Become A World Class Jax Player In 60 Seconds

Jax is an unsung jungler; his ultimate’s passive coupled with Guinsoo’s passive makes for great damage to targets that can endure. If you throw Wriggle’s into the mix, your attack speed lets its passive hit more often, and call for massive damage.

When I jungle with Jax, I set my masteries to 21/9/0, grabbing increased armor penetration, damage to minions, and increased movement speed after dodging an attack.

When it comes to runes, I grab armor penetration marks, attack speed glyphs, increased armor seals, and dodge quintessences. These just match my specific playstyle, and can be changed for flat health, cooldown reduction, ect.

To start, I use the summoner spells ghost and smite. Jax’s only form of crowd control is close range, and all of his sources of major damage come from melee attacks. If squishies see you, they’re going to book it. Ghost is key to landing your leap and kicking some ass. Carrying smite is for obvious reasons. If you truely don’t trust in ghost, you can replace it with either rally or fortify. However, rally isn’t a very “beneficial” spell. I highly don’t recommend it, but it’s your choice.

My skill order throughout the game is: Counter Attack (1), Empower (1), Counter Attack (2), Empower (2), Leap Strike (1), Ultimate (1), Counter Attack (3), Counter Attack (4), Counter Attack (5), Empower (3), Ultimate (2), Empower (4), Empower (5), Leap Strike (2), Ultimate (3), Leap Strike (4), Leap Strike (5).

Grabbing Counter Attack first may not make sense to some, but don’t knock it until you try it. Empower has twice the cooldown, and five less base damage. Also, it doesn’t stun, and it only hits one target. Counter Attack helps you dodge attacks more often, it’s a small aoe, but enough to hit all the creeps in a camp, half of Empower’s cooldown, and more damage. Mana won’t be a problem.

I start at blue buff, grabbing cloth armor and five health potions. Tip: put your health potions in the second slot of your invetory. When you need one, just push the number “2″ on your keyboard. This works with any active on an item. Clear blue, the wolf camp nearby, golems by red, and the wraiths. You may need to go back after red, but it won’t delay you that badly. When you go back, you’re going to want to start building Madred’s Razors.

When jungling, you always want to ignore the minor minions, and start directly with the major minions, such as the Ancient Golem, the Lizard, the greater Wraith, or the greater Wolf. This is especially true with Jax. His Counter Attack is triggered only by dodging an attack. The minor minions don’t do enough damage to really make much of a difference, and you need an extra two attacks thrown at you to get that spell castable. It’s an aoe anyway, you’re hurting them even when not directly attacking them.

With Madred’s, you can dragon easily at level six with your smite. I don’t recommend doing it before six, because your ultimate is key to doing heavy jungling like dragon and Baron Nashor. After dragon, you’re going to want to start ganking pretty heavily. Don’t do it too much; you still need gold and experience.

If you’re an experienced jungler, you should be able to solo Baron Nashor at level 16, as long as you’ve completed your Tabi, Wriggle’s, Guinsoo’s, and most of your Trinity Force. This can be cutting it close, but I’ve never died from doing this. If you’re nervous about it, you can either grab a buddy, or just wait a little longer. Baron Nashor deals magic damage, so armor doesn’t help you. However, this is where the active from your Ultimate comes in handy. If you chose to bring an elixer, don’t use it until you’ve taken some damage. Drinking the elixer at deminished health actually heals you.

You’ll want to finish with the items Ninja Tabi, Wriggle’s Lantern, Guinsoo’s Rageblade, Trinity Force, Phantom Dancer, and an Atma’s. Let me explain this build.

Ninja Tabi are excellent. They offer enhanced dodge and armor, which is great for the minions’ damage. I know the movement speed isn’t the best, but you have ghost, Phantom Dancer, and a Trinity Force. You’re set on movement speed.

Next is a Wriggle’s Lantern. It builds from the all-so-needed Madred’s Razors, and the passive goes up to 30% chance. The ward that comes with it can also be used all game; saving money and your allies’ lives. The armor lets jungling be a little less painful, and the attack damage kills them a little faster.

Guinsoo’s Rageblade couples with your Ultimate’s passive, and it’s also dirt cheap. It gives you ability power, which also gives you health from Jax’s passive. With Guinsoo’s and your Ultimate’s passive maxed, you can cap your attack speed, and completely rock their turrets.

Trinity Force is key in any Jax build. Its passive gives you an extra 150% of your base attack damage after using an ability. That includes Leap Strike. If the chase lasts a while, it also triggers with Empower. Also, it gives you a chance to slow them. Trinity Force is an exceptionally great item all around. It supplements Jax’s passive, gives you crit chance, movement speed, health, mana, attack speed… the list goes on. You can never go wrong with Trinity Force.

Next, I grab Phantom Dancer. I understand that it no longer gives you dodge chance, but it’s still a good item nonetheless. The attack speed is always helpful, and the crit chance makes the attack speed all the better. With the movement speed from Phantom Dancer, Trinity Force, Tabi, and ghost, you’re like a Janna with Mobility. Not to mention the slow from Trinity Force; nobody can escape.

Last is an Atma’s. Atma’s increases your armor, your attack damage by 2% of your max health, and gives you enhanced critical strike. Attack damage is crutial, because he’s entirely melee. Also, the more attack damage you have, the more health you have. It’s a double whammy.

Jungling champions are very beneficial to their team. At low levels, your team mates may complain that the 1v2 lane is too difficult, or that the jungle minions don’t matter in a game. However, there are many more pros than cons. Three people get solo experience, and if you’re good at it, your team can get more kills than without ganks. Also, it prevents the other team from obtaining helpful buffs and gold, such as red, blue, dragon, and Baron.

Master this Grandmaster, and you’ll be rolling people in no time.

Written by RickRollin at http://www.leagueoflegends.com/board/showthread.php?t=402756