The Ultimate Guide to Smite and Jungle Objectives is essential reading for every aspiring jungler in League of Legends. Jungle control isn’t just about farming camps—it’s about mastering Smite and securing the objectives that decide the fate of the game.
From dragons to Baron Nashor, every objective you claim brings your team closer to victory. Misusing Smite or failing to contest the right objective, however, can throw a game instantly. This guide will help you time your Smites, control vision, and make better macro decisions.
Chapter 1: Understanding Smite
Smite is the jungler’s most important tool.
- Base Damage: Scales with level (450 → 1200).
- Upgrades:
- Chilling Smite (Blue): Deals true damage and slows enemies.
- Challenging Smite (Red): Marks enemies and reduces their damage.
- Key Purpose: Securing objectives and controlling jungle monsters.
Pro Tip: Never waste Smite unnecessarily. Keep at least one charge for major objectives.
Chapter 2: Jungle Objectives Overview
1. Dragons
- Types: Infernal, Ocean, Mountain, Cloud, Hextech, Chemtech.
- Each grants permanent buffs to your team.
- Soul (4 dragons) often wins games outright.
2. Rift Herald
- Spawns before 20 minutes.
- Drops a powerful Eye of the Herald to summon it.
- Great for turret plates and early snowball.
3. Baron Nashor
- Spawns at 20 minutes.
- Grants Baron buff to empower minions and teamfights.
- Often the single most important mid-late game objective.
4. Elder Dragon
- Spawns after Soul is taken.
- Grants execution burn on enemy champions.
- The strongest combat buff in the game.
Chapter 3: Smite Timings and Securing Objectives
- 450–1200 Damage Scaling: Always know your Smite threshold.
- Combo with Abilities: Many junglers (Nunu, Cho’Gath, Elise) combine abilities with Smite for burst damage.
- Timing Practice: Train your reflexes to secure objectives under pressure.
Pro Example: Nunu’s Consume + Smite combo can deal 1800+ damage, making him nearly unstealable.
Chapter 4: Vision Control Around Objectives
- Control Wards: Deny enemy vision.
- Sweeper (Oracle Lens): Clear wards before starting objectives.
- Baiting: Sometimes you don’t need to do Baron—you just need to force enemies to face-check into you.
Chapter 5: Decision Making—When to Take Objectives
- When Ahead: Force fights around dragons and Baron to snowball.
- When Behind: Trade objectives (e.g., give dragon, take Rift Herald).
- When Even: Play around vision and numbers advantage.
Golden Rule: Don’t start objectives blindly—always track enemy positions.
Chapter 6: Objective Stealing and Prevention
How to Steal
- Wait until the last second to Smite.
- Combine gap-closers (Lee Sin Q + Smite).
- Stay calm under pressure.
How to Prevent Steals
- Zone enemy jungler with CC.
- Time burst combos with your team.
- Peel for your jungler so they can focus on Smite.
Chapter 7: Role of the Team in Objectives
- Support: Controls vision.
- Mid & ADC: Provide DPS on objectives.
- Top Lane: Splits or teleports to contest.
- Jungle: Executes the objective with Smite.
Objective fights are won by team coordination, not just the jungler.
Chapter 8: Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Smiting too early and losing objectives.
- Forcing Baron with enemies alive nearby.
- Ignoring Rift Herald when it can snowball gold.
- Overvaluing first dragon at the cost of map pressure.
FAQs
Q1: What is the Smite damage at level 18?
1200 true damage.
Q2: Should I always upgrade Smite early?
Yes—upgraded Smite helps secure objectives and win duels.
Q3: Is Rift Herald more important than Dragon?
Depends—Herald gives gold advantage, while dragons give permanent buffs.
Q4: Can non-junglers Smite objectives?
No, only junglers with Smite summoner spell can secure consistently.
Conclusion
The Ultimate Guide to Smite and Jungle Objectives shows that being a jungler isn’t just about ganks—it’s about controlling the map through precise Smite usage and smart objective calls.
By mastering timings, vision, and decision-making, you’ll secure more dragons, Barons, and victories. Remember: games are often won in the jungle, and Smite is the key to unlocking that power.
