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Game patch 26.20Data Dragon 16.20.1

Reference patch 16.20.1

Skarner Jungle · Normal Draft

Skarner has an established clear and map plan that can function without lane income while contesting camps and objectives.

Primary roleStandard Summoner's Rift preparation
Champion overview
Historical referenceRecommendation review pending

These patches track recommendation review, build validation and item lookup separately. Updating item data does not complete a build review.

Recommendation patch
16.16 Data Dragon
Build validation patch
16.19.1 Data Dragon
Item lookup patch
16.20.1 Data Dragon

Normal Draft · Jungle

Reviewed Skarner health Jungle

Follow the completed-item order as a pre-game reference. Components and owned items do not create extra inventory slots.

Primary role
S
Draft / Ranked opening · separate from item 1

Mosstomper Seedling

450 gold

Provides Smite progression and the defensive Jungle companion.

1
First item

Heartsteel

3,000 gold

Builds maximum health through repeated champion contact.

2
Boots

Plated Steelcaps

1,200 gold

Reduces physical basic-attack pressure; swap Boots when that is not the draft problem.

3
Core

Unending Despair

2,800 gold

Adds health and repeated healing during longer front-line fights.

4
Second core

Spirit Visage

2,700 gold

Adds magic resistance and improves incoming and self-healing.

5
Late defence

Jak'Sho, The Protean

3,200 gold

Adds mixed resistance during extended combat.

6
Flexible

Dead Man's Plate

2,900 gold

Adds armour, health and movement after building momentum.

Complete build choices

Choose the route before play

Recommendation review pending

AlternativeToo much healingChempunk Chainsword adds anti-heal without abandoning attack damage and health.View full route

Best when: Chempunk Chainsword adds anti-heal without abandoning attack damage and health.

  1. First itemHeartsteel
  2. BootsPlated Steelcaps
  3. Chempunk Chainsword
  4. Second coreSpirit Visage
  5. Late defenceJak'Sho, The Protean
  6. FlexibleDead Man's Plate
AlternativePhysical burstDeath's Dance delays physical damage so takedowns can stabilise the fight.View full route

Best when: Death's Dance delays physical damage so takedowns can stabilise the fight.

  1. First itemHeartsteel
  2. BootsPlated Steelcaps
  3. Death's Dance
  4. Second coreSpirit Visage
  5. Late defenceJak'Sho, The Protean
  6. FlexibleDead Man's Plate
AlternativeSustained magic damageKaenic Rookern is a defensive answer when repeated magic damage is the real problem.View full route

Best when: Kaenic Rookern is a defensive answer when repeated magic damage is the real problem.

  1. First itemHeartsteel
  2. BootsPlated Steelcaps
  3. CoreUnending Despair
  4. Kaenic Rookern
  5. Late defenceJak'Sho, The Protean
  6. FlexibleDead Man's Plate
AlternativeThey stack armourBlack Cleaver shreds armour during extended fights.View full route

Best when: Black Cleaver shreds armour during extended fights.

  1. First itemHeartsteel
  2. BootsPlated Steelcaps
  3. Black Cleaver
  4. Second coreSpirit Visage
  5. Late defenceJak'Sho, The Protean
  6. FlexibleDead Man's Plate

Complete build comparison

Complete build comparison

Recommendation review pending

Build review neededReviewed Skarner health JungleRecommendation review pendingView full route

Recommendation review pending

  1. First itemHeartsteel
  2. BootsPlated Steelcaps
  3. CoreUnending Despair
  4. Second coreSpirit Visage
  5. Late defenceJak'Sho, The Protean
  6. FlexibleDead Man's Plate
AlternativeToo much healingChempunk Chainsword adds anti-heal without abandoning attack damage and health.View full route

Best when: Chempunk Chainsword adds anti-heal without abandoning attack damage and health.

