Jayce Build Guide : The Comprehensive Guide To Jayce Top

Introduction

S4 Update in progress. Hello everyone this is Berzerk and welcome to my now season 3 updated Jayce guide. I want this guide to be a resource to help players both learn Jayce and improve their skills on him. As such I am including. A VIDEO GUIDE on Jayce at the bottom of each section of the guide, the purpose of these videos is to both restate AND enhance the information given in the text sections. I am doing this, as when I want to go learn a champion and guides are talking about cool combos with their skills BUT are not explaining it in a clear manner I typically go look up a YouTube video to show me. So last season I got into Jayce (back when people thought his release state was just ok, not OP) and saw what a monster he could be and invested time into learning him. I decided to make my guide as I felt others were not explaining Jayce to his full potential. I ended off last season 5-2 with Jayce in 5v5 (I was 0-3 with jayce in 3v3, I couldn't play him well there for some reason -.-) at a gold Elo level of 1500. I did not play ranked much last season and I got to 1500 only when riot announced that was the Elo I would need for rewards. I plan on trying for plat or diamond this season and using Jayce as one of my strong champions despite the nerfs. I feel Jayce is still a strong champion and can be amazing in the hands of someone who takes the time to learn what he can do. I'm hoping for a good season 3 and plan to update this guide whenever something new comes up. Without further edu onto the guide.
(Please note that the video guide will not be ready to release until I am able to get a bunch of season 4 footage sorry xD )
All of these updates should start coming once I finish my school semester.

Pros/Cons

Pros / Cons

spaaaaaaace

Pros

+ Gives team a second ranged damage source.
+ Very Versatile
+ Good Trade
+ Strong Poke
+ Has very good matchups
+ Safe in lane
+ Has 8 abilities+ passive

space

Cons

- Cannon form
range is low.
- No lockdown CC,
only a knockback.
- Not innately
tanky.
- No innate
sustain.

Runes

The below rune page is the one I will use most of the time. I have however provided alternate rune choices that are viable on Jayce, if you are able to make pages with any of the types of runes below they should be able to work on Jayce decently.

Marks

Attack Damage Marks

My marks are aimed on giving Jayce a Big damage advantage early on for the ability to last hit easier as well as be able to trade off better.

Greater mark of armor penetration

Armor Pen Marks

These marks are very good for early game trading when the enemy has lower armor. If the enemy is someone squishy you may want to consider these runes instead of attack damage.

Seals

Armor Seals

These seals give Jayce the power to trade and fight with AD oriented champions early game and will aid in freezing the lane. These seals are pretty much needed on Jayce top lane and I really can't think of anything I would ever rotate them out for.

Glyphs

Magic Resist Glyphs

These glyphs are my standard glyphs for top lane. They provide me a good defence against that one random magic damage spell most champions provide and they help me in a fight where the enemy mid shows up.

Armor Glyphs

You can run these glyphs if your lane opponent is all physical and you want to beat him in a fight.

Quintessences

Move Speed Quints

These Quints are my favorite since the boots start nerf. They work well with Jayce's passive which gives a flat amount of movement speed. This allows you to start with whatever you want and remain safe from most ganks while still being able to outmaneuver the enemy.

Attack Damage Quints

These are the popular quints and they are good. I typically prefer utility over early trade damage and last hitting.

Vamp Quints

Ever since riot made vamp harder to obtain (Vamp scept is 800 and the mastery is not in utility tree) these runes have gotten a little more use. They give jayce a form of sustain while he is last hitting/trading at ranged with cannon form. These runes are more for players who want to try and sustain and farm through the lane phase.

Greater quintessence of armor penetration

Armor Pen Quints

An alternate for AD quints. Pretty much the same effect not much of a difference.

Masteries

As with runes, below is a Jayce mastery tree I use. In this section I will talk about what Jayce likes in the trees as well as providing images where I highlight what masteries work for Jayce in each tree if you want to go make your own mastery pages.

Offensive Tree

The offensive tree is my favorite out of all 3 trees to run on Jayce. If you are playing Jyace, most of the time you are going to be playing him for his damage, poke, and utility. The best way to make the most of his damage is to go down the offensive tree. This tree will center around giving you kill power, which you will need throughout the game.

