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Is Jarvan IV AP or AD? A Comprehensive Guide to Season 12 in League of Legends

Best Items for Jarvan

Jarvan is a top-tier initiating jungler known for his crowd control abilities and high burst damage. Whether you want to build him like a juggernaut or an assassin, here are the best items that can maximize his potential and make him a valuable asset to your team.

  • Goredrinker: This item is a staple for Jarvan due to his gap closers and ultimate’s ability to lock down multiple enemies. Jarvan can activate Goredrinker inside the pit created by his ultimate, dealing damage to all enemies and healing himself, making it the ideal item for him.
  • Death’s Dance: Jarvan needs a way to mitigate physical damage when engaging enemies. Death’s Dance converts the damage he receives into damage over time, which he can heal with Goredrinker’s active ability.
  • Guardian Angel: Since Jarvan is often the first one into a fight, he can be targeted and killed quickly. Guardian Angel allows him to tank enemy damage and be revived, providing both offensive and defensive stats.
  • Thornmail: Jarvan requires a way to inflict grievous wounds on his enemies while trapping them in his ultimate. Thornmail is the ideal choice as enemies are forced to attack Jarvan with their basic attacks, instantly inflicting grievous wounds.
  • Sterak’s Gage: To ensure his survivability in the pit, Jarvan needs additional tankiness. Sterak’s Gage makes him even tankier when he reaches low health, enhancing the active effect of Goredrinker.

Best Runes for Jarvan

Choosing the right runes is crucial for optimizing Jarvan’s performance in the jungle. Here are the best runes for him:

  • Conqueror: As an initiator, Jarvan engages in extended fights with enemies. Conqueror allows him to trade blows and improves the healing effect of Goredrinker.
  • Triumph: Jarvan deals AoE damage while locking down enemies with his ultimate. Triumph provides him with healing whenever an enemy is taken down by his allies.
  • Legend: Alacrity: Jarvan lacks natural attack speed, and this rune helps him clear jungle camps faster.
  • Coup de grace: If built as an assassin, Coup de grace enhances Jarvan’s damage when bursting down squishy enemy carries.

When to Pick Jarvan

Jarvan is an excellent choice when your team has the potential for a wombo combo or when the enemy team lacks champions with disengaging abilities.

Conclusion

Jarvan is a dominant AD champion known for his initiation abilities and burst damage. While he has one AP scaling ability, building him as a tanky initiator or a burst assassin can be equally effective. His combo provides exceptional crowd control and gap-closing, making him one of the best engagement champions in the game.