Champion skill sets have changed a lot over time. In the beginning, champions like Sion were not designed around four synergistic abilities and an accompanying passive. Instead, their skills were created in the hope of a fun and entertaining game; balancing was more about removing the blatantly overpowered rather than creating a stable metagame. Most of these early champions were focused on one aspect of gameplay - for the junglers specifically, it was getting into a lane fast to gank the enemy.

This leads to the question: why don’t we see more old-styled junglers?



Defining Static and Dynamic Junglers

Most old-style junglers are static - they do one thing, which may or may not be unique to them. Let’s quickly take a look at



Now let’s look at dynamic.







A major role in what makes a champion static or dynamic is their ability to deal with slows and whether or not they have skill shots. A movement speed-based jungler such as Volibear cannot gank a Lulu who still has Glitterlance available effectively because of how easily the gank can be shut down.Compare this to Vi who can Vault Breaker into lane and use her Assault and Battery to close the gap.



Early Game Impact

Many of the static junglers also lose the numbers war in the early game and can be contested out of their buffs from an invading dynamic jungler. They simply do not do enough damage compared to their counterparts because of how the champions are balanced - champions with skill shots are generally rewarded more than champions with a point-and-click abilities. In other words, early game strength is safe, which fits the playstyle of competitive teams.

Most competitive teams know how to take advantage of these early game strengths to bully the already conceptually weak, static junglers, which puts them even further behind than what would be a normal jungle pace.

This can also translate to teamfights as well. Despite the additional stat gain or good teamfight utility that older junglers may have, they face adversity from the dynamic junglers who now have an item advantage over them.

In some cases, dynamic junglers find themselves doing more damage, tanking more damage, and providing more utility in the fight because static junglers can be slowed, kited, and displaced during the duration of the fight.



Uniqueness

Very little separates static junglers from their counterparts; a perfect example of this is Sejuani and Amumu - they have near identical kits, with the exception of slows and damage, and fit the same role. Compare both of them to Wukong who ‘fit the meta’ for a while because of his stealth ganks and area of effect crowd control. Neither Sejuani nor Amumu can live up to the hype.







Junglers often provide early game safety instead of unique traits which can help them later in the game. Stealth champions, such as Evelynn and Rengar, provide both early and late game power.

One of the only weak early game junglers, picked in niche situations during the last rotation of picks, is Nocturne. Because of Paranoia’s dual function of vision denial and hard engage tool, counterplay is hard. Another semi-dynamic champion is Riven; she has clear early game strengths, but has to give up her damage for mobility. This puts her in another weird niche with Nocturne.



Conclusion

Here’s a recap of things covered in this article:

Static junglers are junglers with clear, preventable motives.

They’re generally unsafe in the early game because they cannot

defend themselves or gank efficiently.

defend themselves or gank efficiently.

This leads to a bad transition to the mid and late game.





Generally undervalued if it isn’t safe or guaranteed.



They fit similar roles and therefore are not unique.



Movespeed champions - Rammus, Volibear.





Jump in and use a big area of effect ultimate - Sejuani and Amumu.

By Dan "BonkCushy" Cushing But as time progressed, skill sets became more complex. Champions, specifically Lee Sin and Elise, outshined their predecessors through the variety of their skills. These two champions, plus a few others, (‘Stealth’ champions, Nocturne and Vi) make up the current jungle meta.This leads to the question: why don’t we see more old-styled junglers?Most old-style junglers are- they do one thing, which may or may not be unique to them. Let’s quickly take a look at Rammus’s skill set ; it seems very clear what Rammus wants to do. He wants to Power Ball to an enemy, knock them back and taunt them while ulting. When he’s about to take a load of damage, he uses Defensive Ball Curl to be tanky. There’s very little variance in this - whenever Rammus sees an opportunity, he will do this. This makes it very simple for an enemy who has vision of Rammus to know what to do to prevent this.Now let’s look at Lee Sin’s skill set . The sheer amount of mobility Lee Sin possesses allows him to mix up his approach, while still allowing him to be effective. The Lee Sin player can decide to enter lane via Resonating Strike or Safeguarding near the enemy to slow them with Cripple; Lee Sin will have numerous options, which makes himA major role in what makes a champion static or dynamic is theirand. A movement speed-based jungler such as Volibear cannot gank a Lulu who still has Glitterlance available effectively because of how easily the gank can be shut down.Compare this to Vi who can Vault Breaker into lane and use her Assault and Battery to close the gap.Many of the static junglers also lose the numbers war in the early game and can be contested out of their buffs from an invading dynamic jungler. They simply do not do enough damage compared to their counterparts because of how the champions are balanced - champions with skill shots are generally rewarded more than champions with a point-and-click abilities. In other words,, which fits the playstyle of competitive teams.Most competitive teams know how to take advantage of these early game strengths to bully the already conceptually weak, static junglers, which puts them even further behind than what would be a normal jungle pace.This can also translate to teamfights as well. Despite the additional stat gain or good teamfight utility that older junglers may have, they face adversity from the dynamic junglers who now have an item advantage over them.In some cases,in the fight because static junglers can be slowed, kited, and displaced during the duration of the fight.Very little separates static junglers from their counterparts; a perfect example of this is Sejuani and Amumu - they have, with the exception of slows and damage, and. Compare both of them towho ‘fit the meta’ for a while because of his. Neither Sejuani nor Amumu can live up to the hype.Junglers often provide early game safety instead of unique traits which can help them later in the game. Stealth champions, such as Evelynn and Rengar,One of the only weak early game junglers, picked in niche situations during the last rotation of picks, is Nocturne. Because of Paranoia’s dual function of vision denial and hard engage tool,. Another semi-dynamic champion is Riven; she has clear early game strengths, but has to give up her damage for mobility. This puts her in another weird niche with Nocturne.Here’s a recap of things covered in this article: 8196851 , Saturday, 26/07/14 05:42