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Why Junglers Ruin Games and How to Fix It:
Key Points of Season 16 Jungle Strategy GuideThe 'camp-first' strategy, often suggested by many jungle guides, can actually be detrimental in lower tiers. This guide introduces core strategies that junglers must know to dominate games and climb the ranks. From improving camp clear speed to understanding enemy jungle pathing and predicting ganks using wave states, enhance your win rate with practical in-game tips.
1. 🎮 The Jungler's Most Important Skill: Camp Clear Speed
· Generic jungle guides (camp-first, avoid low-probability ganks, play around winning lanes) are effective in high tiers but can be counterproductive in low tiers.
· In low tiers, junglers often just farm camps while enemy junglers frequently gank, causing lanes to fall behind and teammates to lose morale.
· The single most important metric for a junglers to climb is 'jungle camp clear speed'.
· High-tier players understand the impact a few seconds can have on the game and invest significant time in perfecting their clear speed.
· Example: In a Gold game, Lee Sin clears camps much faster than Viego, finishing his jungle path in 2 minutes and 52 seconds. He arrives top before Viego even finishes his blue buff, turning a 1v1 fight and securing the Scuttle Crab.
· A difference of just a few seconds in clear speed can completely change the early game flow.
· Saving 10 seconds on each clear means you'll have several minutes of extra time compared to other players by the end of the game.
· Highly efficient junglers don't choose between camp farming and ganking; they do both by clearing everything faster.
· In low tiers, junglers often just farm camps while enemy junglers frequently gank, causing lanes to fall behind and teammates to lose morale.
· The single most important metric for a junglers to climb is 'jungle camp clear speed'.
· High-tier players understand the impact a few seconds can have on the game and invest significant time in perfecting their clear speed.
· Example: In a Gold game, Lee Sin clears camps much faster than Viego, finishing his jungle path in 2 minutes and 52 seconds. He arrives top before Viego even finishes his blue buff, turning a 1v1 fight and securing the Scuttle Crab.
· A difference of just a few seconds in clear speed can completely change the early game flow.
· Saving 10 seconds on each clear means you'll have several minutes of extra time compared to other players by the end of the game.
· Highly efficient junglers don't choose between camp farming and ganking; they do both by clearing everything faster.
00:00 - 03:05
1. 🎮 The Jungler's Most Important Skill: Camp Clear Speed
· Generic jungle guides (camp-first, avoid low-probability ganks, play around winning lanes) are effective in high tiers but can be counterproductive in low tiers.
· In low tiers, junglers often just farm camps while enemy junglers frequently gank, causing lanes to fall behind and teammates to lose morale.
· The single most important metric for a junglers to climb is 'jungle camp clear speed'.
· High-tier players understand the impact a few seconds can have on the game and invest significant time in perfecting their clear speed.
· Example: In a Gold game, Lee Sin clears camps much faster than Viego, finishing his jungle path in 2 minutes and 52 seconds. He arrives top before Viego even finishes his blue buff, turning a 1v1 fight and securing the Scuttle Crab.
· A difference of just a few seconds in clear speed can completely change the early game flow.
· Saving 10 seconds on each clear means you'll have several minutes of extra time compared to other players by the end of the game.
· Highly efficient junglers don't choose between camp farming and ganking; they do both by clearing everything faster.
· In low tiers, junglers often just farm camps while enemy junglers frequently gank, causing lanes to fall behind and teammates to lose morale.
· The single most important metric for a junglers to climb is 'jungle camp clear speed'.
· High-tier players understand the impact a few seconds can have on the game and invest significant time in perfecting their clear speed.
· Example: In a Gold game, Lee Sin clears camps much faster than Viego, finishing his jungle path in 2 minutes and 52 seconds. He arrives top before Viego even finishes his blue buff, turning a 1v1 fight and securing the Scuttle Crab.
· A difference of just a few seconds in clear speed can completely change the early game flow.
· Saving 10 seconds on each clear means you'll have several minutes of extra time compared to other players by the end of the game.
· Highly efficient junglers don't choose between camp farming and ganking; they do both by clearing everything faster.
04:21 - 07:37
2. 🚨 Common Low-Tier Jungler Mistake: Over-Prioritizing Objectives
· A common mistake in low-tier games around the 6-minute mark is excessively prioritizing a single objective (Dragon), missing out on camp farming and counter-jungling opportunities.
