I'm RichMrFork, I've been playing since season 9 where I mostly played normals trying to figure out which champions I liked since I had bad ranked anxiety. I started spamming ranked in season 10 playing Ekko jungle and I reached Platinum 3. Season 11 and 12 I ended in Diamond 3 and 2 respectively. Now in season 13 I reached Master tier.

Everything listed in this guide is my opinion! I'm not the greatest Ekko or jungle player alive. While I think I have a good amount of experience I understand I can be wrong and I may lack knowledge on a certain aspect of a Matchup or part of the game.

Although Ekko is a scaling champ and relies on gold to do damage, you still have pretty good gank potential early after level 3. You also snowball extremely hard being able to absolutely run over games if you get a few kills under your belt. Ekko starts to become a one shot machine especially after Nashor's Tooth or Hextech Rocketbelt and a few Dark Seal stacks. Your dive potential is also amazing. Your ultimate almost guarantees that you survive no matter how bad you misplay it. Ekko's skirmish power is also fairly good, if you can land your Parallel Convergence on multiple targets it can turn a fight extremely quick. Objective stealing is also easy due to Ekko's Z-Drive Resonance not having a cap so proccing your passive and Smite allows you to consistently do 1500+ damage to objectives mid to late game while also being able to Chronobreak out to safety immediately after. Lastly, Ekko just has an massive amount of outplay potential. Your mobility and the amount of versatility in your kit allows you to pull off some amazing plays.

Firstly, Ekko is very susceptible to invades by enemy junglers who are strong duelists early. Ekko also has a hard time 1v1'ing enemy junglers early game ( Elise, Lee Sin, Xin Zhao for example). This might mean you have to give up a camp or some farm in order to not die to the enemy jungler. Ekko is also not great into beefy or high CC teams. You won't be able to one shot many people if anyone in these scenarios. Crowd control is also Ekko's greatest enemy because he is extremely squishy and most of his survivability is tied to his Z-Drive Resonance and Chronobreak which CC doesn't allow you to use.

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Dark Harvest Page

Inspiration allows you to reach your Hextech Rocketbelt and Nashor's Tooth spike faster because you can use the extra 300 gold from Magical Footwear and put it into another item. Cosmic Insight is extremely useful for most junglers including Ekko, the rune allows you to finish your 5 smites earlier to gain Chilling ( Hailblade) or Challenging ( Emberknife) smite. The item haste also lowers the Hextech Rocketbelt dash as well as Zhonya's Hourglass if you have it. The same can apply for Future's Market, the faster you get your Rocketbelt/Nashors the faster you can start one shotting people.

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First Strike Page

A new addition to season 12, First Strike provides extra gold and damage if you hit the enemy first. The rune allows you to reach your 1 and 2 item spikes a good amount faster if you're skirmishing and ganking quite a bit. Just be aware that you have a little less damage without the combination of Dark Harvest, Sudden Impact and Eyeball Collection. The Inspiration greatly benefits Ekko in all 3 rows. Magical Footwear lets you save 300 gold to reach your first 2 core items. Future's Market serves the same purpose in letting you reach your core faster. Cosmic Insight gives you item and summoner spell haste allowing your Hextech Rocketbelt to be up for almost every fight as well as any other actives like Zhonya's Hourglass. Don't feel pressured to take Domination secondary if you go First Strike as Ekko benefits a good amount from Sorcery and Precision too. Precision with Legend: Tenacity and Triumph can let you escape from some really close calls with the healing and reduced amount of you time you'll be CC'ed. Sorcery allows you to get a large amount of extra AP with Absolute Focus and Gathering Storm. Late game it can be a difference maker with Ekko's huge AP ratios.

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Dark Harvest

VS

Electrocute

I've tried Electrocute but it falls short of Dark Harvest in my opinion. Electrocute's low cooldown (25-20 Seconds) is much better in mid as a trading tool. If you take electrocute in the jungle I feel like you lose out on some of the value it brings simply because you're not actively trading against champions. Ekko's skirmish power also compliments Dark Harvest's reset mechanic. Your Z-Drive Resonance and Chronobreak allow you to get stacks on multiple people throughout a fight.

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Hunter Runes
These are ordered in best to worst in my opinion. Left to Right.

1.Treasure Hunter After the removal of Ravenous Hunter in patch 12.6, the new replacement is Treasure Hunter. This rune gives you ramping gold with each bounty you collect giving you an end total of 550 extra gold. Can be especially useful after successful early ganks and your first clear to pick up an extra Amplifying Tome or Blasting Wand if you have enough extra gold.

2.Ingenious Hunter Item Haste. This lowers the cooldown of actives and trinkets. This will ensure that you have your rocketbelt up for almost every fight when it's stacked. This also lowers the Zhonya's Hourglass cooldown if you're building it. Paired with Cosmic Insight, this can almost guarantee you have your item actives up every single fight.

