Noobs of the Jungle

[quote=Focuscoene]So I just ran a couple practice matches (custom rounds with all bots) to get a look at what all this jungling is about. I perused a couple of "How to Jungle" guides beforehand, but those mostly just left me feeling more confused than ever. I used Maokai, who is supposed to be jungle-friendly. I have to admit, I'm still pretty lost in there. Sure, I managed to get the blue buff, but the thing wore off before I could really do anything with it. Before long I was falling way behind in level, and ultimately just felt like I wasn't contributing at all. I felt like I was off doing my own thing when I should've been helping with the turrets. Maybe that's just how it feels at first, I dunno. I suppose live allies would remedy some of it, but I'm hesitant to do that, because I don't like bringing down the team while I "experiment". I'm not at all saying jungling is ineffective; obviously, it's useful. I guess I'm just saying that I haven't had my ah-ha! moment with it yet. Or maybe it just doesn't fit my playstyle.[/quote]

[quote=Alcasea]try doing it on normal. the only thing you can really learn on playing jungle in AI is how fast you can clear the jungle and that is it. to learn how and when to gank, how to hold and when to counter gank, you need to play with living person as their movement is waaaay different than AI. i am starting to main jungle from my usual top/support mains, so here is my tips 1. general rule: when you have mana go blue, when you don't have go red. 2. always look at your map. when a lane is being pushed by an enemy go gank the lane. 3. always press tab and see whether the enemies are using wards. specially top. 4. when ganking DO NOT use flash if you know the enemy have an escape mechanism or a flash still active and can survive the gank. so how would you know if you did a great jungle and points if you want to be one ? a) you dominate map presence. people are now playing passively because of your ganks. b) when an opponent flashburned, you already successfully ganked. c) enemy jungle can't counter your ganks and you could countered him in jungle. d) as with point a, YOU ARE EVERYWHERE. nothing is more important form a jungle than his presence. if you can pressure people up, you helped all your laners get a better farm overall. also tips on who are good at jungles 1) [[warwick]] most jungle friendly champ. has everything a jungler needs. 2) [[xin zhao]] same with WW, this guy has a great gank and good jungle speed at lvl 3. 3) [[amumu]] this guy trades quick clear time with good ganks and being tanky. never really played with him really 4) [[rengar]] one of my favorite champs to jungle. offers both clear time and gank potential. sub par when compared to others without getting items but after that you'll dominate. 5) [[tryndamere]] this s a weird jungle, he has a par clear time and a weak gank potential, but when he can gank, he would be godlike after getting 5 or less successful ganks. can't really give any opinion on mao as i like more mobile champs in the jungle to keep up with the map presence[/quote]

[quote=Satella][quote=Alcasea] 1) [[warwick]] most jungle friendly champ. has everything a jungler needs. 2) [[xin zhao]] same with WW, this guy has a great gank and good jungle speed at lvl 3. 3) [[amumu]] this guy trades quick clear time with good ganks and being tanky. never really played with him really 4) [[rengar]] one of my favorite champs to jungle. offers both clear time and gank potential. sub par when compared to others without getting items but after that you'll dominate. 5) [[tryndamere]] this s a weird jungle, he has a par clear time and a weak gank potential, but when he can gank, he would be godlike after getting 5 or less successful ganks. can't really give any opinion on mao as i like more mobile champs in the jungle to keep up with the map presence [/quote] You just discredited your entire top half of the post with this. zzz[/quote]

[quote=Pølsemanden][quote=Alcasea] 1) [[warwick]] most jungle friendly champ. [s]has everything a jungler needs.[/s] can't gank for shit, has nice sustain though 2) [[xin zhao]] [s]same with WW, this guy has a great gank and good jungle speed at lvl 3.[/s] has everything a jungler needs AND is hella easy to play, good choice for a first time jungler 3) [s][[amumu]] this guy trades quick clear time with good ganks and being tanky.[/s] never really played with him really - this guy has some pretty darn good cleartimes lol, he's strong, can somewhat gank early but his game starts after level 6 with his ultimate, which just dominates teamfights. Very good for a new jnugler as well. 4) [[rengar]] one of my favorite champs to jungle. offers both clear time and gank potential. sub par when compared to others without getting items but [s]after that you'll dominate.[/s] - rengar isn't really a "dominate" champion. He's an assasin, even a strong one at that, his strength curve is kinda special where he's really strong at some points of the game and barely even noticeable at others, i wouldn't recommend him to a new jungler 5) [[tryndamere]] this s a weird jungle, he has a par clear time and a weak gank potential, but when he can gank, he would be godlike after getting 5 or less successful ganks. - he has towerdives at level 6 and very nice dueling at level 6 going for him but taht's pretty much it, wouldn't recommend. can't really give any opinion on mao as i like more mobile champs in the jungle to keep up with the map presence [/quote] A REAL shortlist of very strong junglers who are simple to play and fits almost every teamcomp: [[Jarvan]] - the strongest jungler imo right now, he just does everything so damn well because of the early damage he puts out, if you get fed enough to get a trinity-force 2nd or 3rd item you can 1-combo squishies. [[Rammus]] deceptively tanky and can bypass wards with his q because he's SO DAMN FAST, also laneganks are just ridoncolous [[Xin zhao]]and [[Amumu]] - If you can jungler either of those 4, you're good to go with any teamcomp you'd ever wish to go with.[/quote]

