General Guide by Liv SP

Udyr is my most played jungler and actually pretty strong after the buff. He is extremely mobile, one of the fastest junglers in the league and in my opininion a huge teamfight beast and tank. On the other hand, his mediocre ganks (easily to kite) are a contra, but with a little bit experience that's not a big problem.
Udyr is a jungler for beginners and pro's - "easy to learn, hard to master".

PROS AND CONS • One of the safest jungle picks • Fast jungle cleartime • Great counter jungler • Does a lot of damage without damage items • Very reliant on the first blue buff • No good gap-closer • Champions can easily kite him • Less tanky early-mid game

ABOUT THE AUTHOR My name is Liv SP and I playing on EU West since february 2012. I'm a main jungler/supporter from germany. I prefer to play tanky/supportive junglers like Nautilus, Udyr or Volibear. In my early LoL career, I played a lot of games on mid lane with Lux and around 300 games on twisted treelines. In mid season 2, I switched to the support and jungle role and becomes better and better. I immediately fell in love with this gamestyle and I really like it to snowball my team. And now im here to write some jungle guides for my favorite champions.

Greater Mark of Attack Speed

Attack speed marks synergize so well with Phoenix Stance. No other marks gives you a faster jungle clear.
More attack speed = more Phoenix Stance proc's = faster clear time. You can mix six Greater Mark of Attack Speed with three Greater Mark of Magic Penetration for more damage, but 15% attack speed better then 10%.

Greater Seal of Armor

No other choices on junglers, Udyr needs the bonus armor against jungle creeps and the enemies AD champions.

Greater Glyph of Scaling Magic Resist

Scaling magic resist on junglers is in the most games the best choice, the jungle creeps deals no magic damage and you're more tanky in late game against the enemies AP champions.
When you playing against strong early game damage champions like Rumble, Annie or LeBlanc, take Greater Glyph of Magic Resist to reduces the damage on early ganks with a flat amount of magic resist.

Greater Quintessence of Movement Speed

Movement speed quints allow you to move quickly around the map and improving your ganking potential with
Bear Stance. You can switch to Greater Quintessence of Attack Speed for a faster jungle clear or
Greater Quintessence of Magic Penetration for more damage, but I think MS quints are the best option.

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Thats my personal mastery page for Udyr. I take 9 points Sorcery for cooldown reduction for "stance dancing", some magic penetration for Phoenix Stance from Arcane Knowledge and 21 points in defense tree. Udyr needs this stats for his tankiness. I take Relentless and Tenacious against slows, one of
Udyr's weaknesses.

Optional masteries:

• Swap the points from Sorcery in Fury
• Swap the points from Safeguard , Good Hands and Reinforced Armor in Juggernaut
• Swap one point from Sorcery in Summoner's Wrath for the improved Ghost

Why no Unyielding and Block mastery ?

I hate this masteries so much in the jungle. they reduces the incoming champion damage by two and the auto attack damage by 5, in my opinion a useless masteries.

Why is Juggernaut only a optional mastery ?

4% more maximum health are okay, but not for me, for example you gain 120 extra health at 3000 max. health and 160 extra health at 4000 max. health. that's why take other masteries over Juggernaut .

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Smite is a "must have" on a jungler, you need it for a faster "first clear" and securing buffs, drake and baron. With Summoner's Resolve , you earn 10 extra gold with every Smite.

Flash is in my opinion one of the best summoner spells for a jungler. You can go over walls, steal drake/baron or catch up enemies. Alternatively you can take Ghost, it synergize so well with the movement speed buff from Bear Stance.

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Hunter's Machete + 5 Health Potion's is the general jungle start. No reason to go any different setup.


Your first two items should be Spirit Stone and Boots of Speed, when you have some extra gold, buy a Sight Ward/ Vision Ward and one or two Health Potion's. Now it is time to build toward Spirit of the Ancient Golem and Boots of Mobility. Take the golem for tankiness in early skirmishes or buff your ganking potential with boots. If you're really ahead with your team (2-3 successful ganks), take a early Aegis of the Legion for stronger ganks and then buy Boots of Mobility and Spirit of the Ancient Golem. You can take a Crystalline Flask on your second trip back for some sustain, when all lanes going well and you are just farming or counter jungle. In the most games i skip the Crystalline Flask.


