5 Best Junglers To Carry In 2023

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In the realm of multiplayer online battle arenas (MOBAs), the jungler plays a pivotal role, influencing the game’s outcome through strategic pathing, objective control, and timely ganks. Amidst the myriad of champions vying for dominance, a select few stand out as exceptional in this demanding position. Their versatility, damage output, and ability to impact the map place them head and shoulders above the rest.

One such champion is Lee Sin, the enigmatic Blind Monk. With his iconic “Resonating Strike” that allows him to traverse walls and “Safeguard” that provides both mobility and protection for himself and his allies, Lee Sin’s mobility and engage potential are unmatched. His devastating ultimate “Dragon’s Rage” can secure kills, displace enemies, or even steal objectives, making him a formidable presence in both solo queue and competitive play.

Another contender for the title of best jungler is Xin Zhao, the Seneschal of Demacia. Xin Zhao’s straightforward gameplay and potent crowd control abilities make him a reliable choice for players of all skill levels. His “Three Talon Strike” tears through multiple enemies, while his “Wind Becomes Lightning” and “Crescent Strike” provide both mobility and damage. Xin Zhao excels in team fights, where he can disrupt the enemy backline and deal substantial area-of-effect damage.

The Art of Ganking

Ganking is a crucial aspect of jungling, as it allows you to create opportunities for your team by securing kills and objectives. A successful gank requires careful planning, execution, and a deep understanding of the game mechanics.

The key to effective ganking lies in understanding the enemy’s movements and weaknesses. By tracking their jungle pathing, warding key areas, and paying attention to their item builds, you can anticipate their potential gank routes and prepare a counter-strategy.

Once you have identified a high-value target, it’s crucial to time your gank precisely. Ganking too early can alert the enemy to your presence and give them time to escape or set up defensive measures. Conversely, ganking too late can allow the enemy to farm gold and experience, making them more difficult to kill.

When executing a gank, communication and coordination with your team are paramount. Clear communication regarding the target, initiation time, and follow-up strategy ensures a cohesive and effective execution. Utilizing control wards and other vision-granting tools can also help secure key areas and prevent enemy vision from disrupting your gank.

Ganking Scenarios:

Scenario	Considerations
Counter-Jungling	Understand enemy jungler’s pathing, warding for counter-ganks, securing objectives
Ambushing Lane Opponents	Coordination with laner, timing, vision control, anticipating enemy escapes
Ganking for Objectives	Securing dragons, heralds, Baron, coordinating team pushes, vision denial, map awareness

Master of Objectives

The jungle role in League of Legends is a pivotal one, responsible for controlling the jungle camps and objectives that provide crucial advantages to their team. A skilled jungler can exert immense pressure on the map, secure important objectives, and turn the tide of battles in their team’s favor.

2. Rift Herald and Baron Nashor

Two of the most important objectives in the League of Legends jungle are the Rift Herald and Baron Nashor. These formidable creatures provide powerful buffs to teams that defeat them. The Rift Herald empowers a team’s siege potential, adding a potent charge to their minions. Baron Nashor, on the other hand, grants an aura that increases minions’ damage and durability, significantly bolstering a team’s push capacity.

Controlling these objectives requires careful planning, stealthy warding, and decisive team coordination. A well-executed Rift Herald or Baron Nashor take can lead to substantial map pressure, turret destruction, and a significant advantage in team fights. Junglers who excel at securing and leveraging these objectives are invaluable assets to their teams.

Objective	Effect
Rift Herald	Empowers minions with a powerful charge
Baron Nashor	Grants an aura that increases minions’ damage and durability

Vision Control and Map Awareness

As a jungler, you play a crucial role in establishing vision and providing situational awareness for your team. Here are key points to enhance your skills in this aspect:

Map Awareness

Stay constantly aware of your surroundings by monitoring the minimap and tracking enemy movements. Anticipate potential ganks and make informed decisions based on the information you gather. Knowing the enemy jungler’s pathing patterns and predicting their next move will give you a significant advantage.

Vision Control

Place wards strategically to gain vision over key areas and objectives. Prioritize objectives such as the Dragon, Baron, Rift Herald, and enemy jungle entrances. By controlling these areas, you can deny enemy access, provide early warnings of impending ganks, and create safe paths for your teammates.

