Hello and welcome to my guide on playing Shaco! Contains tips on all the phases of the game, how to counter other junglers and much much more!

Disclaimer: I do not claim to be a challenger tier Shaco, and just because you follow my build, doesn't mean you will Automatically win 100% of your games (but it sure helps :P). What makes the distance is YOU! You can steal all the kills in the world, but if the rest of your team is starved, you aren't going to win. And you can 1v5 and kill 2 people, but if your team isn't strong enough to win that 4v3 without you around, it's best to just stay back. If you know your team can't win a team fight, don't. Backdoor them and make sure your team mates put pressure on other lanes. Make them split up to take you out, because if they only send one person after you, you can easily kill them and continue to push. Also remember, that EVERYONE makes mistakes and EVERYONE has bad games. Don't rat your team mates out because of a bad play they made, because I guarantee you that that does not help anything. Give them advice on what to do better, ward for them if they got behind and now can't afford to do so, but DO NOT just leave them behind. Also, you need to recognize that even if you're 20/0, you still made mistakes. You aren't going to play perfectly 100% of the time, because if you did, you wouldn't be here looking for a shaco build. Understand after each game that you made mistakes and that if you want to get better at the game, you need to recognize and learn from them. Playing the blame game won't make you better at the game.

For my runes, I like to grab some early AD in my Marks for early damage on your 2 shiv and faster clear times. I also grab armor in my seals and glyphs so you can gank those lanes with more health and stronger invade potential in case of an accidental run in, and Movement Speed for my Quints, because Shaco is all about ganking and disrupting lanes so they can get ahead and snowball themselves!!!! For masteries I go 9/0/21 because the extra 5% move speed out of combat and the 1.5% base is too strong on Shaco to pass up!! The extra gold income and Summoner spell cooldown allows you to Go smite blue, run straight to red and have smite ready for that midway through.

To answer this question, let me first ask you a question. Why does shaco fall off so hard late game? It's not because he is too squishy to go in and assasinate, it's not because "OMG THEY JUST FOCUS ME", in fact, it's not even a matter of how they build. It's all about PLAYSTYLE!!! The reason LoL has such a negative light on Shaco is because of the people that get greedy and keep going for more and more kills, even late game when they know they'll just get 2 shotted by the entire enemy team. With your Fears, slows and resistance shredding and damage output, it's hard for enemies to dive your squishy carries. Lets give an example scenario. The enemyis out for your , and she is alot of your damage output. You are right there though, and you start to place a box down and get ready to peel for your adc. This leaves them with 3 options. 1. Ignore you, get Fear'd and slowed and then having their armor and MR shredded, and die. 2. Try to kill you, but with this build you've got alot of sustain and beef to last for a while, and die to the person you're peeling for. 3. Find a different target, and your carry will be free to do what he/she pleases. It's a win win win situation!

Contrary to what you'd expect, Shaco is a hell of a strong peeler, and the reason we build him this way is to increase his peeling potential while still maintaining a strong damage output! (srry for long explanation, but I couldn't leave it at "So you can peel")

To answer this question, i'm going to give you a simple


Pros
Can solo a buff lvl 1
Great at early invades
Can take dragon early
Very strong and hard to avoid ganks
Very easy to juke with his kit
With practice, can avoid dmg with
Easy to learn
makes escaping very easy
He's a flipping clown? What's not to love about that?

Cons
Hard to recover with if shut down
Requires alot of practice to master
Scales off late game if not played right
One of the squishier junglers (except in this build (: )
Can't gank if lanes are pushed (but you can countergank)
Long CD on his escape requires you to be smart about when to use it

About half of the time, you want to start at your blue buff and have your mid laner watch the bushes to make sure they don't invade you. However, there are some junglers where it is best to solo invade one of their buffs (we'll discuss later). Start your boxes and at 55 seconds, start placing your boxes ontop of where blue buff spawns, and VWALA, you don't need a leash! I like to go straight for my red buff so that the enemy team doesn't steal it.

After red take wraiths, then gank whichever lane is pushed the most and is the easiest to gank. If none of your lanes are pushed, you gotta think like a jungler! Think what the enemy jungler would be thinking at this moment. If your bot lane is pushing really hard and looks like a gank waiting to happen, head towards your golems if you are blue team, or wolves if you are red and watch your teams wards. If you see them heading bot, go and COUNTER GANK, or in other words attack the same lane the other jungler is attempting to gank. Your goal is not to have 8 kills 10 minutes in, but to have helped your other lanes enough where they can snowball on their own and don't need your help anymore.

