LoL jungler Amumu in Patch 14.9

As of the latest data from U.GG, Amumu reigns first as the top-performing jungler across all ranks, boasting an impressive win rate of 52.74%. Only Rammus comes close, trailing slightly behind with a win rate surpassing the 52.27%.

This sudden rise to prominence for Amumu can largely be attributed to the subtle buffs introduced in Patch 14.9 by Riot Games. While the improvements may seem modest, with a mere increase in base attack damage and armor by four and three points respectively, they have proven to be quite impactful in elevating Amumu’s performance on the rift.

Prior to these adjustments, Amumu was already holding his own in the jungle, maintaining a respectable win rate of 50.48% in Patch 14.8. However, the recent buffs have undoubtedly transformed him into a formidable contender in the League of Legends meta.

However, it’s worth noting that Amumu’s dominance is more pronounced in lower ranks, reflecting his reputation as a champion favored by less experienced players due to his straightforward yet strong kit.

In higher ranks, where skill and strategy play a more significant role, other junglers such as Rek’Sai and Ivern continue to exert their dominance with win rates exceeding 52%. Nevertheless, Amumu remains a viable option, holding his own with a commendable win rate of 51.15% in Emerald+ rankings.

Looking ahead to Patch 14.10, scheduled changes to champions like Skarner, Viego, and Nocturne hint at potential shifts in the jungle metagame. With these adjustments, it’s likely that the dynamics of jungle gameplay will evolve once again.

In the competitive landscape of League of Legends, strategies continuously evolve, exerting their influence on the game with each new patch.

Recently, there has been a resurgence of an old tactic known as lane swapping—a strategy that holds nostalgic value for some players. T1’s jungler, Oner, has some advice for those encountering this strategy in solo queue.

Lane swaps have reemerged as a significant aspect of the current meta, particularly in professional play. However, as seasoned players are aware, the League community often tries to emulate strategies seen in high-level play or international competitions, albeit with limited success.

While Oner has chosen to keep his specific tips for countering this strategy to himself, as T1 is currently vying for the 2024 Mid-Season Invitational title, he did offer a straightforward suggestion to solo queue players facing lane swaps: “Just have fun.”

According to T1 Oner, there is currently “no way” to adjust your strategy as a jungler when confronted with lane swaps in solo queue. Overcoming this tactic requires a high level of coordination between you and your teammates, which can be rare to find or difficult to cultivate quickly while climbing the ranks in solo queue. Typically, lane swaps are used to avoid unfavorable matchups in the lane while hindering the enemy top laner’s farm. However, executing a successful lane swap demands extensive teamwork and communication, which are not always readily available in solo queue environments.

Nevertheless, when executed effectively, a lane swap can provide your team with a significant advantage. By grouping up in the top lane, you can swiftly dismantle the enemy’s tower before they have an opportunity to reciprocate. Additionally, it aids in controlling the map and can afford your duo lane an advantage in terms of gold and items.

Although not everyone embraces the lane swap strategy, you may encounter it in your ranked games for a few more weeks until the meta adjusts itself once again. If confronted with this scenario, you could attempt to establish clear communication and formulate a plan with your team—or simply heed Oner’s advice and focus on enjoying the game.

Rell’s transition to the jungle was initially spurred by her exceptional engage potential, particularly with her W and R abilities, making her a formidable pick in professional play. Previously primarily played as a support champion, her aggressive playstyle made her susceptible to punishment if her engagements were mistimed, making her less appealing compared to other options like Leona or Thresh.

Rell Jungle nerfs in Patch 14.7

• Base MR increased from 30 to 32
• MR growth increased from 1.85 to 2.05
• Q no longer deals 170 – 470 bonus monster damage
• W no longer deals bonus monster damage
• E no longer deals 120 – 300 bonus monster damage

By removing the bonus damage to monsters from her entire kit, Rell’s capability to efficiently clear jungle camps has been severely diminished, rendering her ineffective in the jungle role.

Patch 14.7, currently under development, has brought about significant changes that particularly impact Rell’s jungle viability. The removal of bonus damage to monsters from her Q, W, and E abilities marks a stark reversal from the massive damage bonuses initially granted to facilitate her jungle clearing. Consequently, Rell’s effectiveness in the jungle role is expected to plummet drastically with these alterations.

