Nidalee Build Guide by xlovingYou

Introduction

I've tried Nidalee many times in normal games, but ive only tried Nidalee two times in ranked games. I've tried many builds for an AD Top Nidalee, but I've never liked any of them. This was the most effective build for Nidalee that I've tried. Please feel free to leave criticism in the comments, it would be really helpful. :)
(If you ever down vote, please tell me why so i can improve my build)
Ap Nidalee is a general ap guide. It'll work on most ap champions that take mid.

Update Log

September 21, 2012: Created the build.
September 22, 2012: I created the 'NIDALEE'S SUPERPOWER WALL JUMP' Slide. :D
September 22, 2012: Created 'My Other Guides' slide.
September 27, 2012: Added (If you ever...) in introduction
September 29, 2012: Gave credit to Zelpharz for the nidalee jumping postitions picture.
October 1, 2012: I created the 'AP' nidalee guide.
October 1, 2012: Deleted 'Until level six' and replaced with 'Farming'.
October 1, 2012: Fixed masteries

Lore

There are few dwellers, let alone champions, residing in the blasted and dangerous lands that lie south of the Great Barrier. Much of that world still bears the scars of past Runes Wars, especially the mysterious ***ungu Jungle. There are long-forgotted treasures in these strange palces which many risk life and limb to acquire. The champion known as Nidalee was onlt a young girl travelling with her treasure seeking parents when they lost their way in the dense, rainy, jungles. The jungle was unforgiving and she watched her parents suffer agonizing final days as they fell victom to a mysterious and vicious disease.

As improbable as it was for a child to surviv in the inhospitable jungle herself, she did just that. Her youthful innocence and a fortunate naivete caused her to appeal to the beasts of that place and she was taken in by a family of cougars and raised as one of their own. She grew and somehow absored the raw magic of the dense wilds, evolving beyone bothe her human physiology and her feline affection. On one pivotal day in her life, standing over the torn remnants of a Noxian sqaud of woodcutters, Nidalee chose to rejoin the so-called civilized world, to fight in the League of Legends so as to protect the vast woods from both Demacia and Noxus.

Nidalee was taught to fight by her feline family, battling viciously with tooth and nail. Something in her feline ways may draw you to her, but remember that she is no pussycat.

Pros/Cons

AD NIDALEE TOP

Pros

Incredible damage (basic attack)
Takedown does a lot of damage
Great sustainability
Escape easily
Long Range


Cons

Little Damage Spears
Most skills are Ap
A little squishy early game

AP NIDALEE MID

Pros

Massive amount of damage on spears!!! :)
Most skills ap including cougar
Heal does A LOT of healing. Healing is based on ap

Cons
Squishy, squishy, squishy
Gotta aim spears right

Nidalee's Counters

People who counter Nidalee:











People who Nidalee counter:

Summoner Spells

I personally suggest these two summoner spells. They work really great together for chasing, running and killing. And plus, Flash mixed with Nidalee's ability to jump over walls give Nidalee and perfect escape plan.

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Other Choices:

Ghost is pretty good because Pounce, Ghost, and Prowl works well together, especially in the jungle when you're chasing or running.


Meh. Exhaust is not something i would use too much. Because of my Pounce, it's not my first choice. Pounce and Prowl is good enough to chase and run away. And besides, someone should have some kind of cc in your team... right?


This is an okay spell. Once again, i have a lot of skills that help me move faster, but this could help with ganking or saving a turret, etc.


I wouldnt use this too much because of wards and Bushwhack but it' an okay choice, especially when your support is not warding too much or when you dont ever but your Bushwack is down.
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NEVER USE:

These three are summoner spells you should never use. They are horrible choices. Smite should not be used because you are not a jungler. Heal should not be used because YOUR OWN heal is good enough. When your support does not have heal, it may be a bit harder to heal your teammates, but this is not a good choice imo. Revive its not too good because it only gives you speed for only a little bit and the cooldown is WAY too long.

Runes AD

Runes affect your gameplay by a lot. It does not only affect your game by 'a little'. It affects it A LOT

Greater Mark of Desolation
I use this rune to do some serious damage with my basic attack and Takedown. Getting all attack damage runes is not too good because if they build armor, its kinda hard to hit.


If your top opponent is an ad champion, its really good to use becuase you never know if your opponent is going to be ad or ap and you can't change your rune pages in queue.


If your top opponent is and ap champion, its effective and can protect you a lot. Once again, you never know if your opponent is going to be ap or ad, and you cant change your rune pages in queue.


This is not armor penetration, but it is a rune that gives attack damage. If you have alittle amount of ad, its hard to deal some damage.

Runes AP

Just like the ad runes, getting all ap is not the best solution. Having some magic penetration is really good too. Especially with Nidalee's Spears.

Greater seal of replenishment
I don't know about you guys, but i love spamming my Javelin Toss. It's prety fun, but since i dont have blue 100% of the time, i get some mana regen to get my mana back faster.


AP every level. I like this better than Greater Glyph of Ability Power because it gives ap every level, and when you're level 18, it ends up being much more than Greater Glyph of Ability Power.


