Well, hello there. My name is iSwearSheLookd19 and this is my first build on MOBAfire. I'm a long time Nidalee player, before and after that nerf, and I want to share with you my hybrid build which is, by the way, my favourite way of playing Nidalee, and probably one of the best ways to play her. I'll stick to the items in the "Items" section, but until then, let's talk about runes.

Pros:

Damage dealth in both cougar and human form is epic
Free ward(s) on Wriggle's and with your traps
You're somehow tanky, but still supportive with your Heal - great addon for any team
Able to play both in mid and top, successfully!
Best escape tactic in a game, in my opinion
Easy farming

Cons:

Easy to kill if you're focused
Mana hungry early game, if you spam your skills
REALLY farm-dependant (DONT FAIL YOUR EARLY GAME FARMING! and certainly DONT DIE!)

Let's put it this way:

AP NIDALEE

Pros: Amazing spear damage and a heal
Cons: squishy, practically no damage in cougar form

AD NIDALEE

Pros: Amazing auto-attack damage, and a solid cougar form damage
Cons: Useless heal and spear, ad nidalee is hard to adjust in a team because you have ad carry+support at bot lane

HYBRID NIDALEE

Pros: Epic damage with your spear, solid damage through your traps, solid heal, Epic damage in your cougar form, could be used as an offtank
Cons: really, really, farm-dependant

I will keep this as short as possible.

Marks - I choose Greater Marks of Insight just because I need that magic penetration with my Javelin Toss. I've previously taken AP runes here, but the Magic Penetration one's are just better.

Seals - I've taken Greater Seals of Vitality. Why? With Nidalee you would like to solo all the time. Preferably on top, but mid works too. Current meta says that offtanks should go top. Well, Nidalee isn't really THAT tanky, although with some proper items she could be offtank. Now, I'm not building tanky dps, or something, so I'll just stick to defensive runes. And yeah, health at level 18 really builds up!

Glyphs - Greater Glyphs of Strentgh are my choice. Why? You are hybrid. You need both AP and AD. These glyphs, combined with Marks of Insight, can really contribute to your attacking stats.

Quintessences - Okay, I've never liked to see 3 same Quints in the Rune book. That's why I combined 3 DIFFERENT Quints: one gives you magic resist, one gives you armor, and the last one gives you health. These Quintessences, combined with health seals can give your Nidalee a touch of tankiness. Sounds good, eh?

Now this is one interesting choice. Why'd I pick 21/9/0? At higher level games you don't need buffs (because there's ap caster in your team!), you don't need masteries for ghost or flash (because people, in higher ELO, are much more careful then the ones in smaller ELO). That raises the question: what to do if you're in ELO hell, or even if you're not level 30. Well, you should try 9/0/21, or even 0/9/21. I've seen how those guys play... so careless and reckless. But, if you're playing ranked, you'll get attacking masteries and some defensive ones. Seems legit.

2 escape tactics + your W in cougar form. In other words, if you're skilled you're almost unkillable!

But, if you're not a fan of this combination, the Flash+Exhaust combination is awesome too. I wouldn't suggest you to go with Ignite, because that damage sometimes isn't enough. And Exhaust has many uses, both in a defensive and an offensive way, and can certainly net you and/or your team few kills. But, be aware that, if you get rid of Ghost, you'll be much more prone to ganks and you'll certainly die few more times. Your choice.

I'll split this section into starting items, early game, mid game, and the late one.

STARTING ITEMS

I've said how you want to be "solotop-ing" all the time. If you're playing against a tough and boring offtank, like Singed, Galio, Leona or Maokai, you would want to start with Doran's Shield, and, if you're getting ganked a lot, be free to take 2-3 of those. If you're going mid, or playing against slightly armor-easy champ, like Irelia perhaps, go with Doran's blade. You would make much more damage in early game.

