Janna Build Guide by Scrax

Introduction

Hello one and all, and welcome! This is a re-made old Janna guide of mine, so if you feel you've seen it before that is very correct. I truly hope this guide gives you all the information you need, and gives you all the experience you need to kick some serious ***!- Erh, well, help your teammates kick some serious ***! I'll try to be as in-depth as possible when it comes to laning and tips & tricks.

I hope you enjoy reading, not only because it's awesome reading, but that it's essential for you to fully understand what this guide is about. REMEMBER THAT A GUIDE IS NOT A TEMPLATE, BUT MORE TIPS AND HINTS. IT'S HERE TO HELP YOU, NOT TO TELL YOU >THIS< IS THE ONLY WAY TO PLAY.

When rating, good or bad, please drop a comment. I'd love the feedback, and it'll only make the guide better.

Enjoy!

Masteries

I chose 0/9/21 for the sole purpose of extreme pushing and supporting power. The 9 points in Defense will add some extra regeneration and defense, while the points in Utility will chuck in a whole load of supportive feats.

I skipped Expanded Mind mainly because it doesn't give that much extra mana.
But as Chaotic Bliss pointed out; "Tell them why!".

So let's make a quick calculation on how much mana Expanded Mind adds:

5000 / 100 * 5 = 250 (This is with 5000 max mana).
302 / 100 * 5 = 15,1 (This is with 302 mana (starting mana)).

So with 5000 max mana, you'd get 250 extra mana. That's not much, is it? However, with that extra exp gain you'd level faster, thus enabling you to level your Eye Of The Storm and Howling Gale faster, where the end result would be better support abilities before end-game. Remember that you get the extra exp unconditioned by level or items, Expanded Mind doesn't work that way.

But hey, this is with items. Expanded Mind only goes for your BASE mana (calculated without items), so go figure how little it actually is.

Let's find out how much extra exp you get per kill:

64 / 100 * 5 = 3,2 (Melee minion).
32 / 100 * 5 = 1,6 (Ranged minion).
100 / 100 * 5 = 5 (Tower).

"Holy ****! THATS NOTHING! I'm grabbing 'Expanded Mind'!"

Hang on now. That's 3,2 extra exp per melee minion, 1,6 from ranged, and 5 from a tower kill. There are more than just one minion in each wave, aren't there?

Hope this clarifies things!

Runes

Greater Mark of Magic Penetration - The magic penetration is necessary to do some damage when laning. Any magic penetration beyond this point is useless.

Greater Seal of Replenishment - You'll need the mana regeneration to be able to lane efficiently.

Greater Glyph of Cooldown Reduction - Some early game CDR to keep you spamming that shield, however when you get your items you go beyond the cap, making the glyphs rather redundant. Can be changed with magic resistance or magic resistance per/lvl glyphs instead.

Greater Quintessence of Health - Some extra health to help your laning when you get harassed. Your health regeneration given by Philosopher's Stone will get you up again, but the quints keep you alive long enough for you to take advantage of it.

Summoner Spells

Flash

This is without a question a must summoner spell for Janna. Combined with your CC you're impossible to chase down, or impossible to get away from.

Ever need to reposition fast? Thank god you have Flash!

Clairvoyance

As Janna is a support, it is her responsibility to keep track of the enemy jungler, MIA's, and whatever might be needed from you. Map awareness is mostly the supports job, hence why you will be buying wards throughout the game in addition.

Remember to pop it down in the enemy pool at the beginning of a game! Wait ~3 seconds before using it (don't want to see them buying, do ya'?).

Learning jungle characters usual jungle routes will help you on the road to properly using Clairvoyance, as well as spawn times/approximate spawn time after killed. It will make your job easier.

Cleanse

Use it against those nasty AoE/CC teams since Cleanse followed by Monsoon hard-counters AoE teams.
Quicksilver Sash is also a solution if you don't want to drop Flash for Cleanse.

NEVER change out Clairvoyance with any other summoner spell! This is a summoner spell every single team needs to excel in games, and it is YOUR job to have and use it.

