League of Legends: 10 Best AP Jungler Champions

AP junglers have become increasingly popular this season, mainly because most teams lean heavily on AD champions in other roles. This often leaves the jungler as the team’s primary source of magic damage. Thankfully, this isn’t a drawback, as Riot Games has made AP junglers incredibly strong this season. With optimized items, exceptional scaling, and aggressive playstyles, AP junglers shine in their ability to gank, clear camps, and contribute significantly to team success.

In this article, we’ll showcase the 10 best AP junglers in League of Legends that you should consider picking for your ranked games to secure more wins. Let’s dive in!

#10: Ekko

Ekko stands out as a fantastic AP jungler thanks to his versatility and high burst damage. His passive Z-Drive Resonance lets him deal bonus damage after three hits, making him efficient in both jungle clearing and ganking. Ekko’s Parallel Convergence (W) offers excellent zoning and crowd control, while his Phase Dive (E) allows him to close gaps or escape sticky situations.

The real game-changer is his Chronobreak (R), which provides a powerful reset by healing him and dealing massive AoE damage, making him a perfect pick for high-risk, high-reward plays. Ekko excels at diving into the backline, assassinating squishy targets, and turning the tide of fights with his ultimate. He’s an exceptional choice for players who want to combine mobility with raw AP power in the jungle.

#9: Gragas

Gragas is an incredibly versatile AP jungler who brings a mix of crowd control, sustain, and burst damage to the table. His Barrel Roll (Q) offers excellent poke and wave-clearing potential, while Body Slam (E) provides a reliable gap closer and crowd control, making him a strong ganking champion. Gragas’s Drunken Rage (W) reduces incoming damage and amplifies his next basic attack, giving him unexpected dueling potential early on.

What makes Gragas particularly valuable in team fights is his Explosive Cask (R), which can displace enemies, isolate key targets, or disrupt the enemy team’s positioning. Whether you’re looking to make flashy plays or secure easy kills for your team, Gragas’s blend of utility and damage makes him an excellent AP jungler choice for ranked games.

#8: Shyvana

Shyvana is a powerhouse AP jungler with a strong focus on AoE damage and scaling. While traditionally built as a bruiser, her AP build allows her to dish out massive burst damage with her abilities. Her Flame Breath (E) becomes a devastating poke tool when built AP, melting through enemies with its bonus on-hit magic damage and area-of-effect burn.

Her ultimate, Dragon’s Descent (R), transforms her into a fearsome dragon, amplifying her abilities and giving her incredible presence in team fights. The AP build further enhances her Burnout (W) and Twin Bite (Q) for both consistent and burst damage. Shyvana excels at farming camps quickly, securing objectives like Dragons (fittingly), and scaling into a late-game monster. If your team needs a damage-dealing jungler who can dominate in chaotic team fights, Shyvana is a solid choice.

#7: Taliyah

Taliyah is a versatile AP jungler known for her incredible map mobility and high burst damage. Her ability to clear jungle camps quickly with Threaded Volley (Q) makes her an efficient farmer, while her Seismic Shove (W) and Unraveled Earth (E) provide excellent crowd control and burst during ganks. Taliyah’s skill set allows her to manipulate enemy positioning, making her especially effective at punishing missteps and catching out-of-position opponents.

Her ultimate, Weaver’s Wall (R), adds unparalleled utility, enabling her to quickly traverse the map to assist teammates or isolate enemies during objectives. Taliyah shines in compositions that rely on zone control or high mobility, and her AP scaling ensures she can deal massive damage while maintaining utility. If you’re looking for a jungler who rewards precise positioning and strategic play, Taliyah is an excellent pick.

#6: Gwen

Gwen is a unique AP jungler who excels at both dueling and scaling into a late-game powerhouse. With her Snip Snip! (Q) and Skip ’n Slash (E), Gwen can clear jungle camps efficiently while dishing out significant damage to enemies in skirmishes. Her sustain from A Thousand Cuts (Passive) and Hallowed Mist (W) allows her to survive longer in fights and avoid critical threats by negating incoming attacks.

Gwen’s ultimate, Needlework (R), is devastating in team fights, dealing massive area-of-effect magic damage and shredding through enemy defenses. As a jungler, she thrives in comps that benefit from a mix of burst and sustained AP damage. Gwen is particularly effective against teams with low mobility or heavy melee presence, as her mist and mobility make her difficult to pin down. For players who enjoy high-risk, high-reward gameplay with strong late-game carry potential, Gwen is an excellent choice.

#5: Karthus

Karthus is a powerhouse AP jungler with one of the highest damage outputs in the game. His Lay Waste (Q) allows him to farm jungle camps efficiently, especially when dealing single-target damage, while his Defile (E) provides sustained AoE magic damage for clearing camps and fighting in close range. Karthus also offers strong objective control thanks to his consistent damage and scaling potential.

Where Karthus truly shines is in his global impact. His ultimate, Requiem (R), enables him to affect fights across the map without being present, often securing kills or turning fights in favor of his team. This makes him an excellent choice for comps that benefit from global pressure and heavy AP damage.

While Karthus is vulnerable to early aggression due to his lack of mobility and crowd control, his immense scaling and ability to influence fights globally make him a top-tier AP jungler when played strategically. He is ideal for players who prefer farming and scaling while contributing impactful damage in team fights.

