User blog:Golden Aegis/JungleCrank Guide: The GankCrank


 * This is my first ever blog entry on this Wiki, so please bear with me as I try to improve.

1. Introduction to JungleCrank

Blitzcrank is an extremely fun champion to play. Yet at the same time, it can be very frustrating for you having him as an enemy. While Blitzcrank is in the Top3 ban list, there are many debates on whether he is truly OP or not. I personally think that this champion has the potential to be part of the Shen tier, but misusage of his abilities will drop him down to the Karma tier (These tiers don't officially exist lol). Anyway, regardless of his tier, this guide will give you an opportunity to use Blitzcrank elsewhere than bot lane. I don't advise you to play JungleCrank in ranked games because your teammates won't approve of this idea and they may result in cursing, trolling or feeding intentionally and will cause you to lose ELO. I hope you have fun playing this champion in normal, good luck, and Happy New Year!

2. Runes for JungleCrank

1-1. Mark: Greater Mark of Attack Speed

Alternatives: Greater Mark of Attack Damage, Armor

1-2. Seal: Greater Seal of Armor

Alternatives: None

1-3. Glyph: Greater Glyph of Scaling Magic Resist

Alternatives: Greater Glyph of Magic Resist, Cooldown Reduction

1-4. Quintessence: Greater Glyph of Movement Speed

Alternatives: Greater Quintessence of Armor, Attack Speed, Attack Damage, Gold

If anyone has jungled before, you would find it obvious to see AS marks as the priority. The only champions I can think of that can make usage of other marks better are: Trundle, Olaf, Amumu. Seals are pretty much self-explanatory: cheap and efficient. The chosen Glyph is a common rune for bruisers and tanks lategame. SupportCrank does have the power to wreck early game lane phase, but JungleCrank's slow and unstable jungle speed makes him not as powerful early game (His ganks are still very deadly). As for the quintessence, you could go with whatever you feel like, and it may depend on your available IP.

3.  Masteries for JungleCrank
 * You can go with 0/21/9 and get Summoner's Insight, Meditation, Expanded Mind, Improved Recall, Runic Affinity.

4. Skill Order


 * AD Blitzcrank works better with the AS and MS boost than the Q cooldown.

5. Item Build

Starting Items: Hunter's Machete + 5 Health Potion

Early Game Core: Tear of the Goddess (Later into Manamune), Philosopher's Stone (Later into Shurelya's Reverie) and Madred's Razor (Later sold for 490G), Boots of Speed (Later into Mercury's Treads/Ninja Tabi)

Mid Game Core: Iceborn Gauntlet (Synergy with Power Fist), Shurelya's Reverie (CDR and MS boost)

Late Game Core: Banshee's Veil (For magic resist), Manamune (Muramana is OP), Runic Bulwark (Great Aura!)

Alternative Offensive Items: Trinity Force (If your team Severely lacks damage), Zephyr (Get Ninja Tabi with this) Abyssal Scepter (If your team has 2+ AP)

Alternative Defensive Items: Frozen Heart (Against 2+ Autoattackers), Randuin's Omen (Against heavy AD), Guardian Angel (Lategame Life), Warmog's Armor (If lots of true damage)

6. Summoner Spells

Smite: Obvious choice for junglers.

Flash or Ghost: Whatever fits you more. I like Flash more on Blitzcrank thanks to his built-in MS steroid.

7. Jungle Routes

Blue Team: Try to get a nice leash (smiteless if possible) on red buff.

Smiteless Route: Wraiths - Red (Smiteless) - Blue (Smite) - Gank top/mid

Smite Route: Wraiths - Red (Smite) - Wolves - Wraiths - Blue (Smite) - Gank or Golems

Purple Team: Try to get a nice leash (smiteless if possible) on blue buff.

Smiteless Route: Wolves - Blue (Smiteless) - Red (Smite) - Gank top/mid

Smite Route: Wolves - Blue (Smite) - Wraiths - Wolves - Red (Smite) - Gank or Golems


 * If the enemy jungler is a strong counterjungler, try being more flexible with your route and ask your support for an early ward on your 2nd buff monster camp.

8. Skill Combos

a) Standard ranged combo: Rocket Grab - Power Fist - Static Field - Autoattack with Overdrive on

b) Ganking top/bot combo: Run with Overdrive - Autoattack into immediate Power Fist - Rocket Grab during chase - Static Field - Autotattack to death

c) Lane surprise grab combo: Autoattack minions once each - Static Field into immediate Rocket Grab (enemy laner should be defenseless) - Power Fist - Overdrive autotattacks

d) Flash combo: Flash and Power Fist - Autoattack with Overdrive - Rocket Grab - Static Field - Autoattack to death

9. Early Game

During the first 10 or so minutes of the game, jungling for farm and ganking needy lanes is your priority. Try to help lanes that have been counterpicked or is being pushed towards allied towers. As a jungler, you should be focusing on mid lane and top lane first, as these solo lanes will be most affected by the jungle influence. Then focus near mid and bot lanes for dragon control. If you have made multiple successful ganks, your job as a jungler can be said to be successful.

10. Mid Game

Few turrets will start falling. Dragon(s) will be acquired by teams. At this stage, start building toward an Iceborn Gauntlet. Keep jungling and ganking and follow your team or lead your team around objectives. Nothing new yet, but try to control as many objectives as much as possible.

11. Late Game

Game changing moments, game changing team fights, game changing decisions. Depending on your success and your carries' status, you may have to either peel for your squishies or chase after their carries. The key thing with lategame as a jungler is to have 1~2 wards handy with you in case for a baron steal or just simply, vision. You may want to carry an Oracle's Elixir with you if your support doesn't have one. Baron control is the top priority at this stage. Don't neglect farming, but don't go clean up bottom lane unless he/she is a Shen, Twisted Fate, Pantheon, etc. or has Teleport available. Try to use long range ults with short cooldown (Trueshot Barrage, Final Spark). After winning some teamfights, you can go for baron or multiple turrets thanks to the long death timers.

12. Team Fights

Blitzcrank is an amazing initiator. Similar to Skarner, he can pick one person out of the pack, prefferably the AD or AP Carry. A good grab can win you the game, but on the other hand, grabbing a champion like Alistar or Amumu whom you can't burst down quickly and has AOE CC can cost you the game. Grabbing bruisers sometimes may be the better idea if he/she is a big threat to your team, but can be bursted down. Now that the team fight has began, you must choose from offense or defense. If you are fed on the team, you may want to go for enemy carries. Without proper support and escape tools, they will be easily locked down by Q-W-E-R-Icy. If your team needs some peel for your carries, Blitzcrank with a Iceborn Gauntlet excels at this job by having a low cooldown Power Fist and an AOE slow every two seconds. If the team fight has been won, Blitzcrank's Rocket Grab will allow your team for an easy chase. Shurelya's Reverie, if acquired, will help out as well. If the team fight has been lost, you might want to sacrifice yourself for the good of your carries. If the enemy team is attempting baron, try a smitesteal at baron. Sometimes it may not be worth attempting it, but it's better than nothing.

13. Closing Comments

First of all, I would like to thank all of you for reading this guide. I hope I can see more JungleCranks in the future in my normal games. Once you lay your hands on this champion, you will be soon finding yourself spending 3150 IP.