Whenever League players hear about having trolls in their games, the first instinct is to simply dodge the queue and launch another game, but that should not be the case if the troll in question is actually Trundle, the Troll King. This meta Bruiser has been stomping enemies for over 11 years now, and with the changes brought by this preseason, it does not look like he’s about to stop anytime soon!
An engage and chase tool, Trundle stands among those champions who can make use of a small gold advantage to single-handedly lead his team to victory. This feat is possible due to the large arsenal of utility and raw stats the Troll King has been crowned with, allowing this high-health Tank to also deal a considerable amount of damage, also draining his opponents in the meantime.
Although nowadays he is not that commonly encountered on Summoner’s Rift, Trundle remains a consistently solid pick, being a viable champion at nearly any given time in the history of League, due to his immense adaptability.
For the main topic of this guide, we will be taking a look at the best Jungle path for Trundle to take, in combination with a few strategies and tips to make use of in your trolling games, stay tuned!
Summoner Spells
Flash + Smite
Although certain Junglers can substitute Flash for another more offensive or utility-focused option, Trundle is among those champions who cannot realistically make better use of any Summoner’s other than Flash.
The Best Trundle Runes
Most Bruisers can run a variety of keystones with rather high levels of success, Trundle being no different. Even though most Bruisers typically prefer sustain-oriented keystones, such as Conqueror, some of the best Trundle players prefer going with some more offensive picks.
Press the Attack being a core option, and Lethal Tempo is closely behind it given its changes in Patch 11.23, turning it into an ideal trading tool for champions who thrive in extended fights. Given the current meta, we’d actually go with Lethal Tempo, urging players to adopt a more aggressive strategy.
Follow it up with Triumph, Legend: Alacrity and Last Stand, creating a mixture of sustain and kill pressure, with the recommended secondary Runes being Bone Plating and Overgrowth.
As is the case with these highly adaptable champions, feel free to try switching up certain Runes to see what works best for you.
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The Best Trundle Items
Starting Items: Emberknife + Refillable Potion
Mythic: Divine Sunderer / Trinity Force
Core Items: Defensive Boots, Titanic Hydra, Dead Man’s Plate
Finishing Options: Sterak’s Gage, Death’s Dance, Spirit Visage, Thornmail
Adaptable champions cannot be played with one standard build, unlike certain Mid or Bot carries. The number of tanks in the enemy team and the type of damage their carries deal, which enemy is most ahead, who is likely to scale into the late-game are all factors worth taking into consideration.
For your Mythic, you want to have a Spellbalde effect to boost your early damage, focusing on sustain later on, namely health.
One particularly interesting item to play on Trunde is the Blade of the Ruined King, as the extra healing and attack speed can turn the Troll King into a full-pledged carry, capable of relentlessly chomping away at the enemy team.
The Best Skill Order for Trundle
Q > W > E > R
The Best Jungle Paths for Trundle
Now for the main topic of this guide, Jungle pathing and clearing with Trundle, the king of all trolls and flagship example of what a Bruiser can be.
We are going to cover the possible starts from each side, but players should keep a few factors in mind when deciding upon where their Jungle pathing should start. These are:
- Which laners are going to provide more help in clearing the first camp?
- Counter-jungle opportunities, based on where the enemy Jungler is likely to start.
- Which lane would you like to gank first, depending on both the allied and enemy champions.
With Mages in the Jungle, there is a certain element of surprise up your sleeve, since Mages were not designed like most other Junglers. What this effectively means is that Laners are not typically used to getting ganked with a Wall of Pain (Karthus’ W) or through sheer magic damage alone. Using this to your advantage is going to prove essential when learning to Jungle with Karthus, or other similar champions.
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Red Side, Red Clear
Trundle’s kit allows him to effectively clear camps without losing too much Health, but due to a lack of AOE damage, he is among the few champions whose pathing prefers skipping over certain camps in order to gain tempo, namely the Krugs.
Starting from the Red Buff, repeatedly use Q on it to steadily take it down, without using Smite. Next on the list are the Raptors, where the first Smite charge is going to come in handy in order to accelerate the process, granted that you now also have W for some extra clear speed.
Moving into the Bottom side of the map, Wolves should not pose a threat, given Trundle’s passive and overall resistance, allowing him to fight the fourth camp, the Blue Buff, with relatively full Health.
Do not hesitate to cast Smite on Blue in order to keep your tempo going, since your first clear ends with six camps instead of seven. After Blue, head towards the Gromp and slay it using repeated Qs, having plenty of time to reach the River before the Scuttler spawns.
Lastly, break the Scuttler’s shield using the displacement on your Pillar, securing some additional gold and a pocket of vision, before ganking either Mid or Bot. Given how powerful your W and E abilities are for ganking, Trundle players can actually force plays even if the state of the lanes is not ideal.
Red Side, Blue Clear
Now switching from Red to Blue, players will have the advantage of having two allies assisting them with the first Buff, gaining a slight tempo edge over the previous start. The second camp on the list is the Gromp, which would go slowly if it wasn’t for the first charge of Smite which players are advised to use on it.