Defensive Tree

The defensive tree is useful for lane trades and if invested in can be useful later in the game against the enemy damage dealers and champions who would want to CC you. While this tree is ok, I find investing more points into offence is the better option as Jayce is mostly a damage dealing champion.

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Utility Tree

I do not recommend putting more than 9 points in the utility tree on Jayce. The effects you get are nice but they are not worth sacrificing the defense of the offence. (accidentally undid my box around increased buff duration)

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Summoner Spells

Primary

Flash

Flash is a core spell on Jayce as it allows you to quickly adapt to the situation, change your positioning at any needed time, or most importantly make plays. The ability to surprise enemies with a flash Q and enable you to land kills makes this spell more than worth it to take. Most of the time alot of improving your play with a champion can come down to simply how well you can flash into your combo before the enemy can react.

Ignite

Ignite is a spell that is very useful as a true damage DoT in fights and can help you secure kills that you may not have gotten. The reason this spell synergizes well with is that you can flash into your combo and ignite them as they flash away, giving you a kill you normally would not have gotten. The healing reduction is a nice bonus if the enemy team has any healers. If you would want to remove a spell from primary for something else, I would remove this and keep .

Situational

Teleport

Teleport is a spell that got a lot of buffs with the season 3 patch and is a really strong spell now. Now you may be saying did not receive any buffs. But it did indirectly. Both homeguard and distortion boots synergize amazingly well with . Now as far as the spell itself goes take it when you are fighting a lane in which the enemy is tanky or you wont be killing much or if you want to split push.

Exhaust

is way underrated in the top lane and actually should be taken versus pretty much anyone with burst but no sustain IE: , , . The effects of this spell should only give you kills if the enemy trys to duel you, unlike ignite which can be used for a burst kill. But this spell WILL scale into late game and will be able to cripple an enemy burst champion or ADC in a fight.

Ghost

Ghost is a strong spell. In full honesty it is better than flash as far as escaping and gaining ground goes, BUT there is something it does flash doesnt. It gives a warning. When someone sees ghost pop they will know you are trying to do something and take that as a backoff sign making it weaker than flash for getting kills in lane.

Heal

Heal is a good spell pretty much if you want to bait your opponent into making a mistake. It scales slightly well into late game if no one else on your team has it, but that is pretty much it as far as its uses go.

Skills

Hextech Capacitor

Jayce gains 40 movement speed and ignores unit collision for 1.25 seconds each time Transform is cast.

Jayce's passive grants him a small boost of speed and the ability to ignore unit collision for a brief period of time after he transforms. Think of this as popping ghost whenever you transform to make "The Plays". The move speed this skill gives allows you to win in chases and escape the clutches of your foes. The "Ignore Unit Collision" Allows you to dart in and out of the minions as you harass your enemy.

notes

To the Skies!

Jayce leaps to an enemy, dealing [ 20 / 65 / 110 / 155 / 200 (+ 100% Bonus AD)] physical damage to his target and to enemies in the area, slowing them for 2 seconds by (30% / 35% / 40% / 45% / 50%).

This skill is a gap closer with a slowing effect. What is different about this skill from most other champion's gap closers is the fact that you do not jump to the enemy BUT to the location the enemy was located when you casted the ability. When you reach the location you deal AoE magic damage equal to ALL OF YOUR AD as well as slowing all targets in the area hit by a good amount.

notes

Shock Blast

Fires an orb of electricity that detonates upon hitting an enemy or reaching the end of its path, dealing [ 60 / 115 / 170 / 225 / 280 (+ 120% Bonus AD)] physical damage to all enemies in the area of the explosion. If Shock Blast is fired through an Acceleration Gate the area of effect, missile speed, range and damage will increase by 40%.