EARLY GAME

Before the first recalling, take a look at your money. With some last hitting, you should be able to buy Boots and 2 wards, some pots maybe. Then go back in lane, farm some more, and then ask for gank. You would like to get your opponent to spoil his summoner spell, so that you could, later, in a cougar form with a help of your jungler, get an easy kill. Let's say you didn't get a kill, that's fine. Hopefully he wasted his flash. Now you should go back and get vampiric's scepter for laning sustain - so you can stay in lane much more. Now, when you have cougar form, farming is supposed to be easy. Build Wriggle's lantern, go back in lane, and build to your core movement speed item. That item should be Mercury Treads if you're playing against hard CC-ers, or Ionian Boots if opposing team has less crowd control effects. That's purely your choice.

MID GAME

You will like to rush with Trinity Force. Because that item is based on three items, Phage, Sheen and Zeal, it is your choice which one to buy first. I like to go with Phage for some more surivability. Sheen isn't bad too, because you get that sick-*** passive which really comes helpful. Third one would be Zeal because, really, you don't need attack speed besides Sheen and Phage. Anyway, you get the point. Go for Trinity.

LATE GAME

Hopefully, you got some kills or assists, and you farmed nicely. Next item should be the one for Rabadon's Deathcap, Blasting Wand or Needlessly Large Rod. Now I get confused sometimes. Is it better to buy Blasting Wand and some wards, or to buy just Large Rod? Well, ask your teammates. Does they need some more Spear damage and some better heal, or do they need 3 more wards? One way or another, build that item to Rabadon's. This way you will have awesome damage in human form with your Javelin Toss, and some sick damage in a cougar form. Ahh, it's awesome.

Let's say it's 35th minute. Your game should be over by now, with either you finishing off their nexus or them surrending. But, if it's not, think carefully what to buy next. Some defensive item, or some more AP or AD? I like to go for Warmog's. It gives you epic health, and turns you into tanky Nidalee "just like that". Some alternatives would be, eh, Spirit Visage or Guardian Angel. For more offensive approach, consider buying Inifinity Edge for some more attack damage, or Guinsoo's Rageblade for combined AP and AD. Purely your choice.

I'll keep myself short - Skill sequence is YOUR CHOICE. On Nidalee it's VEERY situational because you have both ranged and melee abilities. What you're playing against? If you're playing against somehow squishy team (and by that I mean 2 or 3 squishies), force your Q more. If you're playing against offtanks, consider upgradin your heal spell. But, you should keep leveling your W up because of the cooldown on your jump spell! It can sometimes save you from a certain death!

Now, in the early game, I like to level up Heal, Trap, Heal, and THEN your spear. Why? Well, simply, you don't need your spear in laning phase. Yes, you can make some damage, but you should be harassing your opponent with auto attacks and keep yourself farming. Why Trap? Well, you should put some traps into bushes. If you have 4 traps in the river bush, and with a Wirggle's UNIQUE active, it's like 2 free wards + damaging traps. AAWESOMEEEE!!

Before a teamfight, you would like to hit squishies with your spear. If you're precise enough you could even force an AD carry to recall because he's left on 500 hp. These spears are crucial before a teamfight. Now, when a TF starts, throw 2-3 spears and heal your teammates. When opportunity arises, turn into cougar and FOCUS ONE CHAMP. I've seen a lot of Nidalees jumping on everyone and just spaming E and Q spell like a lunatics. Focus one guy, and focus a carry. With your Q you will make SICK damage, with E goes the same thing, and he won't be able to escape you because you have your W.

And don't NEVER EVER, at the start of the teamfight, jump in in a cougar form! If opponents are non-******ed people, you will get focused and killed. Your tankiness isn't that awesome when you're focused, you know.

Well, that's it about this guide. Sorry there's no pictures nor some color/BB-code adjustings, but, as I've said in the beginning, it's my first build here. Hopefully it will be better next time.

I'm open to any constructive criticism about the build, masteries, runes, anything. But, please, spare me of flaming and hating. :)

Thanks all! And good luck with your playing, guys! :) Have fun!


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And, here are few scores that I've made recently. They're here just to prove that this build isn't as worthless as other would think. It's often underestimated for some reason, so.. I'd really like if you would try it, at least against bots :)


(sometimes people get greedy and start kill stealing. I had 8/1/5 prior to this score. Then they started last hitting everyone and everything. I forgive them, btw :D )



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I will soon make a guide for a tanky Nidalee. Just when I stop being lazy :)) Be sure to check this guide regularly for more info!