Abilities

Tailwind

Her passive. Nothing grand, nothing special, and sure as hell; there are better ones out there. But hey, who don't want that little extra kick?

Howling Gale

This is your main harassing, pushing and CCing ability. It does good damage, tosses 'em up in the air, and shreds minions like nothing else. Clever use of this (I'll get into that in the 'Hints, Tips & Tricks' section) will land you more than just a handful of kills, save your teammates a couple of hundred times, and be an active contributor in crushing towers.

Zephyr

Slow your enemies, slow your chasers, harass some. In a lack of words lets just call this ability "awesome". It'll save you and your teammates so many times. It will land you and your team that kill so many times.

Eye Of The Storm

Your main support and "saved your ***" spell; a powerful shield that works on you, your teammates and your towers. Use it on those getting focused, to deflect a spell (more on this in the 'Hints, Tips & Tricks' section) or to save your tower.

Remember that it grants bonus AD, and quite a lot of it as well. Use it for exceptional harassment, and easier last-hitting.

Monsoon

Holy **** your teammates gonna love you, and your enemies hate you when you learn how to use this spell properly! It knocks, it slows, it heals. Use it to escape, spread the enemy team out, or boost your team while assaulting a tower. Clever use of this can also net you free-kills (more on this in the 'Hints, Tips & Tricks' section).

Possible Starting Items

Below you'll find suggested starting items. This is mostly as information for the newest players, but feel free to read it regardless.

Starting items

Starting items vs. high-dps/burst lane composition:

Remember to not spam your abilities so much that you'll go out of mana!

Starting items vs. sustained dps with high laning period:

Use the ward when your lane is around level four. This is when most junglers go out to gank.

Starting items for staying power vs. no particular lane composition:

Pick double Faerie Charms if you're gonna need to babysit your lane partner (spam your abilities).

Core Items

Start by rushing a Philosopher's Stone. Whichever part you take first, and whichever potions you take first, is fully up to you. After finishing Philosopher's Stone get Boots of Speed, and pick up a Heart of Gold. You need to sit on your Heart of Gold for 30 minutes for it to be cost effective, but you are doing this anyways so it pays off. Start building Aegis of the Legion. What you want to start with you have to figure out there and then, as it varies from situation to situation.

Remember to continually buy wards!

Finish your boots when Aegis of the Legion is finished. Which boots you choose is situational. From here on of which items you choose will be situational. The item sequencer is merely a display of finished items, exactly WHEN you purchase the items are up to the situation and that specific game.

Items

Sight Ward Vision Ward Oracle's Elixir

BUY THEM THROUGHOUT THE GAME! Place Sight Wards around the map in key strategical points (river, enemy blue/red, etc), and put the Vision Wards at Dragon and Baron, or to counter-ward so your jungler can effectively gank.

Purchase Oracle's Elixirs to clear the map of enemy wards. Keep an eye on your enemies inventory to know when they are warding.

Aegis of the Legion

This is a great item for any support champ, mainly because it's so cheap compared to the effects it gives. The armor, magic resistance and slight damage, makes it a powerful early-game item, not only for Janna, but for her team. Babysit Janna, let her do her thing, and watch the enemy team whimper in defeat as their lane gets smacked.

"According to cost effectiveness calculation, this item is worth it's money even if you disregard the fact that it is an aura item." - LoL Wiki

Soul Shroud

A truly outstanding item for Janna. It gives both mana per. 5 second, as well as some much needed cooldown reduction. The aura is just a nice little bonus for your team when you get together to smack some faces.

When you first got this item, mana shouldn't be an issue. If you manage to run out of mana all the time, forcing you to recall all the time, you are doing something incredibly wrong. We'll go further into that later in the guide.

Shurelya's Reverie

It gives you a lot for your money, but let me break it down for you:

+330 Health: C'mon, we're all suckers for a little more survivability. Why not add some extra buff to those incredibly over-sized Hextech boobs? Great air-bumpers, indeed!