Counter-Vision

Understanding and countering enemy vision is equally important. Use control wards to disable enemy wards and create vision gaps. Sweepers and Oracle Lens can also be valuable tools for removing enemy wards and scouting areas for ambushes. By disrupting the enemy’s vision control, you can create opportunities for your team and catch enemies off guard.

Vision Type	Utility
Control Ward	Denies enemy vision in an area for a set duration
Sightstone	Provides an item slot for additional wards
Sweeping Lens	Reveals enemy wards and traps in a small area
Oracle Alteration	Grants true vision in a limited area and reveals all enemy wards

Counter-Jungling and Invading

Counter-jungling is a tactic in League of Legends where a jungler enters the enemy jungle to steal camps, kill monsters, or set up ambushes. This can be a risky maneuver, as it can lead to being outmatched by the enemy jungler or being ambushed by the enemy team. However, if done successfully, counter-jungling can provide a significant advantage by disrupting the enemy jungler’s farming patterns and forcing them to waste time.

Invading is a more aggressive form of counter-jungling, where a jungler attempts to kill the enemy jungler in their own jungle. This is an even riskier tactic than counter-jungling, as it can lead to being outnumbered and killed. However, if done successfully, invading can remove the enemy jungler from the game for a period of time, allowing the invading jungler to take control of the jungle and provide a substantial advantage to their team.

Situations When to Invade

There are several situations when it is advisable to invade the enemy jungle:

Situation	Reasons
When the enemy jungler is ganking a lane	The enemy jungler will be away from their jungle, making it less risky to invade.
When the enemy jungler is low on health	The enemy jungler will be less likely to engage in a fight, making it easier to steal their camps or kill them.
When the enemy jungler is behind in farm	The enemy jungler will be less likely to contest your invasion, as they will be focused on catching up on farm.
When your team has a strong lead	Your team’s lead will give you an advantage in any fights that may occur during the invasion.

Team Fight Coordination

Understanding Team Goals

Junglers must comprehend the team’s overall objectives during team fights. They need to identify high-priority targets, protect vulnerable allies, and control objectives like Dragons or Barons.

Vision Control and Communication

Junglers play a pivotal role in maintaining vision around objectives and enemy positions. Clear wards in key areas and communicate with teammates to relay critical information, ensuring timely rotations and responses to enemy movements.

Flanking Maneuvers

Flanking enemies from unexpected angles can disrupt enemy formations and create openings for your team. By positioning themselves creatively, junglers can force enemies to focus on multiple threats, allowing their teammates to engage more effectively.

Target Selection and Burst Damage

During team fights, junglers must prioritize targets that pose the greatest threat or offer significant value. Focusing on damage dealers or healers can neutralize their impact and give your team a decisive advantage. Additionally, timing high-burst damage abilities strategically can eliminate enemy threats quickly.

Peeling and Disengage

Protecting carries from enemy assassins or tanks is often crucial in team fights. Junglers should position themselves accordingly and use crowd control or damage mitigation abilities to peel for their teammates. Additionally, knowing when to disengage from unfavorable engagements is essential to minimize losses and regroup for a more favorable situation.

Characteristic	Importance
Understanding Team Goals	Ensures alignment and focus
Vision Control and Communication	Provides information and enables coordination
Flanking Maneuvers	Disrupts enemies and creates opportunities
Target Selection and Burst Damage	Eliminates threats and secures kills
Peeling and Disengage	Protects allies and minimizes losses

Scaling and Late-Game Dominance

In the jungle, certain champions excel in scaling their power and dominating the late game. These junglers typically have abilities that improve with level and item progression, allowing them to become unstoppable forces in the later stages of the match.

Sustained Damage and Tankiness

Junglers like Sejuani and Zac possess abilities that deal consistent damage over time and provide significant durability. Sejuani’s Frost Armor increases her resistances and deals area-of-effect damage, while Zac’s Cell Division grants him bonus health and damage.

Burst Damage and Mobility

Champions such as Kha’Zix and Evelynn specialize in burst damage and mobility. Kha’Zix’s evolved abilities allow him to leap onto enemies and deal massive burst, while Evelynn gains camouflage and can execute targets with her ultimate.