As a result of these changes, Rell will likely find herself relegated back to the bot lane, where she was originally intended to excel as a tanky support champion. This shift eliminates her flexibility as a pick, limiting her role options within the game.

It’s important to note that these adjustments are currently being tested on the Public Beta Environment (PBE), indicating that there is still a window for potential revisions before they are implemented on the live servers.

They are discussing this because they saw a Reddit post that said the developers of League of Legends might be planning to make the jungle role stronger.

According to the post, players think that one big reason people don’t like playing jungle is because they get blamed for everything that goes wrong in the game. They say that the jungle role has too much influence and control over the game, and that puts a lot of pressure on the players who choose to jungle.

A lot of players agreed with this idea. They shared examples of times when they’ve seen junglers get blamed unfairly for things that weren’t their fault. For example, if a laner gets killed by their opponent, they might blame the jungle player even if it wasn’t the jungle player’s fault.

It’s hard to find official data that shows how popular the jungle role really is, but many players agree that junglers often get blamed for things that aren’t their fault. They say that if anything goes wrong in the game, the jungle player is usually the first one to get blamed, no matter what the situation is.

Even though playing jungle can be stressful and players often get blamed unfairly, it’s also a role that can have a big impact on the game if played well.

If a jungle player knows how to help their teammates and make good decisions, they can help their team get ahead early in the game. However, it’s not always easy to do this because there are often mistakes and miscommunications during the game.

In conclusion, playing jungle in League of Legends can be powerful but also stressful. Many players think that it’s time for a change so that jungle players don’t get blamed unfairly and can enjoy the game more.

Since their introduction, these pets have revolutionized the gameplay for junglers, affording them the ability to clear camps and granting the flexibility to either initiate early ganks or engage in strategic counter-plays through power farming or counter-jungling.

The standout advantage of these jungle pets lies in their remarkable sustain, manifested in the form of healing and shields. This attribute ensures that jungle champions can consistently clear camps with health levels from the mid-game onwards. However, the balance required to integrate these pets into the game without overshadowing the influence of other lanes remains a priority.

Jungle Pet Changes

• Heal increased from 12 – 35 to 14 – 37
• Epic monster base damage cap reduced from 16 – 40 to 15.5
• Epic monster damage cap is now affected by the normal health, AP, AD, and resist ratios
• URF treat breakpoints reduced from 20 and 40 to 10 and 20

One might initially find the healing increase a little odd, given the sentiment among non-jungle mains that it is already overpowered. However, this adjustment is counterbalanced by substantial damage nerfs, wherein the cap for jungle pet damage is being reduced significantly from 40 to 15.5. This alteration aims to curtail the dominance of these pets in the early-mid game phases.

Furthermore, the damage cap can be augmented through normal health, AP, AD, and armor and MR ratios. This scaling mechanism suggests that while jungle pets will gradually scale into the later stages of the game, a considerable portion of their early-mid game potency appears to have been curtailed.

Adding an element of intrigue, Riot Games has discreetly teased the potential return of URF (Ultra Rapid Fire) mode with the latest changes. Notably, this adjustment serves as a buff, enabling players to evolve their pets more rapidly with lower treat breakpoints. However, it is essential to bear in mind that these changes specifically pertain to URF mode, introducing a dynamic to the overall gameplay.

As eager anticipation builds within the League of Legends community, the exact timeline for the implementation of these changes on live servers remains undisclosed.

Patch 14.1 early notes

Release date

Set to debut on January 10, patch 14.1 promises to redefine the gaming experience for players, as the renowned map undergoes its most substantial overhaul in over a decade.

New Summoner’s Rift map

The visual landscape of Summoner’s Rift will be dramatically changed in patch 14.1, with extensive modifications to brush and sizes. Emerging from the ground are new elements of terrain and walls, injecting a newfound dynamism into the map.

While the initial adjustment to these changes may pose a challenge, players are expected to acclimate the updated Rift as the 2024 season unfolds.

New jungle monsters

The transformation extends beyond aesthetics, as the jungle encounters a host of new monsters. Voidgrubs, formidable early-game monsters offering stacking buffs upon defeat, join the standard and epic variety of monsters.

Notably, both the Rift Herald and Baron Nashor receive updates, enhancing their value and introducing variance throughout each game. Baron Nashor’s pit undergoes dynamic changes, featuring different hazards at random in each game, providing an additional layer of unpredictability to objectives.