This is your main damage source if you are playing Jayce in a poke team. Now when you first look at this skill you won't be to impressed. The travel speed is kinda slow, the range and damage is mediocre at best, and it doesn't go through minions ( instead being AoE so if you end up hitting them you push your lane). But this skill has a saving grace, if shot through your E it goes at a relatively fast speed as well as doing Nidalee poke damage.... AoE.

notes

Lightning Field

PASSIVE: Jayce regenerates (6 / 8 / 10 / 12 / 14) mana each time he strikes an enemy while in Hammer Stance.
ACTIVE: Creates an electric aura, dealing [100 / 170 / 240 / 310 / 380 (+ 100% AP)] magic damage over 4 seconds to nearby enemies.

This ability is very underrated by a lot of people. This skill does not really fit into any of your combos and is just like a random Shyvana burnout stuck in your kit BUT that's not to say that doesn't add something to jayce. This gives you an AoE threat in the middle of the enemy team (even if it is only a little), more clearing power, and a threat of bonus damage in the laning phase. This ability also comes with a nice passive that grants you mana return on your auto attacks IN HAMMER FORM. The passive on this allows you to regain your mana after combos or harass. Many people say "This sucks I have to go get in MELLE range to kill minions for my mana back" to which I will always say "Your mana is down meaning (if you were playing Jayce right) you should have chunked at least a good 40% of the enemies hp away and the enemy should be afraid that you will jump on them if they come anywhere near you.

notes

Hyper Charge

Jayce gains a burst of energy, increasing his attack speed to maximum for 3 attacks. These attacks deal 70% / 85% / 100% / 115% / 130% damage.

This skill is probably THE MOST under appreciated skill in Jayce's entire kit (Well besides Hammer W). It gives you max attack speed for 3 autos (or 4 seconds whichever comes first). These skills do modified damage (less then an actual auto at lower ranks, more at higher ranks. In that regard at higher ranks it can act as artificial crits. On an AD carry build, at the point in the game when you 4 shot enemies this skill is GODLIKE. You will be wrecking the enemies before they can even see what hit them. This skill has another very good use , procing on hit effects. Getting off 3 autos almost instantly means you could drop an enemy almost will guarantee a phage proc, or do 120 magic damage with a Wit's End. Now this ability does have a catch. It LOSES VALUE as you build more AS. Due to this I typically won't invest in a large amount of AS on Jayce.

notes

Thundering Blow

Deals magic damage equal to a percentage [8% / 11% / 14% / 17% / 20% (+100% Bonus AD)] of the target's maximum health, knocking the target back a short distance. This damage is capped against monsters at 200 / 300 / 400 / 500 / 600.

This is my favorite skill on Jayce. It's a knockback, that does % Damage of the targets MAX health, AS WELL AS A 1 AD RATIO. This will do insane damage, a good part of this skill is that it is just that a skill, you can run up to an enemy last hitting in lane and just whack them with this skill and have no repercussions (Aside from the mana costs).

notes

Acceleration Gate

Deploys an Acceleration Gate for 4 seconds, increasing the movement speed of all allies who pass through it by (30% / 35% / 40% / 45% / 50%) for 3 seconds. This bonus fades over the duration.

This skill is AMAZING. It's like a karma tether that you can lay on demand. It gives
You and all allies a big movement speed boost if traveled through. This skill also has a special interaction with your Q by enhancing its effects.

notes

Mercury Cannon

Transforms the Mercury Hammer into the Mercury Cannon, gaining new abilities and ranged attacks.
The next attack in Cannon Stance reduces the enemy's armor and magic resist by 10% / 15% / 20% / 25% for 5 seconds.

This skill gives you enhanced range as well as a set of AD ranged carry skills. Your first auto in this form will lower targets armor and MR, so if you use this to start a combo you will be at an advantage.

Mercury Hammer

Transforms the Mercury Cannon into the Mercury Hammer, gaining new abilities and (5 / 15 / 25 / 35) bonus armor and magic resist. The next attack in Hammer Stance deals [20 / 60 / 100 / 140 (+40% AP)] additional magic damage.

This skill gives you Armor/Mr for being in hammer as well as making your next auto attack do bonus physical damage. Nothing much to say about this skill aside from the fact it gives you your hammer form skills.

Skill Order

As Jayce the main question of primary max will be Q or E. you will max Q if you want a fasrm lane or are versus a squishy champ. You will want E max if you are versus a tanky champ with a lot of hp. Get points in R whenever possible.