Now that it is mid game, you need to answer a few very important questions. Is my team ahead, or is theirs? Do we have more objectives, or do they? Is their team comp made for team fights, pushing, or turtling? Once you've answered all these questions, you need to know the appropriate response to each answer. If your team is ahead, make sure you utilize it. Don't just let them farm and catch up to you, push objectives, force fights and make sure you ward if you're ahead. If they have more of your towers, use the appropriate method to take down theirs! If you're ahead, have everyone together in one lane and keep pushing and harassing them until you know you can dive them and win the trade off. If you're behind, have 1 or 2 people back door (shaco is great at Backdooring) while the rest of your team puts pressure on other objectives.

Do they have a heavy AoE comp that screams teamfight? (hecarim, orianna, leona, corki riven is a prime example) Split up so they don't get to team fight, have some of your team BD and the rest defend objectives. Do they have a push comp? ( heimerdinger, sivir, jayce, lulu and Yi is a good example of this team comp) Force a team fight, pick someone off when they are out of position, and if they never do get out of position, have your strongest initiator jump in and disrupt them while the rest of your team follows up and does their respective jobs. Do they have a turtle, or a team comp that sits back and farms until late game? (nasus, veigar, Jax, Vayne and Janna is a great example). Push objectives, and push them hard. Do not allow them to be passive without there being a price to pay! Recognize every situation and how to respond to it and you will greatly improve your chances of winning.

If you did your job right, and the rest of your team can do theirs well enough, there shouldn't be much of a late game. But if the game seems to drag out, buy a pink ward and ward the bush by baron in the river as well as the ward by the enemies respective buff, and bait out a team fight. If they don't fall for the bait, catch them off guard and then kill there carries. If your team manages to kill even the support, you can push and take towers with the advantage your team has. Just make sure you don't get greedy and know when you should back off. And remember, your role is to peel for your carries, so it is extremely good to lay down your life for them if it means saving them.

League isn't won by killing champs, it's won by killing objectives. Make sure you use every advantage you have and every edge you can get to push and wipe out them, and make sure that EVERYONE is warding. NO ONE should be excluded from warding, ESPECIALLY with the new trinket system.

1. Shaco is NOT strictly an assasin. You only should assasinate a target if they are isolated and you know where their team is.

2. Baron is a NOOB TRAP! Lets think about that for a few moments. "How is it a noob trap? It gives your team 1500 gold and it gives your whole team a buff!" First off, when you are taking baron, it is very easy to take advantage and kill your whole team. It's also very easy to steal if you have practice at doing so. Also, if your team can take baron, then that means you could have taken another objective like a tower or even an inhib!9 times out of 10 baron is not the best course of action. Don't let that worm fool you. He doesn't have as much value as you'd think

3. WHY ARE YOU PUSHING MY LANE STUPID JUNGLER OMG!!! STOP!!! That is the reaction many players get when you kill their lane opponent and then push. However, when you push the lane, the enemy team loses all the possible minion XP that someone could go and take to the tower. It also puts pressure on the enemy team, as if they don't go after you or push, they could lose the tower for nothing.

4. Jack in the Box is useless late game!! A skilled shaco can use it to provide escape routes for his team, as well as kiting for his adc. You also can use his Q to block skill shots, although the timing has to be precise. This video will show you how to do so. Note, I did not make this video. Play Video

- Aatrox is a tricky jungler to deal with, because he has alot of dueling potential and infinite sustain in jungle. The best course of action to take against an Aatrox jungle is to utilize how much stronger you are at ganking to give your team an edge. Counter jungling him is possible but it is also VERY risky as he is alot stronger than you early game. If you can get him to hit a box trap (3 or 4 boxes in once bush so that they all go off and attack at once), you can win a fight with him. Don't let this barbaric berserker bring brute force into the equation.

- Ammumu is a very strong mid to late game jungler, however, his early game dueling power is pitiful at best. If you see an ammumu, steal his red buff, and then wait in the bush by wraiths for him to come by and run straight into your box trap! If you can shut him down early game you can end it before it gets to late game. Give this sad mummy a real reason to cry!

- Cho Gath is a fairly fast jungler, however his weakness lies in the fact that all his CC attacks are skill shots. With your high mobility, you can easily dodge his Rupture and Feral Scream, and then take him out in the 12 second gap between the CDs. Also, make sure you keep dragon warded as early as 5 minutes in, as once he gets his ult, he can solo it very easily with his feast+Smite. The only thing he's going to Om Nom is the Loser Board.