Utility and Control

Junglers like Taliyah and Fiddlesticks offer immense utility and control. Taliyah’s global ultimate allows her to assist teammates across the map, while Fiddlesticks’ fear and silence abilities make him a formidable threat in team fights.

Scaling Jungle Clear and Sustain

Champions with efficient jungle clear and sustain, such as Warwick and Xin Zhao, can farm quickly and stay healthy in the jungle. Warwick’s passive, Eternal Hunger, heals him based on damage dealt, while Xin Zhao’s Whirlwind clears jungle camps rapidly.

Area-of-Effect Damage and Engage

Junglers like Amumu and Jarvan IV excel in area-of-effect damage and engage. Amumu’s Curse of the Sad Mummy deals massive damage to multiple enemies, while Jarvan IV’s Cataclysm creates a large area of terrain that can trap opponents and disrupt their positioning.

Champion Pool Versatility

Junglers with a versatile champion pool can adapt to different game scenarios and team compositions, maximizing their impact and increasing their team’s chances of victory. Here’s why:

Ability to Counterpick:

By having a wide range of champions in their pool, junglers can counterpick based on the enemy team’s composition. For example, a team with heavy crowd control may be countered by a jungler with high mobility or tenacity, such as Ekko or Nidalee.

Adaptability to Jungle Changes:

The jungle is constantly evolving with new patches and champion releases. Versatile junglers can adjust their champion choices based on the current meta and jungle routes. For example, a jungler might opt for a faster-clearing champion like Lee Sin during early-game skirmishes or a more farm-oriented jungler like Graves during scaling-focused games.

Filling Team Composition Gaps:

Junglers with a versatile champion pool can fill composition gaps left by other roles. For instance, if the team lacks engage, the jungler can pick a champion like Jarvan IV or Zac to provide initiation. If the team needs sustain, a jungler like Warwick or Amumu can provide additional healing or crowd control.

Addressing Specific Enemy Champions:

Certain enemy champions can be highly effective in the jungle. Versatile junglers can choose champions that have favorable matchups against these threats. For example, a jungler with a high ganking potential like Xin Zhao can counter junglers with strong early dueling, such as Lee Sin or Jarvan IV.

Playstyle Variation:

Having a versatile champion pool allows junglers to vary their playstyles and adapt to different game situations. For example, a jungler might opt for an aggressive early-game champion like Olaf in a game with high early-game skirmish potential. In a scaling-oriented game, they might choose a more farm-heavy jungler like Kindred or Karthus.

Specific Counterpick Examples:

Enemy Champion	Counterpick Champion
Lee Sin	Xin Zhao
Jarvan IV	Rek’Sai
Hecarim	Kindred
Nidalee	Warwick
Shaco	Evelynn

Meta and Patch Adaptation

In the ever-evolving landscape of MOBAs, the jungle role holds immense significance. The jungler has the unique ability to impact both the early and late game, shaping the flow of the match. As the meta continues to evolve with each patch, so too must the jungler adapt their playstyle and champion selection to remain competitive.

Patch changes can often introduce new champions, items, or abilities that alter the power dynamics of the jungle. Junglers must be quick to recognize and incorporate these changes into their strategy. For instance, a patch that introduces a new champion with strong gank potential may necessitate a shift towards early-game ganking, while a patch that weakens a popular carry jungler may require a focus on farming and objective control.

Table: Jungler Adaptations to Patch Changes

Patch Change	Jungler Adaptation
New champion with strong gank potential	Shift towards early-game ganking
Weakening of popular carry jungler	Focus on farming and objective control
Buffs to Dragon or Herald	Prioritize securing these objectives

Adapting to the meta and patch changes requires a deep understanding of the game mechanics, champion matchups, and macro strategies. Junglers who are able to successfully navigate these changes will find themselves at an advantage, while those who fail to adapt may struggle to keep up.

Coaching and Leadership

As a jungler, you often find yourself in a position to guide and inspire your teammates. This requires exceptional coaching and leadership skills.

