Jinx vs Smolder
Skill matchup
Build vs Smolder
Build adapted to this matchup
Recommended items for Jinx: Hexoptics C44, Runaan's Hurricane, Infinity Edge, Berserker's Greaves, Lord Dominik's Regards, B. F. Sword, Yun Tal Wildarrows, Mortal Reminder.
Starting items
Core build
Standard
Summoner spells
Anti CC
Other options
Power Spikes
Strength by game phase
Smolder's abilities
Passive, spells and ultimate
Hitting champions with Abilities and killing enemies with Super Scorcher Breath grants a stack of Dragon Practice. Stacks increase the damage of Smolders basic Abilities.
Cooldowns
Cooldowns by spell rank
| Level | Q | W | E | R |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 5.5s | 14s | 24s | – |
| 6 | 4.5s | 14s | 24s | 2m |
| 9 | 3.5s | 13s | 24s | 2m |
| 11 | 3.5s | 12s | 24s | 1m50 |
| 16 | 3.5s | 10s | 20s | 1m40 |
| 18 | 3.5s | 10s | 16s | 1m40 |
Playing as Jinx
Tips to maximize your impact
- Poke with rockets, trade with minigun
Poke with Fishbones, the rocket launcher of Switcheroo! (Q), for its range and splash damage, then swap back to the minigun for long trades.
- Kite whoever charges you
Fire Zap! (W) to kite the bruiser running at you or catch an enemy who's fleeing: it slows and reveals the first enemy hit.
- Put your traps in their path
Throw Flame Chompers! (E) in the path of their engage or their escape: they root the champion who steps on them and last 5 seconds.
- Focus the lowest-health target
In teamfights, focus the lowest-health target first: each takedown triggers Get Excited! (passive), a big boost to attack speed and move speed.
- Save your rocket to finish
Fire Super Mega Death Rocket! (R) to finish a fleeing enemy rather than to start a fight: its damage grows with their missing health and over its first second of flight.
Playing against Smolder
How to counter and exploit weaknesses
- Trade early
Take your trades early: his basic spells only gain damage with the Dragon Practice (passive) stacks he builds over the game.
- Save your CC for his flight
If you have hard CC, save it for Flap, Flap, Flap (E): it's his only way to escape, and hard CC interrupts his flight.
- Don't stay grouped
Don't stay grouped with your allies against him: empowered, Super Scorcher Breath (Q) also damages around its target and behind it.
- Leave the center of the breath
Get out of the center of MMOOOMMMM! (R): that's where the breath hits hardest and slows.
Other Jinx matchups
Patch 16.21.1