- Elise is a pretty scary jungler. She has great jungle speed and has high utility and dmg early game. However, her ganks are alot easier to see coming than yours, and she scales off alot harder than you do. You need to make sure you gank other lanes before she does and countergank wherever she does, because if she gets ahead, she will take alot longer to scale off, and may not before they can end it. Shaco uses a boot, it's super effective!

- Evelyn is an obnoxious jungler, much like shaco, and with the changes to pink wards, she's gotten alot stronger. The main thing to do against her is to start her red buff, as she is VERY blue buff dependant, and then try and ambush her on her way to it. She can't gank without red buff, and you have alot more dmg than her if you can manage to lure her into a box trap. Warning: if she gets ahead, she will very easily carry her team to victory if she is competent. Do NOT ALLOW HER TO GET FED if at all possible. Strip this silly stripper of her Pride and Dignity!
- Fiddlesticks is a very slow, but very high sustain jungler. If you have a good lvl 1 team it is highly recommended you invade him, otherwise steal his red buff and then GANK GANK GANK!!! You can gank alot faster and stronger than he can, with your high mobility and stealth and his lack thereof. You can also duel him if you use your box effectively, so if you are comfortable, feel free to invade and fight him! Late game be careful of his ult, as that is a game changer that can single handedly win a team fight. Show this scarecrow the true meaning of fear!

- Hecarim is a very strong jungler. He has pretty good clear, and once he gets double buff, not a single person can duel him. That's why you can't let him get double buff. Ward his red, and then have your mid and/or top laner help you kill him as soon as he goes for red, and he will be shut down hard and it will be very hard for him to recover. Late game he is an initiating monster, so don't try to team fight if your team isn't ahead of them. This one trick pony isn't going to carry anybody!

- J4 is a great tank with alot of damage early game as well as beef. Counterjungling him is not advised as he has alot of early game power. However, your ganks are stronger and your CC is alot harder to avoid than his is (his knockup combo is painfully obvious). His ultimate is a very annoying asset that can trap a whole team inside an arena if they aren't careful, so make sure your team mates do not get out of position and make sure you peel him off your carries with Slows and Fears. This fresh prince isn't going anywhere!

- Lee sin is one of the best ways to counter a Shaco jungle. He doesn't have any set place he has to start due to his energy, and his Q and E both reveal you, making your Deceive alot less effective. He also is one of the strongest early duelers in the game with his Q to E combo. However, if timed right, you can use your jack in the box to block his Q, which gives a good edge into dueling him (although it still isn't recommended to try to do so). Late game, Lee sin scales off and is used mainly for his ult knockback late game. Looks like you're going to have to show this blind monk the door...

- Malphite is rarely played jungle anymore due to the changes to the jungle slowing his wave clear greatly. His ganks can be pretty annoying but are nowhere near as strong as yours. Late game is the only time he shines with his strong initiate and CC. Simply counterjungle him, as you can duel him early game, and you should be able to get your team ahead. His jungle will hit rock bottom..

- Maokai jungle is supremely slow at clearing, but his ganks are some of the scariest in the game. Take his jungle as he clears slower than a snail, and he won't be able to gank. Not to hard of a match up for Shaco. Dueling him can be risky but if you properly use your kit, you can win in a fight. Your ganks are alot harder to see coming, so utilize that and you will have stronger ganks than him. Just because he's a tree, doesn't mean he should be in the jungle..

- Master Yi jungle is becoming more and more popular. His ganks are not very scary, but his clear speed, jungle sustain and late game power are all very powerful. Without red buff, his ganks have no CC, so stealing that makes his ganks almost indefinately weaker than yours. The key to immortality is not playing Yi jungle..

- Much like Malphite jungle, his clear speeds are very slow, but his tankiness and CC are very high. Don't try to fight him, simply steal his jungle and then out gank him and he will be useless. Note: You can't block his Anchor with your Jack in the Box. Make his uses lower than the dark depths he came from..
- Nocturne is a strong fighter earl;y game, and if he lands his Q on you, he can see where you go if you try to Deceive away. You must take advantage of his weaker early game ganks and snowball your lanes before he gets lvl 6. His wave clear is very fast, so don't try to counterjungle him because he is faster than you. Simple as that. He is blue buff reliant early game, so try and invade him if your team allows so. Give him something to dream about..

