Role Selection – How Not To Int
If you want to play AP Jarvan IV, it’s important to choose your role wisely. The Summon Aery setup is best for support, while the Phase Rush setup works well in top lane. You can also try it in the jungle, but it may not be as effective.
For better ganking potential, choose runes that provide movement speed boosts. Waterwalking can also be helpful in river skirmishes against the enemy jungler.
It’s important to note that playing AP Jarvan IV in the middle lane or as an ADC won’t yield good results, even in normal draft matches.
Picking Your Runes – Think About Your Playstyle
When playing AP Jarvan IV, you have two different rune setups to choose from. The Summon Aery setup is primarily for the support role and may not offer much damage. The Phase Rush setup can be played in solo lanes or jungle, but requires more experience.
Summon Aery Setup – The Ideal Support
For the Summon Aery setup, choose Summon Aery and Manaflow Band from the Sorcery tree as your primary runes. For your secondary runes, go for Perfect Timing and Biscuit Delivery from the Inspiration tree.
Summon Aery allows you to poke down enemies with long-range Qs, while Manaflow Band helps manage your mana usage. Perfect Timing gives you a free stopwatch for diving plays, and Biscuit Delivery provides sustain in case you can’t recall.
If you want to poke the enemies in lane, choose Scorch for burn damage. Otherwise, Waterwalking is a great option for supports with a roaming playstyle.
Phase Rush Setup – In & Out!
If you don’t want to play as a support or prefer a different playstyle, the Phase Rush setup might be a better choice. For primary runes, go for Phase Rush from the Sorcery tree and Presence of Mind from the Precision tree as your secondary.
Phase Rush grants a movement speed boost after damaging an enemy with 3 damaging effects in a short period of time, allowing for engages and disengages. Presence of Mind restores mana with each enemy hit.
You can experiment with other rune slots, such as Nimbus Cloak, Celerity, and Gathering Storm in the Sorcery tree, or Legend: Alacrity or Legend: Bloodline in the Precision tree.
Effective Item Build Paths – ‘Nuclear Flag’ or ‘Eternal Shield’?
Just like the rune setups, there are two different build paths for AP Jarvan IV. The first is the ‘Nuclear Flag’ build, which focuses on full AP damage with items like Void Staff and Rabadon’s Deathcap. The second is the ‘Eternal Shield’ build, which utilizes items like Moonstone Renewer and cooldown reduction items to support your ADC.
Damaged-Based – Nuclear Flag
If you’re playing AP Jarvan IV in the top lane or ARAMs, the damage build with the Phase Rush rune setup is recommended. Start with Doran’s Ring or Cull, and choose Liandry’s Anguish, Luden’s Tempest, or Hextech Rocketbelt as your mythic item. Follow up with Lichbane and Rabadon’s Deathcap. Adjust your build based on the enemy laner, and don’t forget to get Sorcerer’s Shoes for additional magic penetration.
Utility-Based – Eternal Shield
If you want to try the AP Jarvan IV support build, start with Spellthief’s Edge. Your first item should be Moonstone Renewer, followed by Ionian Boots of Lucidity. Zhonya’s Hourglass and Chemtech Purifier can be added for dive potential and team fights. Consider getting Ardent Sensor or Staff of Flowing Water based on your team composition.
Skill Order
The skill order for AP Jarvan IV depends on your chosen setup. For the Phase Rush setup, max Q first and then E second. For the Summon Aery setup, max E first and then Q second. W should always be maxed last in any Jarvan IV build.
Summoner Spells – A Champion’s Best Friend
Summoner spells can vary based on your playstyle. For support, Ignite is a good choice, while solo laners can opt for Heal or Teleport. Flash is almost always essential, but Barrier can be a viable alternative for extra sustain. Junglers should always choose Smite for jungle clear.
Playstyle – What Is Your Win Condition?
Understanding your champion’s win condition is crucial. As an AP Jarvan IV support, your win condition is to dive the enemy backline and create chaos in team fights. Use your E > Q combo to reach the ADC and knock up the front line. Use your R to limit their escape options and force them to use their flash.
For close-combat team fights, use your W and E abilities to buff your teammates and debuff your enemies. Items like Moonstone Renewer and Chemtech Purifier will enhance this playstyle.
If you’re using the damage build with the Phase Rush setup, focus on chipping away at the opponent’s health with your E and Q. When they’re low, go in and use your R to trap them. Your teammates can then finish them off.
Champions To Watch Out For
When playing AP Jarvan IV support, avoid going against champions like Leona and Kalista who have heavy engage. They can easily dive onto your backline and escape your counter engage, rendering you useless.
For solo lanes, consider banning champions like Aatrox who have high self-healing. Tanks like Tahm Kench can also nullify your chip damage and make it difficult for you to farm.
With the right approach, you should be able to win most matchups.
The Bottom Line
AP Jarvan IV is a niche pick and not commonly played. However, if you have experience with Jarvan IV and are looking for something different, it can be an interesting choice. Playing AP Jarvan IV support can surprise the enemy team and disrupt their game plan.
For more LoL builds, check out our lethality Ashe build.