I get my confidence back, since I think that's contributing to the skid I've been on. (I was winning 60+% for a while there... but my last 20 I'm down to 45%) The confidence I'd been building up was systematically shattered by having to put up with this sort of crap. I just don't know anymore...

14 Comments

Guy Fox TeemoApr 12, 20152 votes

Not Every Game can be won bud.

EkkoFrofflesApr 12, 20151 votes

I know, it's just I went from being almost to a promo series for B3 to B5 with 37 LP, with a lot of the matches that caused me to drop seeming unwinnable. So I want there to be more to it, that way I can say I just didn't do enough and there's something I can work on.

Lime JoshApr 12, 20151 votes

honestly if i ever try stupid ass solo q again i'm only playing the most tryhard snowballing champion I can. Theres no use playing a game for 30 mins because 85% of my games I can call in teh first 5 minutes just by scores and looking @ the way people are laning. I'm to the point where i'ma try to get fed and if i fail its o well, I never have a team that wants to win anyways so its not like ima be reported or some shit ya know

IcyPepperApr 12, 20151 votes

Power farm, tell your lanes to hug tower if they want ganks, or at least not overextend.

EkkoFrofflesApr 12, 20151 votes

Thing is, that's easier said than accomplished in lower ELOs. When it's rare that your SUPPORT out-wards you as a JUNGLER or TOP LANER, you know something's wrong. That and bronze seems to be the land of unnecessary deaths since it seems like everyone averages 10 deaths per match with every champion while I'm around 5 or less, with 7 or more being what I would constitute as feeding on my part.

I had a losing top laner once build straight damage, almost never ward, and constantly overextend, even with two of us trying to tell him how to at least withstand things for a little while, and most people I play with seem to have his same attitude, particularly the top laners I tend to get when I'm not top. With that lane, 0/2 is just about always GG because I know they will just continue making the same mistakes.

So if I could actually get people to listen, that would be absolutely wonderful.

BluePolarizerApr 12, 20151 votes

You can't win with a team that feeds enemy Skarner 18-2-22. He is one of the hardest snowballing champs in the game against melees because his damage and CC are crazy.

EkkoFrofflesApr 12, 20151 votes

In other words, try Skarner?

1ove monkeyApr 12, 20151 votes

I am a jungle main. For what I know you should at least gank a lane and focus on 1 lane until that lane is completely thrown off balance (usually bot if possible, because sup usually have good initiation for teamfights too) If you can't get any lane fall in your favor, try to recruit your laner to gank with you, or power farm if you are a carry jg. Don't gank a dead lane because it won't help you in any way at all.

Remember not to be mad at your teammate or yell at them, because people become even more aggressive and try to prove you that they are good and ended up in much worse position because they are more willing to take risks. Don't play full tank champion like naut in low elo because people don't react and you put every skill on cd for nothing. For right now, I think sion and sejuanni will win you games, amumu too. Those would be my picks if i were you.

EkkoFrofflesApr 12, 20151 votes

Prior to this skid, I was having lots of success with Amumu. 6-0 my first 6 with him in ranked. But I lost my last match with him, so my confidence with him has been rattled too. Though I did okay and it was yet another match where the enemy jungler completely carried, something I know I can do with Wukong. Amumu and Sej seem like safer picks, but I swear every match lately has the enemy jungler carrying like crazy and so I think I need someone who can carry just as hard and fast... and I don't know that they will cut it.

Also, what if every lane looks lost before you even hit 6? Is that just a match you have to think you probably won't win?

1ove monkeyApr 13, 20151 votes

Sometimes, bad things happen, and best you can do it try to carry it out with a junglier that has potential to, damage champion in general, that is aoe. Big thing is, you won't always win, if you have a 60% win rate on large games, you are considered good. Try to comfort your teammate and if you have the mindset to make calls, go for it.

1ove monkeyApr 13, 20151 votes

Forgot to mention, learn to counter gank by being smart and predict things the other jg do

MercuryCannonsApr 12, 20151 votes

Maybe try having an impact before all your lanes lose.

If all your lanes are consistently losing every time you jungle, it's probably your fault. Despite what the GD jungle circle jerk would like you to think.

EkkoFrofflesApr 12, 20151 votes

It's not all the time. Like I said, it's just recently. I lay plenty of blame at my feet for those two losses as Vi, and know I for sure could've done more, especially in the first one because I did start out 3/0/1, I believe it was, before falling off. But lately, whether I'm jungling or doing something else, it just seems like the teammates I've gotten the past week or so have been particularly foolish, even in winning efforts. Like my last match as Nautilus support. We were facing Quinn with a Xerath support, and our Draven just stood completely still anytime Xerath launched any of his skill shots. He'd take every one of them right on the money, while I actually tried to, and in many cases succeeded at, dodging at least the brunt of the damage. I told him to please make an effort to dodge Xerath's abilities, but he kept on doing it, among other stupid things. If not for the epic tri-ult that is Gnar/Annie/Nautilus, I don't know that we turn the tide so heavily in our favor and win.

That all being said, my early, pre-6 ganks are still certainly a work in progress. It'll definitely take some time because of how easily they can go wrong and be a waste of time with the likes of, say, Vi or Amumu. Miss your Q? Might as well walk back to your jungle in embarrassment unless the enemies had pushed so far in that there's still probably no escape for them.

BD WiltonApr 12, 20151 votes

If every lane is losing you're probably going to lose the game. Just do what you can without adding to the feeding frenzy. Hang in there and there's always a chance you can flip the game around. Remember to upgrade your trinket at lvl 9 and smite crabs. The extra vision will help you from getting countered and reduce ganking potential from other jung.