3.Relentless Hunter Faster out of combat movespeed. Allows you to traverse the map faster, be in time for more counterganks and fights. With the removal of ravenous, this rune has only become more of an option and can let you be at almost every fight if you pair it with Lich Bane or Mejai's Soulstealer due to the MS increases.

4.Ultimate Hunter Ultimate haste. Pretty simple rune, the more you have ult up the more fights you can take with much less risk. More ultimates means more dives, objective steals or as before just being able to limit test more with the safety your Chronobreak provides.

All hunter runes are viable in different situations although they can all be taken in any game. Feel free to find which one fits your playstyle the best.

You want to pay attention in champ select to make adjustments to runes/pathing or maybe even to dodge the lobby.

Pathing
Pathing towards immobile champs or lanes that have no summoner spells like Flash or Heal can lead to easy kills. Less mobility makes it easier to hit champs with your W stun since they have less tools to escape it. Think of most ADC's, Supports, Mages,and Bruisers. Most are extremely easy to kill if they don't have Summoner Spells available. Be aware of exceptions like Ezreal or Thresh who can Arcane Shift and Dark Passage.

Runes
Another alternate runeset if you prefer Sorcery secondary is running Transcendence and Waterwalking. This gives you a bit more skirmish power early in the river and AH which is always useful.

Dodging
Most compositions in Gold and below won't coordinate well enough to make them a cohesive threat. I think dodging in low elo actually worsens your ability to play into difficult games. If you don't know how to adjust your playstyle to different champions based on what your allies or enemies choose it hurts you in the long run. Moving on though, champions like Sylas, Yasuo, Yone paired with champions I listed as a 5 in the matchups can completely wreck your gameplan. If for example a Lee Sin and Sylas are duo and know how to abuse your weak early game it can be incredibly difficult to scale and reach a point where you're going to be useful. An indicator to dodge could be an enemy teams packed with CC, general beefiness, or strong skirmishers.

I'm stealing this chapter title from Coach Curtis because I feel that this is an important topic to cover. Ability Identity means to know what the purpose of each part of your kit is. This is different from knowing what each ability does, this is meant to explain how to use your abilities to their limits.

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Z-Drive Resonance (Passive)
Your passive is the core of your damage. If you don't know how to use it well then you'll find yourself doing very little damage as well as much more limited mobility. The ability can be activated from any part of your kit except your Parallel Convergence. Look to use the massive movement speed boost you get after proccing the passive to move to the outskirts of the fight until your other abilities come off cooldown.

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Timewinder (Q)
Extremely good wave-clear and zoning tool. Remember that this ability also provides a slow which is useful to proc passive, land a W stun or just setup your team. Try to land the second part of Timewinder as it does more damage on the return. This can be achieved using your passive, Hextech Rocketbelt or even Flash.

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Parallel Convergence (W)
Ekko's highest skill-cap ability. Parallel Convergence usage is what differentiates the good Ekko players from the great ones. Knowing when and where to place this ability is crucial. Remember that the stun isn't the only useful part of the ability. Using it for the shield can let you tank more crucial damage to survive. Parallel Convergence also provides a useful slow to catch enemies. Finally, extremely important for Ekko jungle is that the ability gives vision on where it's placed. Useful for scouting bushes if you can't enter Timewinder range. Use it on Baron and Dragon pit to check if the enemy team is doing it or to attempt a steal. Don't tunnel vision on a single use but instead keep in mind all the ways to utilize the ability.

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Phase Dive (E)
Extremely strong mobility and dodging tool. Use this to dodge skillshots like Trueshot Barrage or Dredge Line. Being able to identify when and where to use wallhops in fights and to escape allows you to become extremely difficult to kill along with your other abilities. Refer to the video below in Tips and Tricks to learn the more uncommon wallhops.

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Chronobreak (R)
Insane playmaking and the main part of Ekko's core identity. Damage, healing, escape, this ability has basically everything to let you make plays. Combining your Parallel Convergence and Chronobreak let you almost 1v5 teamfights and skirmishes if you can place your abilities well. It's hard to explain the maximum potential of this ability in text, it's that versatile. After playing enough Ekko you'll learn the limits of Chronobreak, you can only learn more.

