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| DANGER |
First I would like to show my appreciation for Reginald, if I didn't watch his video guides, I would still be an average noob Shaco knowing only how to gank and backdoor without any overall strategies. I do not believe everyone else who watched his videos (probably not all of them like me) had a "brainblast" like I did. But before I talk about my Shaco enlightenment, here is the link to Reginald's Shaco guide:
http://www.solomid.net/guides.php?g=373
I do not use the same Runes as Reginald (masteries and summoner spells are the same). The difference between Reginald's rune page and mine is that I use dodge yellows, attack-speed blues, and 3 health quints. This is for maximum speed jungling while ensuring maximum health so I can gank/counter-jungle ASAP. If Shaco screws up early in the jungle, better pray your opponents are noobs.
Jungling Routes
So here is a common question, do I start with Blue Golem or Red Lizard? The answer is it depends. And by "depends", I mean it's usually different every single game. Even after the initial starting point, there are so many variation of routes for optimal speed I cannot simply list them all. But I will try. Here is a simple breakdown:A word of advice, know who you can gank and who you cannot gank! Ganking a jungler that has Flash is very risky. Ganking a jungler that always have more health than you and can kill you is just stupid, unless you camp correctly. (e.g. I usually don't gank a jungling Nunu). These routes assume enemy start at Blue golem first, which is most of the time.
Starting at Red - Gank heavy
ClassicSteps: (assuming optimal time)
Skilling order: W-E-W-Q
- 2 box mini-golem
- 2 box Lizard
- Immediately Smite the Big Wraith, run back and place 1 more box at Lizard (total of 3 boxes at Lizard)
- Do the mini-golems, use 1 more box when fighting them
- Do lizard, pull using [E], 1 more box on lizard. If your Smite comes up while fighting them, then you are too slow!
- Finish the remaining wraiths, 1 box doing them
- Go to Blue golems, 1 box on Blue golem, use Smite here.
- Do the Wolves, and you will be level 4.
Interrupted
- If someone pops your boxes, transition to Blue golem ASAP.
- Now your jungling is slowed, instead of trying to jungle as fast as possible and fail, visit your friend on the other side of the map.
- Or, go to one of your lanes temporarily and get some exp. I highly discourage this because then you just fail harder at creating early game pressure, which is half of the game for Shaco. But, if you have to...
Mild Rushing counter-jungle/lane gank
Steps:
Skilling order: W-Q-E
- Step 1-5 same as Classic, but skip the remaining Small Wraiths. If you can get your teammates to help you will Red, it would be awesome.
- Go to Blue golem, 2 box setup, then do Blue golem.
- Immediately go to enemy Red. Stay at the Lizard bush and camp. Setup boxes while you wait. Be patient! (and pray god...)
Fast Rushing counter-jungle/lane gank
Steps:
Skilling order: W-Q
- This is for against junglers that might be faster than you. Get to level 2 with Red buff ASAP. Any means necessary.
- Immediately go to enemy Red. Stay at the Lizard bush and camp. Setup boxes while you wait. Be patient!
Starting at Blue - Safer route (still optimal time)
Classic
Steps:
Skilling order: W-Q-W-E
- 1 box in the center of wolf pit
- 3 box at Blue golem (at the bush), if you can't make it, 2 box and 1 more box after you've done wolves.
- Smite Big wolf, do the rest.
- Go to Blue golems, pull it SLOWLY with one autoattack to the bush. Drop a box behind it (total of 4 boxes on blue).
- One box at Lizard, then do Wraiths, after Wraiths another box at Lizard
- Do Lizard when your 3rd box cooldown is at 5-7 seconds, place 3rd box after pulling Lizard. Then Smite.
- Do mini-golems.
Fast Gank
Steps:
Skilling order: W-Q-E
- After getting Blue buff, go to his Red buff and camp. Setup boxes.
- If it's really slow enemy jungler, do the enemies' mini-golems. Not the Wraiths, because then the enemy will know you are there.
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Think this is confusing to memorize? Wait until part 2, the overall game strategy and variations.