+30 Hp/5 & +15 Mp/5: Just stay behind friendly lines, and keep out of line of fire, and regen some mana and health. Come back rejuvenated and ready to support in a minute! Also keeps you going longer when in team fights. Gotta love it!

PASSIVE: +15% CDR: Do I really have to say anything..?

ACTIVE: +40% Movement Speed for 3 sec: So he's running? Catch up with him! Getting chased? Run like hell! It's all good.

Due to a recent patch Shurelya's Reverie, as well as Randuin's Omen's actives grants assists now.

Banshee's Veil

Absolutely necessary in any competitive game (ranked or league), as it grants you so, so much survivability. Lots and lots of health, mana, and magic resistance. Not to mention a shield that'll (hopefully) put a stopper to that opening CC before a team-fight.

"What if I don't get focused?" - If thats the case feel free to skip Banshee's, however I'd still take it for the health, mana, and magic resistance.

Situational Items / Last Item

Which items you wanna switch is up to you! Use your god given common sense!

Quicksilver Sash

Very cheap considering it gives you some nice magic resistance, and removes any debuff and CC on you. Don't want to switch Flash with Cleanse? Buy a QSS!

Zhonya's Hourglass

A necessity against heavy AD teams, or if the AD carry is hellbent on killing you. Armor and two seconds of glowing immortality? Yes, please.

Frozen Heart

Before I say anything else this has to be made very clear: This item will be a total, absolutely, horribly big, overkill on your CDR. It will blast you past 40% by so much it's almost painful.

However..

It grants a lot of armor, good mana, AND reduced attack speed on enemies around you by 20%. That 20% is very fun to have against the AD carries, so if you find yourself focused a lot by their AD carry this might be the item to get.

Randuin's Omen

Every team (well, a good team) got some sort of physical dps. Randuin's Omen is sure to make short work of any chaser that managed to get through your first CC and slow barrage, and it will make you even more tanky.

It grants you health, and armor, which will keep you and your teammates alive even longer (you live longer, they live longer). Chance on hit makes the AD carry less attracted to chop you to bits, and if he/she actually DOES try it will be helluva lot harder. It also grants some health regeneration to help you stay alive longer pre-teamfights.

Due to a recent patch Shurelya's Reverie, as well as Randuin's Omen's actives grants assists now.

Rod of Ages

If you want more kick and more supportive powers you can chuck in a Rod of Ages instead of the Soul Shroud. 'Q' and 'W' will do more damage, 'E' will absorb more, and your 'R' will heal for more. Not to mention you get health (health = survivability), mana, and ability power (AP = more kick, more supportive feats).

Will of the Ancients

This item is great for your team, and especially your AP carry. It gives YOU 70 AP (better pushing power, slightly stronger heal & ultimate) and some spell vamp (though it's kind of "meh"), and 30 AP to the rest of your team. This boosts pretty much everyone on your team in some way, but most importantly: Your AP carry.

Overall great item.

Morello's Evil Tome

Can swap Soul Shroud with Morello's Evil Tome if you want some more AP for your shield and heal. It grants you CDR and MP5 so they are almost identical (read: almost).

Laning & Playstyle

Laning

Early Game:

What you need to do is:
1) Watch minions die.
2) Support your laning partner (namely your carry)

Take the last hits your partner would otherwise miss, keep track of the enemy jungler, support your partner effectively, and pick up everyone else's slack if you can/there is any.

Shrewd use of your shield can give your partner excellent opportunities to harass or get that last hit that would otherwise be impossible to get risk-free.

Remember that the objective is to keep yourself and your teammate alive, your minions on a constant move, their minions tugged down in the dirt, and to keep the enemy locked down in the middle with their minions.

You'll get Eye Of The Storm at level 2. Use it wise! It can be used on yourself, teammates, and towers. Shrewd use of the shield can save many lives. Use it whenever you feel exposed, when a teammate is exposed, or on your tower if it gets beaten on. If you got quick reflexes, or a nice perceptive eye, you can toss it on a teammate or yourself just before a spell hits you, or you get hit. This will not only catch your enemies off-guard, but might as well amaze your teammates.

