Hey

I don't think there is any real information out there regarding how to learn, build, and play AP Shaco Jungle. I have learned how to play on my own and I thought I would make this guide, as AP Shaco is incredibly successful at winning in Soloqueue.

Be advised, AP Shaco is incredibly different or "unique" compared to anything I am aware of to play in League. You can be INCREDIBLY fed, and if you aren't aware of the nuances on box placement, enemy vision, predicting movement, how to bait, ect. you can be COMPLETELY useless to your team; but the inverse is also true (an AP Shaco thats behind can still carry games with one or two plays).

I believe strongly that, in terms of junglers, AP Shaco is by far the best champ to climb in soloqueue. You can provide:
-Comically High Damage
-Potent Ganks
-Tanking enemy Ultimates and Damage
-Tilting your enemy team
-One of the best Dragon/Baron steals in the game
-Peel for carries
-Backline diver
-Tank Shredder
So long as you KNOW what you are doing. A missed box placement or being caught out with no Q can also leave you entirely useless to your team.

Here are my "credentials". Not a high elo guy but ive climbed from iron to gold 2 seasons with ap shaco as one of my primary junglers, with a sick *** wr% and kda to boot.
not only that but in a lot of the clips linked, it should be evident that hes both fun as **** and nothing makes you laugh harder then an AP Shaco outplay
Play Video

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PROS

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-High damage
-Hypercarry if done right
-Soloqueue god
-Provides AP
-Can result in enemy AFK's due to tilt
-Strong Level 1-4, 12-18
-Provides a possible high CC
-Hilarious

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CONS

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-Incredibly different to any other league champ (including AD Shaco) and therefore very hard to learn
-If behind Pre-Liandrys, can be very punishing and bad
-Is never "ahead" and requires skill to do any damage
-Very weak Level 4-7, Not strong 7-11
-Long cooldowns are super punishing
-Ganks go from good to terrible if control warded
-Some champs (not just junglers) hard counter him

Although certainly explained in later parts of the guide, it should be explained how, what, where, when, and why AP Shaco can work.

To start off, how to use each ability

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ABILITY

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Passive - INNATE: Shaco's basic attacks deal 20 − 35 (based on level) (+ 15% bonus AD) bonus physical damage when striking an enemy from behind.

Deceive Deceive and Two-Shiv Poison Two-Shiv Poison also have additional effects when they strike an enemy from behind. Backstab is affected by Critical strike critical strike modifiers.

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USAGE

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By far the weakest ability shaco has. it has the bonus utility of allowing more damage during early ganks, overall this is an ability that even on AD Builds is his weakest

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ABILITY

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Q - ACTIVE: After a 0.125-second delay, Shaco Flash.png blinks to the target location, becoming Twilight Shroud old2.png invisible for a few seconds.

After exiting invisibility, his next basic attack within 0.25 seconds deals bonus physical damage. The damage is affected by Critical strike icon.png critical strike modifiers.

Deceive's Twilight Shroud old2.png invisibility breaks when Shaco uses a basic attack or casts Two-Shiv Poison Two-Shiv Poison, but not from casting Hallucinate Hallucinate. Casting Jack in the Box Jack in the Box causes Shaco to briefly shimmer instead, revealing his position to enemies.

Backstab BACKSTAB: Guarantees the basic attack to Critical strike icon.png critically strike for (30% + 35% 35%) bonus physical damage.

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USAGE

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An excellent ability, an your main and only mobility. Engage, Disengage, Ganks, ect. this has it all. It does have VERY long cooldown once used, especially early game. Use this early to gank and get behind the target, place w's deep in lane, and the backstab for that extra damage. Mid to late game you should be using this whenever you want to get on top of someone, like a carry, or to slip out of an enemys attempt to kill you. This can also work great as a gap closer to finish off low targets, really, it has it all.

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ABILITY

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W -ACTIVE: Shaco summons a Jack in the Box at the target location which becomes Noxious Trap.png stealthed after arming over 2 seconds, lasting for up to 40 (+ 5% AP) seconds. The box is Cosmic Radiance.png invulnerable and Playful.png untargetable to enemies while stealthed.

The box will pop out upon enemy contact, causing all nearby enemies at the time of its trigger to Flee icon.png flee from it for 2 seconds, reduced against champions, who are also Root icon.png rooted for 0.5 seconds. While fleeing, enemy Champion icon.png champions are set to a static 100 Movement speed icon.png movement speed, reduced to a static 60 for Minion icon.png minions and Monster icon.png monsters.

