Is It Possible To Jungle Effectively Without Smite?

As a jungler, it is essential to take Smite as one of your summoner spells so that you can clear the monster camps and take objectives easily. However, if you are wondering if you can take any other spell instead of Smite, worry not because we’ll answer that question for you. Whether you forgot to take Smite or want to try a different build, this guide will show you if it is possible to jungle effectively without Smite. 

Unfortunately, it is not effective to jungle without Smite. Since you won’t clear out camps nearly as quickly, and not get as much experience as you would with the spell, it is not worth it to jungle without Smite. 

If you are still not convinced, we will answer your questions in the next section down below. We will show you all the things that you will miss if you do not take Smite as a jungler. With that said, let’s dive right in and find out if it is possible to jungle effectively without Smite.

Slow Jungling Speed

The first thing that you will notice while jungling without Smite is that your speed will be much slower than before. Since Smite deals 450 damage at level 1, you will not have that damage at your side. So, you’ll have to clear out all the camps by depleting their HP manually without any summoner spell to help you.

Plus, no other summoner spell can be used on jungle monsters, so, it isn’t worth skipping Smite. On top of that, you will also be risking doing the dragon or Baron. If the enemy team or jungler shows up, you will want to have Smite with you so that you can use it on the objective and kill it quickly. If you do not have it, the enemy jungler will Smite it at 950 or 1000 HP, and you won’t be able to do anything about it. 

The Enemy Jungler Will Have Twice Your Farm

Since you won’t have a summoner spell to clear your camps, the enemy jungler will have a great time farming your jungle as well. You will need to go to your base more often since your HP will deplete faster. During that time, the enemy jungler can simply roam into your jungle and start farming. Plus, even if you know that they are stealing your farm, you cannot do anything about it. 

If you try to contest them, they can simply use their Smite and steal your farm. On top of that, you also risk getting killed by them as well. Also, due to this, you will always be behind in level and gold. The enemy jungler will eventually have a much higher level than you alongside having more gold. This also means that they will naturally have more items and become twice as strong as you. 

Low Amount of XP

This is another problem that you will face as soon as you start jungling. When you clear your first camp, you will notice that you are still level 1. On the other hand, if you clear your first camp with Smite, you will instantly get to level 2. While this isn’t because of Smite, it happens when you purchase the jungle item. 

However, you can only purchase the jungle item if you have Smite. Otherwise, you cannot buy it no matter what. This is done intentionally to stop players from trolling or getting the jungle item for no reason. The reason why getting this item is important is that it allows you to gain more XP than normal when clearing jungle camps. 

Less Optimal Ganks

Since you will not be able to clear the camps on time, you will always be slower than the enemy jungler. This also means that the enemy will gank your allies while you will still be stuck in the jungle. On the other hand, even if you gank any lane, you will always be behind in level due to your slow clear speed. Plus, you will also have low HP as well, making it easier for the enemy to kill you even if you gank. While some players might think that having ignite or any other summoner spell will allow you to gank more easily, that is not true. 

This is especially true if you are playing in a higher rank and the enemy jungler knows what to do. They will force you to lose all of your farm and always counter gank you to give their team the advantage. 

Say Goodbye to Dragons and Baron

As aforementioned, you will have an extremely difficult time securing dragons and Baron. This is because you will have a slower speed clearing these monsters and you will not be able to secure them either. If you are doing the dragon and the enemy jungler shows up, you are almost guaranteed to lose the objective. This is because they can use their Smite to deal more damage than your spells or auto attacks. 

Also read: Does Cosmic Insight Work on Smite?

Eventually, the enemy will get the soul and gain a lot of advantage over your team. Plus, you also have a much higher chance to lose the elder dragon as well. On top of that, the same can be said about Baron Nashor as well if the enemy jungler knows that you are trying to kill it.