I've run into Jax in several games, and he's not too difficult (for my team) to keep tabs on. I noticed he was constantly banned, so I decided to give him a shot. I.. did.. terrible. Just curious if someone could break down his strengths and tell me what I'm doing wrong with this guy.

I usually play tanky Warwick or Rammus with an above average success rate. I item Jax out with a mixture of ad / ap, and time my stun w/ the leap for added benefit. I'm just not seeing why he's so feared compared to a Darius, Lee Sin, or Singed.

As a diehard Jax player and someone who considers him my main, It took me FOREVER to get as skilled with him as I am and I still can get shut out and shut down pretty hard.

Timing his W to get more hits in, knowing when to use his E for the dodge or just activate it right before a leap for the stun, and knowing whether to level leap first instead of W to keep up with a squirrelly laning opponent are all the tricks of the trade.

Jax can be an offtank without itemizing for it pretty well, especially when you can activate his ultimate for the gigantic bonuses to armor and MR.

Unfortunately, CC, kiting, and well-timed burst damage can shut out even the best of Jax players. You have to find ways to keep your enemy from escaping so you can get in those consecutive hits, keep you passive stacking, and land those third-hit ultimates.

On Twisted Treeline, rush Merc Treads and a Blade of the Ruined King ALWAYS. The lifesteal on the Blade's active is invaluable and super strong, and the merc treads will get you back to stacking passive faster. Generally level Q first or Q and W about the same unless you're not dealing with particularly high-mobility champs.

After Merc Treads and Blade, get a Trinity Force, Gunblade, and some tank items like a GA or Thornmail and Force of Nature. You'll be super fast, super tanky, and super high damage.

Edit: Oh, and that's why Jax is always banned. Ultra-bruiser best 1v1 champ.

Thanks very much for the info. I think I failed in the item department because I focused more on damage. It was just weird seeing him banned so much because a bad / decent Jax can easily be shut down. I just need to get better with him I suppose. One of our teammates had to drop Mundo because of how easily he is shut down by a single item, and Jax seemed like a good replacement for that role.

Jax is a beast bruiser dueler. Aoe stun, insane single target damage, high mobility, super tanky. Gg

I have only played blind mode games.
Thus...
I hate when there is a Jax on the enemy team and we have no hard CC. Quite a number of times on Crystal Scar I have seen him 1v2-3 champs under a tower.

Edit:
I main Leona so when I see a Jax I am not too worried, but as pretty much any other champ I am pretty wary of him.

Me and my friends have won every single game we had Jax on our team. The only game we've lost on the new TT is when the enemy team had him...

TL;DR just posting in response to title. Jax banned because darius has an axe. jax has 2 axes in his "lamppost".

double the dunk. double the micheal jordan.

Jax is the strongest carry in the game, hands down. He's a 1 man army, given he has an AoE stun, an auto-attacks booster/reseter, an armor/magic resist steroid, and a gap closer that works offensively or defensively. His Counter-strike completely nullifies any auto-attack based champion, such as Tryndamere/Fiora/all ranged ADs. As another godlike perk, he does an equal amount of split Physical and Magical damage, making him impossible to itemize against. Jax is, quite simply, the man. The only other champion would dare go toe-to-toe with him is Darius, because you know, Darius is in Darius tier.

He's banned because he is a monster come late game. Arguably the best 1v1 champ in the game past a certain point. He has a rough early game pre 6 but once you get the passive from your ultimate and some attack speed he just grows into a beast. Kinda like how Vayne becomes s terror late game.