Jarvan IV Build Guide by ATGreat

Introduction

Alright, this is my first guide on here so constructive criticism is welcome. This guide will be about Jarvan IV, my best/favorite champion. He is a very versatile champion, though I mainly use him solo top he can be a good mid or jungler and very decent aggressive support.

Pros / Cons

Pros:

• Two gap closers
• Passive armor and AS
• Two forms of CC
• Natural armor reduction
• High damage output
• Tanky
• Versatile
• Standard for vision
• Move with an aura
• Commando skin takes 1 less damage from Leona

Cons:

• Two moves to use a gap closer/CC
• Can be mana hungry if not played right
• Can lock team mates in your Cataclysm

Summoner Spells

Flash is a very universal summoner spell. Use it to get over walls (including Cataclysm's), escape when you're low on HP, or to catch a fleeing opponent.

I know most solo top champions take Ignite, but I find Exhaust much more useful on Jarvan IV. It amplifies your chasing and dueling powers by a great amount.

Runes

Greater Quintessence of Movement Speed
I take these for the obvious reason of being faster, combined with the items and masteries I have set up your movement speed gets up to 470 if you take Trinity Force. Combined with the slow from Trinity Force your enemies have a very hard time getting away.

Greater Glyph of Magic Resist
These are to get your magic resist up and running. They make you all the more resistant to the annoying Vladimir or Rumble up in your lane.

Greater Seal of Armor
These will help against every enemy you fight in top lane, even if they're an AP champion, it still reduces some of their damage output.

Greater Mark of Armor Penetration
These along with your The Black Cleaver, Dragon Strike, and Youmuu's Ghostblade will leave your enemy with little armor left to fight you. 12 armor pen from runes, 10 from The Black Cleaver, 20 from Youmuu's Ghostblade and 25% armor reduction from The Black Cleaver along with 26% more from Dragon Strike. Your opponent will have 49% of their armor left of which you get through another 42 of.

Masteries

Durability gives you that extra hit before you would die.

Hardiness allows you to take further reduced damage.

Resistance is just a small boost to your MR and makes that much beefier.

Veteran's Scars is a very nice early game HP boost.

Summoner's Insight gives you a 15sec smaller CD on your Flash, so why wouldn't you take it?

Meditation slightly helps with whatever mana problems you have.

Improved Recall is the extra point you need to get up to the next level in the tree. Besides why not get back to the base a second quicker each time.

Mastermind further reduces the CD on your Flash.

Greed makes it so you can give your jungler kills and still make a good amount of money.

Runic Affinity is another extra point, and why not keep those buffs going anyways?

Biscuiteer give you your free Total Biscuit of Rejuvenation.

Wealth gives you the bonus gold you need to buy your two Mana Potions at the start of the game.

Pickpocket gives you a small gold bonus just for harassing with your Martial Cadence.

Intelligence gets you to a total of 26% CDR without blue buff. (Not 20% like it says in the stat summary.)

Nimble is another part of the amazing 470 movement speed.

Items

increase your damage output and you should always get them when you are winning your lane, as oppose to other boots.

is a great item for almost any beefy DPS champion. The armor pen and armor reduction are the main reasons I get this item, the CDR and HP are great bonuses.

is one of my favorite new items from season 3. It increases your damage output by a good amount with the extra AD and AS. Then there is still more CDR, which is what finally brings you to 26%. Zephyr still gives you tenacity to boot.

after it's rework has become an item that's probably too good to stay, but as long as it stays like this it's great for Jarvan IV. The AS is the same as from Wit's End but also gives you more damage and a great passive not to mention an active slow. Your first hit against a target, procing Martial Cadence and Blade of the Ruined King hits for 15% of your target's current HP.

is a great item on Jarvan IV. All of the stats help him in some way. When you can attack someone that is at 49% armor, you have 42 armor pen, and you're hitting for 150% base damage and 10% of their hp in damage it sorta hurts.

gives you a very useful AP damage sheild and when when combined with your own helps survive some dangerous situations.

Is the item you get if you somehow get a game long enough and you can get more damage output through it than your boots. Seeing as you're fast enough already selling your boots is no problem, especially with Youmuu's Ghostblade's active.

can be your replacement for Trinity Force if your team needs you to be tankier. You'll lose movement speed and some damage but this item still works very well on Jarvan IV.

can be really fun on Jarvan IV with my build because of all the AS. If your opponent is standing in the middle of your Cataclysm, your splash damage reaches all sides.

is only used if the oppponent's ADC or AD top is fed. The aura of the Sunfire Cape will fill your entire Cataclysm.

get you even more damage output with it's AS and makes you a bit tankier with the bonus MR.

Laning

When you get to lane try not to start a fight right away, wait until at least level two. Meanwhile just harass with Dragon Strike. If you land your Dragon Strike and the enemy is still initiating on you, quick get on basic attack off ( Jarvan IV has one of the longest melee attack ranges) activate Golden Aegis and back off. If your jungler pings that they're on the way stop harassing of a bit and save your Dragon Strike for a knock up to give your jungler time to get in the fight. Once you get your The Black Cleaver you can simply drop your Demacian Standard on the mage minions and Dragon Strike to it and that's three dead minions.

When you start attacking the enemies turret drop your Demacian Standard max range behind you. You'll still get the extra AS to take the turret faster and it's one less thing you need to do to get out when the enemy tries to stop you, just Dragon Strike to it and you're out.

Make sure when you're harassing the enemy under their turret to drop your Demacian Standard in the river bush to check for the enemy jungler. It acts as an eight second ward.

Team Fights

When looking for team fights you should only initiate if your team does not have a true tank. If your team doesn't wait until you can catch one of your more important targets with your knock up and try to get them separated from the rest of their team.

If your team does have a true tank wait for them to initiate then use your E,Q,R combo to jump on the enemy ADC. If they use Flash to get out and you know you can still catch them you have two options: 1. Use your Flash or E,Q combo to follow them and leave Cataclysm up, or 2. Drop your Cataclysm by reactivating it and then chase them. Do option one if you have caught more than one enemy in your Cataclysm with no allies, and use option two if one of your allies followed you into the enemy ADC and you didn't catch another enemy.

After taking the enemy ADC, make sure your ADC is safe. If someone is attacking them, get over there and help them. Afterwords continue to help your ADC chase a target of their choice.

Quick Hints

• Teammates can teleport to your Demacian Standard, which sets up for great ganks.
• If you get tower dived with your Flash up you can do a quick combo to get yourself out: Wait until they take tower aggro and use your knock up, then immediately use Cataclysm and Flash out of it and watch your opponent tick away.
• Use your Demacian Standard to check the river bush when your overextended.

Summary

Changes

Switched Wit's End for Blade of the Ruined King in Recommended Build.
Added Laning and Team Fights sections.
Added Youmuu's Ghostblade and Infinity Edge to Final Item.
Changed Berserker's Greaves for Youmuu's Ghostblade in Recommended Build.
Added my Support, Mid, and Jungle builds.