  1. First itemHeartsteel
  2. BootsPlated Steelcaps
  3. Chempunk Chainsword
  4. Second coreSpirit Visage
  5. Late defenceJak'Sho, The Protean
  6. FlexibleDead Man's Plate
AlternativePhysical burstDeath's Dance delays physical damage so takedowns can stabilise the fight.View full route

Best when: Death's Dance delays physical damage so takedowns can stabilise the fight.

  1. First itemHeartsteel
  2. BootsPlated Steelcaps
  3. Death's Dance
  4. Second coreSpirit Visage
  5. Late defenceJak'Sho, The Protean
  6. FlexibleDead Man's Plate
AlternativeSustained magic damageKaenic Rookern is a defensive answer when repeated magic damage is the real problem.View full route

Best when: Kaenic Rookern is a defensive answer when repeated magic damage is the real problem.

  1. First itemHeartsteel
  2. BootsPlated Steelcaps
  3. CoreUnending Despair
  4. Kaenic Rookern
  5. Late defenceJak'Sho, The Protean
  6. FlexibleDead Man's Plate
AlternativeThey stack armourBlack Cleaver shreds armour during extended fights.View full route

Best when: Black Cleaver shreds armour during extended fights.

  1. First itemHeartsteel
  2. BootsPlated Steelcaps
  3. Black Cleaver
  4. Second coreSpirit Visage
  5. Late defenceJak'Sho, The Protean
  6. FlexibleDead Man's Plate

Runes and summoner spells

Runes and summoner spellsSkarnerJungle

Reach the fight with control available and absorb the first response.

Normal Draft
Primary tree

Resolve

AftershockFont of LifeConditioningOvergrowth
Secondary tree

Precision

TriumphLegend: Haste
Summoner spells
FlashSmite
Keep Smite

Smite is part of Jungle companion progression and objective security. The movement or combat spell beside it is the adjustable slot.

Change the movement spell

Ghost can fit sustained access; Flash can fit one immediate reposition. Use the champion's route and intended fights to choose.

Static alternatives

Compare the problem before changing the plan

These choices are not selected from live scores. Use one only after you identify the stated match problem yourself.

Too much healing

Chempunk Chainsword

Chempunk Chainsword adds anti-heal without abandoning attack damage and health.

Physical burst

Death's Dance

Death's Dance delays physical damage so takedowns can stabilise the fight.

Sustained magic damage

Kaenic Rookern

Kaenic Rookern is a defensive answer when repeated magic damage is the real problem.

They stack armour

Black Cleaver

Black Cleaver shreds armour during extended fights.

Kit reference

Skarner abilities

Ability names, descriptions and numeric fields come from Riot Data Dragon. Practical reads are independently written; the current in-game tooltip remains authoritative.

Abilities Data Dragon 16.20.1Cooldown / Cost / Range Data Dragon 16.20.1
P
Passive

Threads of Vibration

What it doesSkarner's Attacks, Shattered Earth, Upheaval, and Impale, apply Quaking. At max stacks of Quaking, enemies take max Health magic damage over its duration.

Practical readThreads of Vibration is an automatic part of the kit involving damage. Track when its condition is active instead of treating every fight the same way.

Maximum-health interaction

This effect references a maximum-health value. Check whether the current tooltip uses the caster's or the target's health before comparing damage or protection.

Q
Q ability

Shattered Earth / Upheaval

What it doesSkarner rips a boulder from the earth that empowers his attacks and can be thrown as a powerful projectile.

Practical readShattered Earth / Upheaval is a ranged cast involving its listed effect. Respect its line or target area, and avoid spending it when the opponent can simply step away before the important exchange.

Cooldown8/6.75/5.5/4.25/3 secCost30Listed range400 units
W
W ability

Seismic Bastion

What it doesSkarner gains a shield and creates an earthquake whose shockwave damages and slows foes.

Practical readSeismic Bastion contributes a slowing effect and protection or sustain. Its value changes with cooldown, range and target access; recognise the setup before moving into its effective area.