Starting items

+ + 1x Sight Ward

This start has personally been my favorite since the season 2 boots nerfs. This setup allows you to have less problems with your mana, gives you a good amount of sustain, and keeps you safe with a ward early on.

+ 5x

This start is good against champions who have alot of spammable burst in lane such as or . This gives you the armor to live through their damage and the sustain to survive and farm.

+ 5x ++Sight Ward

This start is in my opinion the new ideal as it offers sustain, safety, and allows you to build into a tear of the goddess early on.

Boots

Berserker's Greaves

Gives you more attack speed. This item is useful if you are needed to be your teams main source of physical damage.

Boots of Mobility

Lets you go roaming and ganking with your E. By the time enemies see you coming with these +Your gate+Your form change they will already be getting mauled.

Mercury's Treads

Get if the enemy team has a decent amount of CC.

Ninja Tabi

Very good item my favorite pair of boots. The passive is nice vs enemy AD carries and it is very strong in top lane.

Good Enchantments:

Furor

Get these boots if you have an auto attack oriented build and you need to roam.

Homeguard

Get these boots if you want to push and recall over and over or if the enemy is pushing into your base.

Big Items

Atma's Impaler

I can never think of a time Atma's is a good item to build on Jayce. Even if you fall behind and get really tanky it is not that good of an item.

Banshee's Veil

Get this when the enemy team has a lot of magic damage and CC and you are building tanky because you are behind. The item will make you tankier as well which will benefit your safety in any role. This item will also allow you to poke safely without fear of getting initiated on by a CC (Well at least not just 1 CC).

Blade of the Ruined King

This item is really strong for poking enemies with autos and when combined with your W in cannon form. I typically use the active when I am hammering an enemy away as I will be in range to use it and I will have the MS/Slow effects for when I switch to cannon.

Doran's Blade

Makes you tankier, you will be a very strong damage threat in lane, and with the lifesteal it gives you will be very sustainable with your damage. Get this item vs lanes you want to kill early on for like a jungler gank or something.

Doran's Shield

Get this item if the enemy is an auto attacker who can frequently force trades such as fiora.

Frozen Heart

Good tanky item for jayce if you fall behind as the armor, CDR, and AS slow will all be important in protecting you carry while harming the enemy teams AD comps.

Frozen mallet

Frozen mallet is the item to build if your team needs you tanky OR if you fall behind (Go 0-2 in lane). The slow on this item will allow you to be a decent guard for your team with the ability to knock targets off your carry and then follow it up by slowing them and preventing them from coming back and taking another crack at them.

Guardian Angel

You deal out good amounts of damage, while being semi tanky. Then when you are finally brought down you are brought back for round 2. The component items allow you to build a chain vest in lane if you are vs a riven, renekton, or garen an the lane starts to go out of your favor. The item makes you less likely to be focused in teamfights allowing you to be around to deal more damage.

Iceborn Gauntlet

This item is fun if you got a sheen early and fall behind and need to build tanky.

Infinity Edge

This item is nice for full damage Jayce and need to be hitting the enemy like a truck. The crit damage increase + crit chance this item gives makes it a force to be reckoned with when combined with your W.

Last Whisper

This item is a strong damage item for when you are poking with your Q and need to pierce through enemies with a lot of armor.

Mercurial Scimitar

This item is a strong finisher item for your build if the enemy team has a lot of CC and they plan on using it on you.

Muramana

Now this is an item that came in with the new items that I love on Jayce. The toggle makes it worth it to build a tear in lane which allows you to use your combos with little worries of mana problems. Late game the toggle with your W will instakill enemy carries.

Ravenous Hydra/Runaan's Hurricane

/

Neither of these are consistent enough for Jayce nor do they give stats that would make them worth it to build.

Runic Bulwark

Bulwark is a very good item for Jayce if you fall behind. The item allows Jayce to aid his entire teams fighting power all while being able to be defending his carry. Before you buy this item TELL YOUR SUPPORT. AVOID 2x Bulwark

Statikk Shiv

If you fall behind and want the Gp/5 this is what you should end up getting. It helps you push without needing to use your cannon Q and gives a little more poke and damage in fights.

