To be fair, the major changes in the top jungle champion list in patch 10.5 mainly stem from changes to items like the Sorcery: Fire Demon and the Tiamat item line rather than just significant nerfs to other popular jungle champions.
Here are the top 5 strong jungle champions to leverage for climbing ranks in patch 10.5:
1. Sett
Sett’s abilities have made him one of the top junglers in patch 10.5, while buffs to Sorcery: Fire Demon in the previous patch only made him more powerful. He currently holds the highest win rate among any jungle champion in the Platinum rank and above with a 54% win rate.
Sett’s skillset is extremely powerful as it combines early game team fighting and ganking with a dangerous late-game team fight potential. For example, his W – Haymaker, when fully charged and aimed at the enemy carry, can easily vaporize opponents in the blink of an eye and secure team fight victories for your team.
The ultimate R – Arena of Death, if executed accurately, can separate an enemy champion from their teammates and allow his team members to easily pressure the map and secure major objectives. In short, Sett’s power is in a pretty good position in the current meta whether in the top lane or even in the jungle position.
2. Sejuani
Sejuani is gradually returning to the jungle meta in patch 10.5 thanks to her existing skillset and buffs to Sorcery: Fire Demon as well as her fast jungle clearing speed over several patches. In fact, Sejuani is being played increasingly not only in Ranked games but also in professional play.
Sejuani’s skillset is almost unmatched in her ability to secure kills for her team after level 6, as evidenced by the fact that most enemy mid-laners choose to take Cleanse to try to survive her ganks once her ultimate R – Glacial Prison is available. Additionally, this pig-riding champion can use her ultimate to catch enemy carries whenever they misposition in the late game and completely turn the tide of the match. The utility and pressure Sejuani creates make her one of the best jungle picks right now.
3. Jarvan IV
Jarvan IV is another team-fighting-focused pick that has been popular recently, easily setting up victories for the entire team when paired with strong carries in the current meta. His ultimate R – Dragon Strike combined with the E + Q combo can trap the enemy team in one spot and set up for other carries like Miss Fortune, Rumble, Orianna, Aphelios, etc., to unleash maximum damage.
Recent buffs to Sorcery: Fire Demon also help Jarvan IV return to the meta as a tank jungle champion, with changes allowing him to build this item and the Thornmail early on. This item build helps increase Jarvan’s utility in team fights since he can deal more damage than most other tank champions at all stages of the game.
4. Lee Sin
Lee Sin once again makes this list thanks to the level of danger he can create when in the hands of skillful and knowledgeable players. His extremely fast early game jungle clearing, diverse ganking options, and objective control make him a major threat to enemy junglers with slow starts.
Moreover, Lee Sin also has great potential to create game-changing moments in team fights by kicking enemy carries toward his team with his ultimate R – Dragon’s Rage or stealing major objectives with the Q – Sonic Wave / Resonating Strike + Smite combo. But all of this can only happen with a high-skill player who has mastered this champion. Therefore, if you’re looking for an easy-to-play jungler with easy rewards while lacking skill, Lee Sin is not a good choice.
5. Karthus
When it comes to champions who can win matches with just one button press, Karthus cannot be overlooked – a jungle phenomenon at the end of season 9. He has gradually become popular again in patch 10.4 and seems to be trending toward dominance in patch 10.5. His ability to scale in power and damage in the late game is extremely terrifying, while he can also use all of his abilities even after he dies.
With Dark Harvest and Rabadon’s Deathcap, Karthus can force enemies to give up when trying to take major objectives like Dragon and Baron with his ultimate R – Requiem or clean up fleeing enemies after a major team fight. Karthus’s early game jungle clearing ability is a weakness, making him very susceptible to being invaded by strong early-game solo champions like Xin Zhao and Lee Sin. However, once he gets past this stage, nothing can stop him from becoming a monster in the late game.