How to jungle better in League of Legends Season 2026

If you asked a League of Legends player what the most important role was a year ago, most of them would likely say jungler. However, with the 2026 updates and jungle objective changes, the role’s use has significantly dwindled.

Fortunately, those who want to properly play jungler in 2026 just need to keep some things in mind. These things include using the practice tool to improve how you can jungle, knowing which objectives you should focus on, and more.

So, if you’re interested in learning how to properly jungle in League of Legends ^[1], keep reading because we’re about to tell you how.

How can the practice tool improve jungling in LoL?

The practice tool offers a safe and controlled environment where players can hone their essential jungle skills. For junglers, it includes clearing camps quickly, which is important for the role. Beginner junglers should use it to learn how to fight each camp and navigate between them. Players can reset all camps through the tool’s UI after a full clear, so they can repeatedly practice. It is essential when learning new champions because all of them have different clearing techniques.

Players can respawn jungle monsters and turn off cooldowns to practice ability usage. That allows improvement without the pressure of a normal match. It’s also a great way to learn how to smite effectively by constantly testing different combos and times.

Focus on big monsters

Some jungle camps, such as Krugs, Raptors, and Wolves, have multiple monsters, but the large one in each camp is the most important. Killing the large monster gives a heal, which can save players during a clear. If a player doesn’t have enough time and must move to help their team, then killing the large monster will cause the smaller ones to die after, so the camp will respawn later and protect the future farm even if they sacrifice some gold.

Players can use their Smite on larger monsters for faster clears, but try not to use them if a neutral objective is up. The large monster deals the most damage within the camp, so eliminating it first reduces incoming damage. 

How jungle companions make clears easier

Jungle companions help players in farming by providing sustainability and small damage boosts on clamps. Whenever a player attacks or is attacked by a jungle monster, the pet will strike back, healing them for a portion of the damage it deals. This source of extra damage and healing reduces the worry of going low during starting clears, especially on champions with lesser sustain.

Understanding how the pet works can save a lot of time. A pet will attack two times after the player stops hitting a monster, so they can start walking towards their next camp when a monster is one hit away from death. Minor optimizations like these allow players to move faster and reduce their clear time by seconds, so they can reach gank opportunities or objectives sooner.

How to trade objectives

Objective trading can keep players even or ahead when they can’t directly contest. If the enemy jungelr is topside, then it’s usually safe to take Dragon or steal their botside camps since their Smite is too far to contest. If they commit to Dragon, then the player can attempt to take the Rift Herald on the opposite side. 

It’s important to look at nearby lanes, even with the enemy jungler out of position, because if the jungler has no teammates close by and multiple opponents start closing in, then they might get a free objective. Successful trading requires map awareness aside from the enemy jungler’s location, considering all threats before committing.

How to identify lanes to gank

Successful ganking starts with understanding good targets. Enemy lakers who don’t have mobility, have summoner spells like ghost or flash on cooldown, or have pushed far up the lane are great targets. Some champions have escape tools that make them hard to gank, so target selection is key. After spotting a vulnerable enemy, players must consider whether they and their nearby teammate have the tools to get a kill.

Coordinating with a teammate who can initiate or follow up can turn a potential play into a kill. Understanding enemy vulnerability and ally capability is an important jungling skill that players can develop as they keep playing.

Why avoid ganking losing lanes

Ganking a lane that’s heavily losing is risky, and it usually backfires, which can give a free double kill to a fed enemy. The best outcome is often when the player can ensure their teammate is slightly less behind, which doesn’t create a win condition.

Prioritising ganks on winning or neutral lanes to snowball advantages and create win conditions. If no lanes have good opportunities, or the player’s champion scales well, then focusing on efficient farming and getting neutral objectives is the best idea.

FAQs

How important is map awareness for junglers?

Map awareness is one of the most essential skills for junglers. Constantly checking the minimap helps you track enemy positions, spot gank opportunities, and respond quickly to objective spawns. It also improves your decision-making for counterganks and invades.

What should I prioritize first as a jungler?

A strong jungler focuses on efficient clears, keeping jungle camp timers in mind, and then using that tempo to secure objectives like Dragon, Rift Herald, or invade the enemy jungle. Time efficiency and smart pathing often matter more than ganking for the sake of it.

References

1. [1] "League of Legends official website". www.leagueoflegends.com. Retrieved January 16, 2026