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USAGE

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One of, if not only real damage youll have at points in the game. Works great for counter-jungleing, preventing escapes, peeling for your backline, the utility is great with shaco boxes. Your enemy will probably buy sweeper wards, but they dont invalidate shaco boxes unlike something like teemo mushrooms. If you think to yourself "where will my enemy be in 5-60s now" then its always a good idea to put a box there.

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ABILITY

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E - PASSIVE: Shaco's basic attacks Slow icon.png slow enemies for 2 seconds while Two-Shiv Poison is off cooldown.

ACTIVE: Shaco throws a dagger at the target enemy, Slow icon.png slowing them for 3 seconds and dealing magic damage, Critical strike magic icon.png increased by 50% against targets below 30% of their maximum health.


Backstab BACKSTAB: Deals an additional 15 − 50 (based on level) (+ 10% AP) bonus magic damage, increased to 22.5 − 75 (based on level) (+ 15% AP) when the target is below 30% of their maximum health.

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USAGE

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Early game the passive on this is excellent; make sure to NOT use it until a gank is done and you cant backstab, as the slow wont work. Mid to late (especially with deathcap + darkharvest + bellow 30%hp) this ability becomes a ****ing punchline to "wanna see me make the enemy ADC dissapear?". Also it doesnt lose to flash, and i guarantee a target WILL panic flash after you e and still die.

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ABILITY

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R - ACTIVE: Shaco Hallucinate.png vanishes for 0.5 seconds and then Flash.png blinks in the target direction while creating a copy of himself that blinks in the opposite direction, remaining within control range of him as a controllable Command Hallucinate.png clone for up to 18 seconds.

RECAST: While the Hallucination is active, Hallucinate can be used to move it to the target location or attack a enemy unit on the cursor.

When the Hallucination dies or expires, it explodes, dealing magic damage to enemy units around it and leaving three mini-boxes mini-boxes behind which activate instantly, causing nearby enemies to Flee icon.png flee for 1 second.

The three boxes possess Jack in the Box's effects, except they have a doubled, but shared Health icon.png health, and deal modified magic damage with each attack, increased if attacking a single unit.

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USAGE

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Arguably your highest damage ability (depending on build): mastering the art of making your enemy target the shaco clone instead of you is key to using it. An actualy one shot on one; sometimes 5 targets when the shaco clone dies, this ability is probably the best for funny outplays.

Here Ill go into why and when each item will work

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STARTING ITEMS

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-Hailblade Damaging monsters burns them for 60 (+ 30% AP) (+ 5% bonus AD) (+ 2% bonus health) magic damage over 5 seconds. Omnivamp against monsters provided by this item is not reduced by area of effect damage.

Use this chase enemies down with chilling smite

-Refillable Potion: Consumes a charge to regenerate 5.21 health every 0.5 seconds over 12 seconds, restoring a total of 125 health.

best in most circumstances, you dont need normal health pots since your clear early is pretty healthy and quick

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FIRST BACK

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-Lost Chapter: +40 ability power
+10 ability haste
+300 mana
Passive
UNIQUE – ENLIGHTEN: Upon leveling up, restores 20% of your maximum mana over 3 seconds.

a good item for mana sustain as it builds into liandrys; remember, you are at your weakest point in the game with this.

Fiendish Codex
Stats
+35 ability power
+10 ability haste

fine if you are behind, arguably better to have as it gives ability haste.

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CORE

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-Liandry's Anguish
Stats
+80 ability power
+20 ability haste
+600 mana
Passive
UNIQUE – TORMENT: Dealing ability damage burns enemies, causing them to take「 60 (+ 6% AP) (+ 4% target's maximum health) total magic damage over 4 seconds 」and the user to ignore 5% of their magic resistance for the duration, increasing by 5% per second over the duration, up to 15%.
MYTHIC PASSIVE: Empowers each of your other Legendary items with 5 ability haste.

this item accounts for roughly 60% of your damage on w and will mark the mid point of the game. the burn passive on the shaco box, paired with the ability haste, makes it the obvious choice, and only choice for your mythic

-Demonic Embrace
Stats
+70 ability power
+350 health
Passive
UNIQUE – AZAKANA GAZE: Dealing ability damage curses enemies, causing them to take 「 4.8% of their maximum health as magic damage over 4 seconds. 」 Gain 10 bonus armor and 10 bonus magic resistance while enemies are afflicted, both increased by 2.5 for each additional champion affected.

this is the other 30% of your box damage (the other 10% is AP scaling). double burn on shaco box, paired with the semi tanky stats this item gives you (more specifically your clone) makes this a core item. always rush this after liandrys, no exception.

