Jax Build Guide by fuhtuhwuh

Introduction

Welcome to Jax the Tax man. This is a guide purely to help a low-level friend learn Jax. I am a mere Gold[SoloQ]/Gold[3v3] player. I have tested this build on normals but, on paper, it should also be ideal for ranked. Please make sure to read all the notes on the items/builds. Remember, this is just a guide and not a step-by-step how2win instruction manual. If you feel like you do better with a different build order, runes, masteries etc. then go ahead! This build is just what works for me.

Runes

Pretty much explains my thoughts on the runes I selected in the notes. I have tried both flat AD marks and Attack Speed marks, I feel like the attack speed marks are of much better use (Especially considering the bonus damage from the machete per hit) and once Jax hits 6, a large part of your damage is your 3rd consecutive hit.

Skill Sequence

In a fight, you want to be making sure you activate your Empower as often as possible. If you are sure you can get in range and jump (or walk) activate your Counter Strike, Empower and then Leap Strike (Or save it if you can close enough to the enemy, remember your Leap Strike is your only gap closer so use it wisely). Always activate your Grandmaster's Might for the bonus Armour/MR just as you jump in to a fight/duel as this ensures a safe kill/assist.

Ganking pre-6

Ganking post-6
Ganking pre-6, please make note of what champion you are ganking. Champions such as Lucian, Riven and Fizz etc. have a dash so you will have to activate your Counter Strikebefore you Leap Strike so that when you land you can re-activate it for the stun. Also, please make sure you are using your Empower as much as possible and that you activate before you Leap Strike as the bonus damage procs on your Leap Strike.

Ganking post-6, you follow the same routine as mentioned above (Labeled 'Ganking pre-6') except that you activate your Grandmaster's Might once you've jumped into gank (After EWQ) as it does not last long, however, if you are ganking a strong opponent or are jumping into an active fight you will be wanting your first ability activated to be your Grandmaster's Might (Even before Counter Strike and Empower) as you may be attacked pre/mid jump.

Pros / Cons

Pros:
+ Quick Clear Times
+ Leap Strike and Counter Strike gives great gank potential
+ In Built Attack Speed and Damage steroid; Relentless Assault/ Grandmaster's Might
+ Great kit

Cons:
- Requires a few hits to build up to optimal sustain
- Isn't a tank, only just an offtank
- Moderately high mana usage
- Doesn't have a real weapon

Creeping / Jungling

As Jax, you want to be ganking as much as possible.

AS OF THE SMITE CHANGE, REDUCED COOLDOWN, YOU CAN SMITE BOTH BUFFS REGARDLESS OF ROUTE.

BLUE SIDE

Red First, Recommended route:
Red Buff (Get assistance from at least mid, do not use Smite)
Wraiths
Blue Buff (Use Smite)
You are now level 3, gank mid or top lane
Wolves
Wight (Use Smite)

Blue First, Level 2 Gank:
Blue Buff (Assistance not needed, use Smite)
Get Leap Strike as your second ability, not Empower
Gank top or mid lane
Check Red buff, get wraiths
Red Buff (Use Smite)
Gank mid or bot is necessary
Wolves
Wight (Use Smite if available)
Wraiths


PURPLE SIDE

Red Start, level 2 gank:
Red Buff (No assistance = use Smite, Assistance = NO Smite)
Get Leap Strike as your second ability, not Empower
Gank top, or mid if top is fine
Wraiths
Blue Buff (Use Smite)
Gank bot, or mid if bot is fine
Wolves
Wight (Use Smite)


Blue start, the 'norm' jungle route (Recommended):
Blue buff (Assistance from at least mid, do not use Smite)
Wolves
Red buff (Use Smite)
Gank mid or top
Wraiths
Wolves
Wight (Use Smite)
Gank bot or mid


IMPORTANT: DO NOT GANK ON <60% HEALTH UNLESS GUARANTEED A KILL WITHOUT DYING

Do's and Dont's

DO's:
+ Use your Empower as often as possible
+ Use your Leap Strike as a gap closer
+ Use your Leap Strike to jump to an ally to escape
+ Use your Grandmaster's Might as you're about to go in to a fight
+ Gank as much as possible when it's safe to do so
+ BE A MAN.

