Jarvan IV · Jungle
Jarvan IV Matchups and Counters
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This guide is assembled by the site from match data and the game's own information — nobody wrote it by hand. Official and community guides appear alongside it when they exist.
Overview
This guide covers Jarvan IV's matchups and how to adapt to them. Riot publishes no matchup statistics, so the matchups below come from the champions' own stats and kits: attack range, starting durability, crowd control and mobility. They describe an advantage on paper, not a measured result.
Strengths
- Sustain from Golden Aegis.
- Cataclysm hits several enemies: a strong team fight tool.
- Very durable: Riot rates it 8/10 in defense.
Weaknesses
- Falls behind if the early ganks fail: every wasted trip is lost farm.
- Predictable if you always play it the same way: adapt your build to the enemy team.
Build cheat sheet
Pick the build that fits what you want to do this game.
- Against physical damageDefensiveRecommendedFor a lane or a team that hits with attacks: armor boots and an armor item in the core.
- Against magic damageDefensiveSituationalFor a team that kills with abilities: magic resist boots and a magic resist item in the core.
- Against healingDefensiveSituationalFor games against healers, life steal or regeneration: the anti-heal item goes into the core instead of waiting.
Builds
Against physical damage
When to use it
For a lane or a team that hits with attacks: armor boots and an armor item in the core.
Where it's played
Picked before the game: the main lane first, then the alternatives.
1100%- JungleMain100% of matches
Jungle priorities
StartRed buff
Objectives by priority
- 1Voidgrubs
- 2Gank top
- 3Rift Herald
- 4Scuttle Crab
- 5Dragons
- 6Baron Nashor
- 7Atakhan
Guideline, not a measurement: an early skirmisher starting red side. Take the void grubs and look for ganks while your early damage is ahead, then Herald and dragons.
Starting items
Core items
- 1Black Cleaver
- 2Trinity Force
- 3Death's Dance
Boots
Situational
Runes
Primary· Resolve
Secondary· Precision
Shards
Summoner spells
Flash
Smite
Against magic damage
When to use it
For a team that kills with abilities: magic resist boots and a magic resist item in the core.
Where it's played
Picked before the game: the main lane first, then the alternatives.
1100%- JungleMain100% of matches
Jungle priorities
StartRed buff
Objectives by priority
- 1Voidgrubs
- 2Gank top
- 3Rift Herald
- 4Scuttle Crab
- 5Dragons
- 6Baron Nashor
- 7Atakhan
Guideline, not a measurement: an early skirmisher starting red side. Take the void grubs and look for ganks while your early damage is ahead, then Herald and dragons.
Starting items
Core items
- 1Black Cleaver
- 2Trinity Force
- 3Mercurial Scimitar
Boots
Situational
Runes
Primary· Resolve
Secondary· Precision
Shards
Summoner spells
- Flash
- Smite
Against healing
When to use it
For games against healers, life steal or regeneration: the anti-heal item goes into the core instead of waiting.
Where it's played
Picked before the game: the main lane first, then the alternatives.
1100%- JungleMain100% of matches
Jungle priorities
StartRed buff
Objectives by priority
- 1Voidgrubs
- 2Gank top
- 3Rift Herald
- 4Scuttle Crab
- 5Dragons
- 6Baron Nashor
- 7Atakhan
Guideline, not a measurement: an early skirmisher starting red side. Take the void grubs and look for ganks while your early damage is ahead, then Herald and dragons.
Starting items
Core items
- 1Black Cleaver
- 2Trinity Force
- 3Chempunk Chainsword
Boots
Situational
Runes
Primary· Resolve
Secondary· Precision
Shards
Summoner spells
- Flash
- Smite
Abilities
Martial CadencePassiveJarvan's first basic attack on an enemy deals bonus physical damage based on their current Health. This effect cannot occur again on the same enemy for a few seconds.
QDragon Strike10/9/8/7/6s45/50/55/60/65 mpJarvan IV extends his lance, dealing physical damage and lowering the Armor of enemies in its path. Additionally, this will pull Jarvan to his Demacian Standard, knocking up enemies in his path.- Cooldown
- 10·9·8·7·6
- Cost
- 45·50·55·60·65
- Range
- 770
WGolden Aegis9s30 mpJarvan IV calls upon the ancient kings of Demacia to shield him from harm and slow surrounding enemies.- Cooldown
- 9
- Cost
- 30
- Range
- 625
EDemacian Standard12/11.5/11/10.5/10s55 mpJarvan IV carries the pride of Demacia, passively granting him bonus Attack Speed. Activating Demacian Standard allows Jarvan IV to place a Demacian flag that deals magic damage on impact and grants Attack Speed to nearby allied champions.- Cooldown
- 12·11.5·11·10.5·10
- Cost
- 55
- Range
- 860
RCataclysmUltimate120/105/90s100 mpJarvan IV heroically leaps into battle at a target with such force that he terraforms the surrounding area to create an arena around them. Nearby enemies are damaged at the moment of impact.- Cooldown
- 120·105·90
- Cost
- 100
- Range
- 650
Strategy
1Good matchups
Jarvan IV does well against these:
- Briar: Briar looks for fragile targets to jump on; Jarvan IV is built to take hits and makes that dive costly.
- Shaco: Shaco looks for fragile targets to jump on; Jarvan IV is built to take hits and makes that dive costly.
- Ivern: Ivern looks for fragile targets to jump on; Jarvan IV is built to take hits and makes that dive costly.
2Tough matchups
Jarvan IV struggles against these:
- Volibear: Jarvan IV has to walk up to start a fight, and Thundering Smash (stun) stops that engage before it lands.
- Vi: Jarvan IV has to walk up to start a fight, and Vault Breaker (knock-up) stops that engage before it lands.
- Ekko: Jarvan IV has to walk up to start a fight, and Parallel Convergence (stun) stops that engage before it lands.
3Synergies
Jarvan IV works well alongside these, because their kits fit together:
4Adapting the build
The situational builds in this guide answer specific threats: Against physical damage, Against magic damage and Against healing.
5Playing against Jarvan IV
If you're on the other side, this is what to exploit:
- Keep out of the path between Jarvan IV and his Demacian Standard to avoid being knocked up in the air.
- Cataclysm's terrain is a frightening force to fight against, but movement abilities can go through it.
Matchups
Strong against
Briar looks for fragile targets to jump on; Jarvan IV is built to take hits and makes that dive costly.
Shaco looks for fragile targets to jump on; Jarvan IV is built to take hits and makes that dive costly.
Ivern looks for fragile targets to jump on; Jarvan IV is built to take hits and makes that dive costly.
Weak against
Jarvan IV has to walk up to start a fight, and Thundering Smash (stun) stops that engage before it lands.
Jarvan IV has to walk up to start a fight, and Vault Breaker (knock-up) stops that engage before it lands.
Jarvan IV has to walk up to start a fight, and Parallel Convergence (stun) stops that engage before it lands.
Changelog
- Guide created for patch 16.19.1.
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