Emerald 2 jungle here! I just started streaming Taric jungle OTP on twitch, so check me out.

https://www.twitch.tv/alan_banalan

I created an extremely accurate spreadsheet. It's an incredible resource if you're interested in which items are the strongest 'options' on Taric and which are not worth building.

The link:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1yGTaPSkxadTI4dsbBkrVHIqcYvyzzG0EX8MNclDhbKc/edit?usp=sharing

How to read it:
Column C indicates the best items in the game for taric, from top to bottom.

How it works:
It calculates 4 'power increase percentage' variables, adding them together, mostly based on raw stats. All calculations were made assuming level 9 taric with only 1 item purchased.

The four are:
1.) Effective max HP (HP + AR + MR)
2.) Ability Haste (Converts AH into HP gold value)
3.) Q Heal increase.
4.) Movement speed.

After adding 1+2+3+4, we divide by the gold cost of the item. Finally, I add a subjective modifier for unique effects that I was unable to account for.

This creates Column C (Which the chart is sorted by). It's essentially how strong the item is, relative to the other choices (At level 9, with only 1 item purchased).

Currently, damage is NOT factored in, so items with damage components are undervalued. This is intentional, because Taric doesn't care about damage. Lategame, taric's damage falls off very hard, regardless of item choices.

Here's the notes on the above item sections:

--- Pet ---

I only run Gustwalker, but Mosstomper has a higher winrate. I'll look into this more, but for now, choose Gustwalker.

My guess is Mosstomper might work better vs mages / poke comps, but it still falls short.


--- First Back: Mana ---

Taric requires ONE mana item. The small amount of mana is 'just enough' to maintain a fast clear, heal in jungle fights, and properly perform lane 'heal-ganks'.

Crucial: NEVER finish Fimbulwinter or Frozen Heart as your first item; buy only tear or sapphire for now. We'll finish Fimbul/FH later.

Choose one:
Tear of the Goddess (85% of games)
Take Tear if we are NOT going frozen Heart.

Sapphire Crystal (15%)
Take Crystal when at least 3 enemy champions deal AD damage AND they are severely affected by auto-attack speed. I've seen this to be around 15% of games, but I'm thinking of reducing Frozen heart pick down to 10%, since it's easy to get blown up by mages and true damage if the enemy team isn't entirely AD based. FH has low gold-efficiency.

If you purchase Sapphire but the enemy mages get fed, sell the sapphire crystal after 3 items + boots)


--- Item 1: Damage and Clear ---

Purchase one of these 'clear' items after your mana item. Taric needs exactly ONE to clear effectively.

Never build more than one clear item on Taric, because our damage doesn't scale. This is mostly because Taric's ability to auto attack enemy champions rapidly decreases into late-game. (Mostly because enemy damage is exponential and enemy CC cooldowns become low.)

Option 1: Iceborn Gauntlet (65%).
Iceborn is the most cost-effective damage item in the game for us. It procs on our first ability and then after every 2. It works well with Glacial Augment (both for when you hit your stun as well as when miss your stun, because in both cases you can run up and slow with an auto. The armor also helps.

Option 2:
Bami's Cinder (25%)
IF you're in a game where your team has very high damage, it's an excellent choice to keep your clear speed high while saving money. Sell it once you have purchased 3 other items and your boots.

Option 3:
Hextech Rocketbelt (10%) Take Rocketbelt when your team has no engage AND needs engage. (For instance, don't take it when either your team OR the enemy team has a Leona or Naut) The AP, AH, and HP make it more stat-efficient than you might think.


--- Item 2: Boots ---
Purchase boots after your clear item.

Enemy team comp dictates boot selection.

Choose:
Lucidity (50%). Cheapest movement speed.

Plated Steelcaps (50%). Steelcaps 10% damage reduction affects baron, dragon, and jungle-camps.

Mercury Treads (5%): Only if 4-5 enemy champions have reliable CC. Even then it's questionable, since it provides little MR.

--- Item 3: Protoplasm ---
By a significant margin, Protoplasm is the most gold-efficient item in the game for Taric.

While it isn't flashy, the amount of HP it provides is astounding.

It also yields 20 AH, a stat Taric desperately needs until we get to the '4-auto E' 55 AH threshold.

--- Item 4: Mana completion ---
Don't finish this item until you have your 'clear' item, boots, and protoplasm.

If you have Tear, buy Fimbulwinter. (85%)

If you have Sapphire AND the enemy mages are not fed, finish the Frozen Heart. (10%)

If you purchased Sapphire but the enemy mages are fed, sell the sapphire crystal. (5%)

--- Item 5: Choose 1---
You are below 55 ability haste before you build one of these, so get kindlegem first.

Why only 1 of these? Taric doesn't benefit as much from additional AH after 55. (4-auto E)

Check ally support to ensure no duplicate overlap.

Abyssal Mask (5%):
IF BOTH your team and enemy team have heavy magic damage, and at least 2 enemies are melee. (Rare, but strong)

Force of Nature(5%):
IF the enemy team has at least 2 damage-over-time champions like Teemo, Malzahar, etc) This item is stronger now because everyone is building Liandry's Torment / Blackfire torch.

Spirit Visage (30%):
IF the enemy team has high magic damage AND your team has a shield/heal support. This is common.

Moonstone Renewer (15%):
IF your team is ahead, AND you are frequently forcing jungle objectives, drakes, and barons.

Mikael's Blessing (5%):
IF the enemy team has easily-chainable, non-airborn CC. Like Pantheon, TF, Lux, Morgana, Ash)

Bandlepipes (15%):
IF your team is BEHIND with at least 2 champions who benefit from attack speed OR if your team has 4 auto-attackers including you.

Locket (20%):
IF the enemy team has heavy AOE damage OR they have champs with a reset, like viego/master yi.

Knight's Vow (10%):
If you have an important carry AND the enemy has assassins. Especially good when battles occur very quickly without time to stun. (Like vs Akali, Kha-zix, Zed, or Rengar)

Morellonomicon (5%):
If your team needs anti-heal and no one has built it. Complete the entire item, not just Oblivion orb. (People need to calm down about this, as Morello has decent stats now, although not ideal for Taric.)

--- Item 6: ---
These items all have 0 AH. You will have more than 55 AH by this point, so you don't need more.

They also operate multiplicatively, making them well-suited for a final item.

Rarely, you can build a second item from the 5th item list. For example, if you need a Moonstone AND locket or a Locket AND Knight's vow. (15% of games)

Buy Elixir NOW if you cannot afford the finished item because there's a high probability by this point of the game that the next fight will be the last.

Kaenic Rookern (30%):
IF enemy team's main source of damage is AP or poke.

Randuin's Omen (25%):
IF enemy team's main damage is 2+ crit builds. This is common with all the Yone/Yasuo/ADCs running around.

Jak'Sho (15%):
If the enemy team's damage is mixed and you've built an AR and MR item already. I'm excited to build Jak'sho again, as its efficiency is decent for taric but only as final item.)

Ardent Censor (15%):
If you built bandlepipes, this is what you build next! Bandopath!