New item systems

Significant shifts also manifest in items beginning patch 14.1, with the removal of the Mythic item system serving as the standout change in 2024. In its place, players can anticipate the introduction of numerous new items spanning all tiers and price points in the in-game shop.

This overhaul guarantees that virtually every familiar item will undergo modifications, promising a fresh strategic landscape at the onset of the 2024 season.

New rank systems

The rank systems is set to undergo changes as well, breaking down the season into three distinct splits with patch 14.1. The initial split spans from January to May, introducing a dynamic ranking system that updates with each split, presenting players with a new set of provisional games to navigate. This new structure aims to inject renewed excitement and engagement into the competitive aspect of League of Legends.

Champions

Hwei

• Base armor increased from 18 to 21

Jungles

Riot Games will be implementing adjustments to the percentage-based DPS players receive from their pets during jungle camp clears.

Skins

• Dragonmancer Fiora (1350 RP)
• Dragonmancer Kassadin (1350 RP)
• Dragonmancer Vayne (1350 RP)
• Dragonmancer Rakan (1350 RP)
• Prestige Dragonmancer Rakan

In essence, the arrival of the 2024 season marks not only a visual and structural evolution of Summoner’s Rift but also a reimagining of gameplay elements.

It is crucial to identify the best-suited champions for jungling, and the Tier List for Patch 13.24b categorizes champions from exceptionally powerful to ban-worthy.

Patch 13.24b Jungler Tier List

Rammus (S+)

In Patch 13.24b, Rammus stands out as the top jungler. His Powerball ability allows him to quickly navigate jungle camps, securing gold and XP efficiently. Rammus excels in early-game ganking with a deadly combo of flash taunt, providing easy kills for teammates. With a win rate of 51.74%, Rammus’s Flash+Soaring Slam Slam combo, coupled with Powerball, enables him to knock up and deal significant damage to enemy champions.

Ivern (S)

Ivern is a strong support jungler, particularly suitable for beginners. His ability to summon Daisy at level 6 enhances his ganking potential, slowing and damaging enemies for easy kills. Ivern’s Triggerseed creates a shield that explodes to slow down and damage nearby enemies, and Rootcaller summons a vine that roots and damages enemies while allowing allies to dash to the target. With a 52.63% win rate, Ivern is a valuable and user-friendly addition to any team.

Rek’Sai (A)

Rek’sai, with a 51.80% win rate, is an intriguing and enjoyable choice for first-time jungle players. Her Queen’s Wraith skill allows her to burrow, gaining move speed and revealing hidden enemy locations. This skill also enhances her next three attacks with bonus physical damage, especially effective when combined with auto attacks.

Gwen (B)

Gwen, with a 50.24% win rate, excels in the jungle due to her high damage, increased movement speed, and temporary invisibility. Her Snip Snip skill deals massive magical damage with up to six scissor snips, while Hallowed Mist provides her with untargetability and Skin ‘n Slash allows her to dash and gain attack speed, magic damage, and range on hitting enemies.

Diana (C)

Diana, although a powerful jungler, requires a specific build to be effective, as indicated by her 48.99% win rate. Her fast jungle clear is attributed to her passive, Moonsilver Blade, which deals additional magic damage and boosts her attack speed. Her AoE combo, Crescent Strike+Lunar Rush+Pale Cascade, deals significant damage and can turn the tide in a teamfight when executed properly.

Jarvan IV (D)

Jarvan IV, despite being mobile, does not consistently live up to his potential in the jungle nowadays. With a 49.17% win rate, his skill kit is suitable for jungling but may pose challenges for some players. While his Martial Cadence deals moderate damage, its high cooldown leaves him vulnerable to enemies.

Riot Games has frequently surprised players with buffs to jungle clearing abilities for various champions in recent years, aiming to boost interest in the Jungle role. Notable champions like Talon, Zed, and Morgana have received these adjustments.

The latest recipient of such enhancements is Brand, but Riot may have gone overboard, leading to an outcry from players due to his exceptionally fast clearing speed.

Currently, the Burning Vengance can clear the first six jungle cmaps by the 3:06 minute mark, reaching level 4 while opponents and teammates in the bottom lane are only at level 2. This significant advantage has sparked discontent within the League of Legends community, prompting calls for Riot to address the issue promptly.