Being near full Health, the third and fourth objectives are going to be the multi-mob camps of Wolves and Raptors, which may seemingly cost you a significant amount of Health, but with the help of your Passive and the Refillable Potion, there’s nothing to worry about realistically.
Once again you will be skipping over Krugs, as the trade of momentum is not worth the gold and experience given by that camp. Instead, secure the Red Buff as soon as possible, using Smite to accelerate the process before heading into the River, again making it in time to slay the Scuttler relatively safely. If contested, Trundle can take the 1v1 quite confidently, especially when confronting AD opponents, as his Q can basically steal away a considerable amount of that stat.
After the Scuttler, Trundle players can force ganks aggressively, using the Pillar to cut off a significant part of the lane, with W allowing them to chase down opponents and apply the slow from Red Buff, guaranteeing to burn one of your target’s Summoners.
Blue Side, Red Clear
Mirroring the Red Side’s Red Clear, starting from the Blue Side opens a slight ganking window for Trundle, if his allied Mid has sufficient damage and crowd control to offer for an early gank.
Start by clearing the Red Buff with the accelerated pace granted by having two allies’ assistance, then head towards the Raptors and use Smite to clear them quickly and regain some Health. If the enemy Mid is pushing in aggressively and your ally can effectively follow, you may have a small window for an LVL 2 gank, hoping to at least burn the enemy’s Flash before resuming your clear.
Skipping over Krugs again, head towards the Wolves and clear them using Qs, transitioning towards your fourth camp once Smite is back up. That fourth camp is going to be the Blue Buff, which you can easily slay using Smite, before topping it all off with the Gromp.
Once the Gromp has been cleared, step into the River to break the Scuttler’s shell using E, finishing it quickly. If contested, take the 1v1 fight, paying attention to Top or Mid to see if anyone is ready to follow.
From that position, be ready to force a gank on Top or Mid, depending on which lane is pushed in the most, as well as on which ally can create the better setup.
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Blue Side, Blue Clear
For the last starting position, remember to keep your momentum as much as possible. With only one ally helping, it can be a bit slower to reach LVL 3 and to find an effective gank, so doing your best to maintain the tempo through strategic pathing is slightly more important than when you’re starting on the strong side.
Clear Blue and save Smite for the Gromp, heading into the multi-mob camps next, where the Refillable Potion may come in handy. Your Passive should still allow you to clear them comfortably, saving the second Smite charge for the Red Buff.
After Red, head straight towards the Scuttler to secure it as quickly as possible, keeping you in a decent position in terms of gold and experience. Depending on which champions have the most reliable CC and which lane is pushing farthest ahead, try ganking either Mid or Bot to secure an early lead, before resetting to get your first buy.
The Best Tips and Tricks for Trundle Jungle
- Trundle is very strong in early skirmishes, so do not hesitate to 1v1 the enemy Jungler whenever you have the chance, as your W and E can serve as both chase and escape tools, depending on how the fights go.
- Despite the damage, Q’s actual win condition is the way it basically “steals” the enemy’s attack damage. Some players neglect the fact that AP champions won’t suffer too much from the loss of AD, but this effect can be devastating against champions who deal most of their damage from basic attacks, so always have this in mind when deciding who to focus or trade on.
- Well-positioned Pillars win fights, as you can punish your enemies for simply crossing through narrow paths. Using the rather large range of your E, split up the enemy team, separating the high priority targets from their protectors, allowing your team to collapse.
- The Pillar can also be used to save your allies when the situation calls for it, further increasing the impact a keen Trundle player can have over the game.
- Avoid casting your W for the movement speed alone, as it also provides a 25% healing boost. Try keeping this ability until you actually engage in combat, making the most out of the bonus healing and attack speed.
Finalizing Thoughts
Trundle is an overall solid champion, proving that sometimes simpler is better. Without complicated mechanics or skillshots, Trundle’s pure stat play can effectively secure win after win, if the player’s mindset is right.
Unlike with other champions whose successful play relies on landing that one ability perfectly, the Troll King is a lot more raw and brutal. Dropping a Pillar and charging into the enemy team with the help of Dead Man’s Plate will often leave enemies confused, as their first reaction is usually to run, then turn.
Either way, unless the entire enemy team commits to the play instantly, Trundle’s durability will withstand most instances of poke, allowing you to reach your target with quite enough Health left. Once the target has been locked into place by your Pillar, simply alternating between auto-attacks and Qs will be more than enough to secure a kill, even before the Pillar breaks apart.
As a Bruiser, Trundle’s success requires him to itemize properly, so make sure to constantly monitor the scoreboard and flow of the game, in order to accurately determine what resistances or mechanics will be worth the most. By sticking to one standard build, players can occasionally find themselves in games where the Troll King feels absolutely underwhelming, as opposed to playing adapted items.
Lastly, do not forget to constantly harass and punish weaker lanes, in order to start building a small gold and experience lead from the very beginning. Thanks largely to his ability to boost multiple stats, Trundle is an extreme threat early on, when most enemies rely solely on their basic stats, due to the lack of items.
With that we conclude this guide, hoping you’ve found it useful. Now make sure to follow the right mindset when you next jump into a game of League, playing the Troll King! Keep an eye out on our website (…) to stay up to day with our latest League of Legends content!
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