There are tons of different sayings that get thrown around for new Jungle players looking to improve. Ideas such as full clearing every game, ganking every lane, or always fighting for the scuttle crab have spread amongst the playbase. I’m going to share 5 common myths I’ve heard throughout my time playing League and why they’re false.

Myth #1: “You should gank lanes that are behind to get them ahead”

One of the most common Jungle myths is to pressure lanes that are behind to help them get ahead. This strategy is ineffective because lanes that are already behind have a smaller chance of carrying a game versus lanes that are even or ahead. For example, if your top laner is already 0-3 and your bot lane is 0-0, you should prioritize bot lane in order to create a win con. Instead of trying to bring losing lanes back to a winning state, you should focus on even lanes and getting them ahead. Although you may get flamed by the losing laner, there is no point in helping a cause that is already lost; however, if you manage to get the even lane ahead, you at least have a chance at winning the game.

Myth #2: “Full clearing every game is the best strategy to climb”

This is another myth that has been proven false over and over again. Full clearing is a strategy in which you prioritize farming camps over pressuring lanes and the enemy Jungler. Full clearing is effective in that it gets you significant gold and experience; however, it’s not always the best strategy. For example, if you’re playing a strong early game Jungler such as Lee Sin or Nidalee and the enemy Jungler is playing a weak farming Jungler, you want to invade and pressure them early. You will slowly be outscaled if you simply try to match fast full clear Junglers such as Karthus or Zyra, as their kits are designed to full clear on repeat. Additionally, champions such as Jarvan and Trundle have great level 3 power spikes that should be used to gank enemy laners and pressure the map. The lesson here is to play towards your champion’s identity and utilize their strengths.

Myth #3: “It’s the Jungler’s job to get every lane ahead”

This is one of the most frustrating myths that Jungle players incorrectly blame themselves for. Laners will fall behind due to their own mistakes and then blame their Jungler for not helping them. They might die to a gank, mismanage the minion wave, or waste their teleport and then get mad at their Jungler. It’s important to recognize that most of these mistakes are out of your control, and it’s not the Jungler’s job to get everyone ahead. The focus should be on camp sequencing, objective taking, and playing towards lanes that can snowball. You should never go out of your way to prioritize lanes who are behind or have no setup. Other lanes to stay away from are typically tank vs. tank toplanes or botlanes with no engage such as Ezreal/Sivir with Yuumi.

Myth #4: “Invading is incredibly risky and should only be done when you’re far ahead”

Many players believe that invading is a risky strategy that is essentially coin-flipping a game. Invading is a strategy that should be used throughout a game and is the best way to put the enemy Jungler behind. Cross map plays are situations in which the enemy Jungler makes a play on one side of the map, and it’s up to you to make another play on the opposite side. Oftentimes, when I notice the enemy Jungler making a play, I will attempt to steal resources and camps from the opposite side of the map, get vision of the area, and take whatever objective might be up. Invading is safe in this scenario because the enemy Jungler is not present and laners will rarely rotate without help. It’s important to recognize when it is a safe time to invade without consequence and make sure to punish the enemy Jungler for making a play.

Myth #5: “You must fight for the Scuttle Crab early game or the game is lost”

Scuttle Crab is the first objective on the map that Junglers will oftentimes fight for. It spawns at 3:30 right when most Junglers finish up their first full clear. Most Jungle players believe that fighting for the first Scuttle Crab is mandatory and if your laners do not rotate then it’s their fault. Although Scuttle Crab is important, there are other ways to approach the situation. For example, pathing on the opposite side of the enemy Jungler will allow you to get the Scuttle Crab uncontested because they will be on the other side of the map after clearing. Some champions such as Zed can clear a quadrant of their Jungle and then base for items before fighting for the Scuttle as well. You may also choose to gank a lane or reset quickly to ensure you will be there for the respawn of your first camp. It’s important to recognize that Scuttle Crab is valuable; however, there are other strategies you can implement to also gain a lead over an opponent.

Conclusion

There are several myths in Jungling which get thrown by the League player base that new players tend to believe. It’s important to recognize that part of playing Jungle is adapting to the game and making decisions based upon the context of the situation. Choosing whether to full clear, fight for objectives, or gank every lane is dependent on the game state, and players must understand how to make correct decisions and play for winning teammates. Don’t let your negative teammates influence how you play the game and be sure to follow your own instincts when making a decision. I hope readers can take something positive away from each myth and learn something new!