Cooldown10/9/8/7/6 secCost60/65/70/75/80Listed range700 units
Protection

The protection or sustain is part of the cast's value. Compare its timing with incoming damage rather than reading only the offensive effect.

E
E ability

Ixtal's Impact

What it doesSkarner charges forward and passes through terrain. If he collides with a champion or large monster, he'll slam them into the next wall he hits to damage and stun them.

Practical readIxtal's Impact contributes hard crowd control and damage. Its value changes with cooldown, range and target access; recognise the setup before moving into its effective area.

Cooldown22/21/20/19/18 secCost50/55/60/65/70Listed range1700 units
Cast commitment

This cast has a wind-up, charge or channel. Movement, interruption or a changing target state can matter before the effect completes.

R
Ultimate

Impale

What it doesSkarner's tails lash forward to suppress enemy champions. Once suppressed, the victims will be dragged along by Skarner as he moves around.

Practical readImpale contributes hard crowd control. Its value changes with cooldown, range and target access; recognise the setup before moving into its effective area.

Cooldown120/105/90 secCost100Listed range625 units

Adapt the plan

What to do when the game changes

Judge the whole lane or map state, not only personal kills. Choose the situation closest to the current game.

Even plan

Keep the clear moving and choose high-information plays

1
Pathing

Track opposing camps and lane states instead of forcing the first visible target.

2
Map play

Trade sides of the map when contesting would require weaker lanes to move first.

3
Fights

Save important control for the enemy who threatens your carries or objective access.

Pings, movement and objectives

Skarner Jungle map plan

Link each clear to the next informed decision. Pings should tell lanes where you are pathing and whether the team is contesting or trading an objective.

Ahead

Turn tempo into controlled territory

Ping
Use On My Way before entering a lane, Assist Me before an objective and Danger when nearby lanes cannot move to an invade.
Path or gank
Gank when the lane has reach, damage and a safe exit. Do not wait beside a protected target while camps and the next objective disappear.
Objective
Establish vision with the nearest winning lane, keep Smite available and avoid chasing away from the objective after gaining control.
Even

Choose the play with the clearest information

Ping
Use On My Way early enough for the lane to prepare, Assist Me only when nearby lanes can move, and Retreat when the contest has already become late.
Path or gank
Prefer a lane with crowd control, damaged opponents or a favourable wave. A visible opponent is not automatically a usable gank.
Objective
Check Mid and Bot priority before Dragon, or Mid and Top before Herald. Set a safe entrance before beginning the objective.
Behind

Trade the map instead of forcing recovery

Ping
Ping Retreat from lost contests, Danger on likely invades and On My Way when covering a vulnerable lane or remaining camp.
Path or gank
Counter-gank or help only when allies can survive until arrival. Repeated low-chance ganks deepen the camp and level deficit.
Objective
If entry is unsafe, trade for camps, a wave, vision or the opposite objective. Keep Smite and crowd control for a contest the team can actually reach.
Objective setup

Four calls, in order

Pings create a shared plan; they do not replace checking waves, vision and who can move.

  1. 1
    Before the route

    Decide which camps lead toward the objective and ping the nearby lanes before they spend the wave or recall timing.

  2. 2
    Check priority

    Confirm which nearby lanes can move first. Do not convert an isolated objective marker into a forced fight.

  3. 3
    Control entry

    Move with a teammate, sweep one entrance and keep Smite available before committing damage to the objective.

  4. 4
    Finish or turn

    Call whether the team is finishing, fighting or leaving. Mixed decisions are more dangerous than either clear choice.

Later objectives: Repeat the same process around later major objectives: handle nearby income, communicate the route, enter through vision and agree on the fight before committing.

Use the guide

Put Skarner into a real matchup

Compare a specific opponent, return to the champion overview, or choose another champion without losing the queue distinction.

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