i think Ranked teams are disabled atm... But i'd be down for playing.

My top lane has gotten a lot better so i can go into that slot if y'all want (it's actually my favorite lane atm). Gnar is a common ban, and Rumble is a somewhat common pick, so i'd probably need a third champ (who isn't Renekton since he's really mediocre atm). My current plan was to bring my Kennen back up to speed.

I'm fine w/ whatever.

That said, look at this jungle route.  No potions at start - its dbl golumns, red.  Base immediately and buy the upgraded jungle item, then off you go again.  thoughts?>

u can also start w/ 1 red pot and do the same more or less

Did some testing with lee - somewhat legit:

Successful sustain jung

Lee 1 arm quint, 2 ad quint, blue arm, yellow hp, red AD
21/9

machete/2 health pots
q,w,e, max q
red start - start red and smite when low to get health bonus, then wolves, then blue (save smite for gromp, then gromp
back - purchase jung item, ward, 2 health pots

blue start -

build - machette+pots...upgraded jung item,ward, 2 health pots... boots, sighstone, upgraded jung item (warrior), spectres cowl
final build if so so game - warriors jung item, hydra, red sightstone, banshee, raduins, mobo boots
final build if fed - warriors/hydra/red sight stone, tf, last whisp

also just saw this load screen tip - as syndra throw a jungle creep with a buff for an additional effect... hurm..

Blame your teammates!

Anyone tried Jungle Alistar lately? Last season due to his passive nerfs he was forgotten, but now with the new machete and the Gromp smite buff, his early clear is ok (not amazing, but we know that he is great not about that, but about his ganks). My choice of runes and masteries most likely is not optimal, but I go 21/9/0 masteries (AP tree), magic pen reds, armor yellows, situational blues (mr/level, Ap/level), AP quints. Didn't test with others, but might go better, however, it's focused more about ganking than clearing jungle. Anyway, the route looks:

Gromp smite (with a strong leash preferably) > Blue > Wolves > Gank/Wraiths > Do whatever you like (Gank, Red, back, etc).

First skills go like this: Q, E, W. You need to continuously use E after you get it to keep yourself at as much hp as you can, so that you could gank straight away after you get 3rd level from wolves. I go with the Blue jungle item, which slows, so the ganks are pretty strong. His huge weakness is inability to get drakes by himself, but if you can get kills bot or mid, then with a laner it's not a big issue.

Also I noticed that the new Banner of command is quite decent, if you have problems with pushing enemies or winning teamfights of 5v5. Kind of like split pushing, which is not very obvious until it's too late. Dance around dragon/baron/defending your turret while minions are pushing and you can force fight if one retreats or let them slowly lose towers. May not work all the time well, but still a nice thing.

Funny video about the new jungle creeps getting stuck by Syndra. Especially good for hiding crab or buff camps at baron.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1pSrghzP-0

Happy Turkey Day, best wishes.

will have to take a look at ali and see how he shakes out.

Happy thanksgiving folks!

Having a good amount of success with Nocturne in the new jungle.  I'm fairly exlcusively doing an immediate back after 2 camps to get the upgraded jungle item - always getting the purple jungle upgrade. 

Running runes-  MAX as, scaling arm/mr.  21/9.  Prioritizing the crap out of wraiths w/ smite for vision. That wraith camp is trhe biggest adjustment I've had to make to how I work the jungle (eg saving smite for it sometimes at ackward times so its ready when I can use it.  Super nice for ganks though.  Kind of super OP strong imo. 

re: wraith camp buff.

My understanding is that it is supposed to be sort of OP. The Wraith Camp can really help "MS" junglers who can really only gank by running at you (Shyvana, Skarner, Udyr, etc), but junglers with point-and-click jumps were able to bypass wards. Also, since it is much more difficult to gank at the 3 minute mark, the wraith camp is a way to improve your ganking for the rest of the game.

That's an interesting approach - it benefits stronger gankers just as much though... hurm...

i guess i slightly disagree? The good gankers are often able to completely bypass "shallow" wards... Not to mention mediocre gankers are (typically) able to do dragon a lot easier than heavy gankers, and being able to sweep dragon while you're soloing it early is pretty huge.

In my opinion, the best way to counter the Raptors is just to have midlane constantly throw their trinket in front of the camp. That way the moment they clear the camp, they kill your ward that has already provided you a lot of intel, and prevents them from killing your more useful wards (eg, 3 minute ward in river bush).

That counter play might be reasonable.  But here's what I mean re: strong gankers benefit (or just ganks with decent gap closers).  Having vision knowledge and as a result, control means I can literally camp anywhere.  Sure, mid lane see's you clear a ward.  They know you saw them and you know they saw you.  But - am I still there 30 seconds later?  It's like having an upgraded sweeper at the start of the game, so I can clear an entire area and know I have control of it.  So, now, having a champ with a good gap closer, I'm even more likely to have a successful gank than a jungler w/o.   It certainly helps junglers with so so ganking power, but only in as much as you know if there's a ward.  With the camp strat I mentioned, clear and wait a smidge, it benefits the gap closer more than than others w/o good closers. 

Anyway, I'm just talking about ganking, not clearing drag (obviously really valuable), etc.  I really think its one of the strongest jungle buffs now due to what it provides. 

kind of digging on aatrox again in the new jung.  Undecided about final build, but I'm actually thinking getting a mid game qss might not be the worst idea considering his sustain/dmg when not cc'd. 

dbl ip weekend is live for those that care.  fyi