Patch 2.1.88 changed the jungle math: Basic Retribution jumped from 520 + 80 per hero level to 750 + 150 per hero level. That single number is why the strongest META jungler heroes Season 41 list favors tempo, objective control, and heroes that do not collapse when the first invade fails.
The ranking below uses Patch 2.1.88 changes, MLBBHub Season 41 role tiers, and current Mythic oriented meta pressure. This is not a comfort pick list. Comfort is what players say after losing Turtle at 2:05.
#Strongest META jungler heroes Season 41 ranking
10 heroes make the Season 41 jungle cut, but the top three sit in a separate bracket. Paquito, Yi Sun-shin, and Suyou remain the highest value junglers because they convert the new Retribution pacing into map pressure faster than the field.
| Rank | Hero | Season 41 tier | Patch 2.1.88 direction | Meta score | Primary value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paquito | S | Nerfed | 94 | Early skirmish control |
| 2 | YiSun-shin | S | Unchanged | 92 | Objective vision and scaling |
| 3 | Suyou | S | Nerfed | 90 | Burst tempo and invade pressure |
| 4 | Harley | A+ | Nerfed | 87 | Magic burst flexibility |
| 5 | Ling | A+ | Buffed | 86 | Faster clear and backline access |
| 6 | Hanzo | A | Buffed | 84 | Objective contest and poke jungle control |
| 7 | Saber | A | Buffed | 82 | Pickoff reliability |
| 8 | Balmond | A | Adjusted upward | 80 | Durable objective execution |
| 9 | Aulus | A | Buffed | 78 | Low HP target cleanup |
| 10 | Yin | A | Buffed | 76 | Duel isolation |
Patch direction matters, but it does not decide the list alone. Suyou and Paquito were both nerfed and still rank top three because Moonton trimmed numbers instead of deleting their kits. A polite nerf, basically paperwork.
For broader role context, compare this list with the live MLBB tier list and the current MLBB meta tracker. The jungle role is now less about perfect first clear and more about who converts second rotation pressure without donating buffs.
#Why strongest META jungler heroes Season 41 changed after Patch 2.1.88
750 base Retribution damage, up from 520, is a 44.2% level 1 increase. At level 4, Retribution now hits 1,350 instead of 840, a 60.7% increase.
| Hero level | Old Retribution | New Retribution | Difference | Increase |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 600 | 900 | +300 | +50.0% |
| 4 | 840 | 1,350 | +510 | +60.7% |
| 8 | 1,160 | 1,950 | +790 | +68.1% |
| 12 | 1,480 | 2,550 | +1,070 | +72.3% |
| 15 | 1,720 | 3,000 | +1,280 | +74.4% |
The new jungle curve raises objective security and reduces the punishment for falling behind. That helps assassins who can reset tempo after losing one camp, but it also helps bruiser junglers contest Turtle without needing a perfect first three minutes.
Season 41 also improved jungle route flexibility for the leading team and gave invaded junglers more room to recover. That combination keeps farming junglers playable while making early fighting junglers less binary. Moonton accidentally made jungle less miserable. Rare, but documented.
#Best junglers MLBB Season 41, top three are still tempo picks
94 meta score puts Paquito first despite his Patch 2.1.88 nerf. His enhanced skill bonus to minions and post enhanced skill damage reduction were reduced, but his early fight pattern still pressures Turtle setups better than most jungle picks.
[Yi Sun-shin](/heroes/yi-sun-shin) ranks second because he lost nothing in the patch. In a patch where several junglers had numbers moved, untouched global vision and scaling become more valuable. He is not flashy. He just keeps giving teams information, which is usually how clean games are won.
Suyou ranks third after direct damage reductions on Skill 2. The tap damage dropped from 300 to 280 at base, while the final hold strike dropped from 400 to 360 at base. That is a real hit, but not enough to remove him from S tier.
| Hero | Key Patch 2.1.88 factor | Ranking effect | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paquito | Minion bonus and damage reduction nerfed | Still rank 1 | Trimmed, not gutted |
| [Yi Sun-shin](/heroes/yi-sun-shin) | No direct nerf | Rank 2 | Stable top tier |
| Suyou | Skill 2 base damage reduced | Rank 3 | Weaker burst, still elite |
The top three share one trait: they do not rely only on Retribution coin flips. They create the fight before the objective, then use the stronger Retribution as insurance.
#MLBB jungle tier list Season 41, middle tier is more volatile
87 to 80 meta score separates Harley, Ling, Hanzo, Saber, and Balmond. That 7 point range is narrow enough that draft context changes the order, but not enough to move them above the top three.