#4: Diana

Diana is a versatile AP jungler who excels at both farming quickly and delivering devastating burst damage in team fights. Her Crescent Strike (Q) and Pale Cascade (W) allow her to clear jungle camps efficiently while maintaining good sustain. Her Moonsilver Blade (Passive) further enhances her clear speed, making her one of the fastest farming junglers in the game.

What sets Diana apart is her team fight presence. Her ultimate, Moonfall (R), can pull multiple enemies together, setting up massive AoE damage when combined with her abilities. This makes her an excellent pick for engaging team fights or punishing grouped-up enemies. Additionally, her mobility with Lunar Rush (E) allows her to dive onto key targets and quickly reposition in skirmishes.

Diana is especially effective in mid-to-late-game scenarios where her scaling AP damage and strong initiation can turn the tide of fights. While she may struggle against heavy crowd control or aggressive early-game junglers, her ability to farm and carry team fights makes her a solid choice for players who enjoy aggressive, high-damage AP junglers.

#3: Elise

Elise is a powerful AP jungler who thrives in the early game thanks to her versatile kit and high burst damage. Her ability to switch between Human Form and Spider Form gives her access to a wide range of abilities, allowing her to excel in ganking, dueling, and clearing jungle camps efficiently.

Elise’s Cocoon (E) in Human Form is her key ganking tool, providing long-range crowd control to catch enemies off guard. Combined with her Neurotoxin (Q) for percent-health damage, she can easily burst down squishy targets. Once an enemy is low, switching to Spider Form unlocks her Venomous Bite (Q) for an execute-like gap closer, as well as spiderlings that boost her DPS and tank jungle camps.

Elise’s early-game dominance makes her a nightmare for enemy laners and junglers alike. Her ability to dive turrets with Rappel (E) provides incredible flexibility in executing high-risk, high-reward plays. She’s especially effective in early skirmishes and snowballing leads for her team.

While her power falls off in the late game due to limited scaling, a skilled Elise player can use her early-game pressure to secure objectives and establish map control. If you’re looking for an AP jungler with aggressive playmaking potential, Elise is one of the best picks in League of Legends.

#2: Lillia

Lillia is a unique AP jungler who excels at dealing sustained magic damage, kiting enemies, and providing game-changing crowd control. Her kit revolves around her ability to hit-and-run while applying Dream Dust to enemies for constant damage over time.

Lillia’s Blooming Blows (Q) is her primary tool for clearing camps and dealing damage. Its AoE spin rewards players for hitting multiple targets and allows her to clear jungle camps efficiently. The bonus movement speed she gains from landing her abilities makes her an excellent kiter and hard to pin down during fights.

Her Swirlseed (E) offers incredible utility, allowing her to slow and poke enemies from a distance. The best part? It keeps rolling across the map until it hits something, making it a surprising tool for long-range engages or zoning. Combined with her Watch Out! Eep! (W) for burst damage, Lillia can deal significant damage in skirmishes and ganks.

What truly sets Lillia apart is her game-changing ultimate, Lilting Lullaby (R). After applying her passive to enemies, she can cast her ultimate to put them to sleep, creating massive opportunities for her team to follow up with devastating combos. This ability is particularly powerful in team fights and objective setups, making Lillia an incredible team player.

Lillia’s kit allows her to shine in games where mobility and crowd control are key. Although she requires precision and positioning to maximize her effectiveness, her ability to impact games with a mix of damage, utility, and speed makes her one of the best AP junglers to climb the ranks in League of Legends.

#1: Fiddlesticks

Fiddlesticks remains one of the most fearsome AP junglers in League of Legends, thanks to his incredible utility, map presence, and devastating team-fight potential. With his ability to control vision and create constant pressure on the map, Fiddlesticks is a nightmare for the enemy team.

His passive, A Harmless Scarecrow, lets him blend into the environment by mimicking wards, allowing for creative and unpredictable positioning. This passive makes him a master of deception, enabling surprise ganks and setting up devastating plays.

Fiddlesticks’ Terrify (Q) ensures that his enemies are always on edge. The fear mechanic can disrupt the enemy team’s flow, forcing them to misposition or miss abilities, while also making him a strong dueling threat against squishy opponents.

His primary jungle-clearing tools, Bountiful Harvest (W) and Reap (E), provide excellent sustain and wave clear. The drain effect of his W not only allows him to heal and stay healthy in the jungle but also deals significant area damage during fights. His E offers additional crowd control and poke, making him a versatile presence in skirmishes.

What truly cements Fiddlesticks as the best AP jungler is his ultimate, Crowstorm (R). With careful positioning, Fiddlesticks can blink into fights with his ultimate, unleashing an explosion of AoE magic damage that often secures team fights or objectives. The combination of damage and fear can instantly turn the tide of a game.

Fiddlesticks thrives in games where vision control and objective play are crucial. His ability to ambush, disrupt, and devastate makes him a dominant force in the jungle and one of the best picks for climbing in ranked games.

Conclusion

AP junglers bring a unique and powerful dynamic to League of Legends, offering exceptional scaling, burst damage, and utility that can carry teams to victory. With the current meta favoring diverse team compositions, these champions are invaluable for balancing team damage types while excelling in ganks, objective control, and late-game dominance. From the deceptive power of Fiddlesticks to the relentless aggression of Diana, each AP jungler on this list offers distinct advantages and playstyles to suit a variety of players. If you’re looking to climb the ranks or dominate your games, mastering one of these champions is a great place to start. So gear up, dive into the jungle, and let your favorite AP jungler lead you to victory!