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Janna Build Guide by

Live from Summoner's Rift, and Staying That Way [WIP]

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Janna Build Guide By Updated on

Guide Discussion More Janna Guides

Spells:

Exhaust

Flash

Items

Starting Items

See Everything As Soon As Possible

Mana Regen Items

Actives For Everyone!

Be Less Squishy?

Cool Boot Options

End Build

Ability Order

Janna Passive Ability

Threats & Synergies

Threats

Synergies

Extreme Major Even Minor Tiny

Show All

None Low Ok Strong Ideal

Extreme Threats

Ideal Synergies

Synergies

Ideal Strong Ok Low None

Introduction

Hello, and welcome to my very first MOBAFire guide! I partially made this guide to test my skills, knowledge, and share what all I have with others! I apologize if this looks messy at all...

Janna is considered one of the hardest supports with a champion difficulty of 9/10. However, she was one of the first supports that I picked up and I put in as much effort as I could into figuring her out. I'm happy to say that she is one of my main go to supports! Here's some reasons why...

Pros / Cons

Pros:

Shield super-charges AD.
Only champion in the game that can shield turrets.
Tons of CC.
Excellent team fighter and zoner.
Master escape artist.
High utility.
Works well with a lot of champions.

Cons:

Difficult to learn.
Low range and poke ability aside from her tornado.
Mana hungry early game.
Tornado very hard to aim.

Spells

Flash is something I simply consider to be a standard choice when it comes to most bot laners in general. Great escape, great pursue, you get the idea.

Like can be used as either a chase or an escape, Exhaust can also be used in the same sense. If your ADC seems to be in a tight spot, or just that close to getting a kill Exhaust is very helpful. It's also very good for stopping ganks.

Runes

Domination

Electrocute

Predator

Fleet Footwork

Phase Rush

The runes I go with usually actually depends on my mood. I'm playing more aggressively? I'll probably want to throw in some AP glyphs. More passively? Some mana regen and cooldown reduction. The only thing I usually keep consistent is that I always go with armor marks or seals. I don't want to get ****ing poked to death protecting my ADC, sorry mom.

Here is another option for more aggression:

Runes

Domination

Electrocute

Predator

Fleet Footwork

Phase Rush

Masteries

Abilities

Tailwind

Passive: The wind aids Janna and her nearby allies, increasing their movement speed by 5%.

Keep in mind that this only affects nearby allies, meaning your ADC and sometimes your jungler. However, this is part of why she is so great with escapes, and this will be very useful to get your team out of a teamfight.

Howling Gale

Active: Janna summons a tornado where she's standing. On reactivation or after 3 seconds, the storm will fly in the direction your mouse is in when you cast it, dealing magic damage to enemies and knocking them into the air for 0.5-1.25 seconds. The damage done, knock up duration, and distance traveled by the whirlwind increase for each second it channels.

This is Janna's zoning tool, and it can help stop many otherwise game changing abilities like 's or 's . At the same time, this can fuel some abilities to make sure they're more easily aimed like 's , 's , and 's especially since it can only be cast on airborne enemies. It can be used as an escape, and I definitely recommend keeping this leveled a pretty high priority. Especially considering the range it can get. Just make sure not to abuse this skill too much, especially considering its cost. (90 / 105 / 120 / 135 / 150)

Something you also need to keep in mind that this is probably going to be the skill you'll need the most practice with. It is very hard to aim and crucial to time properly if you want to stop any of the enemy champions. Aiming the tornado properly is a matter of predicting where the enemy will be within those three seconds it's charged.

A couple of techniques I personally like to do once you master the tornado, is getting to one side of the lane and aiming it towards the other side while running to stop anyone pursuing you. Another one is aiming these diagonally across the lane, and casting the tornado in the bush so enemies will be less prepared for it while pursuing your ADC.

Zephyr

Passive: Janna gains movement speed (4% / 6% / 8% / 10% / 12%) and her movement is no longer stopped by minions or other units.

