Early game jungle XP changed so laners can catch up

In Patch 7.1, Riot is attempting to address some of the early game strength of the jungle role. While Riot wanted junglers to be able to focus more on ganking without giving up much in the way of gold and experience from their jungle camps, it seems they went a little too far in that direction and are now bringing it back down.

This means substantial nerfs to experience rewards for jungle camps in order to prevent junglers jumping out to huge advantages over laners.

Monster experience rewards

FIRST CLEAR :: Murkwolf, Raptor, Krug, and Gromp camps grant 25% less experience on first clear (stacks additively with Ancient Krug’s 50% reduced experience on first clear)

BLUE SENTINEL :: 210 >>> 200

RED BRAMBLEBACK :: 210 >>> 200

GROMP :: 210 >>> 200

KRUGS :: 45 >>> 35

LESSER KRUGS :: 15 >>> 7

CRIMSON RAPTOR :: 15 >>> 20

RAPTORS :: 15 >>> 35

While these changes are significant, not much should change for junglers in terms of early game pathing as three camps will still grant them level 3. However, laners will be happy to know that level 4 will now take a jungler six camps rather than the five it took before. Riot is hoping this will also bring down the huge advantages junglers had in the gold department, bringing their overall impact more in line with what should be expected for early game champions.

Despite these changes it is still clear that Riot intends junglers to be most impactful early game, and these shouldn’t hurt that goal much. These should probably be seen less as nerfs to junglers and more as a way of bringing them in line with other roles in the early game. This should help ensure that early games are not won and lost exclusively at the mercy of the jungler.