This guide will cover everything about Jarvan IV, specifically in the mid lane — things like combos, matchups, item pool, and even lore, If this helps you whether it’s with skill order, runes, or anything like that, consider giving it an upvote :)

Jarvan Lightshield IV or Jarvan IV is the sole heir to the Demacian throne, as his mother died giving birth to him. He was raised to be the ideal successor: disciplined, patriotic, and shaped by the strict, often intolerant worldview that defines the kingdom’s rigid ideals.

He was trained by Xin Zhao, who taught him both combat and strategy, introducing him to philosophy and The Art of War. In his youth, he formed a strong bond with Garen Crownguard, becoming close allies both on the battlefield and within the political sphere of Demacia. When he came of age, Jarvan IV was named a General.

During a battle far from the capital, he was saved by Shyvana, a half-dragon who was being hunted by an elemental dragon. Together, they defeated the beast, which forged an alliance between them — and possibly a romantic relationship.

Things took a dark turn when his father, King Jarvan III, was assassinated during the uprising that followed Sylas escape. Sylas was a mage who had been imprisoned unjustly by Demacia. With his father gone, Jarvan IV became king during a time of political and civil unrest, now burdened with the responsibility of leading a kingdom torn between tradition and change.

Martial Cadence

Jarvan basic attacks deal bonus physical damage equal to 8% of the target’s current health. This effect can only occur once every 6 / 5 / 4 / 3 seconds per target.



Dragon Strike

Jarvan extends his lance, dealing 90 / 130 / 170 / 210 / 250 (+145% bonus AD) physical damage and shredding the target’s armor by 10 / 14 / 18 / 22 / 26% for 3 seconds.

If the lance hits his Demacian Standard, Jarvan dashes to it, knocking up all enemies in his path for 0.75 seconds.

Range: 785
Cooldown: 10 / 9 / 8 / 7 / 6
Cost: 45 / 50 / 55 / 60 / 65




Golden Aegis

Jarvan summons a protective aegis, slowing nearby enemies by 15 / 20 / 25 / 30 / 35% for 2 seconds. For each enemy champion hit, he gains a shield of 60 / 80 / 100 / 120 / 140 (+70% bonus AD).

Range: 600
Cooldown: 9
Cost: 30



Demacian Standard

Jarvan gains 20 / 22.5 / 25 / 27.5 / 30% bonus attack speed.
When activated, he throws a standard to a target location, dealing 80 / 120 / 160 / 200 / 240 (+80% AP) magic damage. Allies near the standard gain the same attack speed bonus for 8 seconds.

Range: 860
Cooldown: 12 / 11.5 / 11 / 10.5 / 10
Cost: 55



Cataclysm

Jarvan heroically leaps at a target enemy champion, dealing 200 / 325 / 450 (+180% bonus AD) physical damage to them and nearby enemies. Upon landing, he creates an arena of impassable terrain around the target that lasts for 3.5 seconds.


Range: 650
Cooldown: 120 / 105 / 90
Cost: 100

Unlike those squishy little mages, Jarvan has high damage and high durability, making it easy for him to delete most matchups while also roaming freely with Demacian Standard + Dragon Strike. Plus, no one expects a Jarvan IV in the mid lane.

After all:

Is it meta? No.

Is it fun? A Lot.

Can carry? Absolutely.

Pros

Strong Early Game
Strong Engage
Strong Roaming
Good Poke
Easy Pick
Easy Escapes
Exotic Pick
Tankier than most mid

Cons

Waveclear isn’t the best
Easy to Poke him
Useless if the matchup has a dash

COMING SOON

COMING SOON

Starting with Demacian Standard is a great option for jungle and support, but that’s not the case here. Right now

Starting with Dragon Strike is the best choice for mid lane. Combined with Doran's Blade, it gives you stronger poke and better waveclear at level 1.

Then, focus on E ( Demacian Standard) to enable the E+Q combo, which makes even small trades hit harder.

After that, level up W ( Golden Aegis) to gain better survivability in the late game with the shield


And always remember to prioritize R ( Cataclysm) whenever possible!

Jarvan IV is quite strong in the early game, since he gets access to his combo at level 2 (E + Q), which guarantees engage and damage. This can lead to an early kill or force the enemy to recall, making Jarvan IV a big threat right from the start—especially against squishy mages.

On top of that, roaming with Jarvan IV early is extremely powerful. With Waterwalking, he gains bonus movement speed during roams, helping him rotate faster and spread his lead across the map early on.

what to do?

Just focus on farming while avoiding poke, and poke your opponent using Dragon Strike and Demacian Standard separately. Then, wait for a moment when the enemy wave is small to go in with the E+Q+W combo and try to secure a kill.

COMING SOON

COMING SOON

Jarvan IV is usually seen in the jungle, and occasionally as a support. But if you don’t feel like dealing with the stress of playing jungle or the boredom of playing support, mid lane is the best option. He has strong 1v1 potential against mages with his basic combo, and can pull off fast, easy roams.

With a powerful early game, he can shut down the enemy mid laner and start influencing the map quickly.

In the end, it’s your choice:
do you want to get flamed in chat as a jungler, or carry the game from mid?

This is the J4 skin tier list. If you disagree with anything, its just my opinion (and the one that matters in this guide, after all)

Mains Jarvan

Ookina

https://www.youtube.com/@Ookina

King Nidhogg

https://www.youtube.com/@KingNidhogg

Videos

Play Video Play Video Play Video Play Video

Playlists

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYnTuLtBXjEIzBcsc1TWv-kGSCnKirl0m