8.16:
- I don't know if it has been some off games or the Electrocute nerfs have truly been impactful towards this build. I've decided to hot swap it out for Dark Harvest and I'm getting far more reliable results, the initiation damage is useful and only scales as the game progresses, you usually combo an auto after your Q or E so the inclusion of Dark Harvest adds nothing but extra damage that you lose in the absence of old electrocute. I'll continue experimenting and see if any other changes are necessary!

8.14/8.15:
- It felt like these patches came and went with the wind with things not changing at all between the two, 8.16 looks to be relatively threatening to Pyke's Jungle potential due to the nerfs to common assassin runes such as Electrocute, Sudden Impact, etc. I'll be sure to note how those impact his game, and maybe look to swap out Electrocute for Dark Harvest. The main problem is, I want this build to be considered something actually niche-viable rather than a "troll pick" like full AP Nunu or Malphite, etc.

- My initial worries about Pyke's clear and role in the Jungle are long-gone, and I've even began to experiment playing more aggressive, contesting enemy buffs or trying to get early picks. This has surprisingly been mostly successful,having your E held will pretty much guarantee a buff steal 9/10, even if the enemy top/mid laners come to shut you down.

- I've recently hit Platinum and the extent of this builds' viability seems unchanged.

8.13:
- No changes to runes or build path, the changes they made to increase Pyke's scaling (in order to counteract his viability as a full tank supp) has allowed this build to flourish furthermore as an off-meta jungle choice. General pathing unchanged. Go out there and kill some captains!

8.12 :
- Last Stand Swapped out for Legend: Alacrity - The extra attack speed actually helps you clear far better, which has allowed me to be more impactful in games. I've actually managed to be ahead on kill participation AND farm than Evelynn and other junglers since using this, which was a rarity for me on Pyke in the past.

- Ultimate Hunter is very useful in my experience, must have on this build! (There was doubt about this before) Gives you further incentive to get unique takedowns, which also helps your clear by stacking your Alacrity. A win-win situation which helps you scale much better into the game than with the prior runes.

- Jungle route stays unchanged. Red > Raptors > Scuttle > Leech level 3 whilst passing through mid > second scuttle (if available) > blue, ganks, etc. OR Blue > Gromp > Scuttle > Leech level 3 through mid > second scuttle (if available) > Red > ganks, etc.

- Build path stays unchanged. Cleaver is too valuable and there's no better damage for his kit than just a pure assassin build.



8.11: Guide Created

Well quite simply I'm mint, IGN is mintguitar and I play on EUW - I've only been playing League as of S8 and I'm currently residing in plat. You're probably asking me why I have any idea what I'm talking about? to tell the truth I don't completely, but I have a rich understanding of MOBAs thanks to a lot of time that I dumped into Smite in the past.

I am a jungle main, and often play tank junglers, with Volibear and Zac being my bread and butter.

From the moment I saw Pyke I saw the potential on him as a jungler, all he needed was a semi-reliable clear which shockingly he has, especially after an item. For me, Tiamat is NOT a necessity on Pyke.

Pyke's Ghostwater Dive (W) and Phantom Undertow (E) are ridiculously useful map traversing/engaging tools, and in combination with his Bone Skewer (Q), Death From Below (R) make for a unique and actually pretty powerful ganking combination, whilst still staying relevant in teamfights because of the multi-target stun and 5-man execute potential.

My main fear is Riot will increase his damage numbers to help his poor winrate, but reduce his damage to monsters to balance him even further into the support role, people who currently say that Thresh, Leona or other supports were thought to be viable junglers are forgetting that this guy has a massively impactful execute and ridiculous near-assassin worthy damage and crazy survivability, making him actually useful and suiting for the role.

Pros

- Crazy movement speed and map movement (E that can hop most walls and W)
- Execute can destroy squishies and tanks alike, crazy damage scaling even after the nerf from 140-60%
- Great health sustain on gank, with a relatively healthy clear
- Shares gold on ult, allowing him to get himself and laners ahead all in one go. Extremely useful
- A lot of CC, 90% slow, pluck and stun. Oh and death, I guess.
- Feels incredibly tanky despite not being able to scale with health and typically fills full AD, his passive, Gift of the Drowned ones can entirely replenish your health after a rough engagement and you have two tools to get out with on.
- Has no problem getting on targets, I'm yet to actually find a champ that can get away from me whilst fed, Tristana W/R maybe?
- Can play from behind relatively well if the game isn't a complete blowout, people will forget that regardless of the situation, he still has plenty of cc and an execute and it will punish lower elos without fail

Cons

- Vulnerable to counter jungling but can be prevented/punishing for the opponent if played right by you and your allies
- Slow early until level 6 if you get no good gank opportunities, long cooldowns!
- Your team might tilt on-sight | Might get blamed until you get a triple kill or two, and then they'll quiet down
- Relies on his team to secure objectives and turrets. I do see split push potential with his escape abilities however, maybe a tankier demolish build is worth looking at?

Passive - Gift of the Drowned Ones

- When Pyke is unseen by enemies, he rapidly consumes his Grey Health to heal for the same amount.

Pyke's passive has little to no functionality in the jungle but when it comes to mid/late team fights and even ganks, the sheer amount of healing you can get dipping in and out whilst trying to get picks is incredible and often feels like you have more than one life.


Q - Bone Skewer

- FIRST CAST: Pyke charges for up to 3 seconds, increasing Bone Skewer's range by up to 700 units while being slowed by 20%.

SECOND CAST: After a brief delay, Pyke hurls his harpoon forward, dealing Attack damage physical damage to the first enemy struck, pulling them a fixed 550 units towards him and slowing them by 90% for 1 second.

Bone Skewer is a pretty awesome muti-functional tool for Pyke, not only does it have a high amount of damage for such a useful hooking tool but it also applies a 90% slow, and has an alternative stab when you tap Q to deal a bit more damage, hooking, flipping or just outright damaging enemies feels great


W - Ghostwater Dive

- Pyke enters Ambush 2 camouflage and gains bonus movement speed decaying over 5 seconds. Enemies are notified if Pyke is within X-units of them.


Speeeeed, what more is there to say? great boost to your mobility and a stealth to keep your enemies guessing, Ghostwater Dive not only helps engage from all angles but it can also proc your passive allowing you to pretty much free heal outside of the brush if the enemy has vision.


E - Phantom Undertow

- Pyke dashes, leaving behind a drowned phantom.

After 1 second, the phantom returns to Pyke, dealing physical damage and stunning enemy champions it passes through.


Nice little hop ability that drags a stun through your enemies faces, this can easily catch out two or more unsuspecting enemies if they stack up needlessly, allowing you to stack damage with your Q or R, it works as a dash but can clear most walls larger than its range, allowing for some unique gank paths. Oh, and the E - flash combo to extend the range!


R - Death from Below

- Pyke strikes in an X-shaped area, executing enemies below 190 - 655 (based on level) (+ 60% bonus AD) health while dealing the same amount as physical damage to enemies not within the threshold for execution.

Death from Below 2
If Death from Below hits an enemy champion, Pyke will blink to the center of the X. If an enemy champion dies in the X, the last assisting ally is granted full kill gold, and Pyke gains the ability to recast within 20 seconds at no cost.

Probably my favourite ability in the entire game right now, it feels completely badass and it's extremely satisfying to use, an execute is an execute and is extremely valuable regardless of the situation. oh, and it resets. and gives your most recent assisting allies the gold too. *shrugs* awesome to use from the jungle.