Everything You Need to Know About Jayce in League of Legends

Jayce is one of the most important characters in the TV show Arcane, and ever since Riot Games announced that Arcane would be canon with the League of Legends lore going forward, he and his Hextech creations will shape Runeterra forever.

Whilst his lore is awesome, and there certainly is a lot of that in this article, we also cover all of his abilities in this article, giving you truly everything you need to know to master champion Jayce in League of Legends, whether you play him Top lane or Mid lane!

Jayce’s abilities in League of Legends

Passive: Hextech Capacitor
 

Jayce has two different forms, Hammer Stance and Cannon Stance. Both of these have different abilities for Jayce’s Q, W, and E.

When Jayce switches stance, he gains 40 bonus movement speed for 0.75 seconds, and also gains the ability to Ghost when he moves for the duration.

Q: To The Skies!
 

The Q ability when in Hammer Stance is To The Skies! Jayce Jumps to a target enemy, which does a small amount of AOE damage around the target, but also slows anyone hit by this AOE damage.

Jayce can also cast his Hammer Stance W during To The Skies!

Q: Shock Blast
 

For Cannon Stance, Jayce’s Q is a Shock Blast that he fires in the target direction, dealing a small amount of AOE damage.

The Shock Blast explodes when it lands or hits a target at the end of its travel distance. This can be extended and sped up with Jayce’s Cannon Stance E, Acceleration Gate. This combination will also increase the damage that Shock Blast does to targets it hits.

W: Lightning Field
 

For Jayce’s W in Hammer Stance, Jayce has Lightning Field. This has a passive which restores mana to Jayce every time he auto attacks an enemy in Hammer Stance. This is great for sustain in lane, but as he can only do so when in melee form, it is a risk against ranged opponents. This is up to 20 per auto attack at level 5.

It also spawns a field of lightning around Jayce, dealing a small amount of magic damage to every target hit for 4 seconds.

W: Hyper Charge
 

Jayce gains a burst of attack speed for the next three auto attacks, dealing bonus damage. This is great for poking down enemies before changing into Hammer Stance and diving on them with your Q.

It is also very good at destroying towers, as Jayce gains a significant attack speed boost, and with the extra damage, he demolishes towers.

E: Thundering Blow
 

Jayce’s E in Hammer Stance is Thundering Blow. It allows him to knock back a target enemy, dealing a significant amount of damage to them.

This deals up to 22% of the targets maximum HP at rank 5, as well as 100% of Jayces bonus AD, meaning a hefty chunk of damage is dealt on whatever target Jayce smacks!

E: Acceleration Gate
 

This is best used in conjunction with Jayce’s Q, Shock Blast, but it allows Jayce to place a beam of light, which speeds up any ally that moves through it, but also increasing the speed, range and damage of Jayce’s Shock Blast when he fires it through the Acceleration Gate.

R: Mercury Cannon/Mercury Hammer
 

Jayce does not have a traditional ultimate ability like most other champions, but instead, he uses his ultimate to transform between his Hammer Stance and Cannon Stance. This then activates the bonus movement speed and ghosting from his passive.

The uniqueness of this ability means that Jayce will start with his ultimate at the beginning of the game, but it also means he cannot upgrade it. Instead, his Q,W, and E abilities all can be ranked up six times instead of the standard five times.

When was Jayce released in League of Legends?

Jayce was released in Patch 1.0.0.142, which was on July 7, 2012. Jayce was also the 100th champion to be added to League of Legends.

Considering this was over 10 years ago, and we have only had around 60 additional champions since then gives a good indicator at how much Riot Games have slowed down on adding new champions into League of Legends over recent years.

Where is Jayce from in League of Legends?
 

If you have seen Arcane then you will know that Jayce is from Piltover, and the Defender of Tomorrow is born and bred there.

In Arcane, we get to see his journey rising up through the ranks of the nobles in Piltover, and if you want to find out more about this, we highly recommend going and watching Arcane.

Jayce’s Age in League of Legends
 

Jayce was born between 963 AN and 966 AN, which places him between 31 years old and 34 years old. This is shown in Arcane, as we get to see his maturity grow in the latter episodes of the series.

Jayce’s Voice Actor in League of Legends
 

In the League of Legends and Legends of Runeterra games, Jayce is voiced by Trevor Devall, but in Arcane, Jayce is voiced by Kevin Alejandro, and the younger Jayce is voiced by Faustino Duran.