Active: Janna sends her bird to slow an enemy unit for three seconds. Remember that when you're slowing enemies with this skill the passive ends until the cooldown is over.

While this is a pretty decent chase, escape, and poking tool, keep in mind that minions will end up in your way again for a while after you activate it. I personally don't hold very high priority for it due to it being so hard to poke as Janna. However, it wouldn't hurt to put a point or two in this skill early.

Eye of the Storm

Active: Janna surrounds a target ally champion with a wind shield that absorbs incoming damage for 5 seconds. While the shield persists, the target will also gain an attack damage bonus.

Unless you plan on playing a bit more aggressively, I'd usually recommend to get this first. Especially if you have an ADC with relatively weak early games in comparison to others like , , , and . The extra damage this shield gives them goes a long way, and it helps prevent otherwise easy harass from champions like .

Monsoon

Active: Janna emits a powerful blast of wind, knocking back enemies nearby and then channels, releasing curing winds that heal allies that walk through the winds every 3 seconds.

Something very important to keep in mind about this skill is that you do not use it to sustain your ADC in lane. Yes, this is Janna's only heal. However, its potential as a skill will be wasted if you simply use it to heal every now and again. If you wanted to have a heal, you should've just picked or .

This is a great escape tool, and also an excellent initiate if you find yourself behind the enemy with any of your allies in front of them. You can knock them into your ally to help them get the kill, or on the contrary knock them away so your ally can escape. The most potential it has however, is in team fights. It throws everyone on the enemy team off about where they are and what their focus was. It also gives that focus a chance to regain their health so they can fight longer. While you don't have too many opportunities to use it as a heal in lane, it's a damn good one when you have the opportunity.

Ability Sequence

Ability Sequence
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18

I focus on , but if you want you can focus more on your if you feel more aggressive. All of her skills have tons of utility, but 's strength is its highest in that respect, which is why I upgrade it last. I typically don't get close enough to poke without getting less damage taken than the other. Depending on which spell you decide to focus on, either aim towards if focusing on or if focusing on . Just make sure to keep top priority on your , as expected.

Items

Starting Item Options

With my masteries and how much I just love warding around the map, this is my typical starting build for most passive supports like Janna or Soraka. , , two s, (Replace this with a if your masteries don't allow this.), and a if I can spare the extra cash. While I like starting out with a , if you notice you're not the only person warding feel free to get your right away to give your jungler an easier time.

I start out this way so I can build towards my as early as possible and ensure that my ADC and I have as much vision of the lane as possible from the very beginning. Not to mention the makes it a bit easier to deal with the insane early game mana problems. The is placed in the river while my s are placed in the two bushes at the corner of the map.

This is also a decent alternative start, but I consider it to be pretty risky. It gives you a good head start on your , but it makes it harder to stay in lane. You don't have a lot to cater to your mana issues aside from your runes. Of course, I don't recommend this but it's definitely a viable option.

This is a good way to start if you choose not to have the mastery in your page. You can also replace the with if you decide you want to play more aggressively. Both of these are good choices, but don't forget your priorities.

Early Game Goals

Ruby Sightstone

Always, always, always get your first if you're playing support. I don't care who you're playing. , , , , I don't give a ****. Map awareness is vital for the entire team, so it's important to ward as much as possible. I wouldn't say you have to make it a right away, (especially if your lane isn't doing too hot) but at least get the basic ASAP.

Oracle's Lens

I'm going to say this as soon as possible before people get the wrong idea, you do not always need to get an . I recommend upgrading to Oracle's if the enemy team has anyone that can go invisible or be hard to spot. (i.e. , , , etc.) But if there isn't anyone invisible on the enemy team, there's no point. At least get the as soon as you get your . Especially if someone on the enemy team has .

