Introduction
We will go over How To Win Early Game As A Jungler In League Of Legends.
Jungle is a hard role to master, especially if you are a newbie. All roles in League of Legends are challenging, but jungle is not the same as clearing minion waves and pushing towers since they are tasked to clear camps and gank. Early game is also the most crucial period as a jungler because this is the chance where you should make a considerable impact to win the match. To make it easier for your next game, here is a guide that teaches you “How To Win Early Games As A Jungler In League Of Legends.”
How To Win Early Game As A Jungler: Early Game Cheese Strategies
Late Red Buff Invade
The best way to do this strategy is to communicate with the whole team or ally bot laners to invade. However, this also works if you use a strong early game Jungler, like Lee Sin and Graves. To do this strategy, the whole team should bring a sweeper lens and wait at the river brush until 1:25. Your team then tries to steal the red buff and engage the enemy. Late Red Buff Invade usually works all the time, and it sometimes helps you gain the first blood. However, do not expect to get kills doing this cheese strategy. Just try your best to steal the enemy buff to delay the pathing of the enemy jungler.
Level Two Red Buff Gank
Level Two Red Buff Gank is one of the easiest ones to do, but it is really strong and recommended for junglers with great level two gank potential, like Xin Zhao and Jarvan IV. Still, this will work for any jungler. Just keep in mind that it might ruin your pathing, and you will be more prone to invade if the gank is unsuccessful. To perform a level two red buff gank, you should clear the camp as quickly as possible.
After reaching level two, gank the adjacent lane that is close to your blue buff. Never gank away from the next buff because it will delay your pathing. Choose the abilities that are the best for ganking. For example, Jarvan IV’s best ganking abilities during the early game are his E>Q combo, so it would be best if he acquires both of those abilities before performing a level two red buff gank.
Bush Hide Gank
From the world itself, this strategy involves hiding in the bush before ganking. Bush hide gank is pretty common, and you often see it on pro matches. Even the best of the best in League of Legends fall for this cheese strategy. You can do this strategy anytime during the game, but a successful early bush hide gank will lead to your ally laners snowballing the game.
This strategy is straightforward to perform, and it is often paired with a level two red buff gank. To do this, you have to hide in the farthest bush on the top or bottom lane. Engage on the enemy when they overextend or face check the bush you are in. Remember to bring a control ward or sweeping lens to have a higher percentage of success.
Jungler + Bot Ambush
“Jungler + Both ambush” is pretty uncommon since it is a risky cheese. However, it provides a massive reward if executed perfectly. This strategy is slightly similar to bush hide gank, and the only difference is that you have to work with your bot laners to execute this strategy. Performing jungler + bot ambush is pretty easy. All three of you (jungler, support, and AD carry) should hide at the farthest bush in the bottom lane. Hiding in the bottom river bush also works if the enemy laners leash their jungler in their red buff.
After getting a favorable spot, engage the enemy right away once they face check the bush you are currently in. Always focus on the AD carry, since killing them or forcing them to return to the base will be a huge advantage for your team’s AD carry. Like bush hide gank, it will be best if you or the support brings a control ward or sweeping lens to have a higher chance of success.
Jungler + Top Lane Invade
Like the Jungler + Bot ambush, this cheese involves asking help from your teammate as a jungler. It is also uncommon, so enemies will not see this coming most of the time. Communicate with your top laner before performing this strategy. It would be best if your top laner has heavy crowd control so that he could follow up easily while performing this cheese.
Pulling off Jungler + Top buff invade, both of you should wait until 1:25 before invading the enemy jungle. You, as the jungler, should bring a sweeping lens because failing to do so will usually cause a counter from the enemy team, and having three enemies chasing you (jungler, top, and mid) will often end in a disaster. Remember that this is a high-risk, high reward cheese strategy, so plan your approach carefully.
Ally Buff to Enemy Buff Invade
Probably the riskiest early game strategy in this list, ally buff to enemy buff invade is a high risk, high reward cheese that can decide the early game. Ideally, you need to have a strong early game jungle champion, like Graves and Lee Sin, to have a higher success percentage, like the other strategies in this list. Performing this cheese does not need complicated instructions.
You just have to go straight to the other side of the jungle after clearing your first buff. For example, go straight to the river and invade the enemy blue buff after clearing your red in the bot side. That is why champions like Graves, who can pass through walls using an ability, are great for performing this cheese strategy. Ally buff to enemy buff invade is flexible, and it is not a hard cheese to perform, but you need to have great map awareness and luck to pull this off perfectly without any repercussions.
Additional Strategies To Win The Early Game
How To Win Early Game As A Jungler: Matchup Knowledge And Plans
Like all the roles in League of Legends, planning starts at champion select. However, this type of planning is arguably more important for junglers since they will be the ones trying to have an impact all around the map. There are various jungle pathings out there that are different for each League of Legends champion. Not only that, but matchups can also affect how you will gank in each lane.
For example, a good jungler will form his pathing as early as the champion select just by knowing all the matchups and how the players would interact. Melee matchups are easier to gank because they fight head to head for the minions, making it easier to gank for a jungler. If the ally bottom lane is a matchup with hard wave clear, like Caitlyn and Seraphine, it is recommended to path for an early gank in the top lane or mid lane.
If you are using a scaling jungler going up against a strong early game jungle champion, it is better to play reactively than proactively. It is tough to win in the early parts of the game if you are against a Lee Sin as Kindred.
The best way to have an impact is by winning the vision match and by reacting to how the enemy plays. For instance, if you saw Lee Sin running up to the blue buff after placing a ward in the river bush, try to invade or plan a coutnergank with your top laner. There are many scenarios that may happen in the jungle, but try your best to create a plan and play according to the matchup that the whole team has.
How To Win Early Game As A Jungler: Know How To Speed Up Clearing
This is something that new jungle players should know. Knowing how to speed up clearing will open more advantageous scenarios than someone who does jungles slowly. Some jungle champions farm both the Gromp and Blue Buff simultaneously.
Also, kiting is not only for AD carries or mid laners since junglers can also do it to speed up their clear time. If you are killing wolves, try to kite to the lower side of the map while hitting them to lessen your time walking to the buff. Be careful not to reset the monster aggro because it will cause them to return to their camps, doing more harm than good.
How To Win Early Game As A Jungler: Check The Map and Communicate With Your Team
You need to have great map awareness as a jungler of the team. ALWAYS check how your teammates are doing in their respective lanes. This will also paint a picture for your next ganking plan. Is mid-lane having a hard time going against an assassin? Help them ASAP after clearing your red buff.
Most of the time, ally laners will ask for help through chat or, more often, pings. It is your job as a jungler to communicate with your laners for the whole game since you are tasked to make an impact around the map. Respond to your teammates and communicate with them because not doing so will often lead to a disaster or a failed gank.
Conclusion
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That was all the early game cheese strategies and tips you should remember as the jungler. Use all of the strategies mentioned previously to create an early game dominance for your team! Clearing camps and ganking is not an easy role, so you have to work twice as hard if you need to. Junglers also need to have a noticeable impact throughout the entire match, but do not let this fact distract you from doing your best during a game and plan carefully. Stay calm and destroy everyone in Summoner’s Rift!
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