Top 10 Jungle Champions for Patch 5.9
Hey everyone! I’m Mowzer, a diamond jungle main on the KR and NA servers. I love trying out new things and thinking outside the box, which brings me to my tier list of the top jungle champions for patch 5.9. I want to make it clear that this list is purely my opinion and not a definitive ranking.
Check out my separate article, “My Jungle Notes,” where I break down all the changes to the jungle.
Top 10 Jungle Champions
The champions listed below are ranked from 1st to 10th. Please note that being ranked lower doesn’t mean a champion is weak or not viable. There are actually more than 10 good champions to choose from. For suggested runes and masteries, click “runes & masteries” under the champion’s card. Please note that there are only champion cards for the top 5 champions.
1. Sejuani
Sejuani remains a force to be reckoned with, boasting an 87% ban rate. While Gragas poses a threat to her reign as the top jungler, I believe her kit gives her a slight edge. However, her weak early game leaves her vulnerable to invades from strong junglers like Lee Sin and Gragas. She makes up for it with her great team fight presence, crowd control abilities, and comeback potential. Her ultimate is also an excellent initiation tool. Just be wary of opponents using Quick Silver Sash to counter it.
2. Gragas
Gragas is similar to Lee Sin in playstyle but offers even more love and better scaling. He excels at initiating and disengaging, and has the ability to shred health and reduce incoming damage. Unlike most tank junglers, Gragas doesn’t have a weak early game. His kit allows for easy map presence and pressure, and he has high damage output in the early to mid game. However, he doesn’t scale as well as other tank junglers, so it’s important to capitalize on his power spike in the early to mid game.
3. Nunu
Nunu is fantastic at securing objectives and counter jungling. While dragon changes have affected his early dragon taking ability, it’s still doable. He shines in the early and mid game, but falls off in the late game. However, his utility and ability to apply debuffs and buffs to the team make up for it. He’s great for buffing a solid carry and provides a good amount of damage. Remember to pay attention to your mana when ganking and using your abilities, as Nunu relies on mana to be effective.
4. Rek’Sai
Rek’Sai has great map control and can farm, gank, and split push with ease. Winning with Rek’Sai comes from her ability to stay on par with laners in terms of levels and farm, which you can achieve by using her ult and tunnels to clear camps faster. She can be built tanky to fit in with the current meta. However, her early game damage output is what sets her apart, so it’s important to capitalize on that advantage. Consider using Cinderhulk or Warrior as your jungle enchants.
5. Vi
Vi has fallen a bit but remains a strong pick. She applies great pressure to the map and has withstood previous nerfs and changes. She does well against tanky champions and has amazing backline dive potential. However, be careful with your mana usage, especially when ganking. Vi is not a safe pick and can be easily countered, so she’s best for those who prefer an aggressive playstyle. Consider using Magus or Warrior as your jungle enchants.
6. Volibear
Volibear scales nicely with health and doesn’t require much skill to play. He dish out a good amount of damage while stacking health and can initiate easily. However, he can be easily kited and his CC can be hit or miss. Volibear is best built with Cinderhulk as his jungle enchant to maximize his tankiness. He’s a solid pick if you’re looking for a champion that deals good damage to tanks.
7. Amumu
Amumu remains a good pick, especially in lower MMR games. While his spears don’t deal a ton of damage against tanks, he excels in team fights with his crowd control, health shred, and AOE damage. He scales well into the mid and late game but has a weak early game. It’s important to secure a solid lead in the early-mid game to stay ahead. Consider using Cinderhulk as your jungle enchant to maximize Amumu’s tankiness.
8. Lee Sin
Lee Sin remains a contested pick in the jungle. He can either be a top-tier champion or a non-factor, depending on the skill of the player. He has a strong level 2 invade and can manipulate the battlefield to his advantage. However, he falls off in the late game and requires a solid lead in the early-mid game to be effective. Lee Sin is great for stealing objectives and has high utility. Consider using Warrior or Cinderhulk as your jungle enchants.
9. Evelynn
Evelynn is a strong pick in Solo Q due to the lack of consistent pink wards in lower ranks. She excels at slipping around the map and punishing enemies who don’t ward and overextend. She can be built in a variety of ways and can use either Magus or Warrior as her jungle enchants. Evelynn is an aggressive pick best suited for those who enjoy an aggressive playstyle. Just be mindful of her lack of crowd control and her item dependency.
10. Hecarim
Hecarim has slipped from the list for a while but remains a strong pick. He has great mobility and map control, making it easy for him to roam between the jungle and lanes. However, he has no ranged abilities, so be cautious when face-checking enemies. Hecarim is an early-mid game champion and should be built according to the situation. He can still be effective in the late game, but it’s important to build tanky when struggling to get gold. Consider using Cinderhulk or Warrior as your jungle enchants.
Demotions: Rek’Sai, Nidalee, Zac
Contested champions: Nautilus, Udyr, Rengar, Nidalee, Wukong
Additional pick(s): Cho’gath and Ashe
Cho’gath is a personal favorite of mine and does well in Solo Q, especially against Nunu. Ashe is also a fun pick, especially after her rework. However, please note that Ashe is not a safe pick and can be easily countered.
TL;DR: The jungle meta remains mostly unchanged. The damage from Cinderhulk was nerfed towards champions and minions, but it’s still a good item for clearing the jungle. Skirmisher’s Sabre’s debuff doesn’t last as long, but it’s still useful in certain situations. Sejuani remains at the top of my list.
Jungle champions, tier list, patch 5.9, Sejuani, Gragas, Nunu, Rek’Sai, Vi, Volibear, Amumu, Lee Sin, Evelynn, Hecarim