· Example: While Zac takes Dragon, Graves was top. Graves steals Zac's blue, raptors, and wolves, then clears his own jungle, gaining a massive gold and experience lead.
· A single Dragon has low value on its own; it only becomes valuable when securing the Dragon Soul or forcing a fight for the 3rd Dragon.
· It's crucial to track the enemy jungler's pathing and identify their starting position. This allows you to predict enemy camp respawn times.
· Rule: You should ideally be at a camp every time it respawns. This ensures efficient farming and keeps your own jungle safe.
· Stealing an enemy camp provides you with an extra camp and denies one to the enemy, effectively giving you double the value.
· Example: While Zac takes Dragon, Graves was top. Graves steals Zac's blue, raptors, and wolves, then clears his own jungle, gaining a massive gold and experience lead.
· A single Dragon has low value on its own; it only becomes valuable when securing the Dragon Soul or forcing a fight for the 3rd Dragon.
· It's crucial to track the enemy jungler's pathing and identify their starting position. This allows you to predict enemy camp respawn times.
· Rule: You should ideally be at a camp every time it respawns. This ensures efficient farming and keeps your own jungle safe.
· Stealing an enemy camp provides you with an extra camp and denies one to the enemy, effectively giving you double the value.
07:38 - 09:41
3. 🦅 Raptors Counter Strategy: How to Neutralize the Enemy Jungler
· A new jungle path can effectively counter the 'Raptors start' strategy that junglers have used for a long time.
· Farm-focused junglers often start at Raptors to clear small camps faster.
· High-tier players know that after a Raptors start and full clear, they should immediately return to Raptors after taking Scuttle Crab. Otherwise, an enemy jungler on the opposite path can take their Raptors for free.
· How to exploit this strategy:
· At level 1, ward the enemy Raptors to check if they start there. (This usually applies to farm-focused champions like Amumu, Shyvana, Nocturne, or champions with good level 1 AoE like Lillia, Kayn.)
· Start on the same side buff as the enemy.
· After finishing Raptors (or an equivalent camp), immediately recall to buy items.
· Head to the Scuttle Crab on the opposite side of the map from the enemy.
· While the enemy jungler is busy on the top side, you can take the bottom Scuttle Crab, steal the enemy's Raptors, and even their Krugs.
· This trick is effective even if the enemy goes straight to Raptors after Scuttle. You'll be the same level but have an item and positional advantage, allowing you to always win a 1v1.
· This strategy is almost impossible to counter unless your mid laner is too far behind, creating a 2v1 situation.
· Farm-focused junglers often start at Raptors to clear small camps faster.
· High-tier players know that after a Raptors start and full clear, they should immediately return to Raptors after taking Scuttle Crab. Otherwise, an enemy jungler on the opposite path can take their Raptors for free.
· How to exploit this strategy:
· At level 1, ward the enemy Raptors to check if they start there. (This usually applies to farm-focused champions like Amumu, Shyvana, Nocturne, or champions with good level 1 AoE like Lillia, Kayn.)
· Start on the same side buff as the enemy.
· After finishing Raptors (or an equivalent camp), immediately recall to buy items.
· Head to the Scuttle Crab on the opposite side of the map from the enemy.
· While the enemy jungler is busy on the top side, you can take the bottom Scuttle Crab, steal the enemy's Raptors, and even their Krugs.
· This trick is effective even if the enemy goes straight to Raptors after Scuttle. You'll be the same level but have an item and positional advantage, allowing you to always win a 1v1.
· This strategy is almost impossible to counter unless your mid laner is too far behind, creating a 2v1 situation.
09:42 - 13:11
4. 📈 Maximizing Your Lead: Snowballing by Invading the Enemy Jungle
· A good jungler knows how to break the rules and leverage their lead.
· The basic principles of lane phase (level advantage, item advantage, utilizing skill cooldowns) apply equally to junglers.
· Example: An Emerald Graves, at 15 minutes, was 8/1/7 with two completed items and a 10k gold lead, but only entered the enemy jungle for the first time at 18 minutes. He failed to properly utilize his lead.
