I've been trying to master Riven, especially jungling, because she isn't as "omg faceroll champ so ezz" as she seems to have got the reputation on the forums for being. It's taken me a lot longer to learn to be good with her over other jungles/tops (rammus, volibear, shen where comparatively much easier for me to "master"). I've probably got about 80 games as her, not too much, but I finally seem to be doing consistently good with her as jungler.

That said, her level 3-10 seem to rock, and if I start snowballing after a few successful ganks and securing dragons, I seem to become unstoppable. But then, 35 minutes hits.

My general build is... rearrange the order situationally... If im vs a heavy AP team, straight merc treads and hexdrinker, if Im 5/0 straight GA since i'll now be getting focused hard and 9/10 times I can get away after it pops because of rivens mobility.

>Cloth/ 5red sodas
>Boots/Long Sword/ more red sodas / ward
>finish boots, (ninja or merc, though i've thought about CDR boots like renekton, but usually opt for tankiness/CC reduction) or if things are going really well grab a BF sword and more red sodas / ward
>Wriggles (got lifesteal now, no more red sodas)
>Phage
>BF sword into BT
>GA
>Frozen Mallet
>Hexdrinker/Maw
>Game goes on long enough exchange wriggles for mogs/thornmail/another BT

I've been told wriggles is stupid for riven, but it really helps me solo dragons for the team early. Also been told BT is silly to get so early or at all, but getting all that AD that scales for my shield and making ganks a lot burst-ier really helps. Riven doesn't AA much besides using her passive, so it doesn't make much sense to get any items with "crit chance" like IE for damage. BT offers more straight up scalable damage for cheaper anyways.

General jungle route starts Wraiths > Red > Golems > Wraiths (level 3 gank someone) > wolves > give mid blue > wraiths >golems > (gank or counter jungle then back)

Seems to work great, don't need a leash at all, so i'm not really concerned with my route, but i'm being thorough, cause I want to know why I suck so bad end game as Riven.

Now. Generally this has worked out good for me. I have a good early game, strong level 3-8 ganks, and fantastic mid game doing great damage and taking very little especially if I am maxing her E.

Then right around level 16+ and 35 minutes in the game, the AD carry catches up, and starts dominating me 1v1 if she has CC (not ezreal/graves, but like, varus w/ ult, ashe ult, especially vaynes condemn) so my presence in teamfights isn't like it used to be. Even with Maw/GA/Frozen Mallet, I seem to be paper in between my cooldowns for E.

I am confused what end game my role is.

Should I be seeking out their AD carry to drop my Q's and W's on?
Or should I be keeping their team off our AD/AP carry?
Should I build tankier for end game on riven?
Exchange my bloodthirster for a warmogs/thornmail or something?
Do I play her like an assassin, going straight in to burst their high priority targets and get out?



TLDR: I'm bad at riven and trying to figure out how to use her end game. There is 0 QQ about her balance and it's an honest baddie seeking advice on how to use a champ better.

bump

bump cause I really don't know what to do in teamfights end game.

I feel like Riven drops off a big amount by 40 minutes in after having a badass early game, kind of like Leblanc, but not as bad.

I normally go BT as one of my first items. Boots 3/Cloth 5 then go double dorans then rush BT. If im versueing an ap il get a hexdrinker and build form there (If I am snowballing i might get a brutalizer).

When I play riven i try to get their ad/ap carries. I normally never get a thornmail. If i do go for armour I will normally get a randiums so I can activate it on their ad carry. As a bruiser you should be trying to interrupt their ap/ap carry.

Im not the greatest riven but so feel free to prove me wrong if you want.

Edit: **** just saw this was a jungling thing lol.

Riven isn't the greatest jungler but MUCH better top lane.

Edit2: The reason they are beating you 1v1 is that you don't get as much farm in the jungle as you do in lane, this leads to them catching up to you and beating you.

Guess i just need to practice more. I do use her top, just prefer jungle Riven for her strong early ganks that can maybe make my team snowball ahead. Even more since rammus (my main jungler) took all the jungle nerfs, and has such poor MR now.

Maybe Riven is one of those junglers that have a terrible time transitioning to lategame. Someone like Lee who absolutely WRECKS everyones face in if played correctly but once that 35+ minute mark hits he's pretty meh and only used for his cripple and ult. Riven is probably in the same boat because she has such high mobility ganks with her gap closers and ****, just has a terrible time transitioning to lategame.

I do great with Riven.

Just remember, you aren't lee sin. You don't build one or two items for damage and then go tanky. You scale AMAZING from AD, get it.

An Endgame 6 item build I like to use is Merc Treads, BT x2, LW, Guardian Angel, and FM. This leaves me extremely tanky due to my big shield (with armor and magic resist runes too of course). I also dish out a bunch of damage in teamfights and am great for disrupting carries.

The reason I tell you that build is not for you to copy it straight up, but what I'm saying is you NEED to get that AD and get it fast. Don't forget that Riven's shield scales with AD too! Find what works for you man.

Whoever told you getting BT is bad didn't know what they were talking about. Getting a BT as early as possible makes you a monster mid game. In fact if I'm fed I don't rush a GA I rush that BT. But as for the Wriggles being bad..It really isn't that great of an item on Riven to be honest. Just for the fact that more AD will help you and it doesn't offer much AD. What I like to do in the jungle with Riven (Whether or not this will work for you I'm not sure) is start cloth armor and 5 pots and build a couple dorans blades. This will give you that early damage and sustain without being as pricey. Later you turn your cloth armor into a GA.

As for your role endgame, you have a knockup and a stun, use them to disrupt carries as you see fit. Now whether or not you're defending your carries, attacking the front line, or going for their carries will depend on your team comp. Make sure you know your role in teamfights before you get into them though.


Oh by the way it is VERY IMPORTANT to use your ult BEFORE you jump in a teamfight. You get so much damage from it and it even helps your shield.