Can Pyke Be a Jungle Champion?
When Pyke was introduced as a new champion in League of Legends, many players doubted his ability to be a successful support. Some even argued that he would perform better as a jungler due to his passive ability and mobility. However, after testing it out, it is clear that supporting suits Pyke more than the jungle.
While Pyke does have high mobility, damage, and crowd control – which are great for ganking – he lacks the ability to clear jungle camps efficiently. Compared to other junglers, Pyke struggles to position himself for ganks, making it difficult for him to excel in this role. In the current meta, where dueling around the Rift Scuttler is crucial and camps yield less experience, Pyke heavily relies on his laners for assistance and safety while farming the jungle.
The reason behind Pyke’s poor camp clear is that Riot didn’t design him to be a jungler. His damaging abilities have long cooldowns, limiting his effectiveness in clearing camps. In lane, this is not an issue because he can play around his ADC’s pressure, but in the jungle, it hinders his performance greatly.
Squishiness was initially a concern for Pyke in the jungle because he can’t build bonus health. Surprisingly, it is not as problematic as anticipated, but it doesn’t change the fact that he struggles with camp clear speed.
To succeed as Pyke in the jungle, players need support from their laners and a deep understanding of jungle pathing. With the current state of Rift Scuttlers and camp experience changes, this skill set is uncommon. Nonetheless, if you want to try Pyke in the jungle, go ahead and have fun. Just be prepared for a challenging first few levels.