[quote=Focuscoene]Out of all the ones you guys have listed, I only have Amumu, so I guess I'll start trying it with him instead of Maokai. As for Maokai, maybe he just does better in the lanes. He's crazy slow, so by the time I trudge over to ganking opportunity, the nature of the opportunity has drastically changed. I do like using him in the lanes, though.[/quote]

[quote=Lugignaf]Maokai's got a targeted root that also takes him to the target... He's a great early game ganker. Especially if you get [[Boots of mobility]]. EDIT: He's barely a laner now, and was barely one back when the top and mid laners were weaker. If you're bad with Maokai, move to another champion. Simple as that. :P[/quote]

[quote=Focuscoene]You know, the more I think about it, the more I think I should hold off on mastering the jungle. As a level 11, maybe my best bet is to keep mastering the mechanics of as many different champs as possible. I feel like I'm just getting more and more confused with every new guide, or section of tips, that I read. I'll learn proper jungling when I'm better able to understand what the heck everyone is even talking about lol.[/quote]

[quote=Focuscoene][quote=Lugignaf] Maokai's got a targeted root that also takes him to the target... He's a great early game ganker. Especially if you get [[Boots of mobility]]. EDIT: He's barely a laner now, and was barely one back when the top and mid laners were weaker. If you're bad with Maokai, move to another champion. Simple as that. :P [/quote] I do pretty well with Maokai in the lanes. I'm sure there are better options. But I'm a level 11 who hasn't been playing for a full month yet. This post was just relating my experience with barely dipping my toes into jungling as a new player. Having jungled twice, with AI, it isn't even close to as simple as "if you're bad with Maokai, move to another champion". It's a bit more complicated than that. Thanks, though. I appreciate your input.[/quote]

[quote=Thalia Kael][quote=Alcasea] try doing it on normal. the only thing you can really learn on playing jungle in AI is how fast you can clear the jungle and that is it. to learn how and when to gank, how to hold and when to counter gank, you need to play with living person as their movement is waaaay different than AI. i am starting to main jungle from my usual top/support mains, so here is my tips 1. general rule: when you have mana go blue, when you don't have go red. 2. always look at your map. when a lane is being pushed by an enemy go gank the lane. 3. always press tab and see whether the enemies are using wards. specially top. 4. when ganking DO NOT use flash if you know the enemy have an escape mechanism or a flash still active and can survive the gank. so how would you know if you did a great jungle and points if you want to be one ? a) you dominate map presence. people are now playing passively because of your ganks. b) when an opponent flashburned, you already successfully ganked. c) enemy jungle can't counter your ganks and you could countered him in jungle. d) as with point a, YOU ARE EVERYWHERE. nothing is more important form a jungle than his presence. if you can pressure people up, you helped all your laners get a better farm overall. also tips on who are good at jungles 1) [[warwick]] most jungle friendly champ. has everything a jungler needs. 2) [[xin zhao]] same with WW, this guy has a great gank and good jungle speed at lvl 3. 3) [[amumu]] this guy trades quick clear time with good ganks and being tanky. never really played with him really 4) [[rengar]] one of my favorite champs to jungle. offers both clear time and gank potential. sub par when compared to others without getting items but after that you'll dominate. 5) [[tryndamere]] this s a weird jungle, he has a par clear time and a weak gank potential, but when he can gank, he would be godlike after getting 5 or less successful ganks. can't really give any opinion on mao as i like more mobile champs in the jungle to keep up with the map presence [/quote] Nope even if you don't use mana start blue so that you don't waste your red during jungle clearing. Take red first if you're scared of the enemy jungler invading you while you do red 2nd, even if you have mana.[/quote]

[quote=Lugignaf][quote=Thalia Kael] Nope even if you don't use mana start blue so that you don't waste your red during jungle clearing. Take red first if you're scared of the enemy jungler invading you while you do red 2nd, even if you have mana. [/quote] Or if you're doing a level 2 gank, take red first, which is a lot rarer these days it seems.[/quote]