They're both really good, and i sometimes dont know what to choose on. I go with Greater Quintessence of Ability Power but you can go either way, they're both pretty good xD

Masteries AD

These masteries is all for early game. If you dont have a good, fed early game, you won't have a fun late game right? So therefore, this is all for early game. The first tree gives Damage, Attack speed, Armor pen, Damage if enemy is lower health, lifesteal, and crit damage, :) This tree gives sustainability and damage. :D and the second tree is for some defense. I got the mr and armor maxed because i never know if the top champ is hybrid, ad, or ap. AND in the second tree, that gives health, so there is more sustainability.

Masteries AP

Full on (besides Havoc , Swiftness , Executioner , summoner insight, and Runic Affinity ) AP and Mana masteries :D Go ahead. Spam that Javelin Toss.

Items

Credits to jhoijhoi for the separaters :D

AD

I like this because of damage from the other team's adc and top. Most of the time, their adc is fed or is getting fed and their top is usually an ad champion. D:


It is expensive, but if you farm well, it will be an amazing item for you. :) It slows, gives attack speed and damage, it gives ap, and it gives crit chance. Who wouldnt want that on a Nidalee? Thats everything she basically needs. :D


Yay more armor penetration :D A lot of tanks and people should be building some armor, so why not use some armor pen?


If you are farming pretty well, you should be able to get this pretty early which is a good thing because more health, more suvivability! However, i don't think you should get too many expensive items if you are not farming well because it will be hard. :O


More defense on the way!! EXCEPT. This give magic resist, not armor. D: but it does let you deal more damage the lower your health gets.


If you die, your life saver will be your Flash, Pounce, Prowl, AND Guardian Angel If you die once, you have a chance to live with you GA. However, it kinda sucks how it has a 5 min cooldown :(

Other items:

Atmas impaler
This item is also pretty good. I like it on a nid when i dont need any defense, i'm doing really good and i dont die xD


Not too bad, i dont get it too often, but its pretty good with Nidalee's long range

AP

Magic pen once again, is really good to get if they are building a lot or some magic resistance becuase of your op Javelin Toss


This is good to get if you're farming well. It's pretty expensive... so... always farm. heh


some health. getting some health and defense is good. What i like about this item is it gives ap, mana, and health over time. VERY op. but once again, it is VERY expensive. Farming is gonna get you far so remember, farming is top priority.


Magic resistance and Ap. Who wouldnt want that? ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE A SQUISHY Nidalee AND YOU NEED SOME MR AGAINST THE OTHER MID. :>


Like Rod of Ages, this gives health, but it gives more ap.. by 4x. So this item will help with your survivability and damage. :)


Like the ad item guide, this item will be your Life Saver!! So buy it if you want to liveeee

Other Items:

More magic pen. :> The more the better (sometimes)


Defense items against your mid lane :) Not that bad of an item to get :D
Remember!!!:

DO NOT COPY THIS BUILD EXACTLY. IT IS JUST A GUIDE. DO WHATEVER YOUR GAME NEEDS. BUILDING THE SAME THING EVERYTIME WILL NOT GET YOU TO BE ANY BETTER. TRY OUT SOME NEW ITEMS. ETC ETC.

Skill Sequence

AD NID

I like using this sequence. :D Swipe Is maxed first because of the best sustainability and survivability.
Takedown is maxed second because Bushwhack does not need to be maxed. Getting Takedown will do more damage than Bushwhack. Maxing Bushwhack will not be good.
Aspect Of The Cougar Get at levels 6,11, and 16.

AP NID

Max your Javelin Toss first. Remember... it does a lot of damage, just gotta aim it right. Swipe is based on ap. Your heal is based on ap. When playing ap, your main form will be your human form. Keep that in mind. Bushwhack is maxed third because there is no use for it to be maxed first or second. aspect of the sougar as usual, get at levels 6,11, ad 16.

NIDALEE'S SUPERPOWER WALL JUMP :D

The image is kinda big... but use this picture as a reference to where ou can jump with your Pounce. It's kinda cool how you dont need to waste a flash to get over walls, but most of the time i fail at jumping over walls.... So you have to kinda get it right 0.0 Credit to Zelpharz for the picture. I did not create this picture. It's off of google :D

Farming (Top priority)

Farming is your top prority :) Keep that in mind. Nidalee's items that i have shown you are pretty expensive. I don't care if you get fed or whatever, but remember:

10-20 minions = a whole champion killed :D

How to use Bushwhack

Use bushwhack like a ward. Think of the places where the other team's jungle might gank you and put it down. Get 1 or 2 wards everytime you b. This will prevent you from getting ganked by a lot. Bushwhack is really good to use early game so you don't feed :)

My scores in ranked :D

AD SCORES

My recently made score of Nidalee :)
I couldnt find my other score, but you can add up with my first score right? O.o

AP SCORES

Coming soon :( never played ranked with ap nid yet xD

My Other Guides :)

(Currently creating a Taric Guide right now)

Summary

Thank you for reading :) Please leave criricism in the comments and have fun playing Nidalee!!

Goodluck~
HaveFun~
My ign: xlovingU