Combo Review #21: Jhin + Xerath Long Range Strikes

Jhin is dominating the rift as one of the most popular marksmen since Lucian. Most of Season 6 and the early part of Season 7 continues his legacy, and as a result, players naturally look for complimentary champions to amplify his already powerful kit.

Naturally, powerful engage champions like Ahri and Lux benefit greatly from his ability to engage from long-range, and can easily chain their crowd-control spells together with his insanely long-range snare.

Meanwhile, one champion that crops up once in a while but really doesn't get enough credit is Xerath. Combining the barrage from Xerath's ultimate with the pinpoint accuracy of Jhin's sniper rifle, enemies quickly fall prey to the damage from a safe range.

Introduction

Jhin is dominating the rift as one of the most popular marksmen since Lucian. Most of Season 6 and the early part of Season 7 continues his legacy, and as a result, players naturally look for complimentary champions to amplify his already powerful kit.

Naturally, powerful engage champions like Ahri and Lux benefit greatly from his ability to engage from long-range, and can easily chain their crowd-control spells together with his insanely long-range snare.

Meanwhile, one champion that crops up once in a while but really doesn't get enough credit is Xerath. Combining the barrage from Xerath's ultimate with the pinpoint accuracy of Jhin's sniper rifle, enemies quickly fall prey to the damage from a safe range.

Additional Champions

Two trains of thought lead this champion pool in two different directions.

1. Complementary Champions - These Champions Fill the Gaps

• Jungle - Rammus
• Support - Leona
• Top - Sion

By putting this team together, your team gains powerful long range initiation spells and a much needed front line to prevent the enemy team from pushing through.

2. Supplementary Champions - These Champions Enhance the Strategy

• Jungle - Nidalee
• Support - Vel'Koz
• Top - Jayce

This transforms into a full poke team, and pin-points all your lasers in one direction. It works well against enemy teams that charge straight forward, but leaves you vulnerable to a good flank.

How to Counter

Countering this team largely depends on their play-style, and how far ahead each champion is.

The main strategy is of course, to somehow get to Jhin and Xerath before your team gets nuked from long-range. To accomplish this strategy, one of four methods is generally preferable:

1. Flanking

By hitting them from multiple directions, you can potentially cancel Jhin and Xerath's ultimates as soon as they start them and before their peel can get into position.

2. Long Range Diving

Champions like Nocturne and Pantheon excel in long range initiation and counter-initiation. Nocturne in particular has the added benefit of making sure neither long-range carries can see your team well enough to throw their shots.

3. Split-Push

If their team does not have good chasers, split-pushing is often much better than playing against the ARAM dream team with your melee champions.

4. Long Range Defensive Spells
Champions like Nami and Bard have the ability to ult from long-range and knock out the snipers. Even if Jhin and Xerath are standing far away from each other, you can still halve the damage output by stopping one of them.

Conclusions

If an enemy team is not well-prepared to deal with the Xerath + Jhin combination, it can be absolutely devestating, especially if they are comprised primarily of assassins and do not get far ahead early in the game.

Avoid grouping too early to prevent getting chipped down by poke, and the game is still winnable. Despite that, this combo is extremely annoying.

What do you think about this combo? Have you played with/against it recently? Comment below!

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