Briar has been an undisputed queen of the jungle in LoL and it seems this won't change in the foreseeable future. While she remains a top pick among players throughout different ranks, many also opt to ban her.
Her global ultimate and aggressive playstyle has made her a formidable force. However, what pushes her forward and above all other junglers currently is Eclipse, but only if you rush the item on her. It comes as no surprise that many decide to ban her, and question when this reign will end. With no major changes to Briar in the 14.5 patch, the community is furiously asking, did Riot forget about Briar?
Briar's Eclipse build is "breaking" the meta in LoL 14.5
The undeniable synergy between Briar and Eclipse is at the heart of the matter within the community. The community grapples with the question: did Riot overlook the overwhelming power of this combination in LoL's recent patch?
Players discovered a surprising interaction between Eclipse and Black Cleaver. Eclipse's bonus damage and shield proc now activate in just one auto attack thanks to Black Cleaver's armour shred up to 25%. This unexpected synergy significantly boosts Briar's damage and survivability in fights and ganks.
Gank powerhouse
Briar's ultimate is a game-changing teleport and has always been a key tool for surprise ganks. The Eclipse build just adds another layer of power, giving her extra burst damage and sustain, making her ganks even stronger.
Briar's kit revolves around her frenzy (W), a powerful stun that fuels her aggression. With Eclipse in the mix, landing her stun becomes even more rewarding. Not only does it disable enemies, but it also triggers Eclipse's healing passive, keeping Briar in the fight longer. This potent combination of stunning, healing, and dealing amplified damage in a single auto has propelled Briar to the top of the jungle food chain, especially in lower ranks.
This has further led to a high win rate, especially in those lower ranks.
Is she too strong?
However, this dominance has raised concerns about Briar's potential imbalance. "Turbulent_Grand7208" argues that she feels "unkillable" in some situations, while others highlight that strong counters and proper itemization can shut her down. Regardless of the opinion, the discussion highlights the need for potential adjustments to maintain a balanced jungle.
Building the beast
Beyond the balance debate, the community is exploring optimal build paths for Briar. Two main approaches have emerged: bruiser and lethality. Players recommend building Titanic Hydra and Sundered Sky for a bruiser build in addition to Eclipse and Black Cleaver, focusing on staying alive and dealing sustained damage. Lethality builds prioritise burst damage with items like Youmuu's Ghostblade and Collector.
Taming the threat
While Briar may be strong, the community has identified ways to counter her. Early invades can disrupt her jungle routine and slow down her itemisation. Anti-heal items like Bramble Vest and Mortal Reminder can significantly reduce her sustain in fights.
On top of that, champions with strong crowd control (CC), movement speed boosts, or abilities that can cancel her frenzy (W) can also effectively neutralise her threat. Briar must be stopped, and if Riot is not doing its job nerfing her, the community can help you understand her weaknesses.
Skill still matters
While she does boast a high win rate in lower ranks, players like Milenyus suggest this might be due to a lack of awareness and counterplay knowledge. As players climb the ladder and face more strategic opponents, Briar's dominance seems to lessen, indicating that her true strength lies in a combination of champion mastery and understanding the current meta, as highlighted by "DrKersh."
Briar's rise is still a hot topic within the community and whether the adjustments are made or not, Briar's impact on the jungle is sure to be felt for some time to come.
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