Harley took a Skill 2 cooldown nerf from 8 to 9 seconds at level 1 and 6 to 7 seconds at max level. His mana cost also worsened, moving from 75 to 100 at max level. That hurts repeat tempo, but magic burst jungle remains valuable into physical defense stacking.
Ling received exactly the kind of buff jungle assassins want. Basic attack speed rose from 1.02 to 1.15, and Skill 2 cooldown now scales down to 2 seconds instead of staying at 2.5 seconds. Clear speed and repeated fight access both improved.
Hanzo gained Turtle and Lord interaction on Skill 1 in Hanekage form, plus a lower ultimate cooldown from 24 to 18 seconds at level 1. His base HP and attack speed growth were cut, but the objective tools are more important in this patch.
Saber moved from one button punishment into a more sustained damage profile. His base HP rose from 2,440 to 2,500, HP growth increased from 180 to 195, and his ultimate gained higher base damage at upper levels. He still has the subtlety of a brick, but the brick now has better stats.
Balmond benefits from the new Skill 2 defense reduction, stacking 5% Physical Defense reduction up to 8 times. That is a 40% reduction ceiling if he stays attached to the target. Objective zone control remains his reason to exist.
#META jungler heroes MLBB Season 41, buffed fighters enter the pool
Aulus and Yin sit at ranks 9 and 10 because their buffs improve specific jungle jobs, not the entire role. They are stronger than before, but stronger than before is not the same as strongest.
Aulus gained a cleaner damage profile against low HP targets. His enhanced basic attack changed from percentage max HP scaling to flat level scaling, and Skill 2 dash distance increased from 2.8 to 3.2. The dash buff matters more than it looks because jungle fights are decided by half a screen.
Yin received better ultimate reliability because control effects, except Suppress, no longer interrupt the cast. Lieh form Skill 1 also moved to a 1.5 second cooldown after the skill ends. His issue is unchanged: isolation is powerful when it works, embarrassing when the target survives.
| Hero | Buff type | Season 41 jungle impact | Ceiling |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aulus | Mobility and execute damage | Better chase and cleanup | High in long fights |
| Yin | Ultimate reliability | Better single target isolation | Draft dependent |
| Saber | Durability and sustained output | More reliable pickoff jungle | Medium high |
| Hanzo | Objective access and ultimate uptime | Stronger Turtle and Lord pressure | High if protected |
The fighter jungle pool widened because Patch 2.1.88 gave several melee heroes better tools while making Retribution more reliable. Assassin junglers still lead the role, but bruisers no longer need the enemy team to make three mistakes before minute five.
#Season 41 jungle meta winners and losers
5 heroes clearly gained value from Patch 2.1.88, while 3 top tier junglers survived nerfs through kit quality. That split defines the current MLBB jungle role: direct buffs matter, but role mechanics matter more.
| Category | Heroes | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Clear winners | Ling, Hanzo, Saber, Aulus, Yin | Direct buffs improve jungle tempo or fight access |
| Still elite after nerfs | Paquito, Suyou, Harley | Kits remain efficient despite number cuts |
| Stable value | Yi Sun-shin | No direct nerf, strong map control |
| Draft dependent | Balmond | Better front to back fights, weaker if kited |
Leomord is the obvious loser near this list. His Skill 1 creep damage bonus dropped from 60% to 40%, and his ultimate hybrid defense ceiling fell from 110 to 90. That is a farming speed nerf and a durability nerf in the same patch, which is Moonton's way of saying take a break.
Freya also dropped out of the Season 41 jungle conversation after her ultimate cooldown rose from 34 to 44 seconds at level 1 and her enhanced attack range was reduced. She still hits hard, but the timing window became worse. Jungle does not reward late apologies.
#Final ranking verdict for strongest META jungler heroes Season 41
Paquito is the best jungler in Season 41. Yi Sun-shin is the safest high tier pick, while Suyou remains the strongest burst tempo option even after the nerf.
The strongest META jungler heroes Season 41 list rewards heroes that combine faster objective control, recovery after invade, and reliable fight creation. Patch 2.1.88 did not erase assassin jungle. It made the role less fragile, then let the best kits keep winning.
Final order: Paquito, Yi Sun-shin, Suyou, Harley, Ling, Hanzo, Saber, Balmond, Aulus, Yin. Anything outside that group needs either a perfect draft or enemy generosity. One of those is not a strategy.
