Mafia jinx

introduction My name is jamespongebob, and I am a guide author here on Mobafire who specializes in playing the bot lane, meaning I mostly play marksmen and supports. This particular guide will be about one particular marksman, namely, Jinx. As with practically all marksmen, Jinx primarily deals large amounts of damage from a distance by itemizing to improve her DPS. Jinx is known for her impressive ability to clear waves, split push, swap lanes, and her decent range. She also cleans up quite nicely after team fights, and she has some sort of global presence due to her ultimate, Super Mega Death Rocket! On the downside, Jinx lacks a reliable gap closer unlike most marksmen, and she's rather easy to kill once caught due to her innate fragility. She will have mana problems early on if you do not manage her skills properly, and her abilities are mostly skill shots and can be dodged. As of now, Jinx remains a popular marksman and a rather good one as well. This guide aims to teach you how to properly build and play Jinx in the current meta, and without further ado, let us jump right in to learning how to use Jinx, THE LOOSE CANNON.

masteries

21 9 0 21•2•7 21•6•3

21•9•0 is the standard mastery setup for most marksmen, and it is my recommended set up for Jinx. Alternatives you could take are 21•2•7 or 21•6•3 if you want, although I personally prefer durability over utility. The 21 points into offense are pretty self explanatory. You'll want to amplify your damage, so getting all of the AD and overall damage masteries in the offense tree is what you'll want to be doing. I usually skip over full points in Warlord because it isn't a very good mastery in general. Warlord scales off of bonus AD, meaning the AD you get from building items. At a full build, you'll get about 10 AD, which isn't bad per se, but the conditions needed before doing so is. Alternatively, you can max Warlord over Fury if you prefer. The 9 points in defense help make you a bit more durable, such as in improving your health or lessening the damage you take in trades. If for some reason you feel that you could do without some defense, you could also opt for taking points in utility. 21•2•7 will let you get the snazzy Summoner's Insight in the utility tree (which reduces the CD on your summoner spells, meaning you'll have Flash up more often), along with Meditation (which gives mana regen, which is good if use Fishbones a lot) and Phasewalker (for making clutch recalls). 21•6•3 will let you have Meditation as well.

runes

Runes are the standard as well. On Jinx, I take 9x Greater Mark of Attack Damage, 5x Greater Seal of Health, 4x Greater Seal of Armor, 9x Greater Glyph of Magic Resist, 2x Greater Quintessence of Attack Speed, and 1x Greater Quintessence of Attack Damage. AD Marks are primarily for last hitting. ArPen isn't as effective at last hitting because minions have low armor. Other than that, most of your abilities are powered by AD. For glyphs and seals, you'll want some defense since Jinx has pretty low defensive stats. As everyone's armor was buffed while the Greater Seal of Armor was nerfed some time ago, I usually run a mix of armor and health for your seals. A combination of Health and Armor seals reduce damage from enemy marksmen, supports, minions, and junglers. This set up usually offers the most effective health, but you can also opt for full Health or Armor seals if you prefer. MR glyphs are mostly for magic damage-dealing supports, although some marksmen and junglers also deal some magic damage. If you need mana regeneration, you can take some Mana Regen glyphs as well. The Greater Quintessence of Life Steal has been nerfed recently and are no longer as good, so you'll want AS quints and an AD quint in its place. AS quints make your auto attack animation a lot more smoother. Plus, they've been buffed recently. Three AS quints are rather redundant, and Jinx has relatively high AS with her Q, so I usually put one AD quint to further improve last hitting. If you want defensive quints, the Greater Quintessence of Armor is your safest bet.

summoner spells

On Jinx, you will want Flash and Heal for your summoner spells. Flash is non-negotiable, whereas other alternatives for Heal are Barrier, Exhaust, and Cleanse. The reason Flash is non-negotiable is that Jinx does not have any gap closers, and Flash is arguably the best and most versatile summoner spell out there. It is useful in positioning, kiting, escaping, chasing, going over terrain, and many more. Heal is the most common second option because other than it being a defensive spell that targets two people, it also provides a movement speed buff. These two summoner spells will help give you a bit more mobility. Barrier is an alternative defensive spell, which is useful in mitigating burst damage. It's better for initial damage absorption, but it doesn't provide MS like Heal. Exhaust is also pretty good, since Jinx doesn't have any natural escapes, and you may be forced to fight whoever engages on you. Cleanse is a very situational summoner spell, which you'll want to get against teams with high CC. Taking Cleanse will decrease the amount of pressure you can put in lane. If you're not taking Heal, your support should.

