League of Legends S12: Jarvan IV Jungle Build Guide

From runes to items, gameplay tips amd more, we've put together a guide to help you master playing Jarvan IV in the jungle in League of Legends.

Be mindful that there are several ways to build and play a champion, and you'll need to be adaptable as the game and the enemy team progress.

That said, this guide is a good starting point to helping you get to grips with the champion and making an impact in your games.

Runes

Core Items

Goredrinker

3300 Gold

Sterak's Gage

3100 Gold

Build

Goredrinker is extremely useful on bruisers like Jarvan, allowing for survivability through lifesteal. 

Sterak's Gage adds to this survivability, offering a crucial shield when you gank a champion.

Other good items include Guardian Angel, Thornmail, Death's Dance, and Black Cleaver.

Starting Item & Boots

Refillable Potion

50 Gold

Jungle Item

350 Gold

Defensive Boots

1100 Gold

Skill Order

While your choices may differ according to how the game progresses, the typical Jarvan IV skill priority is:

R > Q > E > W

Summoner Spells

These are the summoner spells most typically taken by Jarvan IV in this role. Naturally, this may change depending on match-ups.

Gameplay

Jungle Jarvan is expected to be a main engager in teamfights and ganks, thanks to his exceptional gap closing and lockdown tools. 

• Level 1 - Start at Red Buff and take E - Demacian Standard for the attack speed buff. 
• Level 2 - Work round to Raptors and then Blue Buff, taking Q - Dragon Strike to help you get there faster. 
• First Back - Start working towards Goredrinker with an Ironspike Whip.

Tips & Tricks

• Jarvan's E+Q combo is key to getting around in lane, whether that's to close the gap to a fleeing opponent, or escaping over walls when the going gets rough. Learn to use it effectively.
• Remember, you can use Flash to change the trajectory of your E+Q combo.
• Golden Aegis gets stronger the more enemy champions are around you.
• You can use Demacian Standard for vision, if you're unsure of where an enemy champion is and have no wards.
• Demacian Standard's attack speed buff also applies to allies, so drop it in a teamfight.
• At max rank, Demacian Standard lasts eight seconds - which could be enough for two casts of Dragon Strike with a little extra cooldown from items.