BOOTS: VERY IMPORTANT
In most situations playing Ekko the most common boot choices are Sorcerer's Shoes and Mercury's Treads. Sorcerer's Shoes are especially good early game if you can get the timer on Magical Footwear down or you're running a different rune page. The early magic penetration will help you begin to start dealing heavy damage to fragile targets even without Hextech Rocketbelt or Nashor's Tooth. They scale quite nicely and overall fit perfectly with Ekko. The second most common boot choice is Mercury's Treads. If you read the other parts of this guide or already have a general familiarity with Ekko then you know that being stunlocked and CC'ed for any amount of time can be game-losing in important teamfights or early skirmishes. Of course the ideal situation would be to face very little amounts of CC on the enemy team or they use all crowd control on your teammates allowing you to get in, dish your damage and then Chronobreak out. This is very rare though so the alternative would be running a runepage with Legend: Tenacity, Unflinching, or buying Mercury Treads. Keep in mind that if the CC is avoidable( Flawless Duet- Irelia E, Event Horizon - Veigar E)then these boots aren't required.

Lich Bane
With the buffs in 12.2 to give ability haste, increased AP ratio on the spellblade passive LichBane has come back into the light as a secondary item option. The burst works best against when your priority is to kill squishy targets. The movespeed can't be forgotten either as it allows you to rotate to skirmishes and gank more effectively. The movespeed can make the difference between being at a game-changing fight. Another underrated perk of Lich Bane is the extra burst allows you to combo your smite passive and spellblade all in one combo to allow you to steal more objectives and have a higher success rate of stealing.

Zhonya's Hourglass
Although an extremely powerful item on almost all champions, Ekko is an exception. Zhonya's Hourglass is viable but building it 2nd or 3rd hinders your damage significantly. Delaying your Nashor's Tooth or Rabadon's Deathcap leaves you with less 1-shot potential especially heading into the late game. The item can be worth it if you're playing a more utility based style and looking to peel or disrupt the enemy team though. Another reason to buy Zhonya's is if you're already fed or have a stacked Mejai's Soulstealer. Since you have a high amount of AP from the soulstealer you can afford to buy Zhonya's third without losing your assassination threat. You also of course become harder to kill with the bonus armor and active effect which means you can preserve your Mejai's stacks longer, possibly the whole game.

Mejai's Soulstealer
Take if snowballing hard. Ekko can solo carry especially in lower elos if you have the items and right assassin/jungle fundamentals so limit test a little. If the enemy team has low amounts of CC and you're ahead I will buy this item even if my Dark Seal is only at 7-8 stacks. Be more careful if the enemy team has lots of CC or abilities that can easily shut you down (EX: Malzahar's Nether Grasp, or Pantheon's Shield Vault).

Morellonomicon
Build this item if nobody else on your team will buy grievous wounds. Ekko doesn't apply grievous wounds very well and your grievous wounds equivalent late game will be one shotting the enemy before they can heal/lifesteal. Buy if you're behind and need to compliment your laners if they scale hard or are ahead. Do your best to avoid building this item though as it's almost never worth on Ekko. Another option is to just build the Oblivion Orb but at that point you're probably already behind and might as well just finish the item.

Void Staff
If the enemy is stacking MR. So think Mercury's Treads and Wit's End. Champions like Irelia or Akshan can use this combo very well so make sure to pick up a Void Staff. Just remember to only pick up a Void staff if a priority target is building MR. For example if your priority is to kill the Orianna and Caitlyn who both have no MR, don't buy a Void Staff because the enemy Sion built Spirit Visage.

Banshee's Veil/Spirit Visage
Hyper Situational: Usually still better to go the normal full AP build
Your MR options when the enemy has a lot of magic damage or the only threat to you is a magic damage dealer. Banshee's Veil offers you more damage as well as a single use spell shield that regenerates over time. Spirit Visage gives you a lot more tankiness as well as extra healing on your Chronobreak, jungle monster healing or any other sources. Extra shielding as well for your Parallel Convergence. Banshee's can be a game changer against champs like Blitzcrank who get denied their Rocket Grab or Ashe's Enchanted Crystal Arrow engage. Spirit Visage makes you much more durable and able to fight for a longer period of time with the extra healing/shielding effects. If you already got yourself a lead and don't need any more AP to 1 shot enemies then getting Visage could almost cement your lead and making you near unkillable. The two items are both viable but usually one wins over the other in situational benefits, try to look at the enemy team composition as well as your own current power to decide which item to get.

Shadowflame
Gives 100 AP and 200 HP once completed. This gives you quite a bit of extra HP as well as Magic penetration especially when up against shields. (EX: Lulu, Ivern) As of right now, the item seems mediocre for Ekko. It doesn't beat Nashor's Tooth or Lich Bane second and Rabadon's Deathcap or Void Staff 3rd still seem like better options. You already get a good amount of Magic Penetration from the Hextech Rocketbelt mythic passive and the item just doesn't seem to provide the utility like the other 2nd item options do. I think unless the item gets more value against shields as a buff later down the road it doesn't have much of a place in Ekko's build path.

You always want to adjust your clears to take advantage of overextended or low health laners! This might mean doing a 3 camp into gank or skipping a camp. Gank opportunities can change in an instant so be sure to adapt!