items

The Doran's Blade start is the most optimal start for all marksmen for the sustainability and other mixed stats it offers. The Stealth Ward should be your trinket, so you can help your support ward in lane for junglers or brush control. Finally, use the rest of your gold for Health Potions to stay longer in lane. If you're struggling in lane, considering buying another Doran's Blade, but ideally, your first purchase would be a B. F. Sword, and I suggest upgrading it into an Infinity Edge early on. Bloodthirster's nerf makes it less ideal than the high DPS Infinity Edge offers. The crit also goes really well with Jinx's DPS + Phantom Dancer/ Statikk Shiv. It's also good to note that the splash damage of Fishbones, the Rocket Launcher can crit. Upgrade your boots to Berserker's Greaves whenever you can as well. To further ramp up your DPS, purchase a Phantom Dancer or a Statikk Shiv. Statikk Shiv can be bought earlier because its cheaper, and it goes well with wave clearing and pushing. Phantom Dancer has higher single-target DPS and is better late game. Next you'll want a Last Whisper to cut through enemy armor. There are some situations wherein you may want to delay picking up Last Whisper, such as if the enemy isn't building much armor, and in such situations, consider picking up your life steal item sooner. Late game, pick up a defensive item of your choice. Banshee's Veil is a good choice in most situations as its active is very useful to prevent being locked down. Upgrade your trinket, and pick up a Blade of the Ruined King for more damage and kiting potential. You can all so opt for Bloodthirster for life steal. Alternatively, if you don't need a defensive item beforehand, you can get another offensive one first. For enchantments, I prefer Enchantment: Distortion on Jinx for the improved Flash. Remember, no gap closers. Enchantment: Furor (kiting), Enchantment: Alacrity (general MS) and Enchantment: Homeguard (moving quickly from base) are other good options as well.

item sequence

on spawn early game mid game late game full build

+ + + ( / ) ( / ) + ( / ) ( / ) ( / )( / )

explanations

What happened to the Bloodthirster?

Bloodthirster used to be a core item on pretty much every marksman, but its recent rework leaves much to be desired. It no longer offers as high stats, and the shield isn't really that great. Infinity Edge is a much better item in comparison, although you can opt for Bloodthirster late game when you're really in need of life steal.

What about other defensive items?

Other options for defensive items are Mercurial Scimitar and Guardian Angel. The reason I prefer Banshee's Veil over the other two is that with the 'every-mid-is-a-damn-assassin-like-oh-my-god-get-caught-and-die-in-two-seconds' meta, it's a lot more useful in many different situations. Remember, prevention is the best cure making it preferable over Guardian Angel whose passive comes AFTER dying (wherein you may not even revive in a safe position). It also increases your health unlike the other two, which is good with the popularity of Mikael's Blessing on supports. In some situations, Mercurial Scimitar is also a good option because its active helps give you mobility and keeps you from getting blown up by CC.

Should I get Statikk Shiv or Phantom Dancer?

Both are good options. Statikk Shiv offers lower DPS, but it offers more pushing power and burst. It's a better purchase early game, and you should pick it up if you're in the lead. It's also useful in split-pushing and kiting because the MS it offers is higher than Phantom Dancer's. Phantom Dancer has stronger single target DPS and is a better item late game. In a long game, I highly recommend selling your Statikk Shiv if you purchased one earlier for a Phantom Dancer, as its passive is less useful late game. Statikk Shiv works better specifically on Jinx because it lets you get your power spike earlier on, and it'll allow you to push even harder.

What about ___?

Black Cleaver? It's an item that's more fitting on an AD caster and just isn't that good on Jinx. Jinx lacks an effective way to stack up the passive instantly. Runaan's Hurricane? It doesn't offer crit and MS like Phantom Dancer or Statikk Shiv. Trinity Force? Your only move with AP scaling isn't used for damage, but for its utility. It's a better item on marksmen such as Lucian or Corki who deal damage in burst and have some sort of AP scaling. Youmuu's Ghostblade? It's a good item, but Jinx's damage is mainly from her auto attacks, not skills. A more constant source of AS is more preferred, and she's not that much of a CDR champion. Ionian Boots of Lucidity? See above. DPS is just a lot more attractive for Jinx, especially with the marksmen being tower killers meta. Zephyr? The only time you should consider buying Zephyr is when you have a full build and are willing to sell your boots. Scrying Orb? Oracle's Lens? The Stealth Ward should always be your starting trinket, but later on you may want to sell it out for another one. This is okay in certain scenarios, such as in destroying enemy wards or scouting ahead. You can also opt for either Greater Vision Totem or Greater Stealth Totem depending on your team or situation.