Now you can choose between Aegis of the Legion/ Runic Bulwark or Locket of the Iron Solari. Take aegis against mixed physical/magical damage, bulwark against heavy magical damage and locket if the enemy is lacking magical damage. In the most of my games, I buy Aegis of the Legion, the aura gives me and my teammate really good stats on my ganks and I Rush Runic Bulwark against two or more AP champions or a fed AP carry. The Locket of the Iron Solari is cheaper for the support and the armor and cooldown reduction works great on the support.


After finishing the after core, it is time for the late game items. Take Randuin's Omen for more tankiness and CC in teamfights. Iceborn Gauntlet gives you extra damage, a spammable CC and a bigger manapool for "stance dancing". On the other hand, take a Warmog's Armor or Wit's End against heavy magical damage.


Frozen Mallet is a CC option for Randuin's Omen, take mallet for split pushing and catching enemies and randuin's for a lot of teamfights. Frozen Heart is a great item against strong auto attack champions like Xin Zhao or Vayne. Take Quicksilver Sash for some magic resist and a CC remove. Against AP burster like Brand or LeBlanc, buy a Banshee's Veil. Take Spirit Visage for more magic resist and the healing buff for more sustain with Turtle Stance. Buy Ninja Tabi for early tankiness against strong early game bruiser like Renekton, Riven or fed AD champions. If you want to support your fed AD carry or need some cooldown reduction, take Zeke's Herald. Guardian Angel is the ultimate protection tool, but it's very expensive. Only buy GA as 6th item when you need to protect your team with a second life.

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COOLDOWN MANA COST RANGE

- - -

Passive: Entering a stance grants Udyr 10% attack speed and 5 bonus movement speed for 5 seconds. This effect stacks 3 times. Switching stances set off a 1.5 second global cooldown.


Explanation:

This passive makes Udyr much quicker when farming the jungle, makes him do more damage during ganks, procs Phoenix Stance third attacks more frequently, and be able to stick to people when he is chasing them. It is easy to keep 3 stacks on Udyr, you just need to swap stances in the 5 seconds duration of the buff.

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COOLDOWN MANA COST RANGE

6 47/44/41/38/35 600

Activation: On his next attack, Udyr swipes at his target, dealing normal attack and dealing 120/130/140/150/160% of his attack damage + 30/80/130/180/230 extra damage over 2 seconds as physical damage. In addition, your attack speed is increased by an additional 30/40/50/69/70% for 5 seconds.

Persistent Effect: Basic attacks deal 15% of his total attack damage as bonus physical damage on hit.


Explanation:

Not needed as Phoenix Stance Udyr. You can get one point in Tiger Stance after maxing Phoenix Stance, the attack speed buff is nice, when you destroying towers or pushing quickly with Phoenix Stance procs.

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COOLDOWN MANA COST RANGE

6 47/44/41/38/35 -

Activation: Udyr gains a temporary shield that absorbs 60/100/140/180/220 (+50% of ability power) damage.

Persistent Effect: Udyr's attacks restore 10/12/14/16/18% of his damage as health.


Explanation:

This skill gives you a shield to absorb damage and helps you to stay healthy in the jungle and in teamfights. Sometimes is the shield great as a bait when fighting, especially when you and your opponents are low, activate the shield to absorb some damage and kill your enemy.

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COOLDOWN MANA COST RANGE

6 47/44/41/38/35 -

Activation: Udyr gains 15/20/25/30/35% increased movement speed and ignores unit collision for 2/2.25/2.5/2.75/3 seconds. Udyr dashes slightly forward when attacking a target while the buff is still active, and only when he stuns the target.

Persistent Effect: Udyr mauls his target with such force that they are stunned for 1 second. This effect cannot occur on the same target for 6 seconds.


Explanation:

Bear Stance is your ganking and escape tool. The stun and the movement speed buff are the only thing that allows you to gank or peeling for your carries in teamfights. the ignore unit collision and dash mechanic are really good buffs on Udyr to secure kills.