Sunfire Cape

Get this item if you fall behind and you need to be a tanky threat to the enemy team.

Sword of the Divine

OMG THIS PLUS YOUR W IS OP. All the damage coming out in 1 burst will pretty much KO any champ without 200+ armor in the game.

The Black Cleaver

Strong new item. All the stats on the item are useful and you are able to make the maximum use of its passive.

The Bloodthirster

This item is CORE on Jayce. It works with his kit sooooo well. It makes your hammer form Q and E combo do a good 200 extra damage when fully stacked. This also makes your ranged Q (When accelerated) do a huge amount of damage (as it gives a 40% boost when accelerated.) and your ranges form W will give you a good amount of sustain as well as deal a good amount of damage with the AS.

Trinity Force

This item enables you to deal TONS OF DAMAGE! Jayce can make use of everything trinity force gives him as well. The sheen part is useful for when you attack after stance shift or a skill you will deal a good amount of extra damage (Which as Jayce you will be using skills a lot), the phage is useful to help you to lock targets down. Even though it is only a 25% chance to proc the slow your ranged form W gives you 3 INSTANT AUTOS. Making the proc almost guaranteed, finally the movement speed from the zeal when combined with your passive and ranged E allow you to gain ground very fast. This item provides Jayce stats so that he can be tanky as well as be dishing out a decent amount of damage. The only disadvantage is the price of the trinity force, meaning you need to stay even/ahead in lane to purchase this item at a decent time. (Takes ~24 mins to farm if not getting kills.)

Wit's End

Get this item if you want to play on the offensive against an AP champion in lane. This item makes your W do 126 magic damage when you use your W on a target AS WELL AS giving you mr each hit.

Wriggle's Lantern

It was bad before. It is still bad now. The only time I would even maybe consider this item is if you need the bonus damage against minions for last hitting. but even then still no.

Gameplay

This section Will be used to explain Various Sections of Jayces Gameplay

Jungler Ganks

Jayce is very good at receiving jungler ganks. If he is able to either flash or To the skys! in a position to shoot the enemy backwards, it will often result in a free kill.

Video Example

Counter Jungling

(Mostly only effective if you are on blue team) If you are able to kill the enemy, or you see the enemy jungler at bot lane without his buff you can go into his jungle and quickly STEAL it. The best way is to pull the buff out of the way with your Q.

Video Example

Lane Matchups

Akali

Difficulty 7/10

Starting Items: ,5x , ],sight ward

Summoner Spells:

Ability Sequence
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18

In-depth matchup notes

Notes

Use your early advantage to establish a lead.
Farm with cannon form post 6 and disengage with hammer if she trys to jump you.
Keep a pink ward at all times post 6
Tell your jungler her ward placement info and tell him its a free kill if he comes with CC.

Verdict

Killable before she hits level 6.
Post level 6 you cannot fight her unless you can poke her down first.

Cho'Gath

Difficulty 4/10

Starting Items: ,5x , ,sight ward

Summoner Spells:

Ability Sequence
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18

In-depth matchup notes

Notes

Take teleport for a very safe farmfesty lane phase.
Need a maxed out E to kill him post 6
Avoid rupture and he can't do anything to you in this lane.
Once he gets tanky you jungler wont probably even be able to gank him.

Verdict

Killable pre 6
Post 6 becomes a farm fest that is pretty boring to even be in unless you have a maxed out E.

Darius

Difficulty 4/10

Starting Items: ,5x , ,sight ward

Summoner Spells:

Ability Sequence
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18

In-depth matchup notes

Notes

Keep at ranged, do not let him get in range for a max power Q.
Flip to hammer when he throws his pull so you can E him away instantly
If he gets a lead use ranged Qs to farm.
Ganks are free kills in this lane.

Verdict

Killable lane at all times
If he can get you in a position where he can stick to you he is stronger.