Chalice of Harmony

It's your choice to upgrade this into or , but either way this item is vital for taking care of your mana problems. Both of the upgrades lower your cooldowns, too. Sometimes when I was new to supporting I accidentally grabbed this before my . Oops. But hey, that's just how good it is.

Forbidden Idol

This is usually a pretty important element for what I consider key AP support items. talisman of ascension, , and primarily for Janna. Overall, you'll need a maximum of three during the game but since it's so cheap and important to what I hope to be at least one item in your build grabbing it for the mana regen wouldn't hurt.

Boots of Speed

Boots are good. That's all I really have to say, it helps you get places. What else do I have to say?

Mid Game Items

Mikael's Crucible

I try to keep this a relatively high priority for a very wide variety of reasons. The cooldown reduction is amazing, the mana regeneration is remarkably more helpful than it sounds, and the active is God probably. It will save tons of your teammates' lives when used properly. And the definition of properly is very, very vivid in the best possible way. 's , 's , 's , 's , 's , , , 's ... I could literally go on for a good several paragraphs about how many skills you can save your teammates from. It's a very important goal and beneficial for everyone as an escape and turn around.

talisman of ascension Talisman of Ascension

Do you need the movement speed? Probably not. But whatever. This makes a really great escape and pursuit, and acts somewhat similarly to except it also benefits people around you. The range is somewhat limited, so keep that in mind when activating it as either. It's good for the mana regen, cooldown reduction, caters to the non-existent salary of the support, just nab it. But if you don't...

Frost Queen's Claim

Now, I'm far from saying this is a bad item and I know I'm going to sound like it while I write this description. I personally just think it's not the better gold item for Janna. (Especially since you're restricted to one gold item now.) This is probably just better for more aggressive AP supports like or . This can be used as an escape, but it acts so similarly to , there really isn't much of a point getting it for Janna. It will make hurt a bit more, and also make your more painful. Just keep in mind that it's not really the best item. At least in my opinion.

Ardent Censer

You might actually want to get this a little bit earlier than mid game. This item synergizes very well with Janna's shield. Her shield increases attack damage, and causes the shield to also increase the attack speed. This is especially useful if you have any AD based melee champions like or . It helps them take out targets more quickly while taking less damage. It's quickly become one of my favorite items on Janna.

Boots of Mobility

Do you need the movement speed? Ehh... This is probably just my personal preference talking again, but I would honestly pick over in general. As soon as laning phase is over, the support is needed all over the map. It's important to get to your lane to make sure your ADC isn't taken advantage of if left all alone, but it's not what I would call a key item for Janna. After you get your talisman of ascension, I'd say to trade these over for if you do decide to get these boots. But at the end of the day, it's all up to preference.

End Game Goals

Locket of the Iron Solari

I feel like I might want to list this as a more situational item. If your team has a lot of tanks, you don't really need it. If the enemy team doesn't have a lot of AP champions, you don't really need it. If your jungler already grabbed this, you might not need it. Like talisman of ascension, it's a good escape tool. But it's not something you need to get in every single game.

Rylai's Crystal Scepter

While I don't typically build it on Janna, it's usually just because of my playstyle. I usually play her more passively. (But I've slowly become a bit more aggressive, so I might make this a pretty important part of my build.) This item emphasizes her ability to escape even more than before. Not only will enemies be knocked airborne when you use , but they will also be slowed by this item. It will make you a little bit less squishy, and during her the ultimate escape will be possible with ease. However, I don't feel like you need it if you decide to go for or you're supporting an . You have enough slows, come on.

Athene's Unholy Grail

This is definitely something you pick up if you choose to play more aggressively. You can get this before or after based on your playstyle. Either way, if you plan on getting this I usually don't recommend going without unless the other team doesn't have too much CC. (Or if your team is also doing really well!)

Outro

If this feels a little cluttered or hard to understand, please leave as much feedback as possible! I'd really love to perfect this guide and if there's any way I can make it better let me know and ask questions! Thank you for reading my guide and I hope you have a fun time playing Janna!