Jax Build Guide by Mr Jonagold

Introduction

Hello everyone!

My name is Mr Jonagold and this is my first guide.
I have been playing League of Legends for about 6 months now. I really enjoyed playing ever since I started, but I've never been the "team-carrier". Even though I do pretty well in every game, I feel like I've never really made the difference. Until I met Jax.

I bought Jax when he was on sale. I thought: "Ah what the hell, let's just give it a try".
My first game with Jax was in the jungle, since everyone was spamming "top!, mid!, adc!, supp!" in Champion Select.

As I said before, I've never really made the difference in winning or losing a game. Until now. I'm talking about K/D-ratios which don't go lower than 4. And I'm not talking about 4:1, but more about 20:5. Double kills, triple kills, a couple quadra kills and soooo damn close to a PENTAKILL.

Wow, really. Playing Jax in the jungle is the best decision I've ever made. I think I've gathered enough information and experience to make this Jax the Ripper guide. Feel free to critisize, it can only make the guide better.

I hope you can learn something for this guide, even though the guide is still under construction.

Enjoy!

Pros / Cons

Pros
- Easy jungle-clearer
- Good escaping/chasing ability Leap Strike
- Shreds through champions with passive Relentless Assault
- Tanky


Cons
- Early mana problems
- Counter Strike can be dodged quite easily
- Difficult to time your abilities when ganking (skill will increase when playing more often)

Abilities

Relentless Assault:
Every time Jax attacks an enemy he gains 4 / 6 / 8 / 10 / 12 / 14 % increased attack speed for 2.5 seconds. The percentage is increased every 3 levels. This effect stacks up to 6 times. Will still stack if the attack is dodged or misses due to blind.

Leap Strike:
Jax leaps towards a target. If it's an enemy, he attacks, dealing 70 / 110 / 150 / 190 / 230 (+60% of ability power) (+1.0 per bonus attack damage) physical damage.

Empower:
Jax charges his weapon with energy, causing his next attack to deal 40 / 75 / 110 / 145 / 180 (+60% of ability power) additional magic damage.

Counter Strike:
Jax dodges all incoming basic attacks for 2 seconds and reduces AoE damage by 25% while he is dodging. At the end of the duration, Jax deals 50/75/100/125/150 (+0.5 bonus attack damage) physical damage to nearby enemies and stuns them for 1 second. This spell deals 20% (up to a maximum of 100%) increased damage for each attack dodged. Jax has the option to activate the ability again after 1 second to end the effect early.

Grandmaster's Might:
Passive: Hitting 3 consecutive times enhances Jax's next attack for 100 / 160 / 220 (+70% of ability power) bonus magic damage.

Active: Jax gains 25/35/45 (+30% of his bonus attack damage) armor and 25/35/45 (+20% of his ability power) magic resist for 8 seconds.

Early-Gameplay

Level 1-3: Upgrade Counter Strike at the beginning. Clear the Ancient Golem, using your ability to dodge the attacks from the golem and stunning it and using Smite. You will reach level 2 after clearing the camp. Now upgrade Empower. Go to the Wraiths and clear this camp using your abilities. Now go to the Lizard Elder. Clear the camp using your abilities and Smite. You have now reached level 3. Upgrade Leap Strike.

Jungle Route

Level 3-6
You are now ready to gank a lane if needed. (If not, keep jungling to get stacks for your Feral Flare, to get gold and to level up). You've upgraded your first three abilities. If one of the lanes is being pushed by the enemy, try to sneak up to them by using the river. As soon as your teammates are ready to fight, go in and use Leap Strike to jump on your target. While leaping, activate Counter Strike (and Empower, for extra damage) to block the incoming basic attacks and stun your target (press "E" again) whenever he's trying to escape. The target will automatically be stunned if not pressed "E" again within 3 seconds.

So basically, between level 3 and 6 you will be ganking and/or jungling. At level 4 and 5, upgrade Empower for extra damage. At level 6, upgrade your ult, Grandmaster's Might.

Whenever you recall, pick up a Stealth Ward if you have gold left after purchasing items. Wriggle's Lantern also grants you a free ward every 180 seconds, plus you have your Warding Totem. The reason for having this many wards is not only for map control, but also for escaping/chasing. This is because Jax can use his Leap Strike to jump on minions, enemy minions, enemy champions, monster, allies and.. wards! Since non of these can stick with you all the time, except for wards, you can use them for many purposes. It can help you escape from the enemy or to clear your jungle faster. It can also be used to chase your enemy's by placing a ward on the other side of a wall and jump over it using Leap Strike.

Level 6-18
I can't predict an entire game. From level 1 to 6 is basically the same every game. But after level 6 there's a lot that can happen. Just keep in mind to kill enough large monsters (for Feral stacks) and try helping your teammates to push turrets and ofcourse help them in teamfights. I also really think warding the river and specific bushes in their jungle will help your team a lot.

Why these items!?

START
Hunter's Machete:
This is the basic start for a jungler. The passives do great damage against monsters and heal you a little bit. It will also generate stacks for Wriggle's Lantern, which will turn into Feral Flare after 25 stacks (by killing 25 large monsters, assists or champion kills). (Will later build into Wriggle's Lantern.)