Diana

Difficulty 7/10

Starting Items: ,5x , ,sight ward

Summoner Spells:

Ability Sequence
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18

In-depth matchup notes

Notes

Bully her pre6 before she is able to get her ranged dash
Post 6 farm from ranged and avoid her Qs
Do not straight up duel her
Call for ganks she has 0 escapes and autopushes the lane.

Verdict

Killable pre6
Killable post 6 only with ganks

Elise

Difficulty 8/10

Starting Items: ,5x , ,sight ward

Summoner Spells:

Ability Sequence
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18

In-depth matchup notes

Notes

Farm from ranged
Always keep minions between you and her
Be in hammer form when she rappels to shoot her away
Try and end the lane early so that you may group up and get to use your poke.

Verdict

Never really killable
If you get a gank

Fiora

Difficulty 6/10

Starting Items: ,5x

Summoner Spells:

Ability Sequence
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18

In-depth matchup notes

Notes

Avoid trading if its not free.
Use your E after her second Q
Invest in some early armor

Verdict

Killable easily with ganks.
Killable post 6 only after poked down.

Changelog

8/3/2012 Guide Release!

8/20/2012 Name change, added Lee Sin

9/15/2012 Jayce mana costs made scaling, doesnt affect this much

10/8/2012 Changed build 1 rec item from Bloodrazer to IE as it gives me more damage output when all is said and done

10/18/2012 Played Jayce on PBE and DESPITE the damage nerf on E I still max it first vs tanky targets as you will be using it for % damage.

10/28/2012 Changed skill order on soloQ to maxing Q since the recent E nerfs

11/12/2012 Removed and Heart of Gold from the build since they are getting removed.

1/3/2013 Season 3 Update part 1 out!

2/18/2013 Been spamming Jayce, made a new cheatsheet for him of what I have been using.

Conclusion

Well this is my guide on Jayce. Jayce is a really fun champion with a high skill ceiling, so I doubt we will be seeing any master Jayces for a little while. The things you can do if you learn him are pretty crazy. Jayce has a way to adapt to every situation, that is fun and very unique.I hope you enjoyed my style of playing him and learned a lot about the champion himself.

Credits

All the videos are from my Youtube channel Here.

Many thanks to my fellow mobafire members who commented/supported my top facts series =D.

Many thanks to my friends who played with me while I tried all of these different top laners.

If you have any questions/suggestions feel free to either message me on the site OR come talk to me in the mobafire chat room in the game client.

Check out my complete guide to top lane Here

A thanks to JhoiJhoi's Guide on making a guide for a big help with coding and by having the templates for us to use =D.

The Comprehensive Guide To Jayce Top

The Comprehensive Guide To Jayce Top

Recommended Items

Spells:

Flash

Ignite

Items

Ability Order

Hextech Capacitor (PASSIVE)

To The Skies! / Shock Blast (Q)

Lightning Field / Hyper Charge (W)

Thundering Blow / Acceleration Gate (E)

Mercury Cannon / Mercury Hammer (R)

Introduction

Pros/Cons

Runes

Marks

Attack Damage Marks

Armor Pen Marks

Seals

Armor Seals

Glyphs

Magic Resist Glyphs

Armor Glyphs

Quintessences

Move Speed Quints

Attack Damage Quints

Vamp Quints

Armor Pen Quints

Masteries

Offensive Tree

Defensive Tree

Utility Tree

Summoner Spells

Primary

Flash

Ignite

Situational

Teleport

Exhaust

Ghost

Heal

Skills

Hextech Capacitor

To the Skies!

Shock Blast

Lightning Field

Hyper Charge

Thundering Blow

Acceleration Gate

Mercury Cannon

Mercury Hammer

Skill Order

Starting items

Boots

Berserker's Greaves

Boots of Mobility

Mercury's Treads

Ninja Tabi

Good Enchantments:

Furor

Homeguard

Big Items

Atma's Impaler

Banshee's Veil

Blade of the Ruined King

Doran's Blade

Doran's Shield

Frozen Heart

Frozen mallet

Guardian Angel

Iceborn Gauntlet

Infinity Edge

Last Whisper

Mercurial Scimitar

Muramana

Ravenous Hydra/Runaan's Hurricane

Runic Bulwark

Statikk Shiv

Sunfire Cape