Mid Game:

This is where you're starting to see the true support power of Janna. You'll most definitely downed your lane's tower, no doubt about that, but you've also saved 22 lifes, two villages and three towers. Or, nearly that much, at least.. ALRIGHT! You got your tower down..

Now it's time to start heading down to your teammates, and help them drop their tower as well! Your objective now is not only to keep firing Howling Gale at the minions, but also at the enemy players to keep them at bay. Toss Eye Of The Storm on the teammate that's getting pounded, and keep a keen eye out for possible ganks. Remember to ward, ward, ward, and ward!

If you're chasing an enemy for a kill, quick-fire (smart-cast) your Howling Gale (double-tap SHIFT+Q), to bounce him up in the air. The range is long enough for it to hit if you're right behind the enemy, or close to.

The other way around if you're getting chased; quick-fire (smart-cast) Howling Gale (double-tap SHIFT+Q) behind you to knock them up in the air. If there's enough room, let it charge a bit.

End Game:

This is where the true power of Janna appears. You'll be the ultimate support, dropping CC, protection, and heals all over the place. Remember that you can use Monsoon the other way around; knocking your enemies INTO your team. Scream "KAMIKAZE!", dive head-first into them, and hit 'R'. They'll now get bounced towards your waiting team, as well as tossing some of them out into the big nothingness (also known as not where the fight is..). PROPER use of this will render you alive after execution.

Remember: Their carries -> Your turret/teammates, and the entirely opposite for their support/AP/whatever in range.

Remember to keep an observant eye on everything that's going on. Your job is to keep everyone alive, as well as CC those needed to be CC'd.

With your cooldown reduction, and that mana pool, you'll be a nonstop supporting machine. So get out there, and start owning!

Playstyle

Alright, as it's been thoroughly clarified before; Janna is a support. And as a consequence of this, your play style isn't as aggressive.

Stay clear of any direct combat, be passive. Let the Howling Gale do all the work. Keeping yourself alive is top priority, unless when laning (your partner is top priority then).

In team fights, you'll be the one forming the back troops. As always, keep clear of any direct damage, try avoiding any sort of contact. You can work as a meatshield, but only do it if you believe it does more damage to them than it does to you. Yes, you are quite beefy. Sure, abuse it. But only do it when you are certain you know what the hell is going on. If you die you are worthless to your team, so don't get caught!

Your survival overcomes your teammate's survival in some scenarios, and to a certain extend of course. Let me explain why:

1) You're in the middle of a team fight. You're all getting shredded, and you and Master Yi are dying. You know Eye Of The Storm can save one of you, but only one. You cast it on yourself, and Master Yi dies. You remain to support your team, and you and your team eventually escape the ruthless slaughter.

2) You're in the middle of a team fight. You're all getting shredded, and you and Master Yi are dying. You know Eye Of The Storm can save one of you, but only one. You cast it on Master Yi, and you die. Master Yi uses Highlander and runs to safety. Your team remains in the battle, getting violently diced into itsy bitsy bloodied pieces of friendly food.

Hope all this clarifies a lot of things! Happy playing :).

When acting as a meatshield

Usually you want to avoid any direct damage or harm, but sometimes losing health is a good thing. Act as your teammate's meatshield!

End-mid game to end-game Janna with this build is quite beefy. You can take quite a lot of punishment, and this is easily abused. Block skillshots, soak up damage/CC, and be the best support your team can ever have. But remember to not overdo this! If you get caught in a chain of CC your team is suddenly one support down.

Key points to remember:
1) You can block skillshots, do it if your carry is getting targeted.
2) A lot of players believe most supports are squishy. Make them regret assuming this.
3) Soaking up CC can be a good thing, but overdoing it can be your and your team's doom.
4) Situation, situation, situation. Awareness is key. Use your keen intellect to know when to do what, and when to back out.

