Jax Champion Spotlight
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Welcome to the League of Legends Champion Spotlight featuring Jax, the Grandmaster at Arms.
Jax is a melee fighter and duelist, adept at killing targets one at a time while surviving attacks from surrounding enemies.
Jax’s passive is Relentless Assault. Every time Jax lands a basic attack, he gains bonus attack speed for a few seconds. This bonus stacks multiple times, up to a cap.
Leap Strike sends Jax lunging toward target minion, monster, champion, or ward, whether friend or foe. If the target is an enemy, Jax will also damage it.
Max Leap Strike by level 13 for mobility and damage output, taking one point by level 3 for jungling or at level 1 when laning.
Empower causes Jax’s next basic attack to deal bonus damage.
This ability will reset Jax’s attack timer, meaning you can almost use it as a free attack if you time it correctly.
Additionally, if you activate Empower before using Leap Strike, it will deal damage on top of Leap Strike.
For maximum damage output, max Empower by level 9, with your first point at level 2.
Counter-Strike buffs Jax for a few seconds, causing him to dodge every attack made against him for a short time.
At the end of this duration Jax stuns and damages all nearby enemies. Counter-Strike deals bonus damage based on how many attacks Jax dodged.
Take just one point in Counter-Strike early and max it last. When jungling, grab it at level 1.
Jax’s ultimate is Grandmaster’s Might. Passively, it grants bonus damage to every third consecutive attack Jax makes, though this counter resets if Jax waits too long between attacks.
When activated, it immediately grants Jax bonus attack damage and ability power for a few seconds.
I play Jax as a jungler, starting with Counter-Strike and a Vampiric Scepter.
Upon reaching level 3 for Leap Strike and killing the Lizard Elder, look for a gank.
I spot the enemy Annie in mid lane. I approach the brush and signal my teammate.
I Ghost, trigger Counter-Strike, and Leap Strike into range. I stun her and continue damage output with Empower.
As my teammate Flashes into range for the stun, we pick up first blood.
Specifically look for ganks when your lane is pushed to your turret. Note the enemy team directly on top of my team’s bottom turret.
Even though I’m on the other side of the map, this position represents free kills.
As I head in, I activate Counter-Strike and walk toward the brush. Seeing Vayne juke back, I Leap Strike in and kill her with Empower.
After, I look for my next target, choosing the one with the least health, Warwick. Though he Flashes, I still pick up the kill with the Lizard buff.
After Gangplank retreats I head for the Dragon. Using Wriggle’s Lantern, I ward the most likely route my opponents will take to gank me and take down the Dragon.
The massive attack speed from Relentless Assault ties in well with the bonus damage from Wriggle’s Lantern, Empower, and Grandmaster’s Might, resulting in a much faster Dragon kill than almost any other champion.
When fighting one on one, take special care to preserve both Leap Strike and Counter-Strike, as they’re your only tools for catching up to running opponents.
As I gank Yorick on top lane, I head in with a basic attack and an immediate Empower, granting me two attacks almost instantaneously.
Once he starts running, I trigger Counter-Strike for the stun.
Yorick survives Leap Strike, so I close the gap with Ghost for another Empower and the passive trigger from Grandmaster’s Might, picking up the kill.
Remember that Leap Strike can be used on your own wards as an escape tool.
As a team fight erupts, both Warwick and Gangplank target me for their ultimates.
While I’m certain to die normally, I drop a Sight Ward and leave Cannon Barrage with Leap Strike.
As they’re still chasing me, I activate Counter-Strike to mitigate some more damage.
Since they just won’t give up, I drop a second ward over the wall toward Baron Nashor, Leap Strike to it, and just barely escape with under 100 health.
In team fights, try not to go in first as you’re more useful as a damage source than an initiator.
Warwick and Yorick jump our Annie, so I Leap Strike in and start pummeling them.
After grabbing two kills, I move toward the most important target of the fight: Vayne.
Between Leap Strike and Ghost, I keep up with her, forcing her to run as my team cleans up the rest of the fight.
Despite Condemn, I take her down inside her base, forcing her teammates away, and allowing my team to switch focus to the enemy nexus.
When fighting over capture points in Dominion, focus on killing enemy defenders and let your teammates do the capturing.
As we fight over the Boneyard I activate Counter-Strike and immediately jump Lee Sin with Leap Strike and Empower, taking him down extremely quickly.
Now four versus one, I head for Leona. My aggression pushes her away while Karma starts to capture.
Leona turns to interrupt Karma but simply turns into an easy kill, giving us clean control over the point.
Jax’s ability set makes him one of the game’s top duelists. I pick a fight with Tryndamere.
I land one basic attack then immediately trigger Empower to get a quick second hit.
My third attack triggers Grandmaster’s Might and I activate Counter-Strike to mitigate his damage output, bringing Tryndamere to 1 health before I’ve lost any.
He Exhausts me and triggers his ultimate, so I run until Undying Rage times out. I land Leap Strike right as it ends, grabbing the kill and control over the Refinery.
For runes I take flat attack damage marks, flat armor seals, attack speed glyphs, and flat attack damage quintessences.
This setup is aimed at granting me fast jungle speed and great overall damage through my basic attacks and physical abilities.
In Classic, my masteries are 26/4/0, taking every possible physical damage increase in Offense and reducing minion damage where possible in Defense.
I also take Smite and Ghost to jungle, mastering both.
In Dominion, I place all 30 points into the Offense tree, making sure to add magic penetration and substituting out Smite for Ignite.
In Classic open with a Vampiric Scepter when jungling, quickly adding Boots of Speed and upgrading to Wriggle’s Lantern.
Then consider Mercury Treads or Ninja Tabi, depending on what damage type is most prevalent. Grab Phage first as you work toward Trinity Force.
Always make sure you can survive the enemy team, considering items like Atma’s Impaler and Guardian Angel for physical damage or Hexdrinker and Quicksilver Sash against magic.
When looking for more damage, look toward Hextech Gunblade and Guinsoo’s Rageblade.
In Dominion, you’ll have very similar build goals. Start with Prospector’s Blade, Boots of Speed, and two Health Potions.
Choose either Ninja Tabi or Mercury Treads based on damage threats.
Then consider a number of damage options like Trinity Force, Hextech Gunblade, and Guinsoo’s Rageblade.
If needed, also investigate defensive options like Odyn’s Veil and Guardian Angel.
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