How to Play Jungle in League of Legends

League of Legends junglers have a unique role in Summoner’s Rift. Most of the time, they are hidden in the bushes between the lanes of the map, preying on neutral monsters, obtaining buffs, and waiting for the ideal chance to gank the enemy players. Many people also consider jungle the most important position since it usually determines the outcome of the game. Therefore, newcomers to the role should become familiar with all the intricacies that will help them improve their skills.

In this article, we’ll give you a detailed guide on how to jungle in League of Legends.

How to Play Jungle in League of Legends?

The first thing you need to do as a jungler is to determine your role. Figure out which of the following three roles suits you best:

• Ganker – Ambushing enemy champions constantly to slow their progress. Nautilus, Jarvan IV, and similar champions are a good pick here.
  
• Farmer – Reaching high levels by clearing monster camps fast (Master Yi, Udyr, etc.).
  
• Controller – Killing the opposing jungler, denying them resources, and controlling the jungle for your teammates (Trundle, Amumu, etc.).
  

Next, you need to select appropriate runes in the pre-game lobby. Most junglers go for Predator, Fleet Footwork, Guardian, or Nullifying Orb. Now, let’s take a look at how you should behave during your matches.

Most junglers rely on ganking enemy champions to give their teammate and themselves an advantage. Try to pick low-health opponents or champions that have gotten too close to your team’s turrets. Approach from behind or from the side, and the enemy won’t know what hit them!

You also need to farm a lot of monsters to reach high levels between ganks, but don’t just focus on your part of the jungle. Try to steal the opponent’s camps as well to deny them experience points.

Don’t forget to use wards. They increase your visibility in the jungle and can alert you of enemy ambushes on time.

Finally, team communication can also help you jungle better. For instance, you can let your mid-laner know that you’ll gank their lane in a few minutes. This will allow them to set up the gank and improve your chances of success.

How to Play Kayn in Jungle in League of Legends?

Many players choose Kayn as their jungler due to the champion’s versatility. He belongs to the darkin class, and you can play him in two forms – the Shadow Assassin and Rhaast.

Selecting the form is crucial because each favors a particular team composition. If you’re facing three or more ranged champions, pick the Shadow Assassin. Conversely, if you’re up against three or more melee champions, choose Rhaast.

The most challenging part about Kayn is his early game. He struggles to make a significant contribution before reaching his form. Luckily, you can overcome early-game difficulties by making smart plays:

• Clear jungle camps quickly.
  
• Play safe, and don’t start unnecessary fights.
  
• Obtain transformation orbs whenever possible by damaging enemy champions.
• Invade the enemy’s jungle if you’ve warded it previously.
  
• Gank low-HP and overextending enemies.
  

Once Kayn attains one of his forms, he can start making a more significant impact on the game. If you’re playing as Rhaast, try to play as a group and force team fights. Also, play to your strengths by pushing for objectives, such as turrets, dragons, and Baron Nashor.

On the other hand, the Shadow Assassin works better for taking out enemies one by one. Use the Shadow Step ability to gain movement speed and kill your opponents within seconds. Additionally, try to invade as much as you can, especially if you’re playing against a favorable matchup.

How to Play Jungle in League of Legends Season 9?

Playing jungle in season nine required you to make a lot of critical decisions:

• Adjust your early game – Champions with a weak early-game focus on farming (Kayn, Master Yi, etc.), whereas Xin Zhao and other champions with strong ganking potential try to gank at level two or three.
  
• Decide which lane to prioritize – For instance, if your bot lane is self-sufficient (Caitlyn + Morgana), you should help other allies whose opponent is stronger in the early game.
  
• Splitting the map – Instead of clearing both buffs on your side of the map, you can obtain one and move on to the enemy jungle. This will let you gank the side of the map you chose more easily.
• Post-ganking action – What you do after a gank also matters. Some of the possible scenarios include taking the turret, freezing the lane, and killing a dragon or rift herald.
  
• Maintain vision control of Baron Nashor, and don’t go to your bot lane alone when Baron is alive since killing it will give your team a huge boost.
  

How to Play Jungle in League of Legends Season 10?

Jungling well in season 10 works according to the same principles – clear your jungle camps efficiently and gank often. Here are some more tips for effective jungle gameplay:

• Reach level two or three quickly and gank before the enemy jungler.
• Leave your blue and red buffs to your mid laner/ADC whenever possible.
  
• Set up vision around dragons and the rift herald to solidify your control.
  
• In late-game, stay grouped to complete objectives, fight as a team, or take turrets.
  

How to Play Jungle in League of Legends Season 11?

If you want to be a good jungler in season 11, your best bet is to focus on ganking. First, decide which lanes you’ll prioritize as you’re waiting for your game to start. See if there are any matchups that already work in your team’s favor and capitalize on this opportunity. For example, if your top laner has the Ignite spell and the opponent doesn’t, you may want to gank them first since Ignite gives you extra damage.