Health Potion×5:
Keeps you alive during early-game jungling + you will need to have your health-bar up when ganking.


EARLY-GAME
Wriggle's Lantern A.K.A. Feral Flare:
This is, well, consider it one of your main items. Before the changes ( Wriggle's Lantern -> Feral Flare) the main items were Trinity Force and Blade of the Ruined King.
But now, this item is what shreds your opponents and makes Jax; Jax the Ripper. This item now does - besides the 15 attack damage and 35 attack speed it already had - 100 bonus magic damage (+3 damage per Feral stack) and restores 10 (+1 per Feral stack) health per basic attack. Enemy champions take 33% of the bonus damage. So let's say you have 25 Feral stacks, this item does (100+(3×25))×0,33 = 57,75 bonus damage per basic attack. It will also heal you for 10+(1×25) = 35 per basic attack. Besides it will give you 30% increased gold from monsters and a free ward every 180 seconds.

Boots of Speed:
A must have as a jungler. I'd like to purchase these when I don't have enough gold for Wriggle's Lantern when I go back for the first time. If you have 1350 gold when recalling for the first time, just get them ASAP. It will really help you while jungling or ganking. (Will later build into Mercury's Treads or Ninja Tabi).

Bilgewater Cutlass:
Great damage and lifesteal. This item will really help you sustain in the jungle. It's also great for ganking, since it's active deals 100 magic damage and slows the target champion's movement speed by 25% for 2 seconds. (Will later build into Blade of the Ruined King).

Phage:
Great damage and health. This is where you are really going to shred your opponents. Also grants 20 movement speed for 2 seconds on hit, which will help you clearing the jungle faster and chasing your opponent. (Will later build into Trinity Force).


CORE
Mercury's Treads OR Ninja Tabi:
After completing your early-game build, get one of these boots. Mercury's Treads against a heavy AP team and Ninja Tabi against a heavy AD team. Will grant you some magic resistance or armor and some movement speed.

Zeal:
Some more attack speed and some critical strike chance. Also grants some movement speed. (Will later build into Trinity Force).

Giant's Belt:
Time to get Jax some tankiness. 380 Health. Nothing more, nothing less. (Will build into Randuin's Omen).

Trinity Force:
Our last item required to finish Trinity Force is Sheen. We don't have slots left, but since it's only 3 gold difference between the last required item and Trinity Force, we're just going to get it straight.

Randuin's Omen:
A ****load of health and armor. Also passivly slows the attacker's attack speed by 15% and their movement speed by 10% for 1 second when hit by a basic attack. It's active slows the movement speed of nearby enemy units by 35% for 2 seconds + 1 second for every 100 armor and magic resistance you have. Great item for chasing your opponents. At this point you should be able to win a lot of 1v1 fights (if you have enough Feral stacks, which should be no problem by this time).

Blade of the Ruined King:
Now upgrade Bilgewater Cutlass into Blade of the Ruined King. It will give you a lot of extra attack speed. It's active is also really great, because you steal 30% of the target's movement speed for 3 seconds. At this point it's almost impossible to get away from Jax. You will shred squishy enemies in a couple of hits. Also tanks must not be a problem 1v1.


FINAL-BUILD (EXAMPLE)
Sunfire Cape OR Spirit Visage:
The standard finish build for Jax. Either Sunfire Cape when facing a heavy AD team or a Spirit Visage when facing a heavy AP team. Both will grant you some nice health, plus armor or magic resistance, depending on which one you buy.

Enchantment: Furor:
I really like to upgrade my boots with Enchantment: Furor. Upon dealing damage with a single target spell or attack, grants +12% Movement Speed that decays over 2 seconds. Great for chasing.

Runes

Greater Mark of Attack Damage×9:
Jax is a heavy attack damage dealer. These runes synergies well with many offensive masteries and items.

Greater Seal of Armor×9:
Makes Jax tankier. It will be easier to clear the jungle early-game and helps you to survive your ganks.

Greater Glyph of Scaling Magic Resist×9:
Easier to survive high magic damage mid and late-game. Will grant you 27 magic resist at level 18.

Greater Quintessence of Attack Speed×3:
Synergies very well with the Jax' passive Relentless Assault and the mastery Fury . Will get you some good attack speed to clear the jungle and kill your opponents.

Masteries

I chose for 21-9-0.

As stated under the chapter Runes, Jax is a heavy attack damage dealer. The offensive attack speed and attack damage masteries synergies very well with Relentless Assault and the many attack speed and attack damage items that come with this build.

The defensive masteries will give Jax some extra health and reduces some incoming damage.

Situational items

Frozen Mallet:
Whenever I feel like I've got enough armor or magic resistance, I really like to buy this item. It gives you a great amount of health, plus it will deal a lot of attack damage. The passive will slow your targets movement speed by 40% (30% for ranged attacks) for 1.5 seconds. This item instead of Sunfire Cape or Spirit Visage will make it nearly impossible to escape from Jax.

Warmog's Armor:
Whenever you need health and health generation. The passive restores 1% of your total health per 5 seconds. Great sustain item.

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