Bel'Veth Jungle Guide: Key Strategies to Dominate the Rift
Mastering Bel’Veth in the jungle requires a deep understanding of her strengths, efficient gameplay, and strategic decisions. This in-depth guide will help you harness Bel’Veth’s potential and dominate the rift by focusing on optimal jungle pathing, effective ganking, core item builds, rune choices, and team fight tactics. Each point will be expanded with insights that will elevate your gameplay.
Optimal Jungle Pathing and Clear Times
One of the first steps to mastering Bel’Veth is understanding her jungle pathing and clear times. Her kit makes her one of the strongest jungle champions when it comes to farming speed and sustain.
Early Jungle Path
- Start Red Buff: Begin at the Red Buff to leverage the health sustain and experience. Use Bel’Veth’s Void Surge (Q) to quickly dash through camps and Royal Maelstrom (E) for AoE damage and healing.
- Krugs: Move to Krugs next using Royal Maelstrom (E) to cleave through the camp. Make sure to keep your passive stacks up for the bonus attack speed.
- Raptors: Raptors can be cleared efficiently using the AoE damage from Royal Maelstrom (E) and Void Surge (Q).
Blue Side Path
After completing the Red side, transition as follows:
4. Blue Buff: Make your way to the Blue Buff and prioritize maintaining high health. Use the Void Surge (Q) dashes to minimize damage taken.
5. Gromp: Clear Gromp, utilizing your Royal Maelstrom (E) to mitigate damage and heal.
6. Wolves: Finally, clear the Wolves to complete your first full clear.
By this time, you should be ready to look for early ganks or contest the Scuttle Crab depending on the enemy jungler’s position.
Effective Ganking Routes and Timings
Bel’Veth excels with her high mobility and damage, enabling effective ganks and pressure across the map.
Ganking Top Lane
- Approach through the river or the tri-bush to avoid common ward spots.
- Use Void Surge (Q) to quickly close the gap and Above and Below (W) to knock up and slow the enemy.
- Follow up with Royal Maelstrom (E) to unleash a flurry of attacks, healing through any damage taken.
Ganking Mid Lane
- Mid lane ganks can be executed from either river side. Use vision plants and sweepers to ensure a clear path.
- Initiate with Above and Below (W) to knock up the mid-laner, slowing them for an easy follow-up with Void Surge (Q).
- Once the enemy is engaged, finish them off with your Royal Maelstrom (E).
Ganking Bot Lane
- Bot lane ganks are tricky due to the presence of two opponents. Approach through the river bush or try a lane gank by sneaking through the bot lane bushes.
- Focus on the squishiest target. Start with Above and Below (W) for CC, followed by a quick Void Surge (Q).
- Engage the enemy support with Royal Maelstrom (E) if the damage dealer escapes.
Timing is crucial for successful ganks. Aim to gank when enemy summoner spells are down, or when your laners have crowd control ready.
Core Item Builds and Rune Choices
Bel’Veth thrives on attack speed and damage items that amplify her dueling and clear capabilities.
Core Item Build
- Kraken Slayer: Essential for its attack speed and true damage, boosting Bel’Veth’s DPS.
- Blade of the Ruined King: Synergizes well with her attack speed, providing sustain and percent health damage.
- Wit's End: Offers a blend of attack speed, magic resist, and additional on-hit damage.
- Guardian Angel: Adds survivability with its resurrection passive.
Situational Items
- Death’s Dance: Great for physical damage-heavy teams, providing healing from physical attacks.
- Maw of Malmortius: Essential against high magic damage teams.
- Mercurial Scimitar: Offers a quick cleanse and magic resist, helpful against heavy CC.
Rune Choices
- Keystone: Conqueror: Stacks quickly with Bel’Veth’s attack speed and provides sustain.
- Triumph: Restores health on takedowns, crucial during extended fights.
- Legend: Alacrity: Increases attack speed as you get more takedowns.
- Coup de Grace: Deals extra damage to low health targets, ensuring kills in tight skirmishes.
Secondary runes should focus on survivability:
- Resolve Path: Bone Plating: Reduces burst damage.
- Inspiration Path: Approach Velocity: Helps chase enemies after knock-ups.
Team Fight Approach and Ultimate Usage
Bel’Veth’s team fight capabilities shine with her ultimate, Endless Banquet (R), which enhances her damage significantly.
Engaging in Team Fights
- Pick Proper Timing: Wait for key enemy cooldowns or favorable positioning before diving in.
- Engage with Knock-ups: Use Above and Below (W) to initiate with CC, followed by Void Surge (Q) to dive onto key targets.
- Ultimate Activation: Use Endless Banquet (R) to consume Void Coral from epic monsters or champions to gain a significant boost in attack speed and sustain.
Sustaining and Outlasting
- Dodge Key Abilities: Use Void Surge (Q) to dodge impactful abilities and reposition.
- AoE Healing: Royal Maelstrom (E) not only provides damage but also heals, allowing Bel’Veth to sustain during tough fights.
Ultimate usage is crucial for dominating late-game fights. Make sure to capitalize on epic monster kills for Void Coral, or pick off isolated targets to trigger your ultimate.
Summary and Call-to-Action
Mastering Bel’Veth in the jungle involves a strategic blend of efficient pathing, timely ganks, optimal item builds, and precise team fight mechanics. With the strategies outlined in this guide, you're well on your way to becoming a formidable force on the rift.
Ready to put your Bel’Veth skills to the test? Jump into the Summoner's Rift and apply these tactics to climb the ranks! Share your successes and tips in the comments below — let's build a community of Bel’Veth masters together.