To perform a successful early gank, reach level two as soon as possible and head to the lane you chose to gank. Some of the champions that excel in level-two ganks are Jarvan IV, Twitch, and Xin Zhao.

Ganking your mid-laner at level two is also a wise choice. If you and your teammate manage to kill the enemy, you’ll be able to go straight to the top or bottom quadrant, clear camps, and gain experience quickly. But make sure not to force ganks, since dying prematurely leaves plenty of room for the enemy jungler to steal your camps and delay your progress.

Moreover, successful ganks don’t necessarily end with a kill. Getting the opponent’s summoner spells or taking a large chunk of their health bar is enough to ensure your teammate a lead.

Lastly, always try to provide counter ganks. They can be extremely effective, as they allow you to turn the tables on your enemies and catch them off-guard. Also, don’t hesitate to leave your jungle camps. You can always come back to them after finishing your counter gank.

How to Play Warwick Jungle in League of Legends?

Warwick is a popular pick in the jungle for many reasons. He can clear camps quickly and outduels nearly any other champion. He’s not that hard to play either, but there are many ways you can polish your gameplay.

Experienced Warwick players take full advantage of the movement speed boost gained from his Blood Hunt ability. It marks all low-health enemy champions and leaves a red trail for Warwick. By following the trail, Warwick gains a lot of movement speed, making it easier to catch them before they recall.

While approaching an enemy, try not to run straight at them. Instead, go around them to give Warwick more opportunities to auto-attack the enemy. If you’re ganking champions with dash abilities (e.g., Renekton, Pantheon, and Maokai), you’ll need to sneak up on them so that they don’t escape you unscathed. Think of a smart ganking path and try to coordinate the attack with your teammate.

Another thing to have in mind is that Warwick is at his strongest in the early game. Try to gank your teammates as soon as you reach level three and have all your non-ultimate abilities. This will allow you to accomplish your target item, the Tiamat, sooner and be on the right track to defeat the enemy.

The Best Strategy to Play Jungle in League of Legends?

Since jungle might be the most flexible role in League of Legends, you can follow a bunch of different strategies to win your games. Most of them, however, boil down to learning your route and ganking frequently.

If you’re a beginner, you want to learn one jungle route and know it by heart. You can’t be wasting precious time during the game since it can cost you dearly. Also, if you know multiple jungle paths, decide on the right one before the 1:30 mark in the game since this is when the all-important blue and red buffs spawn.

Furthermore, you want to contribute to the game as much as possible by ganking your teammates. You’ll make yourself and your allies stronger, even if you only force the enemy to use their summoner spell. Remember, target low-health opponents and anyone near your turrets.

Additional FAQs

Keep reading for some more League of Legends tips.

How to Be Great at League of Legends?

The best approach you can take when improving your skills is to narrow down your champion pool. For each role you play, choose from two to five champions you’re most comfortable with and keep playing them until you can no longer progress. As a result, you’ll be fully aware of your champions’ pros and cons, and getting to higher ELO will be much easier if you’re not experimenting constantly.

How Do You Jungle Properly?

Jungling properly in League of Legends requires you to manage multiple aspects of your gameplay. Not only do you have to gank lanes and farm jungle camps, but you also need to display outstanding map awareness.

Always pay attention to your map and see where your teammates need you the most. For example, if there are no gank opportunities, taking out a dragon or rift herald will give your team a much-needed boost.

Don’t forget to communicate with your team, too. Notify them of your planned ganks and ask them for help with various objectives.

Is Jungling Hard in League of Legends?

Jungling is generally harder than other roles in League of Legends. On top of all the itemization options you need to learn, you also have to think of different routes and look for ideal opportunities to gank your teammates.

Another important detail is analyzing the opposing jungler and knowing how to exploit their weaknesses. Finally, some champions, such as Kayn and Shaco, have distinct jungle paths, which is also worth remembering.

How Do You Farm as a Jungler?

As a jungler, you get to farm all sorts of neutral monsters. In addition to the Blue Sentinel and Red Bramblack, players also need to kill Krugs, the Scuttle Crab, and Wolves to gain experience.

However, junglers aren’t forbidden from farming minions. There are several instances where killing them is beneficial for you and your teammates. For example, your laner may have died, and the minions are now getting close to your turret. Clear the minions so that at least one member of your team claims the gold and experience.

Tread Lightly in League of Legends Jungle

Since junglers play a key role in the game, players who take on this responsibility can’t be reckless. Plan your path carefully, analyze the opposing matchup, and pay close attention to your map. Additionally, gank all three lanes whenever possible to give your team a commanding lead. All this will help you become a better jungler and lead your allies to victory.

How often do you play jungle in League of Legends? What are your favorite jungling champions? Let us know in the comments section below.