Effective Communication

Clear and concise communication is crucial for a successful jungle role. Communicate effectively with your team during the game, providing timely information about enemy movements, camp locations, and gank opportunities.

Inspiring confidence

A strong jungler exudes confidence that inspires their teammates. They make proactive decisions, take ownership of the jungle, and encourage their team to work together as a unit.

Adaptability and Decision-Making

The jungle is a dynamic environment that requires adaptability and sound decision-making. Junglers need to adjust their strategies based on enemy team composition, lane matchups, and their own team’s strengths and weaknesses.

Vision and Map Control

Junglers play a critical role in vision control and map awareness. They prioritize placing wards in strategic locations to track enemy movement, provide vision for their team, and deny the enemy team information.

Small Jungle Camp Optimization

Efficient jungle camp clearing is crucial for junglers. They need to develop optimal pathing routes that minimize downtime and maximize gold and experience gain. Knowing the respawn timers of different jungle camps is also important.

Objective Prioritization

Junglers must make informed decisions about which objectives to prioritize, such as towers, dragons, and barons. They need to consider the benefit to their team and the potential risks associated with each objective.

Counter Ganking

Counter ganking requires quick reflexes, anticipation, and teamwork. Junglers should be prepared to intercept enemy ganks and turn the tables, providing crucial support to their laners.

Teamfight Execution

Junglers play a significant role in executing team fights. They should know when to engage, disengage, and provide crowd control to their team. They should also coordinate with their team to secure kills and objectives.

Gank Execution

Successful ganks require proper planning, timing, and coordination. Junglers must choose the right time to gank, assess the potential risks and rewards, and communicate their intentions to their team.

Jungler Coaching Skills	Jungler Leadership Skills
Communication Adaptability Camp Optimization	Inspiration Decision-Making Vision Control Objective Prioritization Counter Ganking

The Importance of Communication

Communication is crucial in any multiplayer game, and League of Legends is no exception. As a jungler, you need to be able to communicate effectively with your team in order to coordinate ganks, secure objectives, and win team fights. Here are some tips for improving your communication skills as a jungler:

1. Use pings

Pings are a quick and easy way to communicate with your team. Use them to mark enemy champions, objectives, or danger. You can also use them to request assistance or indicate that you’re on your way to a lane.

2. Chat

Chat is a more detailed way to communicate with your team. Use it to give information about your pathing, ganks, and objectives. You can also ask questions or give advice to your teammates.

3. Voice chat

Voice chat is the most direct way to communicate with your team. Use it to give real-time updates on your location, ganks, or objectives. You can also use it to discuss strategy or make callouts during team fights.

4. Listen to your teammates

It’s just as important to listen to your teammates as it is to communicate with them. Pay attention to their pings, chats, and voice comms. This will help you stay informed about what’s going on in the game and make better decisions.

5. Be positive and constructive

Communication is most effective when it’s positive and constructive. Avoid flaming or arguing with your teammates. Instead, focus on giving information and offering support.

6. Be clear and concise

When communicating, be clear and concise. Use simple language and avoid jargon that your teammates might not understand.

7. Be timely

Communication is only effective if it’s timely. Don’t wait until it’s too late to ping or chat. Give your teammates plenty of time to respond and react.

8. Be adaptive

The best way to communicate effectively is to be adaptive. Adjust your communication style to the situation and the needs of your team.

9. Use external tools

There are a number of external tools that can help you improve your communication. These tools can provide you with additional information, such as ward locations, enemy cooldowns, and team fight stats.

10. Practice

The best way to improve your communication skills is to practice. Play games with friends or teammates and focus on communicating effectively. The more you practice, the better you will become.

The Best Junglers

In the world of League of Legends, the jungler is a crucial role that can make or break a team’s chances of victory. The jungler is responsible for clearing the jungle camps, ganking lanes, and providing vision for the team. There are many different champions that can be played in the jungle, but some of the best include:

Lee Sin
Elise
Kha’Zix
Evelynn
Rek’Sai

These champions are all strong choices for the jungle because they have a good mix of damage, mobility, and crowd control. They can also clear the jungle quickly and efficiently, which is important for getting ahead in the early game. If you’re looking to improve your jungling skills, then these are the champions you should practice with.