- Not as popular as he used to be, but this Orphan boy is a very problematic jungler. His consume is a second smite, and he will try to take objectives like dragon earlier than many htink possible. He can solo dragon at lvl 6, so make sure to keep it covered with wards at all times it is up. His ganks are also obnoxious with his slows, but no where near as strong as yours. Make sure your other lanes protect your red buff with wards, as Nunu is notorious for invading and stealing buffs. Late game his usefulness lies in his Blood Boil and his ultimate, so if you interupt his ult, that's over half of his late game utility down the drain. Show this yeti what a real monster looks like..

- Rammus is a very strong jungler, but he is very slow and early game lacks dueling potential. If you catch him at his red buff, you can kill him very easily as you can block his Powerball with your Jack in the Box and that's his only way of escape. He is also blue buff reliant early game and slow at clearing. His true strength lies in his late game tankiness and his early game ganks. Ok..

- Sejuani is alot like nautilus jungle. She is very beefy and provides high utility, but has slow clear times. Counterjungle her the same way you would Naut, and she won't be able to gank as easily. Treat her the same way you would Nautilus. You can make sure she never snowballs..

- If you play ranked, you'll never have to do this match up. If it is this match up in normals, make sure you follow his path and counter gank him where he goes to gank. Scout out his red and steal it if it is up, and then gank the closest lane to get a quick snowball on them. If possible to do so, get your Deceive of course :) Shaco jungle is a skill match up so it's all about who knows how to control the game better! Remember everything you've learned and you should be fine. And pray he didn't read this guide too!!! :P. This Joker is going to have to speak to Batman..

- Skarner, he's very under played atm but also very strong. His early game dueling potential is very scary, but he is VERY blue buff dependant. If you can't steal his blue, make sure you take his red because that will take out alot of his ganking power. Never, under any circumstances, try to duel him. Late game all he has going for him is his Ultimate, so if you peel for your carries, you can make that useless for him. He never should have left Pokemon..

- Trundle is rarely seen anymore, but if you do, it is important to note that he is a very durable jungler who excells at dueling post 6. So if you ever are to duel him, you must make sure it is early game. He is blue buff dependant, so steal his red and ambush him and you should be able to gain a big edge over him. His ganks are weak but his fighting power is strong, so simply out gank him and snowball your lanes and you should be able to turn the tables in your favor. He can also take dragon at lvl 6 with his ultimate, due to his power to turn a fight against any single target, so make sure you keep it warded and don't try to stop him by yourself. You have the better map control, so you will have a much easier time tipping the scales in your favor. You can conTroll the map more than this weathered out troll..

- Udyr is one of my least favorite junglers to face. His clear time is un-paralled, his ganks are pretty obnoxious, and his early game damage and beef makes it so you can't duel him. Late game, they tend to run past your team and straight for your carry, but with your peeling power, he will have a very hard time getting past you. He is very blue buff dependant, so an invade will destroy him hard. An annoying match up, but not to difficult to deal with. Your rage is under control..

- Vi is a very strong jungler. Her ganks are as strong as yours, and her clear speeds are faster. However, her ganks are reliant on her landing her Q, while yours don't have a falling point. She will dive your carries late game, and you can't stop her initial Ult combo. HOWEVER, with your peeling, she will have to go very far away from her team to do so, which will leave her alone and easy to pick up. Make sure you protect your carries after she ults, and you will be able to be more useful than her late game. Punch them first, ask questions on how I died..

- Warwick is very hard to kill, but extremely useless pre 6. His ganks are very pitiful without his loves, so you must make sure you take advantage of that and get your lanes ahead. He can start red or blue, although 9/10 of the time, he will start blue. Stealing his red can slow him down and make his early game ganks less uesfull than a blind seeing eye dog. No one is afraid of the big bad wolf..

- Last but not least, we have Zac. He has been repeatedly nerfed since his release, and now he is very difficult to play. If you do see one, note that he can start anywhere, but usually prefers blue buff for the CDR. Early game, you can duel him if you make sure to step on his blobs, but with his passive, you won't be able to kill him before help from his team arrives. His clear times are relatively slow so take advantage of that and gank before he can and you should win the jungle war. Late game he is good at disrupting your team, so make sure you don't all bunch together and make sure to keep him off your carries. He can't out jungle you, it's not in his design specifications..

Thank you so much for checking out my S4 shaco build, and I hoped it has helped you succeed. In short, Shaco is a high mobility champion with very strong ganks that can happen very early and are very hard to see coming. If you peel late game instead of diving, you will be strong through all phases of the game. I hope you enjoy this guide, vote and comment anything you think I need to add/take out. Thank you and good look on the field of justice!!