ARAM Build Guide
Jhin ARAM Build — The Fourth Shot Hits Different on the Bridge
Jhin is one of the most consistent ARAM carries in the game. Constant teamfighting means constant 4th shots, and the narrow lane makes his W root almost impossible to dodge. Here's how to build him for maximum damage on the Howling Abyss.
Jhin in ARAM is a different animal than Jhin in Summoner's Rift. You're not laning, you're not farming — you're teamfighting from minute one. And that's exactly where Jhin thrives. His 4th shot execute, long-range W snare, and Curtain Call ult are all designed for the kind of chaotic 5v5s that ARAM throws at you nonstop.
His win rate in ARAM consistently sits above 52%, and it's not hard to see why. The bridge is narrow enough that his W can catch people who think they're safe behind their team. His traps zone entire chokepoints. And his ult can finish off anyone who tries to back off from a fight.
Best Jhin ARAM Runes
Primary: Domination
Dark Harvest — This is non-negotiable. ARAM is a constant teamfight, so you're stacking Dark Harvest faster than any other mode. By 15 minutes you'll have 15-20 stacks easily. Every 4th shot with Dark Harvest proc is a death sentence for squishies.
Taste of Blood — Sustain matters in ARAM since you can't back freely. The healing from poke adds up over time.
Eyeball Collection — Free AD from takedowns. You'll max this out fast in ARAM.
Treasure Hunter — Extra gold on unique kills. ARAM games are shorter, so the early gold spike from Treasure Hunter outweighs Ultimate Hunter here.
Secondary: Precision
Presence of Mind — Jhin is mana-hungry, especially when you're spamming W and Q in constant fights. This keeps you casting.
Coup de Grace — Synergizes perfectly with your 4th shot execute damage. Low HP targets just evaporate.
Why not Fleet Footwork? Fleet is Jhin's go-to in ranked, but ARAM doesn't need the lane sustain or movement speed for kiting in a 1v1. Dark Harvest scales harder in the constant teamfight environment and gives you actual kill pressure on targets you'd otherwise leave at 100 HP.
Best Jhin ARAM Items
Core Build (in order)
The Collector — Rush this. The execute passive stacks with your 4th shot and Dark Harvest for disgusting burst. Lethality is strong early when nobody has armor yet.
Boots of Swiftness — Jhin converts attack speed to AD and movement speed. Swifties give you the mobility to reposition in teamfights and dodge skillshots on the narrow bridge.
Infinity Edge — Your 4th shot always crits. IE makes that crit hit 40% harder. This is your biggest power spike.
Rapid Firecannon — Extended range on your auto attacks. In ARAM, the extra range lets you poke safely and land 4th shots from outside retaliation range.
Situational 5th & 6th Items
Lord Dominik's Regards — If they have 2+ tanks or bruisers stacking armor. You'll need this most games.
Mortal Reminder — If they have heavy healing (Soraka, Yuumi, Aatrox). The Grievous Wounds applies on your W and ult too.
Bloodthirster — If you're the primary carry and need to survive longer. The shield helps you live through poke.
Guardian Angel — If you keep getting dove by assassins. Dying once and coming back is often enough to win the fight.
Don't build attack speed items like Phantom Dancer or Kraken Slayer. Jhin's passive converts bonus attack speed into AD and movement speed. Items that give raw AD, crit, and lethality are always better on him than attack speed items. The only attack speed item worth buying is Rapid Firecannon for the range.
Ability Order
Max Q first (Dancing Grenade), then W (Deadly Flourish), then E (Captive Audience). Take R at 6, 11, 16.
Q is your primary damage and waveclear. In ARAM, the bouncing grenade hits multiple champions grouped in the narrow lane. If the first target dies, the next bounce does increased damage — so Q a low-HP minion near champions for maximum pain.
W max second gives you a longer root duration and lower cooldown. In ARAM's tight space, a well-placed W root on a marked target can win entire fights.
E is one point wonder. Drop traps in the bushes and at chokepoints. They provide vision and slow, which is surprisingly valuable in ARAM where face-checking is constant.
ARAM-Specific Tips
Your ult is a zoning tool, not just a finisher. Most Jhin players save Curtain Call for kills. In ARAM, use it to zone the enemy team off the tower during a push, or to force them into a bad position. Even if you don't kill anyone, making 3 people dodge sideways into your team's abilities is worth it.
Place traps behind you, not in front. In ARAM, the enemy is always pushing forward. Put traps behind your current position so when they engage on you, they walk through traps on the way. This slows their dive and gives your team time to react.
Snowball interaction: If an enemy hits you with Mark (snowball), place a trap directly on yourself. When they dash to you, they land on the trap immediately. Free slow + damage + your team collapses.
4th shot timing in fights: Don't waste your 4th shot on a full-HP tank. Use your first 3 shots on whatever's in range, then reposition to land the 4th shot on a squishy or low-HP target. The execute damage on 4th shot + Dark Harvest + Coup de Grace can one-shot carries from 40% HP.
W through minions: Jhin's W passes through minions and only stops on the first champion hit. In ARAM, the wave is always between you and the enemy. Use this to your advantage — your W is basically a free root that the enemy can't hide behind minions to avoid.
When Jhin is Strong vs Weak in ARAM
Jhin dominates against squishy, immobile comps. If the enemy team is 3+ mages or ADCs with no gap closers, you're going to have a great game. Your range, burst, and ult keep them permanently zoned.
He struggles against hard-engage tank comps. If they have Malphite, Leona, and Amumu, you're going to get dove repeatedly. Build Guardian Angel earlier in these games and play further back than you think you need to.
He's also weaker against heavy sustain comps (Soraka + Sona + enchanters). Your poke gets healed up before you can follow up. Rush Mortal Reminder second item in these games instead of IE.
FAQ
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Looking for more ARAM builds? Check out our Lux ARAM build, Ezreal ARAM build, or Miss Fortune ARAM build.
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Check out our full Jhin champion guide for ranked builds and strategies.
