How to win the jungle race as Nocturne against Xin Zhao · Matchup data reviewed on patch 26.15
Read from Nocturne's seat: the race windows this plan plays for against Xin Zhao.
| Stage | Read | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1 Clear | Respect Xin Zhao | The W challenge into Three Talon Strike knock-up chains you down before you can answer — Nocturne has no answer to that at level 1. Three Talon Strike's knock-up plus passive healing wins the first buff-pit duel on their half of the map too, so skip the level-1 crossing and answer the pressure cross-map. |
| Level 2 Skirmish | Danger — Avoid Xin Zhao | Xin Zhao out-classes you on the second camp — Wind Becomes Lightning (W) challenge poke starts trades they finish for free, and the W challenge into Three Talon Strike knock-up chains you down before you can answer. Refuse the level-2 skirmish, full-clear away from them, and trade map pressure instead of health. |
| Level 3 Route | Respect Xin Zhao | The window at the opening scuttle belongs to Xin Zhao: the full knock-up combo with W slow is among the top three level-3 duels. Your own line is real — the fear-tether threat tilts every river skirmish in your favor — but it arrives second here. Respect the river bushes and disengage before the third Q hit lands, then give up the level-3 river fight. |
| Levels 4-5 Macro | Respect Xin Zhao — Path Opposite | Do not trade windows with Xin Zhao here: he dives lanes through 4-5, since Audacious Charge into the knock-up needs no setup at all. Path opposite, keep your entrances warded, and answer the map, not the champion. |
| Level 6 Breakpoint | Respect Xin's R | Crescent Guard makes the 1v1 literal, which is the whole problem: Crescent Guard isolates you from your team and wins the resulting 1v1. Fight him with numbers before the R cast or poke the duel down from range, and spend Paranoia to equalize rather than to open. |
| First Item Spike | Eclipse / Hexplate Spike | Completing your core item triggers a massive physical damage and burst multiplier that completely overpowers traditional brawlers or assassin targets. Xin Zhao's first item is a sharp jump — the knock-up combo goes from a strong trade to a kill on most junglers. |
| 2+ Items Scaling | Nocturne Favoured — Wins Late | From two items you out-scale Xin Zhao. He isolates one target with Crescent Guard and wins the 1v1 he just created, but none of that beats your full build in a straight fight. |
Start your clear at the Red Buff camp to maximize early health retention via passive lifesteal loops before executing a fast full clear straight into an aggressive scuttle crab contest. Xin Zhao clears fast and heals off Determination, so he reaches three healthy and looking for the first fight.
Ranked by the race windows in Nocturne's plans — the jungle race carries no win-rate sample.
The full Nocturne vs Xin Zhao report continues with scuttle & dragon rules, invade windows and safety boundaries, the top-side objective fight, macro rotations and the win condition — plus the live enemy-jungle tracker that shows their start, clear and gank timers in game.
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Xin Zhao pressures 5 of the 7 windows in this race — survive the early game and scale into your windows.
Not exactly — Xin Zhao pressures 5 of the 7 windows, so Nocturne is playing catch-up and has to lean on the map.
Playing the other side? Xin Zhao vs Nocturne guide →
All Nocturne jungle matchups →
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