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COOLDOWN MANA COST RANGE

6 47/44/41/38/35 600

Activation: Udyr sends out pulsing waves of fire dealing 15/25/35/45/55 (+25% of ability power) magic damage each second to nearby enemies for 5 seconds. His first attack after activating Phoenix Stance deals 40/80/120/160/200 (+45% of ability power) magic damage to all enemies in front of him.[/color]

Persistent Effect: Every third attack, Udyr engulfs enemies in front of him in flame, dealing 40/80/120/160/200 (+45% of ability power) magic damage.


Explanation:

This skill makes Udyr to one of the fastest jungler/counter jungler in league of legends. Attack speed would benefit more procs, which gives you more damage and the AoE effect gives you a faster clear time. The AoE Damage is good in teamfights and the procs can kill enemies, when you can't reach them (attack a minion or a other enemy).

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Phoenix Stance - Max first
• faster jungle clears
• maximum damage for jungling and teamfights

Turtle Stance - Max second
• more tankiness and peeling potential in teamfights.
• good baiting tool

Bear Stance - Max third
• more teamfight presence.
• three early points for a higher ganking potential.

Tiger Stance - Max last
• DoT damage
• attack speed

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I start in every game with the botlane buff, red buff on blue side and blue buff on purple side. But why I start on botlane side? first, my bot lane can help me and I get a smiteless buff. Second, the bot lane is often warded and hard to gank. So I finish my first clear in the upper jungle between top- and mid lane and gank one of this two lanes early. After the first buff, I go straight to my second buff and finish him with my Smite. Now I get my double buff and gank mid or top. When I can't gank, I'm going to clear my wraith/wolve/golem camp or gank the other lanes. When I start without a leash, I smite my buff, clear the wolve and wraith camp and smite my second buff.

for short ...

BLUE SIDE START

red buff -> blue buff -> gank top and/or mid or keep farming
red buff -> wraiths -> wolves -> blue buff -> gank top and/or mid or keep farming

PURPLE SIDE START

blue buff -> red buff -> gank top and/or mid or keep farming
blue buff -> wolves -> wraiths -> red buff -> gank top and/or mid or keep farming

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A counter jungling start is now really hard, because the junglers go immediately to the other buff after the blue/red start. First you need to know who starts the enemy jungler, when you know who he starts, go to the same buff on your side (enemy starts blue buff, you starts blue buff and vice versa) and call your teammates for a fast and hard smitless leash and running after killing your buff to the second buff of your enemy and try to kill the jungler or steal the buff. After a successfull steal/kill, try to gank a lane for a kill.

for short ...

ENEMY STARTING AT BLUE BUFF own blue buff -> enemy red buff -> gank a lane ENEMY STARTING AT RED BUFF own red buff -> enemy blue buff -> gank a lane

What is to do after one of these routes ? From here on, always try to put pressure on the lanes and try to give the most kills to your teammates for a big lane advantage. Don't take all kills, this gives the enemy a little chance of a comeback with a few kills. If you want to dominate the game, snowball your lanes with kills and give him the power to stomp the enemies while you peel or tank for your team.

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If the enemy has invaded your blue buff, start at their blue buff and take your red buff or start at your red buff and counter jungle their blue buff.

for short ...

enemy blue buff -> own red buff -> gank a lane or keep farming

own red buff -> enemy blue buff -> gank a lane or keep farming


If the enemy has invaded your red buff, start at your blue buff and take their red buff or start at their red buff and take your blue buff.

for short ...

own blue buff -> enemy red buff -> gank a lane or keep farming

enemy red buff -> own blue buff -> gank a lane or keep farming

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Wyby is a Diamond I player from NA. I use his jungle control rules for my own gameplay.
All credits for this rules going to Wyby.

