Items

Any great player already knows that builds are not static. In order to play a champion perfectly you must understand why certain items are good. You will determine the choice and order in which you purchase your items based on the current game. The item order I have listed is the generic 'best path' that I have found. However there are many times when you will change the order of items gathered, or get different items all together.



Starting with Regrowth Pendant and a Mana Potion. This is a great way to start with many tanky champions. It provides great regeneration at the low levels. This will allow you to take a little damage while you score some last hits on minions. Additionally you will have the most expensive item for your first philosopher's stone. The mana potion will allow you to use Dragon Strike early on. For more information on using dragon strike in the early game check out the skills chapter.


Philosopher's StonePhilosopher's Stone Philosopher's Stones are an amazing item for the early and mid game! When you have these guys they will allow you to be super aggressive. You will have great health and mana regen. Mana can be an issue with Jarvan but NOT with two philos stones. Oh, they also provide the best gold per 10 cost for worth ratio in game. A lot of players like to get a heart of gold instead of a second philosopher's stone. While heart of gold is a strong item that upgrades into an omen, it is not as efficient and useful as a second philosopher's stone. To the unknowing this setup may look a little silly, but once you try it you will swear by it.

Additional gold per 10 information:
Philosopher's Stone: 22.5 HP/5, 10 MP/5
HP/5 is valued at 29 gold/point (based off of regrowth pendant)
MP/5 is valued at 55.7 gold/point (based off of meki pendant)
Net worth before factoring in gold/10: ~1210 gold
Cost Efficiency: 1210/800 = 151%

Heart of Gold: 250 HP
HP is valued at 2.64 gold/point (based off of ruby crystal)
Net worth before factoring in gold/10: ~660 gold
Cost Efficiency: 660/825 = ~80%

--> Ideally you will first return to town with 1915 gold, or 1515 gold if you're laning against attack damage only champs. This way you can buy your two philosophers stone's and return with boots and your null magic mantle. When you return you will be very very scary. When you take damage you will regenerate it quickly when you back away into a defensive position. Then you can return to aggressiveness with full hp and mana. An additional gold a second is nice too.

You might wonder why get merc treads if you're getting philo stones. After all you can upgrade the philo into a tenacity item. The answer is because you will end up selling the philo stones for item slots if you reach a late game. Also, merc treads provide more tenacity and give a nice magic resist boost Jarvan can make use of well.


--> The trinity force is an all around amazing item for any offtank to have. The phage brings a little health, damage, and chance to add additional CC to your targets. The Zeal brings a little crit, attack speed, and movement speed. The Sheen brings a little mana and a slight additional damage after you use an ability. This is an expensive item, but it is easy to farm up with Jarvan and the philosopher stones. There is almost no game where you will skip this item. However, sometimes you might want to get a Negatron Cloak or Chain Vest that make-up your banshees or sunfire cape for additional tankage before trinity. The best way to tell when to do this is by hitting tab often and having good map awareness. Is an enemy carry getting fed? Then you will probably need one of these two items faster.

Catalyst The Protector --> Banshee's Veil is an item that is very hard to go wrong with. You will make use of every component of the item. I typically strive to get the Catalyst The ProtectorCatalyst first if magic resist is not an immediate need. The health is always useful for Jarvan and the mana, while currently not an issue, will be very useful when you sell your philosopher's stonePhilosopher's stones. If there is an enemy ap carry that has been fed, or a significant amount of magic damage on the enemy team, grab a Negatron Cloak first.


--> Sunfire's cape will give you a little armor, more hitpoints, and a 35 dps aura, an all around nice item for Jarvan. You will want to get the Giant's Belt first for extra hitpoints, unless armor was an immediate need.

Warmogs armor, it gives you lots of health and a little regen. Its a great item for being beefy, and it also adds damage when you get your Atma's Impaler.

Atma's Impaler. It will give you a little crit and a little more armor, which are both nice. The armor will help you tank AD champs and towers a little better. The real beauty of this item is the passive which will turn your high hit points into extra damage!