AP Janna top (support your jungler) - Viable or...

[quote=Kurt_Ottman]Lately, I've been playing a lot of AP Janna top, first I did it for the lulz, in a bot game, but then, when I realized the potential that Janna has, I was thinking to proof-check it with you guys, have you ever considered Janna top? It's obvious she is a support character, but I've been really succesful, especially when playing with an AD jungler. I always get at least one succesful gank, as long as I don't push. If you play against someone who's tanking the minion wave, discourage them by sending a powerful W in their face and backing off. They will almost certainly come out of that tanking with less hp. When your jungler comes to gank, you have enough power and CC to keep them almost rooted, and when you have ulti, you can secure a kill with flash + ulti. I don't know, what do you think? :) Advantages: + Safe solo top, can farm from a distance. + Great early damage with AP runes and masteries + Has alot of CC that can keep someone in place while your jungler picks up the kill. + Can buff the jungler with shield, so that they do more physical damage, and avoids taking damage from minions for focusing the enemy champion. Disadvantages: - You must have a tanky jungler, or the whole meta is kinda ruined. (Luckily, there are tanky junglers!) - If you lane against someone with amazing sustain, you won't be able to get a kill by yourself. - You have to go AP as opposed to aura items, making your team overall weaker unless supported by another character.[/quote]

[quote=Mowen]Problems I see: 1. Mana issues 2. Gap closers (which a lot of tops have) will own you or force you to blow ult / flash 3. Most tops are tanky, so I doubt you would be able to kill without your jungler, even against a non sustain lane (which is rare). 4. Jungler/you will have to buy pink ward or oracles early since surely they will ward after they get ganked once or twice. 5. If you get support items top lane farm is a bit wasted on Janna. She's one of the least item reliant character's in the game if you're supporting. The ganking prowess would help, but I feel like there are better solutions. Like Swain has a slow and a snare, and is a much better top laner, and benefits more from farm. Cho'gath's knockup and silence is pretty nice too, but harder to hit.[/quote]

[quote=Slappiz]What about when the laning phase ends ? You got a farmed support who can't do nothing with the items she has (unless you build tank and act like a support/tank), Janna scales so poorly with items that there is no actual reason at all for her to farm.. I've actually tried jungle Janna, had some really cool ganks but her jungle was so slooooow :( She belongs on bot lane with a good AD carry.[/quote]

[quote=Kurt_Ottman]Mana issues can be solved with proper runes/masteries + a Doran's Ring, I believe. The best part about Janna is that when her [[howling gale]] gets to level 3, she can eradicate the caster minions with one full blow. This she can do from a distance. If someone like [[Riven]] doesn't blow every gap closer they have to get to Janna, they won't be able to touch her. And then she will just kite them with [[Zephyr]] anyhow. She actually scale very well with AP items, especially items like [[Rylai's Crystal Scepter]] and [[Rabadon's Deathcap]]. I also tried going spell vamp on her, and to my surprise, I could easily solo a fed [[Shaco]] in our game, by kiting and blowing. You're not supposed to get support items, that's the point. You want damage, and your shield lategame gives you the survivability you need anyway. I recommend you try it, I will too, and I'll post my results here later :)[/quote]

[quote=Slappiz][quote=Kurt_Ottman] Mana issues can be solved with proper runes/masteries + a Doran's Ring, I believe. The best part about Janna is that when her [[Howling Gale]] gets to level 3, she can eradicate the caster minions with one full blow. This she can do from a distance. If someone like [[Riven]] doesn't blow every gap closer they have to get to [[Janna]], they won't be able to touch her. And then she will just kite them with [[Zephyr]] anyhow. [/quote] [[Kayle]] can kite almost equally as good with her slow and speedbuff, and she actually deals some damage. [quote=Kurt_Ottman] She actually scale very well with AP items, especially items like [[Rylai's Crystal Scepter]] and [[Rabadon's Deathcap]]. I also tried going spell vamp on her, and to my surprise, I could easily solo a fed [[Shaco]] in our game, by kiting and blowing. [/quote] Well you won't be able to land many fully charged [[Howling Gale]], It doesn't matter if she scale decent with AP, you won't be able to deal any significant damage. Don't get me wrong, I love Janna and she is my most played champion in ranked. But going top with her wont win any games. Sure it can be fun in a normal game for the trolloll, but Janna's abilities ain't made for killing targets. She is a disabler and she is equally versatile when built as support.[/quote]

[quote=Kurt_Ottman]So true, but this is assuming that there is another support on your team. Oh, about the landing, you don't want to target champions with [[howling gale]], you want to target minion waves :P Your shield also makes for easier last hitting, as her attack animation is pretty fast, so not utilizing that would be a waste IMO :P If they played Soraka solo, who has a lame attack animation, Janna will work too, now that Soraka is partner reliant.[/quote]

[quote=Slappiz][quote=Kurt_Ottman] So true, but this is assuming that there is another support on your team. Oh, about the landing, you don't want to target champions with [[howling gale]], you want to target minion waves :P Your shield also makes for easier last hitting, as her attack animation is pretty fast, so not utilizing that would be a waste IMO :P If they played Soraka solo, who has a lame attack animation, Janna will work too, now that Soraka is partner reliant. [/quote] Then your team has 0 damage for team fights, only way you should be able to win is through split pushing and avoiding team fights.[/quote]

[quote=Embracing]Cho'gath provides tankiness, damage, disruption and crowd-control. Riven provides heavy damage, mobility and disruptions. Irelia provides tankiness, heavy damage, mobility, and crowd-control. What does Janna provide?[/quote]

[quote=Kurt_Ottman]Irelia provides mobility how? Janna is fast, has high damage, disruption and CC, and can support teammates with her insanely strong shield and AD buff. She can also heal everyone around her up to full health, and can secure kills for her teammates. There is really no question that AP Janna brings alot to her team, the reason I made this thread was to ask if she would be a good choice top.[/quote]

[quote=Slappiz][quote=Kurt_Ottman] Irelia provides mobility how? Janna is fast, has high damage, disruption and CC, and can support teammates with her insanely strong shield and AD buff. She can also heal everyone around her up to full health, and can secure kills for her teammates. There is really no question that AP Janna brings alot to her team, the reason I made this thread was to ask if she would be a good choice top. [/quote] And the answer is... No. It doesn't fit the current meta, and there are far better champions who could use the farm on top lane. (Only way it could be viable is in a premade 5v5) Stay in normal games and have fun with it :)[/quote]