In League of Legends: Wild Rift there are roughly 5 roles that players can take on. One of them is the so-called Jungler. This role is particularly important because it breaks the pattern of the lanes, and you can make a lot of mistakes accordingly. We at MeinMMO reveal everything important you need to know about the Jungler.
What makes the Jungler so special? As a Jungler, you do not traditionally run on one of the three lanes and fight for minions, gold, and towers there. Instead, you move in the areas between the lanes.
There are special neutral creatures at fixed spots, referred to as “Camps”. These creatures yield gold and XP like the minions on the lane, with two of them also providing buffs – the Red Buff and the Blue Buff.
The Jungle also includes the river and the three special creatures Rift Herald, Dragon, and Baron.
The Jungler is the only player who carries the special Summoner Spell “Smite”. This deals significant damage to neutral creatures and is therefore very important.
What tasks does a Jungler fulfill? As a Jungler, you primarily have 4 tasks:
- You should occasionally gank the lanes to apply pressure and possibly save losing lanes or reinforce winning lanes. This requires that you can also assess the matchups on the lanes.
- You should not fall too far behind in experience points and should therefore regularly clear the camps in the Jungle.
- You guide the game a bit because you decide where to gank and when to secure a Dragon or Baron.
- You need to smite at the right moment for Baron, Dragon, and Rift Herald so that the opponents do not steal them.
All these tasks are challenging on their own, but generally, good Junglers should master them concurrently. This makes the role perhaps the most difficult in LoL Wild Rift.
To help you navigate it better, we from MeinMMO will reveal everything important on the topic.
The Summoner Spell Smite
The Summoner Spell Smite is extremely important for Junglers. It deals 440 to 1,000 true damage to monsters and heals you for 70 + 10% of your maximum health.
After you have killed 4 monsters with Smite, you receive an upgrade:
- The red Smite allows you to apply it to enemy players. This temporarily reduces the damage your opponent deals to you and increases the damage you deal to him. This is perfect for aggressive Junglers.
- The blue Smite can also be applied to enemy players and reduces their movement speed. This is good in team fights and when playing a tank who initiates the fight.
All about Camps and Creatures on the Map
These creatures exist: On each half of the map, there are identical creatures. They are separated by the river. In the river itself, there are also creatures.
- In the lower part of the Jungle, the “Krugs” are located far to the south. These creatures split into smaller monsters upon kill that you also need to defeat. Defeating them grants you 200 gold.
- In the middle of the Jungle is the Red Buff. This creature is a bit stronger, granting you a temporary buff that slows opponents during attacks and deals true damage (ignores resistances).
- Near the Midlane is the third camp – the Raptors. There are a strong and several weak Raptors. Defeating them yields 160 gold.
- In the upper part of the Jungle, there are the Wolves first. These are located near the Midlane. Defeating them gives you 140 gold.
- In the middle is the Blue Buff. This is also stronger and grants you a temporary enhancement through which you regenerate mana faster.
- West of the Blue Buff is Grump, a large frog. This one is medium-strength. Defeating it grants you 140 gold.
The normal creatures have a respawn time of 90 seconds, while the buffs respawn every 150 seconds.
In the middle of the river, there is also the Scuttle Crab. This creature is particularly important as it provides you vision over the respective objective (Dragon, Baron), 120 gold, and also restores health and mana. The special thing about the crab is that it does not attack you but moves only through the river. The first crab appears at minute 1:27 in Wild Rift.
The major objectives: Besides the ordinary Jungle creatures, there are also the Dragon, Rift Herald, and Baron. Here you need to be careful as the positions of Dragon and Baron switch on mirrored maps.
The Dragon appears for the first time at minute 4 and with a specific element. Each element has a different effect upon kill:
- The Cloud Dragon grants reduced cooldown on ultimate abilities in the team.
- The Mountain Dragon grants more resistances.
- The Infernal Dragon grants more attack and ability damage.
- The Ocean Dragon grants health and mana regeneration.
If you kill 3 Dragons, the Elder Dragon appears. This also has an element and provides an even stronger buff.
A Dragon respawns every 4 minutes.
The Rift Herald appears at minute 6 in the Baron position. Whoever defeats it gets a special ability to summon the Herald. This then runs down the respective lane and attacks the tower there. That is also its only purpose and it appears only once per game.
At minute 10, the Baron replaces the Herald. The Baron is the strongest Jungle creature and gives the team a temporary buff after its death, allowing you to teleport back to base faster and also boosts minions near you. It is great for demolishing the enemy base.
After death, the Baron returns after 3 minutes.
Paths in the Jungle
How to jungle most effectively? This is a question many Junglers ask at the start. One thing is certain, you should start with one of the two buffs. For many champions, the Red Buff is a good choice. This makes you stronger for your early rounds in the Jungle.
However, there are champions who are more reliant on mana, such as Evelynn or Master Yi. These should start at the Blue Buff.
Route with Red Buff:
- You start at the Red Buff and use Smite there.
- Then go to the Raptors.
- Next, go down to the Krugs.
- After the Krugs, clear the lower crab and use Smite there again.
- From there, you have several options: gank on the Mid or Bot lane, visit the enemy Jungle, or continue with the Wolves and the upper part of the camp.
Route with Blue Buff:
- You start at the Blue Buff and use Smite there.
- Then you go to Grump.
- Next, go down to the Wolves.
- After the Wolves, head to the upper crab and use Smite there again.
- From there, you have several options: gank on the Mid or Top lane, visit the enemy Jungle, or continue in the lower Jungle.
What happens next? You should constantly kill neutral creatures or help your lanes. Long travel times can be a huge disadvantage. Therefore, try to move effectively through the Jungle and collect as much gold and XP as possible. You will need it later in fights.
Also, pay attention to the timers of the crab, as well as to Dragon, Rift Herald, and Baron. Also, do not forget to shop in between to get stronger items. This also makes you faster in the Jungle.
The right ganking
The royal discipline of jungling is ganking. This involves creating a temporary numerical advantage on a lane and pressuring the opposing champion, aiming to either kill him or at least force out their Summoner Spells, making it easier for your teammate.
When exactly you should gank is hard to say. It depends on many factors:
- Your safety with your champion.
- The choice of your champion.
- The champions on the respective lane.
- The current position and health points of teammates and opponents on the lane.
However, the basic rule is: Do not gank if the opponent is already under his own tower or if you feel you could die doing so. You must always keep in mind that the enemy Jungler might be nearby. And your death sets you back miles in terms of XP and gold.
Which champions are good in the Jungle?
The strongest champions in the Jungle right now are:
- Gragas
- Lee Sin
- Evelynn
All three belong to the S-Tier. Other Junglers include: Amumu, Graves, Jarvan IV, Jax, Master Yi, Olaf, Shyvana, Tryndamere, Vi, and Xin Zhao.
In our Tier List for Wild Rift, you will find detailed information on how strong each character is. However, beginners should turn to Master Yi or Graves. These are the best Junglers for beginners.
How do you like the role of the Jungler in Wild Rift? Have you already tried it out? Or do you have any further questions after this guide? Then feel free to write them in the comments.
Just on January 5, a new patch was released in Wild Rift. This brought new champions and some new features:
LoL Wild Rift brings 5 new champions with Update 2.0 – Patch Notes