How to play Jayce in mid lane

In mid lane, Jayce plays best when he takes control early. His long-range abilities let him harass his opponent and push waves quickly. You should focus on farming safely while poking your opponent when they go for minions. Try to build a lead by pushing waves and roaming to side lanes. According to TWOGRAND, whose mid lane Jayce guide was appreciated by over 100 players, here is how you should be playing the champion:

Best starting items

• Doran’s Blade
• Health Potion
• Stealth Ward

First recalls

• Caulfield’s Warhammer
• Tear of the Goddess
• Eclipse

Core build

• Eclipse
• Muramana
• Edge of Night or Opportunity
• Serylda’s Grudge
• Ionian Boots of Lucidity

Rune page

• Primary: Precision → Conqueror, Presence of Mind, Legend: Alacrity, Cut Down
• Secondary: Domination → Sudden Impact, Relentless Hunter
• Bonus: +9 Adaptive Force, +9 Adaptive Force, +65 Health

Use Flash and Teleport as summoner spells. Flash helps you escape or secure kills, and Teleport lets you return to lane quickly or help other lanes.
In early game, poke your opponent using Shock Blast (Q) through Acceleration Gate (E). Save your mana and stay safe unless you see a clear chance to kill. During mid game, push the wave and help your team by roaming. In late game, stay with your team and poke before fights. Jayce falls off in long team fights, so always look for safe damage and then reposition.

How to play Jayce in top lane

Jayce can dominate melee top laners and is considered a top laner more than a mid laner. You will probably see him picked in top lane, more than mid. His ranged poke makes it hard for most champions to walk up and farm. Try to zone them out early and build a lead before they reach level 6.

Early game plan

Start safe, then poke with Q + E. Play aggressive once you get levels. You don’t have an ultimate like other top laners, so stay cautious after level 6. Use your range and combo tools to win trades.

Mid game strategy

Split push and farm. Avoid team fights unless your team needs you. Look for turret damage when enemies show on the other side of the map.

Late game role

Stick with your team. Use poke to lower enemy health before fights. If you’re ahead, look for picks. If you’re behind, stay with the carries and help them stay safe.

Jayce strengths

• Strong poke
• High lane pressure
• Good utility with Acceleration Gate
• Can burst down squishy targets

Jayce weaknesses

• High mana usage
• No real ultimate power spike
• Weak when behind
• Hard to master

Jayce spikes early when he completes his first items. He doesn't get much from levels 11 or 16 because his ultimate doesn’t offer extra stats. Instead, his power depends on items like Eclipse and Muramana. Use vision and map awareness to land poke from safe spots.

Is Jayce a good top laner?

Jayce is a strong top laner in the early and mid game. He performs well against melee champions because of his range advantage and burst trades. If he gets ahead, he can take over games by poking enemies before fights start. However, he needs smart decisions and careful mana use. He does not scale well into late game compared to most top laners. Jayce is a good pick in solo queue, but only if you can keep a lead and avoid risky plays later on.

Who counters Jayce in Top Lane?

Jayce struggles against champions who have strong all-ins, sustain, or crowd control. These champions can survive his poke and punish him when he is out of position or low on mana. Here are five of the best Jayce counters:

Malphite

Malphite is one of the strongest tanks against Jayce. He builds armor early and uses his passive shield to block poke. His Ground Slam (E) reduces Jayce’s attack speed, and his ultimate lets him engage easily. Malphite survives the early lane and becomes a strong frontline in team fights.

Fiora

Fiora beats Jayce in 1v1 fights once she hits level 6. Her Riposte (W) can block Jayce’s knockback and stun him instead. She also heals with each vital hit, making it hard for Jayce to win extended trades. Fiora can chase Jayce down and scale into a split-push threat that is hard to stop.

Camille

Camille can dodge Jayce’s skillshots with her Hookshot (E) and punish him when he overextends. Her passive shield blocks part of his damage, and her ultimate traps Jayce in place. She outscales Jayce and becomes a strong duelist in side lanes.

Irelia

Irelia can outplay Jayce with her mobility and healing. Once she gets a few levels and items, she can dash through minions to close the gap quickly. Her passive gives bonus attack speed, and her Q resets help her stick to Jayce even after he uses his knockback. If she dodges Jayce’s poke or survives the early lane, she can take over the matchup in mid game.

Quinn

Quinn beats Jayce with better range and mobility. Her Vault (E) interrupts Jayce’s melee combos, and her passive gives strong burst. She roams fast with her ultimate and puts pressure across the map. Jayce struggles to stop her once she gets ahead.

Who is Jayce's lover?

Jayce is linked with Mel Medarda in the Arcane series. Their connection begins through work. Mel supports Jayce’s research on hextech. Over time, their professional bond turns into a romantic one. They share key scenes where their feelings grow stronger. This relationship does not appear in the main League of Legends lore. It exists only in the Arcane show. Fans of the series see Mel as a major influence on Jayce’s choices and leadership style.

Is Jayce a villain or a hero?

Jayce is not a perfect hero, but he is not a villain. He wants to protect Piltover and improve its future through hextech. He makes mistakes along the way. Sometimes, he lets pride guide him. But in the end, he tries to do what feels right. In Arcane, he works to stop violence and brings peace to the city, even when it means giving up power.