Players argue that while turning Brand into a jungle champion is acceptable, his clearing speed is excessively high. The ability for him to reach level 4 and harass level 2 opponents in the bottom lane is perceived as unbalanced.

Brand’s alarming jungle clearing speed stems from Riot’s substantial buffs to the champion. In patch 13.22, his intrinsic damage to monsters was increased to 230%, and his E also received a basic damage boost. Consequently, the extensive damage Brand inflicts on jungle monsters has become too strong, leading to the rapid clearing speed mentioned earlier.

As of now, Brand Jungle boasts a high win rate of 52.10%, reaching 59.48% in the Challenger ranking, according to statistics from LoLAlytics. This data indicates that the champion is overly dominant as a jungle champion, clearing jungle fast and exerting early-game pressure effectively.

Despite his strengths, he still possesses the typical weaknesses of a traditional Mage, notably lower mobility. To address the current imbalance, players suggest that Riot should slightly reduce his clearing speed, balancing the champion by maintaining clear strengths and weaknesses.

Embarking on the 2024 season of League of Legends, the developers at Riot Games have unveiled a fascinating glimpse into the game’s jungle camps. Riot Phlox unfolds in a detailed dev blog, shedding light on the creative process that shaped the upcoming changes to the jungle.

An intriguing revelation emerges from the development, as it is disclosed that the newest jungle camp almost took the form of a cult of cats. This whimsical concept, however, underwent a transformation during the creative journey and was ultimately replaced by the Voidmites, the mystical entities set to make their debut in the jungle.

In the early stages of development, the jungle camp’s potential narrative veered towards a congregation of feline enthusiasts, absorbing the power of Baron. Picture the Baron pit teeming with cats, and the narrative twist involving a cult of Whiskers from Teamfight Tactics taking for Baron’s entrapment. The whimsy and charm of such a scenario undoubtedly added a unique flavor to the development process.

“To add some variety, we tried out a new style of objective: a cat cult made up of Whisker Little Legends. This was a pile (clowder? cluster? colony?) of cats that spawned in threes every minute, slowly filling up the Baron pit.”

Riot Phlox takes readers through the fascinating trajectory of the team’s creative brainstorming, outlining the initial concept, subsequent testing phases, and the gradual evolution of the idea. Throughout this journey, the Whiskers remained a consistent element in the team’s vision, contributing to the overall tapestry of possibilities for the new jungle camp.

However, as the creative process unfolded, the cult of cats eventually relinquished its role as the final design, making way for the introduction of the Voidmites. While the Voidmites bring their own mystique to the jungle, the included images in the dev blog offer a glimpse into the imaginative realm of what might have been—a Baron pit dominated by a quirky cult of cats.

This behind-the-scenes revelation not only underscores the dynamic nature of game development but also invites players to appreciate the intricate decisions and creative explorations that shape the gaming experience.

For new League players, stepping onto the Summoner’s Rift for the first time can be a mix of excitement and intimidation. Traditionally, the concern of mastering jungle gameplay right from the start was alleviated by the fact that the Smite spell, essential for jungling, only unlocked at Summoner level 9. However, this is about to change, as Riot is testing the alteration on the League PBE, with plans for it to go live soon.

Riot changes Smite unlock

The pivotal shift in this change is that Smite will now be accessible when a player reaches Summoner level 3, a stark contrast to the previous requirement. This change is not only significant but also long overdue, as players have been advocating for a modification like this for nearly a decade.

The primary objective behind this adjustment is to empower new League players to delve into the world of jungle gameplay sooner. The jungle role can be perceived as challenging by many newcomers, especially if they’ve received discouraging feedback from other players regarding the complexities of jungling for beginners.

Nonetheless, some players are eager to immerse themselves in the jungle with understanding timers, Smite mechanics, jungle pathing, etc. For these players, the Smite changes are poised to be incredibly advantageous.

However, there is a potential concern related to the expedited access to Smite. This change could inadvertently allow experienced players with alternate accounts, often referred to as ‘smurfs,’ to access Smite earlier, potentially leading to new players facing off against more seasoned junglers more frequently than before.

It’s worth noting that this change is not expected to have a substantial impact on lower-ranked players, as accounts still need to reach level 30 before they can engage in ranked League games. The primary intent of this adjustment is to promote accessibility to the jungle role for newcomers and provide a smoother learning curve.