· Example: A Master Sylas steals Nunu's Raptors and blue early, then gets a big advantage from a mid gank. Afterward, he constantly invades Nunu's jungle, stealing camps and barely farming his own. He ends up 3 levels higher and 3k gold ahead of Nunu.
· Even small leads matter. Viego hits level 6 first, recalls to buy items, then immediately goes to Wukong's Raptors for a kill and a camp. Even though he was behind in kills and gold, he leveraged his level and item advantage.
· Talon sees Zed use his ultimate in mid and immediately invades the enemy blue, initiating a fight and securing a kill. This is possible even in close games.
· Stealing enemy camps or forcing fights when you have an advantage is key to closing out games.
· Simple start: After winning a team fight or a skirmish and knowing the enemy's position, make it a default to invade the enemy jungle instead of returning to your own.
· Example: After killing Zed in a 2v2, Talon knows Zed's red buff camp is alive and heads straight there instead of going to his own blue.
· Example: Nocturne enters Zed's jungle after a chaotic mid fight and takes all available camps.
· Stealing an enemy camp provides you with an extra camp and denies one to the enemy, effectively giving you double the value.
· The basic principles of lane phase (level advantage, item advantage, utilizing skill cooldowns) apply equally to junglers.
· Example: An Emerald Graves, at 15 minutes, was 8/1/7 with two completed items and a 10k gold lead, but only entered the enemy jungle for the first time at 18 minutes. He failed to properly utilize his lead.
· Example: A Master Sylas steals Nunu's Raptors and blue early, then gets a big advantage from a mid gank. Afterward, he constantly invades Nunu's jungle, stealing camps and barely farming his own. He ends up 3 levels higher and 3k gold ahead of Nunu.
· Even small leads matter. Viego hits level 6 first, recalls to buy items, then immediately goes to Wukong's Raptors for a kill and a camp. Even though he was behind in kills and gold, he leveraged his level and item advantage.
· Talon sees Zed use his ultimate in mid and immediately invades the enemy blue, initiating a fight and securing a kill. This is possible even in close games.
· Stealing enemy camps or forcing fights when you have an advantage is key to closing out games.
· Simple start: After winning a team fight or a skirmish and knowing the enemy's position, make it a default to invade the enemy jungle instead of returning to your own.
· Example: After killing Zed in a 2v2, Talon knows Zed's red buff camp is alive and heads straight there instead of going to his own blue.
· Example: Nocturne enters Zed's jungle after a chaotic mid fight and takes all available camps.
· Stealing an enemy camp provides you with an extra camp and denies one to the enemy, effectively giving you double the value.
13:12 - 15:27
5. 👁️ Predicting Ganks and Seizing Opportunities Using Wave States
· The biggest leads are created through ganks.
· Thanks to the Season 16 recall (Homeguard) changes, you can now immediately recall and quickly move to the opposite lane to find gank opportunities before your first camps respawn.
· To gank consistently, you need to understand 'wave states'.
· Example: Graves kills Viktor in mid, then briefly checks top and sees a large wave pushing towards Shen.
· He predicts a 'rebound' gank. Quinn will have to farm under her tower, and during that time, the next wave will arrive and crash into the tower. Afterward, the wave will slowly push back towards Shen, which takes about two waves (1 minute).
· Graves uses this time to clear his Raptors and Krugs, then moves top. As predicted, he catches Quinn in the middle of the lane and easily secures a kill. Quinn likely doesn't have a ward down because she hasn't pushed the lane yet.
· Understanding the concept of wave rebound allows you to anticipate and plan gank opportunities in advance.
· Thanks to the Season 16 recall (Homeguard) changes, you can now immediately recall and quickly move to the opposite lane to find gank opportunities before your first camps respawn.
· To gank consistently, you need to understand 'wave states'.
· Example: Graves kills Viktor in mid, then briefly checks top and sees a large wave pushing towards Shen.
· He predicts a 'rebound' gank. Quinn will have to farm under her tower, and during that time, the next wave will arrive and crash into the tower. Afterward, the wave will slowly push back towards Shen, which takes about two waves (1 minute).
· Graves uses this time to clear his Raptors and Krugs, then moves top. As predicted, he catches Quinn in the middle of the lane and easily secures a kill. Quinn likely doesn't have a ward down because she hasn't pushed the lane yet.
· Understanding the concept of wave rebound allows you to anticipate and plan gank opportunities in advance.