Hints and Tips & Tricks

Howling Gale

Howling Gale the Chased:
When chasing down a player to land a kill, it sometimes might be difficult. Either he is faster than you, or he just got a head start on you. Fear not! Quick firing Howling Gale can end it all. Hit 'Q', aim, hit 'Q' again, to fire it quickly. You can also smart-cast it by holding SHIFT+Double tapping Q to fire it even faster! The range is usually sufficient for it to hit, resulting in him/her getting knocked up in the air.

Howling Gale the Chaser:
Similar to "Howling Gale the Chased", but the other way around. Use it on the guy(s) chasing you! Same procedure as above; hit 'Q', aim, hit 'Q' again. You can also smart-cast it by holding down SHIFT+Double tapping Q to fire it even faster! If you hit, they'll get knocked up in the air, and you'll get away. Win, win, and win.

Gale'd
It's basically firing a Howling Gale from a position where the enemy can't see it charging. The brush, from the other side of a wall, from out of their line of view, etc. Just be careful when you aim, take in consideration that they might move!

Zephyr

Zephyr got similar uses as Howling Gale, which makes it perfect to use with it. As it gives you the ability to move through creatures on the map (when off cooldown), it can be used as a neat walk-away tool. It can also be fired to slow down the target.

Ooohh no you won't!
Imagine that you and a friend (or just you, like I care..!) are chasing one of your enemies. The enemy is very low on health, but you also know that he'll soon be able to regroup with his team. Your Howling Gale missed (damn you suck), and he's soon in safety. ZEPHYR THAT B*ITCH! Hah, now that he's slowed this is easy work. Smack him, and run like hell before his team arrives.

Oh ****, oh ****, oh ****!
Pretty much the reversed version of the above method. Here you use it on the guy chasing you. HOWEVER you have to remember that when it's on cooldown, you can't pass through creatures, so think ahead before using it. If there's a lot of minions there, just pass through them instead, so he can't get to you.

This also works on people chasing teammates as well (duh!).

Eye Of The Storm

Shrewd use of this ability will save so many lives, including yours!

Denied
Alright, so you and your teammate are pushing your lane. You got Nunu and Master Yi Vs. you. Your teammate (Garen), starts charging like a moron, oblivious to any pain he's about to experience. You know that Nunu will cast Ice Blast when he gets in range, but if you put Eye of the Storm on your teammate now, he'll wait it out. But it's you who's gonna wait it out.

Wait for it.. Waaaaait for it... NOW! When you see the start of the animation, or see that he's about to cast it, quickly conjure your shield of superawesomegravysasuce on your teammate, and watch his HP stay the same.

Quick reflexes like this will take your enemy off-guard. It might shield something nasty, and it will most definitely impress your teammates.

Monsoon

Reversed Cowgi- Savior
When in a team fight, or a gank, scream "KAMIKAZE!", dive head-first into them, and hit 'R'. They'll now get bounced towards your waiting team, as well as tossing some of them out into the big nothingness (also known as not where the fight is..).

What is smart-casting, and how do I use it properly?

In some of my chapters I say you can double tap SHIFT+Q to fire off a quick Howling Gale. What you are actually doing then is smart-casting the ability.

Smart-casting is when you cast your ability where your mouse cursor is pointing/hovering. Let's say you have LeBlanc's Sigil of Silence, normally when you cast it you hit 'Q' and select your target. When smart-casting you only have to hover over your target and hit your smart-cast hotkey.

The default smart-cast hotkey is SHIFT+Ability Hotkey. Example again being LeBlanc when smart-casting her Sigil of Silence (Q ability), the hotkey is SHIFT+Q.

When smart-casting abilities like Shen's Shadow Dash, remember to hover your mouse cursor far enough away for him to dash as far as he can. Of course, if you only want to dash a little bit moderate the range.

End

And that's the end of this guide! Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed it, and that it gave you all the information necessary to be a great Janna support. As always, comment when rating, whether it's good or bad :)! You should also check out Canoa's Janna Full Support guide, it's truly, truly outrageous.

If you spot any errors please PM me. Now..

Suit up in your Hextech gear, and bring the breeze to the field of justice!