As a jungler on the path to becoming a Grandmaster, I've recently had a breakthrough in understanding win conditions. This concept is crucial for junglers to internalize and grasp, so I'd like to share my insights on why it's so important.
What are Win Conditions?
Win conditions can be visualized in two ways:
- If X condition is met, we/they can win
- We/They can only win if X condition is met
Some examples include:
- If Kayle reaches level 16, we/they can win
- If we/they secure dragon soul, we/they can win
- If Camille gets to a third item with 6 objectives, we/they can win
As a jungler, constantly assessing win conditions and creating game plans accordingly is essential for success.
How to Use Win Conditions to Climb
Lower Ranks (Iron to Low Gold/Platinum):
In these ranks, the primary win condition to focus on in almost every game is yourself and objective-based conditions like Dragon Soul, objectives, Rift Herald, and Baron. This strategy works best because:
- Player quality is extremely inconsistent, making it risky to rely on teammates
- It's easier to make yourself the win condition due to the high number of enemy mistakes
To make yourself the win condition:
- Prioritize resources for yourself
- Don't sacrifice your tempo for other players
- Full clear and look for plays when your camps are on cooldown
- Avoid ganking struggling lanes or helping others snowball
- Be selfish, but remain active without sacrificing your game plan or lead
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Higher Ranks (Platinum/Emerald and above):
As you climb higher, you need to improve at assessing team compositions and being more flexible by playing for your teammates. While you should continue to make yourself a win condition, optimal jungle gameplay requires the ability to adapt to multiple win conditions as the game progresses or team composition dictates.
This means the best junglers understand when it's appropriate to sacrifice their own tempo and play for others to secure a win. Not developing this skill can lead to a hard cap in climbing, as I experienced at 150LP Masters.
Adapting to Changing Win Conditions
Let's look at an example team composition:
- Camille Top
- Annie Mid
- Samira/Thresh Bot
You might plan to play for your Samira win condition by pathing towards bot lane (due to her snowball potential). However, if bot lane dies repeatedly and starts flaming each other, you can shift your win condition to getting 6 objectives and playing for a fed Camille split push. This demonstrates how a jungler can adapt to the game state as it progresses.
Sometimes, you won't have the luxury of shifting win conditions. In some games, there might be one specific lane that needs to win or not lose for your team to have a chance. In these situations, you'll need to dedicate your full attention to that lane throughout the game.
I hope this information helps you on your own journey to improvement.
