League of Legends Patch 10.4 Breakdown

Jungle Champions

So this is where Riot introduces us to the changes specifically designed to bring new champions into the jungle. It’s interesting that Riot actually notes in their patch notes that the reason for this change is that new and low-MMR players pick jungle at a much lower rate than other positions even when it’s perceived to be stronger.

Could it be because jungle is a harder role to learn? That it’s much more reliant on your laners than they care to admit? That it’s the role most blamed for team failures? Nah, I’m sure it’s because people want to play Zed and he can’t jungle.

Darius

"PASSIVE – HEMORRHAGE DAMAGE: Now deals 120% damage to all monsters Q – DECIMATE HEAL: Now heals from large monsters"

Giving Darius sustain in the jungle could help him…when he’s stealing the nearby jungle camps. I doubt Darius actually becomes a decent jungler because of his lack of mobility and only one form of crowd control. Plus his ability to bully lanes is just too good to pass up.

Diana

"PASSIVE – MOONSILVER BLADE DAMAGE: Increased by 150% on non-Epic monsters"

Diana jungle has already been picked multiple times in the LCK and it has been a meta(ish) pick for a while now. I said when Diana was reworked that she could become a top-tier jungler and I think Riot is going to enable that to become reality now.

Garen

"E – JUDGMENT DAMAGE: Now deals 150% damage to non-Epic monsters"

Like Darius, I think this just helps Garen steal camps from the jungle rather than jungle himself. Maybe with those other buffs and the Cinderhulk buffs coming he’ll be powerful enough to jungle, but I still think his kit (no gap closers or hard CC) is more built for lane than jungle.

Gnar

"W – HYPER BASE MAXIMUM BONUS DAMAGE TO MONSTERS: 100/150/200/250/300 >>> 300 at all levels"

Gnar does have gap closers and CC abilities, so his kit is better-designed for jungling than most. Even though that’s dependent on which form you have, with his ability to control his rage I actually could see Gnar being an okay jungler. Not good, but okay.

Mordekaiser

"PASSIVE – DARKNESS RISE MAXIMUM DAMAGE TO MONSTERS: 15-100 (levels 1-18) >>> 25-120 (levels 1-18)"

Now Morde is interesting because his kit is certainly suited to bully laners. However, with his pull ability he does have the CC to enable some ganks and now he has extra damage and sustain in the jungle. Mordekaiser jungle could work, I’m just not sure how good it would be.

Talon

"PASSIVE – BLADE’S END MONSTER DAMAGE: Abilities now wound all monsters for 120% damage"

I really want Talon to be a jungler because his kit is so perfectly built for it and I love Talon as a champion. I just don’t know if he’s going to be able to clear the jungle healthily enough to make ganks happen, though his kit is going to enable a lot of unique gank paths like Rek’Sai.

Zed

"PASSIVE – CONTEMPT FOR THE WEAK DAMAGE: Increased by 100% against monsters MAXIMUM DAMAGE TO MONSTERS :: 120/240/360 (levels 1, 7, 17) >>> 200/350/500 (levels 1, 7, 17)"

Think of Zed as a poor man’s Talon in the jungle, while Talon is kind of a poor man’s Zed in lane. I think this will help Zed steal the enemy raptors but it won’t make him a jungler. Like Talon, he’s going to lose too much health to be that effective.