So, Nocturne is the new champion this week, and I have decided to give some advice on how to build and how to use him. I love this champion, and if you might have noticed from my similar builds, I used to use Evelynn, which is probably the closest in playstyle. You want to get in quick, stay on them, and kill squishies. This is your goal, to wreak havok on the enemy team's squishier characters. Only in the late game should you worry about anyone else. When you have built your Black Cleaver, you can start really hammering those who have built armor.

Let's start off with who to go after. Caster's are a tasty snack indeed. Most casters rely on a CC to keep distance. Either Fiddle's fear, Ryze's root, Morgana's root, Heimerdinger's stun/blind, etc. When you show up, get the spell shield up to block that. If the enemy is smart, and doesn't use it, then you get them with your CC. Have E ticking on them from the moment you should up. When the fear hits, they are toast. Keep Q on them, keep following, and if you really need it, pop exhaust, especially in case something goes wrong.

Now, part two, how to get in close. Your ult is amazing, but it has a few weak spots. You don't know what you are dashing into (yes, his ulti is a dash, not a teleport), and if they are smart, they'll move into the bushes.

This is why you use Clairvoyance. If your target is near bushes, those bushes could hold team members waiting for you to take the bait, or they could be used to block sight. Clairvoyance the bushes (or whatever spot could easily hold enemies and be used to escape, like around a corner), and be sure to place the center of it into THEIR fog of war, either in the bushes, or inside of/over a wall. You now know what you are getting into, and they can't break line of sight. You know what to do now.

Are you about to go get a few buffs? Going into their jungle to get them? Or do you think that the enemy is getting them currently? Clairvoyance the buff you want, keep the center in a wall or bush, and see if you can get to it. Someone already there? Use the buff as a distraction, and take out both buff and enemy.

Uh oh, someone is getting away from you, they are behind their team, with no health left, and just left your line of sight. No fear, most people take the fastest route to the summoner pool. Clairvoyance that route, and use your ulti to pick off the kill. Make sure you are fast. You don't want their team to catch you back behind their lines.

Lastly, a wonderful tactic that will have you changing your tactics in combat slightly, is to watch a running team mate, and get in their path. Wait in a bush, and wait for the enemy to get close. Use your E before they get to you, and by the time they realize what is going on, they are already feared. Get on them, use Q, and when they get out of the fear, use W to block the incoming panic CC. You just saved a team mate, and got a kill.

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Now, onto how and why to build, since you are armed with some tactics, and the proper use of clairvoyance as an offensive spell. The way that I show building, is a best case scenario of how you need to build. It is what I usually take. Some items may change priority (I will cover a few instances of those), and some may change out completely (Stark's Fervor instead of Bloodthirster for a really armor heavy team for instance). I will cover both at the end of this chapter.

First off, why start with Meki Pendant? Well, I use Nocturne as a laner. I have never been a big jungler, and Nocturne has some amazing harassment on a lane, plus a passive that heals him. I've even gone mid with him, and had awesome success. The only way you can keep your harassment up though is a Meki Pendant. You do -not- want to run out of mana, because your only ranged harass is your Q. You also don't want to be without your shield, which can block incoming CC and save your life.

So, you start with some mana regen, and hopefully stay on lane long enough to get enough money for your boots, tear of the goddess, and a couple more potions if you used them all up. Use your Q to get back onto the lane faster, and if you hit 6, you might even ult onto your lane for a gank.

Now, why do you get Duskbringer before Shroud of Darkness? The spotlight says Shroud of Darkness first, but let's face it, you are an assassin. Plus, you have Clairvoyance. Remember, that sucker's on a VERY low cooldown because of your mastery tree. Use it often. Toss it on the bushes when you get there, and if you see enemy, toss your Q on them, and if you have a team mate to initiate, move in after him. The enemy team will hopefully not know what hit them, and you'll be in for a first blood. Your shield wouldn't help you do that, it would just help you not -give- first blood. But hey, to the bold right?

