Forgot password
Enter the email address you used when you joined and we'll send you instructions to reset your password.
If you used Apple or Google to create your account, this process will create a password for your existing account.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Reset password instructions sent. If you have an account with us, you will receive an email within a few minutes.
Something went wrong. Try again or contact support if the problem persists.
League champions including Katarina, Ekko, Tristana, and Malphite jumping into combat.
Image via Riot Games

Top ranked LoL junglers are dominating with one classic champion

She's also annoying to play against.

A classic League of Legends jungler, Nidalee, received minor buffs in Patch 14.3. It turns out they were substantial enough for Nidalee to rapidly ascend to the top of the win rate scoreboards at higher rankings, where she’s been dominating so far in the current League patch, 14.4.

Recommended Videos

At the time of writing, Diamond+ players are reigning supreme in the jungle with Nidalee, where she boasts a 54.01 percent win rate, according to U.GG. This comes alongside a massive ban rate of 15.2 percent, and a decent pick rate of 8.7 percent. Evelynn, who comes in second place, is almost two percent behind Nidalee in terms of win rate, with 52.20 percent.

It’s all because of Nidalee’s minor buffs in Patch 14.3. Her magic resistance growth has been slightly increased from 1.3 to 1.45, and her Primal Surge saw changes too. Its minimum base heal and AP ratio were increased, improving her sustain in the jungle. Her attack speed bonus has also been buffed, making her jungle clear a bit faster.

Nidalee challenger splash art
Watch out for the spears. Image by Riot Games

While it doesn’t look like much on paper, it turns out it was only enough to make her a primary pick for skilled junglers. At lower ranks like Platinum+, Nidalee is “only” seventh. She still boasts a solid win rate of 51.27 percent, though both her pick and ban rates are substantially lower.

This shouldn’t come off as a surprise. Nidalee’s prowess comes from managing her rotation in Panther form, and obviously from landing her spears. Both require mechanical skills to make the champion powerful.

Having said that, Nidalee has found herself on the list of champions set to be nerfed in the upcoming Patch 14.5. So, if you’re looking to grab some easy wins with the jungler, make sure to be quick. The patch is scheduled to release on March 6.


Dot Esports is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more about our Affiliate Policy
Author
Image of Mateusz Miter
Mateusz Miter
Freelance Writer at Dot Esports. Mateusz previously worked for numerous outlets and gaming-adjacent companies, including ESL. League of Legends or CS:GO? He loves them both. In fact, he wonders which game he loves more every day. He wanted to go pro years ago, but somewhere along the way decided journalism was the more sensible option—and he was right.