By gamingepicenter.com 
Jinx, one of the most beloved ADCs in League of Legends, has seen a resurgence in popularity with the rise of a new build in Season 14—Lethality Jinx. This build focuses on maximizing burst damage, allowing Jinx to quickly eliminate squishy targets and dominate skirmishes. But is Lethality Jinx truly the best way to play her, or is it a passing trend that could harm game balance? Let’s dive into the details of this build, explore its strengths and weaknesses, and discuss what it means for the future of ADC gameplay. Read more such articles on Gamingepicenter.com
Lethality Jinx has emerged as a compelling build in Season 14 of League of Legends, sparking discussions among players about its effectiveness compared to traditional builds. With Jinx being a champion known for her high damage potential and versatility, the Lethality build offers a unique approach that can catch opponents off guard. In this article, we will explore the mechanics of the Lethality Jinx build, its advantages, potential drawbacks, and whether it stands as the best option in the current meta.
What Is Lethality Jinx?
Lethality Jinx is a build that emphasizes high burst damage through items like The Collector, Youmuu’s Ghostblade, and Serylda’s Grudge. Unlike traditional crit-based builds that rely on sustained damage, this setup allows Jinx to deal massive damage in a short window, making her exceptionally powerful in quick engagements and small skirmishes.
Jinx’s Abilities
Passive – Get Excited!: Jinx gains a burst of movement speed whenever she scores a takedown, allowing her to reposition quickly during fights.
Q – Switcheroo!: This ability allows Jinx to switch between her minigun and rocket launcher, giving her versatility in damage output. The minigun provides increased attack speed, while the rocket launcher offers area damage.
W – Zap!: A skill shot that deals damage and slows the target, making it a valuable tool for both poking enemies and securing kills.
E – Flame Chompers!: These traps can root enemies, providing crowd control and zoning potential.
Why Is Lethality Jinx Popular?
The current meta in League of Legends favors fast-paced, high-damage gameplay, making lethality builds especially potent. Jinx, with her long-range poke from W (Zap!) and execute potential from R (Super Mega Death Rocket!), fits perfectly into this style. Pairing Jinx with melee engage supports like Leona or Nautilus further enhances this build, as these supports can lock down enemies, giving Jinx the chance to unleash her full burst potential.
Core Items for Lethality Jinx
The Lethality Jinx build revolves around specific items that enhance her burst damage potential. Here are the recommended core items:
The Collector: This item provides lethality, critical strike chance, and bonus gold on takedowns. The additional lethality significantly boosts Jinx’s damage output, especially against squishy targets.
Ionian Boots of Lucidity: These boots grant cooldown reduction and movement speed, allowing Jinx to use her abilities more frequently.
Axiom Arc: This item enhances ability haste and provides additional lethality, making Jinx’s abilities even deadlier.
Muramana: This item converts a portion of Jinx’s mana into attack damage, further increasing her damage output.
Serylda’s Grudge: This item provides armor penetration and slows enemies hit by Jinx’s abilities, making it easier for her to chase down targets.
Edge of Night: Offering a shield and additional lethality, this item allows Jinx to engage more aggressively while providing some survivability.
Runes for Lethality Jinx
Choosing the right runes is crucial for maximizing Jinx’s potential. For the Lethality build, the following rune setup is recommended:
Primary: Domination
Dark Harvest: This keystone rune allows Jinx to deal bonus damage to low-health enemies, synergizing well with her burst potential.
Sudden Impact: Grants a burst of lethality after using a dash or stealth, enhancing Jinx’s damage after she uses her E.
Eyeball Collection: Provides additional AD for takedowns, further boosting her damage output.
Ravenous Hunter: Grants healing from ability damage, increasing Jinx’s sustainability.
Secondary: Precision
Legend: Bloodline: Grants lifesteal, allowing Jinx to sustain herself in fights.
Coup de Grace: Increases damage to low-health targets, complementing Jinx’s playstyle.
Pros and Cons of Lethality Jinx
Pros:
High Burst Damage: Lethality Jinx can quickly eliminate squishy targets, turning fights in her favor before the enemy team can react.