Keep the enemy hammered with Duskbringer the entire game, any chance you can. When one of them has your trail on, they are never certain if you are going to rush out to kill them, no matter how foolish it would be. They will always (either from fear or to lure you in) move back a little bit. Hopefully, this gives your team a chance to get to the turret you are likely stuck on (If you are doing this).

Now then, you'll want a little lifesteal, since eventually your passive won't cut it, so get a vampiric scepter, but do -not- build it into Bloodthirster yet. At this stage, it is too easy for you to get killed and lose those stacks. You'll want to build Phantom Dancer instead. Phantom Dancer gives the unholy movespeed you'll need to stay on runners. Even off of your trail, you should catch them. On it, you won't ever need a slow. Plus, crit chance and attack speed, oh yeah.

Now, this is probably your most important item at this stage. You can gank now, and hopefully you've wreaked havok on the lanes. But now, the team fights are going to rape your childhood and your mother all at once. The answer to this, is a little more health, a little more mana (which since you have Manamune will even give a slight bit more AD), and an extra spell shield, in case they wait until after your shield is down to CC you, or they pop your shield with another spell. If you get focused in a team fight, it's good to have Banshee's -and- your spell shield to get out quickly, and if they are still following you, they aren't attacking your team mates, and they get killed anyways. Eventually they learn you aren't the squishy to focus first.

Now, once you have the survivability to survive team fights and live (even if by the skin of your teeth sometimes), it is NOW time to get Bloodthirster. This adds a ton of damage to you, and heals you much faster, and hopefully by now you are on a roll, and won't get killed easily. Always get Banshee's Veil before Bloodthirster, no matter how else you build. You don't want to lose the stacks on it.

And finally, you've been wrecking the squishies all game, and probably assisting with wrecking the tanks when it's down to just a tank, but on the home stretch, you want to be able to wreck tanks and kill squishies faster, so in the final inning, grab Black Cleaver. A few hits from it will reduce a squishie's armor to absolute zero with your runes and masteries, and you'll get a tank pretty far down. Plus, if the tank had thornmail (which against you is a really good idea) getting Black Cleaver after Bloodthirster is great, since you don't want to really hammer the tank until you can survive the returning damage.

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Now then, when to change up the script. If the enemy team has alot of CC (like we're talking stun city), then your Spell Shield won't protect you long enough. Get Banshee's Veil earlier, perhaps even before Phantom Dancer, but definitely not before your boots or life steal. I would suggest getting Manamune before hand, but if they are -on- your lane and wrecking you with stun combos, go for it. You don't want to feed.

If you are up against alot of tanks. Let's say you've got 3 or more tanks against you, and they are protecting their squishies. You'll just have to suck it up, and get Black Cleaver early on. In this case, I would say after Phantom Dancer, since this is part of your offense, the ability to stay on a tank is key before anything else, if you -really- must fight the cheese.

I wouldn't suggest a different build order for anything else, but I might suggest trading out items.

Bloodthirster won't do you enough good if the enemy team is all tanks for instance. You'll want Stark's Fervor instead. You get back a good amount of health, plus you reduce armor, and if your team is needing it, aura lifesteal definitely helps against Thornmails.

Maybe you need way more survivability than what you've been given. Remember that Nocturne is an AD champion. In addition to Banshee's Veil, grab Warmog's and Atma's. I would replace Phantom Dancer and Black Cleaver with these. You are now entering into tanky DPS territory, but you should be able to stay on the enemy long enough to make a nice dent. Also remember that if you have been forced down this route, likely you are against a very DPS heavy team. You won't need the armor reduction as much, and likely you won't need the movespeed, since they will be coming to you. I haven't tried this one, but keep it in mind.

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As always, this is week one. This is a work in progress. I'll update as I learn more about the champion. Expect a video eventually as well. This champ would make a good video. Leave comments down below, as long as they aren't noob remarks like "omfg U no jungle" or somesuch.