DO NOT's:
- Use your Leap Strike for damage when you're stood next to someone
- Wait until you're low on health to activate your R
- Gank on low health
- Recall on high health and buffs active
- Recall to buy a 400g item when you can continue farming
- Unless absolutely necessary, activate your Counter Strike twice quickly
- Take Blue if mid needs it more


Remember, the longer you keep your Counter Strike active, the more attacks you dodge. Try to leave it until it re-activates on itself unless you think the enemy can escape quickly then activate it for the stun.

Your Empower amplifies your Leap Strike damage just as much as it does on your basic attack. Use if before you jump if you need to close some distance between you and an enemy, this way you will deal the damage instantly when you jump instead of having to wait until you attack.

Also, you can use your Leap Strike on an ally to escape, or to close the gap between you and an enemy if the enemy is out of range and the ally is in between you and your opposition.

Although you gain damage with AP, don't go building him full AP. In some cases, you can buy a Hextech Gunblade instead of the Blade of the Ruined King, but I don't see much point as you benefit from the Attack Speed more. Just sayin'

Counter Jungling

If the enemy team has a Shaco, Lee Sin, Nunu etc. prepare to be counter jungled. An enemy Shaco will (or should) always try and steal your Red buff as he will assume you will be starting Blue. Lee Sins normally take his own Red/Blue before counter jungling and Nunus usually take your large wraith as soon as it spawns (With the help of his team he may attempt your buff instead) so alert your team to try and protect your Red/Blue buff. Obviously, if you are starting Red buff then make sure you have top/bot (Depending on what side you're on) defending your Blue buff.

In order to stop counter jungling methods such as these (Or to cope with them), try and counter jungle back. Alert your team to what you wish to do, if you wish to counter jungle the enemys Red, try to get 1 person keeping an eye out on each buff of yours and sometimes get an ally to help you take down Red faster. With the new jungle changes, counter jungling isn't too much of a problem due to the increased experience gains when you're behind, however, you can still lose buffs.

Here are some tips to help you jungle, counter jungle and counter gank.
If you have been counter jungled, make sure to clear the camp of all small minions the opponent left to trigger the respawn timer. Mentioned below are the spawn times of each camp. Try and take note of when your buffs are coming up. The Blue and Red camp have 5 minute respawn timers. The first time you take Blue (Approximately 2:05-2:10) it will respawn around 7:10, so try to arrive at your Blue buff camp for when it spawns, this way the enemy jungler cannot steal it unless they have timed it also.

If you can see the enemy jungler ganking a lane (or maybe a ward you placed earlier) then you should always try and counter jungle his camps. For example, if the enemy Shaco is ganking bot, head to his wraiths and take the big one and then check to see if the Red buff is up. Never counter jungle golems or the Wight as junglers don't take golems very often and since the Wight is a single mob, it will just respawn once you kill it.

If you are near a lane that is being ganked, or if you can see a jungler heading towards a lane, follow them and counter gank. A counter gank is when you gank the lane the opponent is also ganking, this way it evens out the lane (to 2v2, 3v3 etc.) and you stand a better chance of winning. However, please take caution when doing so. If an enemy is ganking a low health ally of yours, don't just run in as the fight will most likely end up 1v2 in their favour. Pay attention to everyones health and how strong each champion is.

Further Information and Thoughts

I have tested the jungle routes, mentioned above, with the build I have made, also mentioned above, and it is possible to do all 4 of these routes without assistance, however it is slower and you cannot gank as often.

Blue Buff: 1:55 spawn, 5 minute respawn.
Red Buff: 1:55 spawn, 5 minute respawn.
Wraith Camp: 2:05 spawn, 50 seconds respawn.
Wolf Camp: 2:05 spawn, 50 seconds respawn.
Golem Camp: 2:05 Spawn, 50 seconds respawn.
Wight Camp: 2:05 spawn, 50 seconds respawn.

To clarify some details about the jungle and why I leave the wight so late, if at all. Ok, the wight camp is a very hard mob to kill at level 2, it has 1400 Health (Blue/Red has 1500 at Level 1) and hits hard. It grants a mere 60 gold and little experience so this is a huge waste of time until you hit about 4. At this level, you probable have recalled and have gotten a nice item or 2 and the wight is now actually worth getting as you shouldn't be taking much damage from it. This is why I have listed the Wight in all 4 jungle routes at the end, if other camps are up (Excluding Golem camp), you should always leave the Wight as the other camps are much better, HOWEVER, if you are going to gank bot and you are near a new level, get the Wight to give you that advantage AS LONG AS you know you are going to take very little damage from it (Whether this is through nuke or life steal).