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PURE ASSASIN

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-Zhonya's Hourglass
Stats
+65 ability power
+10 ability haste
+45 armor
Active
UNIQUE – STASIS: Put yourself in Stasis icon.png stasis for 2.5 seconds, rendering yourself Playful.png untargetable and Cosmic Radiance.png invulnerable for the duration but also enable to move, declare basic attacks, cast abilities, use summoner spells, or activate items. (120 second cooldown)

ideal to get yourself out of sticky situations. try not to use it while your clone is alive, for obvious reasons.

-Rabadon's Deathcap
Stats
+120 ability power
Passive
UNIQUE – MAGICAL OPUS: Increase your ability power by 35%.

great for boosting that e damage. rush it if your fed for max damage.

-Morellonomicon
Stats
+80 ability power
+250 health
Passive
UNIQUE – AFFLICTION: Dealing magic damage to enemy champions inflicts them with 40% Grievous Wounds icon.png Grievous Wounds for 3 seconds, increased to 60% if the target is below 50% of their maximum health.

great as a default last item in the current meta, but arguably best if they have an enchanter like soraka or yuumi or lifesteal based champ like olaf or aatrox


-Mejai's Soulstealer
Stats
+20 ability power
+100 health
Passive
UNIQUE – GLORY: Gain 4 stacks for each champion kill, 2 for assists, up to a maximum of 25. Lose 10 stacks on death. Stacks are preserved from Dark Seal Dark Seal.
UNIQUE – DREAD: Gain 5 ability power for each stack of Glory and 10% bonus movement speed if you have at least 10 stacks.

only really get it for max e and a little more w damage when you are fed.

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SITUATIONAL

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-Banshee's Veil
Stats
+80 ability power
+10 ability haste
+45 magic resistance
Passive
UNIQUE – ANNUL: Grants a Spell Shield.png spell shield that blocks the next ability. This shield refreshes after no damage is taken from enemy champions for 40 seconds.

use it instead of zonyas if they arent a dive comp or have a fed AP/majority AP damage

To start out, realize the following
-AP Shaco relies on his boxes (either from W or R) for anywhere from 60%-95% of his damage
-His AP scaling is not what provides his damage; its the items and their passives that provide high (or any significant) damage

these two things together get to the point: you are providing a very small amount of damage until your Liandrys and or Demonic.

Pre Level 4/5
This is incredibly important for you and your team: before the first back; as your lack of damage isnt apparent yet.

To start, you wont need a leash (although a small leash is optimal). You should start your buff on bot side and place boxes around where the buff will spawn at 39 seconds in EXACTLY. If you are doing this correctly youll have 3 boxes down and another box ready for your next camp. Ask your top/mid laner to ward your top side buff as, if invaded, you can't 1v1 an invade most of the time.

You can clear how you like, i'd recommend either of the following
IF RED IS BOT SIDE
Red -> Wolves -> Gromp -> Blue -> Gank Top/Mid OR Invade Enemy Blue -> Scuttle -> Gank Mid/Bot -> Raptors -> Krugs
IF BLUE IS BOT SIDE
Blue -> Gromp -> Wolves -> Red -> Gank Top/Mid OR Invade Enemy Red -> Scuttle -> Gank Mid/Bot -> Raptors -> Krugs

Getting a kill or assist here is key. You HAVE to get the drop on your enemy to be useful here. You can invade and steal the enemy camps if you can place your boxes out of enemy vision and get them to activate. If done correctly the fear paired with your ignite should guarantee a 1v1 win.

Before you read any further, I would recommend you go into a training/normal game before you try AP Shaco; your boxes require precision timing to be used in ganks, invades, escaping, ect. as they take a couple seconds before they can be activated.

Post Level 4/5
After your first back, you should be getting a Codex or Lost chapter, boots, a Control Ward, ect. depending on gold.

This is the weakest part of your game BY FAR: Post first back Pre Liandrys. Try to rush your mythic as fast as possible.

AP Shaco is terrible at taking dragons and youll need team help and to R to make any noticeable damage

Continue to gank lanes are farm camps. Shaco ganks are some of the best in the game and you want to snowball, as if you are fed your team can benefit greatly.
Play Video Play Video Play Video Play Video

Post Liandries Pre Demonic can be defined as the mid point for AP Shaco. Damage is alright but not quite the healthbar deleter.

This point in the game can be defined by counter-jungiling, baiting with shaco clone, and your reliance on shaco box for real damage.

Really you should be creative post early game, how you use these tools from the post Liandrys guide is up to you. Play Video Play Video Play Video Play Video

the late game is defined by an increase usage of E & Q for moility and takedowns.

some examples of how to play this:
-box placements to peel for ADC's and backline
-suicde bomb shaco clones
-q e for takedowns after your w and r do damage
-being generally unkillable and doing a massive amount of damage from Liandrys + Demonic passive paired with dark harvest Play Video Play Video Play Video