Solo Queue Dominance: In solo queue, where individual plays can swing the outcome of the game, Lethality Jinx excels with her ability to secure quick kills.
Effective Poke: Her W (Zap!) can chunk down enemies from a distance, setting up kills with her ultimate.
Cons:
Falls Off Late Game: As the game progresses, Lethality Jinx’s damage output diminishes compared to traditional crit builds, making her less effective in extended team fights.
Team Composition Dependency: This build is highly dependent on having a team that can engage and peel for Jinx, making it less versatile in different team compositions.
Balance Concerns: There’s growing concern that lethality builds on ADCs like Jinx may disrupt game balance, leading to potential nerfs in future patches.
How to Play Lethality Jinx Effectively
Early Game: Rushing Key Items
To maximize your impact, start by rushing The Collector for its lethality and execute damage. Follow up with Youmuu’s Ghostblade or Serylda’s Grudge, depending on whether you need more mobility or armor penetration. This build will allow you to dominate early skirmishes and snowball your lead.
Mid Game: Capitalizing on Pick Potential
In the mid game, focus on using your W (Zap!) to poke and your R (Super Mega Death Rocket!) to secure kills. Roaming with your team to catch out enemies is crucial, as your burst damage can turn small engagements into major victories.
Late Game: Adapting Your Build
If the game goes late and your lethality build starts to fall off, consider transitioning to more traditional ADC items like Infinity Edge or Lord Dominik’s Regards. This will help maintain your relevance in team fights where sustained damage is more important than burst.
Is Lethality Jinx Here to Stay?
While Lethality Jinx offers a fresh and exciting way to play one of League of Legends’ iconic champions, it also raises questions about long-term balance and the health of the game’s meta. Some players appreciate the high-risk, high-reward nature of this build, while others feel it could lead to an overly punishing environment for squishy champions. As the meta evolves, it will be interesting to see if Riot Games decides to tweak this build in future patches.
Lethality Jinx: Is It the Best Build in Season 14? Conclusion
Lethality Jinx has undoubtedly made a significant impact in Season 14, offering a new way to dominate the Rift. Whether you’re a fan of the build or concerned about its implications, there’s no denying that it has added a new dimension to ADC gameplay. As with any meta shift, adaptability is key, so make sure to stay updated on the latest strategies and be ready to adjust your playstyle as needed.
Lethality Jinx: Is It the Best Build in Season 14? FAQs
1. Is Lethality Jinx better than a crit build?
Lethality Jinx can be more effective in solo queue due to her burst potential, allowing for quick kills and snowballing. However, in coordinated team play, a crit build may provide more consistent damage throughout extended fights.
2. What runes should I use with Lethality Jinx?
For Lethality Jinx, Press the Attack is ideal for maximizing burst damage, while Inspiration secondary runes such as Magical Footwear and Biscuit Delivery can help with early game sustain and item spikes.
3. Can Lethality Jinx work with enchanter supports?
While it’s possible, Lethality Jinx generally performs better with melee engage supports like Leona or Nautilus. These supports can lock down enemies, giving Jinx the opportunity to land her abilities and maximize her burst damage.
4. What are the key matchups for Lethality Jinx?
Lethality Jinx excels against squishy, immobile targets like Jhin or Miss Fortune who are susceptible to her burst damage. However, she may struggle against tankier champions like Dr. Mundo or Braum who can absorb her initial burst and retaliate.
5. Should Riot nerf Lethality Jinx?
The debate is ongoing. Some players appreciate the high-risk, high-reward nature of Lethality Jinx, while others argue that it creates an imbalance, especially in solo queue, by heavily punishing squishy champions and reducing the diversity of viable ADC builds.
6. How does Lethality Jinx perform in late game compared to early game?
Lethality Jinx is extremely powerful in the early and mid-game due to her high burst damage. However, she tends to fall off in the late game, especially in prolonged team fights, as her damage output doesn’t scale as well as traditional crit builds.
7. Is it possible to transition from Lethality to Crit builds during a game?
Yes, if the game goes late and you find that your burst isn’t enough to secure kills, you can start building traditional ADC items like Infinity Edge and Lord Dominik’s Regards to transition into a crit-based playstyle.