• Always get a ward everytime you recall because not only it provides safety for your fellow teammates and vision, it can make it easy to counterjungle if you know where they are.
• When you have an opening chance and the enemy jungler is ganking top or 2 people are top and you and your team is in a good position, then secure yourself a dragon because a death on one lane is made up with a free tower gold to all your teammates.
• Keep your timers on enemy neutral buffs as continuous control over their buffs would further weaken any possible ganks from the enemy jungler, weaken his mana sustain in his jungle if they have mana, and prevent any other people on their enemy team to have the buffs such as blue buff mid and be crippled against your own mid who would have blue.

The timers for buffs are:

Blue: 5 minutes
Red: 5 minutes
Dragon: 6 minutes
Baron: 7 minutes

Complete control over these timers are crucial especially dragon and baron can result in a huge advantage for your team. Try to get to these buffs before they actually spawn like about 5-10 secs to prepare yourselves. Get your team if you can to get into position to back you up just in case.

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Normally it is the best to gank all lanes, but sometimes a lane is more important than others. Generally you can gank a lane when you see a opportunity for kill or when you finished your jungle. An important tip is to check the enemy laners, look on their items, how many wards/potions on every laner, is anyone on half/low life or is a lane pushed to your tower.


River Gank

Running in from the side behind him with Bear Stance, switch to Phoenix Stance and apply red buff. Don't innitiate with Flash, wait a couple of seconds to see they burn Flash, follow up with your Flash and stun with Bear Stance, secure the kill with Phoenix Stance or Tiger Stance.

Lane Gank

Running over your lane in the side bush near your tower and wait. Make sure either the enemy doesn't have Flash or your laner has a stun/slow. Let your laner innitiate and run out of the bush with Bear Stance and stun the enemy again and activate Phoenix Stance. If they burned Flash or a escape skill, follow up with Flash, stun with Bear Stance and secure the kill with Phoenix Stance or Tiger Stance.

Tri Bush Gank

Running in from the tri bush and cuts off the enemies escape route and stun with Bear Stance and activate Phoenix Stance. If they burned Flash or a escape skill, follow up with Flash, stun with Bear Stance and secure the kill with Phoenix Stance or Tiger Stance.

Counter Gank

If you see the enemy jungler or laner ganks a lane, follow him in the fight or bait him. Most of the time, the counter ganker would have the advantage in the fight. Another option is to call your teammate the incoming gank and let him play passive and gank another lane or counter jungle.


If all lanes are pushed and you can't gank, try to counter jungle and steal the big wolf/big wraith, camp a lane until you see a chance for a kill or recall and buy items.

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Try to peel off the most amount of enemies, especially their carries. Stun the enemies carries or bruisers they dive to your carries and deal damage with Phoenix Stance. You can also stun an opponent after another with Bear Stance tu decimate the enemies damage. Don't be afraid of dying, you are the tank and your job is to peel off enemies and soak up damage for your team with Turtle Stance. Stun all easy or low life targets with Bear Stance and secure kills for your team.

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Udyr synergize pretty well with auto attack champions, burst champions, champions with gap closer, CC or speed buffs. The most champions they synergize with Udyr counter him as enemy.

Top Lane

Darius, Elise, Jax

Mid Lane

Anivia, Morgana, Ryze,

Bot Lane

Ashe, Caitlyn, Varus
Leona, Nunu, Zyra



Udyr is good against melee cahmpions with low or no CC.

Top Lane

Darius, Fiora Vladimir

Mid Lane

Brand, Diana, Mordekaiser

Bot Lane

Caitlyn, Draven, Kog'Maw
Sona, Soraka, Taric

Jungle

Lee Sin Nocturne, Xin Zhao



Udyr is bad against hard slows, stuns, spammable CC or escape skills.

Top Lane

Elise, Jax, Olaf

Mid Lane

Ahri, Fizz, Nidalee

Bot Lane

Ashe, Ezreal, Varus
Janna, Lulu, Zyra

Jungle

Cho'Gath, Nasus, Nunu

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I hope you enjoyed my guide and learn something about Udyr and his potential. Remember that snowball the lanes and setting behind the enemy jungler are your two main jobs.

Please leave any comments, questions or suggestions below and I will try to get back to you. I appreciate criticism, as long as it is constructive.

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--/--/2013 - publish this guide

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