skills

P

As far as passives go, Jinx's isn't the best, although it does have its uses. Combined with her Q, Jinx is an excellent pusher, as her passive lets her take down towers fast. In addition to that, it helps her clean up after team fights quite well. The extra movement speed allows her to chase down fleeing enemies. Another useful trick is using her ultimate to get the bonus speed from afar, which can be done to quickly join a team fight or flee from enemies. Using Fishbones also allows you some range from the midst of a team fight and any kill you pick up can give you a window to escape from the fight.

Q

Switcheroo! is an interesting move. It is a toggle which lets you shift between two weapons, which will change how you auto attack. By default, you'll be using Pow-Pow, the Minigun. Pow-Pow, the Minigun has a shorter range, so it's somewhat risky to use, despite its incredible DPS. It's the "default" setting, and it doesn't cost any mana. When your Q is toggled on, you'll be using Fishbones, the Rocket Launcher. It increases the range on your auto attacks and makes them AoE. It's useful in poking enemies or in fights where everyone is clumped together. It does drain mana though, and its single-target DPS is lower than Pow-Pow's.

W

Zap! is a long ranged skill shot that slows enemies hit when cast. It comes with a short delay, and a short period wherein an indicator line that shows the path of the projectile is visible to enemies, but Zap! is an excellent ability to harass enemies or to chase them. It can also be used to slow enemies that are chasing you, check brushes, and to poke enemies under the turret with its imoressive range.

E

Flame Chompers! is mainly a utility spell, as the damage is minimal since you don't build AP. It has no casting time unlike Zap!, meaning you should know how to cast it while moving. There is however, a delay before the trap activates. It's best used in conjunction with other forms of CC, and it's also useful in cutting off routes in narrow areas.

R

Jinx's ult is a global skill a lot like Enchanted Crystal Arrow only without the stun. It deals more damage to enemies with low health, so it's mostly used to clean up a team fight or take down a fleeing enemy. Other than that, you can use it to assist allies in other lanes and pick up a Get Excited! MS bonus.

skill sequence

1 2 3 4

Your first priority would be your ult, Super Mega Death Rocket! Level it up whenever you can for the increased damage and reduced cooldown. At level one, take either Zap! or Switcheroo! Zap! start usually offers better lane presence, as its slow is dead useful in skirmishes. On the other hand, Switcheroo! is more preferable because it lets you shove hard early on which will give you a level advantage. At level two, take the one you didn't take at the start and pick up Flame Chompers! at level 3, or if you prefer, 4. Switcheroo! is your next priority for the increased DPS on Pow-Pow, the Minigun and the increased range on Fishbones, the Rocket Launcher. Max Zap! afterwards for the increased damage and slow. You'll want more damage, so you can have more presence in lane or so you can push faster. Flame Chompers! is your last priority as it is your 'one-point wonder' skill. It's useful for its utility, not so much its damage, so there's little incentive for leveling it over a skill which would offer more presence.

