LoL New Jungle Strategies

LoL New Jungle Strategies by GohinPostale

After playing some on PBE and a bit in ranked today, this is a quick guide to what I feel are some of the strongest ways to play the new jungle. Of course, some of these things may change as the meta adjusts to the new jungle. Here I will be talking about the buffs each camp gives, their value, and possible jungle starts.

If people find this informative I will do another quick guide about Champions and Jungle items. I just need more time to test everyone out. Enjoy

Camp Buffs

Razerbeak’s Smite Buff is OP

• Gives blue side early advantage over bot lane and dragon. Smite the big minion then go looking for wards to clear around dragon mid or bottom. If none are spotted you are in the clear to gank. Be aware of enemy jungler or laners coming to protect wards. Op because of the vision control it gives you around that side of the map.
• Alternatively, Razerbeak gives Red side a late game advantage with Baron control.
• Good camp to counter jungle with Smite. Denies the enemy jungler a chance to clear wards and gives you knowledge of their wards.
• Gives level 2 from level 1.

Grump’s Smite Buff is Good for Farming

• Grump gives you a mini-magic damage thornmail. It allows you to farm the jungle with a little bit more speed. Good start lvl 1 as it gives lvl 2. See Jungle Starts below.

Wolves are kinda dumb

• Not much to say about the wolves. Smiting them gives you a little vision wolf that can spot jungle invades. Guess it would be good to smite if you’re just farming or scared of invades.
• Good to smite if your bot or top towers go down early.

Golems are also dumb

• Smiting Golems give you a Skarner-esc passive where you stun and do a bit extra damage to minions and jungle monsters.
• Not worth saving smite for these unless you’re just trying to clear as fast as possible.

Jungle Starts Most paths require you to back after second buff depending on if you’re Warwick or not.

Grump: Most Efficient. (Best for Red side)

Grump, use Smite right away > Get Grump buff then solo blue > Red Buff use Smite.

Pros:

• Fastest way to level 3 while securing both buffs.
• Very efficient, essentially no Smite down time. -Red side gets the advantage of a strong leash.
• Red side can gank top without fear of a counter gank if Blue jungler also started Grump.

Cons:

• Vulnerable to invades if enemy Jungler also started Grump > Blue> Your Red. Ask a laner to ward the entrance to your jungler around 1:55.
• Potential to get Blue stolen by Smite or other abilities.
• Blue side can gank bottom without fear of a counter gank if Red jungler also started Grump.

EDITED Thanks to NaughtyGaymers suggestion(Best for Blue side)

Doubles use Smite > Red > Small camp either Razerbeaks or wolves > Blue Buff use smite.

Pros:

• Fast and safe way to secure both Buffs.
• Red side has the opportunity to counter jungle and gank a Blue side Grump start.

Cons:

• No early buffs from other jungle camps.

Red: Smiteless (Best for Blue side) NOT TESTED

Red, save smite > Blue use smite > Wherever you’re little heart desires.

Pros:

• Secures both buffs right away

Cons:

• Not level 3?
• May take a lot of damage

Invades

As always invades are risky, but I’m not sure yet just how much the risk they are worth it. Because of the strength of the new jungle camps, it opens up some opportunity for counter jungling like we saw in seasons past. Some of the main counter jungling routes are still plausible, and maybe even stronger now. Such as:

• Red > Enemy Red.
• Gump > Blue > Enemy Red

Keep in mind both of these routes depend on what jungler you’re playing and what side the enemy jungle starts.