Why Your Solo Queue Team Gets Wrecked on Every Jungle Invade
Jungle invades are supposed to snowball early advantage—deny camps, burn Flashes, and tilt the enemy jungler. But in Iron, Bronze, Silver, and Gold, most teams just throw themselves into invade fights, die for nothing, or leave the map wide open for enemy counterplay. If you’re tired of losing tempo and turning invades into coin flip disasters, here’s the real macro and micro logic behind winning early jungle invades.
Why Low Elo Teams Throw Invades
Common mistakes:
– Invading blind with zero vision, getting five-man collapsed or flanked
– Invading when lanes don’t have prio—enemy rotates first and wipes your squad
– Not syncing the invade—teammates walk in staggered and get picked off one by one
– Overvaluing one camp/blue buff, sticking around too long after enemy pings are flying
– Burning sums (Flash, Ignite) for zero and giving shutdowns instead of pressure
Invades aren’t about brute force—they’re about vision, tempo, and timing.
H2: Jungle Invade Strategy Guide for League of Legends
H3: Step-by-Step Jungle Invade Execution
1. **Get Lane Priority First**
– If you want to invade, tell your laners to push waves before the invade—otherwise enemy has first move.
– If top/mid/bot ignore you and enemy has lane prio, abort the invade or prep defensively.
2. **Drop Vision Before Entering**
– Ward enemy jungle entrance, river, and their buff so you see rotations.
– Use Sweeper if possible to clear enemy vision and avoid getting spotted and collapsed.
3. **Move As a Squad**
– Ping “group for invade” and walk in together. Don’t trickle in—first one caught is doomed.
– Wait for your laners to arrive, then invade as 3-5 depending on role.
4. **Track Enemy Jungle Path**
– If you know where enemy jungler started, target their opposite side for contest or invade.
– Watch their bot/top movement—invade only if they’re not in the immediate area.
5. **React Quickly—Take Quick Wins**
– If enemy jungler is not there, take buff/camp and leave. Never stick around chasing for kills or gank; get vision, reset tempo, and play for next move.
– If spotted, back off and reset—don’t feed kills or burns for free.
6. **Pivot After Invade**
– If you win invade (steal camp, force early sums), pressure lanes for prio and set vision deeper.
– If invade fails, reset and play for scuttle, lane push, or defensive vision. Don’t tilt or chase lost fights.
H3: Common Invade Mistakes
– Invading solo or as duo, getting collapsed by 4-5 man enemy squad
– Ignoring lane prio—enemy moves first, your team stuck in jungle with no backup
– Burning all summoners for one camp, then dying as enemy rotates
– Staying too long after invade, giving enemy easy counter gank or pressure
– Not dropping vision—getting facechecked, flanked, and wiped
H3: Real In-Game Examples
Example 1: Jungle pings mid/top/bot for push, team walks in with vision, secures enemy red buff and wards for early pathing. Quick steal, reset, no deaths—enemy jungler is set behind.
Example 2: Bot tries to invade alone with zero vision, enemy mid/top collapse, two deaths, tempo lost and enemy jungler gets free path.
Example 3: Invade is successful, but team stays too long attempting dive. Enemy rotates, wipes invaders, and swings game back for free.
H3: Champions Who Excel at Invades
– Early fighting: Lee Sin, Jarvan IV, Elise, Xin Zhao, Graves
– Lane backup: Karma, Thresh, Nautilus, Leona (fast rotate/help)
H3: Why Winning Invades Matters
– Sets enemy jungler behind, opens up map for scuttle/dragon/Herald
– Burn enemy sums, making repeat ganks and contests much easier
– Secures early vision and tempo, giving your team objective control
– Avoids coin flip deaths that instantly give enemy power and throw your lead
Quick Recap
– Invades are won with vision, lane prio, and synced movement—not solo hero plays
– Take quick wins, leave before enemy collapses, and always drop wards before contest
– Use invade advantage to control river, scuttle, and objectives
Do This
– Ping for lane prio, drop wards, and invade as a team
– Take quick camp steals and leave—never overstay for kills
– Pivot after invade for vision/control, not just brute force plays
Stop Doing This
– Invading blind, solo, or with zero lane pressure
– Chasing kills or staying too long after invade
– Burning sums for one camp, then dying as enemy rotates
Focus On This Next Game
– Ask for lane push, drop vision, and sync team before invading
– Take quick wins, reset tempo, and use the advantage for river/objective pressure
– Avoid tilt chases or greedy overstays—invade is about map control and tempo
Smart invades turn early games into leads, not throws. Get your setup right and you’ll start tilting enemy jungle without tilting your own team.