Most games you want to start W for the stun on the first buff and Parallel Convergence passive damage(% Missing health damage). Having a leash is ideal since Ekko's passive W doesn't activate until the camp is under 30% HP as well as your Z-Drive Resonance having a cooldown on jungle monsters. For most players just heading to the outer camp ( Krugs , Gromp ) after your first buff is the best course of action because you want to hit level 3 as fast as possible. Take Q ( Timewinder) second for the AOE damage on your camps and extra passive stacks. After you finish Red Buff - Krugs - Raptors or Blue Buff - Gromp - Wolves then look to head to the opposite quadrant and either do Wolves - Blue Buff - Gromp or Raptors - Red Buff. Ekko's clear usually makes you have to take the choice of doing a 6 camp and arriving to the crab late or doing 5 camps and falling back to your 6th camp after or ganking top/bot. Keep in mind that Ekko loses the 1v1 to a majority of junglers. It's important to assess if you have priority in your lanes before trying to fight most crabs. You wil most likely need help from your lanes in order to secure the crab. Another option if you know you don't have priority and you can't 1v1 the enemy jungler is to path to the opposite side crab. After crab you should look to see if a gank opportunity is available, if not then resetting is always a good option if you cleared all your level 1 camps.

On your first back you should always look to pick up a Dark Seal and another AP item depending on the amount of gold you have ( Amplifying Tome, Blasting Wand, or Hextech Alternator ). Dark Seal is the perfect item for Ekko as it synergizes with his playstyle extremely well. The item allows your champ to snowball extremely well if you can avoid dying. Luckily Ekko is extremely good at avoiding death with his mobility and Chronobreak. The item also grants high amounts of AP once you start to gain stacks on it. Your high AP ratios on your abilities complement the extremely high amount of AP you get from a fully stacked Dark Seal/ Mejai's Soulstealer. Look to grab an Oracle Lens to spot out any vision you might walk over or confirm no vision is on the place you're trying to gank from. Keep in mind Control Wards also grant permanent vision and vision denial until you place another or an enemy destroys it. They're pretty cheap at 75 gold and they can create huge advantages in terms of objective control and gank paths.

You should be looking for overextended enemies to pick off, dive opportunities with your ultimate and farming jungle camps in your downtime when no good openings are available. Don't forget to take objectives when you get a successful pick or win a fight. This is when you should have your Hextech Rocketbelt and Nashor's Tooth which let you start to become a lot more aggressive with your plays. One shotting people is now a realistic option here. Don't be afraid to test your limits a little bit when you reach this point in the game, Ekko is an extremely safe champion due to his Chronobreak so you should try to figure out what the champ is capable of.

This is where the full scale teamfights start to begin. Thankfully Ekko is still viable at this stage, though not as powerful as some hard scaling mages and most ADC's, you're still able to assassinate squishy targets and contribute to teamfights an AOE stun with Parallel Convergence and a huge burst of AOE damage with your Chronobreak. You should look for flanks and play around vision with an Oracle Lens and Control Wards. Ekko doesn't like approaching from the front like a bruiser or play front to back like an ADC. Your goal is to assassinate the enemy backline and put your team at a number's advantage while distracting the enemy using your ult and mobility.

Tower Dive Examples
Two common dive angles to look for against low health laners. Be sure to sweep and stay out of vision until your W setup is ready. Play Video Some Lesser Known Wallhops
Note: These aren't all the possible wallhops. These are just some of the more practical ones that can be used in game. Others are either so hard to pull off or you can just eyeball whether you can go over the wall or not. Play Video

Arcsecond - Twitch - Youtube
Previously pro player, Arcsecond plays a good amount of Ekko jungle. He plays both in the midlane and jungle using a multitude of champions. You can catch him playing Diana, Ekko, and Viego just to name a few. Arcsecond is extremely interactive with chat and answers almost all questions that you can think of so feel free to check him out!

Ekko The Neeko - Twitch
EUW Challenger Ekko jungle player. Known to try interesting builds like Nashor's Tooth into Divine Sunderer. Be aware he speaks primarily Spanish.

HawHawNeverLucky - Twitch - YouTube - MobaFire Guide
Ekko mid player. Consistently challenger in EUW and also has another popular Ekko mobafire guide! Streams are on and off.

Maxske - Twitch - YouTube
Mainly an Ekko mid player but plays a bit of jungle. You can learn a lot of Ekko specific knowledge from watching. Hovers around D1-Master tier and has peaked Grandmaster.

Gio Monster - Twitch - YouTube
Another Ekko mid player. Streams a few times a month and is consistently around Grandmaster and Challenger.

EkkoLiner - Twitch -

I would be happy to answer any questions if you leave them in a comment. If you don't feel comfortable leaving a comment for any reason at all you can message me on discord at RichMrFork#4561 with any questions. Thanks for reading!