gameplay

{Level One} As a marksman, you should be heading to bot lane with a support. Jinx has a fairly good laning phase, and her level one is decent enough. Try to shove hard, so you can pick up a level advantage over your enemies, which will allow you to play more aggressively early on. In doing so, you should aim to wipe out the first minion wave (but do get the creeps, so as not to miss out on XP), and three melee minions of the second wave. You can do this quickly by using your Q. {General Laning} One of your main objectives as a marksman is to farm creeps to earn gold for items. Other than that, you should be able to harass your enemies seamlessly while farming. One technique in doing so is using Fishbones, the Rocket Launcher when an enemy approaches to CS, so they will also get damaged by the splash damage. Using Fishbones, the Rocket Launcher can quickly drain your mana though, so use Pow-Pow, the Minigun as your default. Though you should mostly harass with auto attacks, in a full on trade you should be using Zap! for its long range as well. Avoid standing still while attacking, and remember to keep an eye on how your enemies are moving. A Taric suddenly Flashing would probably mean a gank is coming. Winning trades will allow you to zone your enemy and dominate the lane. Ideally you should be winning lane, forcing your enemies to recall every so often. When they do so, push the lane in order to deny them CS and experience. If you're having trouble in lane, you may want to focus on farming and freezing the lane. In freezing the lane, you create a zone which will allow you to farm and space to fall back should a jungler gank. You should be last hitting to prevent pushing the lane. Your support should be trying to control the brush to prevent getting zoned, but you can also opt to stand in the brush or ward it yourself. Your kill potential goes up by a lot once you hit level 6. Due to your ult being global, you can also use to assist other lanes. This is also useful if you need to get a Get Excited! MS bonus. {Warding} Marksmen can now assist their supports in warding duties due to the addition of trinkets. Though you'll be using it primarily to watch out for ganks, you can also use it to control the brush. Mid game, you'll be wanting to help ward objectives. If you're going deep into lanes without vision, always bring a ward with you. {Roaming} Mid game is when champions are no longer as confined to their lanes as early game. Jinx has an extremely strong mid game due to her ability to push really hard and her ability to swap lanes. You can help gank other lanes and push them, but if you're falling behind, roaming may not be the best idea. You can just stay in your own lane and farm or push if you need to catch up in gold or experience. Skirmishes usually break out at this point, so it may not be the best idea to always travel alone. Alternatively you can split the enemy team up by pressuring one lane very hard, forcing someone to come to that lane. You can then rejoin your team and force a fight with the numbers advantage. Again, Jinx is a good split-pusher and lane-swapper. Use this to your advantage. {Team Fights} Marksmen are one of the main dealers of damage in team fights. Due to this, you need to positions yourself so that you can pick off targets in safety. Your goals in team fights are to; stay alive and kill the closest. If it was the enemy who engaged you, you should throw Flame Chompers!, and fall back and distance yourself. Otherwise, Jinx should focus on auto attacking the enemies nearest to her. When the enemies are in range, you should use Pow-Pow, the Minigun to eat through their health. Fishbones, the Rocket Launcher should be used in the beginning stages when there's still distance between you and the enemies. Super Mega Death Rocket! is better on enemies with low health, but you can also use it to reach a team fight quickly via Get Excited! Jinx is exceptional in cleaning up after team fights. You can use your ult to snipe fleeing targets, Zap! to slow down fleeing enemies or kill them, Flame Chompers! to block off escape routes, and Fishbones, the Rocket Launcher to get in splash damage. Other than that, don't forget to use the actives on your items. {Other Tips} Learn how to cancel your animations, or move while attacking. This is referred to as orb walking. Orb walking is an important technique to master on any marksman, to prevent being a sitting duck, and to prevent enemies escaping with low health. You can learn more about it here. You may also want to edit your settings such as smart casting Zap!, enabling timestamps or shrinking the size of certain aspects of the interface.

match ups

{Synergies}

Jinx goes well in split push compositions, such as the one displayed on the left. She also does well with teams who aim to end the game early. Morgana is a particularly preferred support for me because of her shield provides Jinx a means of escape. Her CC is also exceptional in locking enemies down for Jinx to kill. Other good choices are Thresh, Karma, Lulu, and Nami for their CC and defensive capabilities. The rest of the team is filled with CC, and they are all mobile. Orianna's E+W can help alleviate Jinx's lack of mobility, whereas Lee Sin can stun enemies to help you land your skill shots more easily.

{Counters}

Jinx's main weaknesses are her lack of mobility without her passive and her lack of a gap closer. Thus, her main counters are champions that can capitalize on that, meaning assassins, bruisers, and champions with high crowd control. In the bot lane, 'kill lanes' are particularly difficult for Jinx. Lucian would be an example of a difficult match up. His mobility means he can dodge your skill shots more easily, and his burst damage is quite high. High CC supports when matched with such types of marksmen make for dangerous enemies as well, such as Leona or Thresh. As for the rest of the enemy team, champions who could bypass your tanks' defenses or dive on to you are good counters against Jinx. Assassins such as LeBlanc, Kha'Zix, and Talon are some examples. Champions with high CC that could lock Jinx down is also dangerous, such as Vi, Amumu, and Trundle.

conclusion
This would be the conclusion of this guide. I would like to thank Ubnoxius for making the wonderful banner at the beginning of the guide. If you want to see any of my other guides, I have one for Miss Fortune and one for Janna. I also have A Coding Service.

Feel free to leave any comments, questions, and feedback in the comments section, and I will respond to them to the best of my abilities. Have fun playing Jinx. Thank you for reading!