Nocturne Build Guide by Knives4me

Intro-to-the-Intro

Please dont skim my guide, or downvote on the amount of text you see. Read the damn thing.

Enjoy =P

Intro.

This is my first guide on mobafire, and after playing Nocturne so much, I decided I should try and give back to the community with a build of my own. THIS BUILD IS FOR TWISTED TREELINE. It is designed for maximum ganking effectiveness, and for popping out of the jungle behind their carry, and laying waste to them before the other teamates arrive. Nocturne is an assassin, or an anti-carry. His job is to do a ton of damage before their team can get together and run away in panic.

Im sorry, there arent many pictures in this guide, but alot of words. Why, you ask? Well, I have things to say!

Change Log

--August 22: Added a "Jungling" section, as I seemed to have missed a few things in the guide.
--June 08: Wrote in a note on Boots of Speed and 3 Health Potion, also corrected the "Items" section to match the build order.
--May 26: Updated item order due to Phantom Dancer nerf (Riot took 3% movement speed off PD, and 2% off Zeal.) Also added in a build more suited to offtanking. Also tested a few specific things, and made corrections accordingly.

--Build has been archived, due to changes on TT and S3 updates. What is left here is only for entertainment purposes, and because I didn't want to just delete all the work I put into this guide.

Pros / Cons

Pros:

Amazing early game
Great farmer
Great ganker
Amazing chaser
Can 1v1 anybody
Can GTFO when needed

Cons:

Can be easily shut down by CC
Is ineffective against tanks
Without map awareness, very vulnerable

Skills

-- This passive is what makes Nocturne such a deadly staying power in-lane. Every 10 seconds, you get aoe attack that heals you as well. Even better, its cooldown is shortened by auto-attacking. When using up the passive, hit as many enemy units as possible, because the heal is based on the number hit.

-- This is noc's steriod. All viable AD champs have one, and this one is especially suited to chasing and damaging. You get a signifigant movespeed bonus, and a powerfull attack damage bonus, AND the trail follows them AND it does damage when you cast it. You can also cast this skill in the direction you are fleeing in to get the bonus movespeed needed in order to escape. It is an all-around wonderful skill. I choose to max this first.

-- This skill has multiple uses. It's main use is as a spell shield that then increases your damage output. Early game, however this skill uses up so much mana that it is sometimes only economical to use when you're actually going in for the kill, so that you can use the attack speed buff it gives you. I usually grab this at level 2 for the passive 20% attack speed, and max last.

-- This is noc's only cc, without items. It is a 1-2 second fear after two seconds of your target being close to you, with the skill and usually your autoattacks doing damage the whole time. Though I use this skill primarily for offensive purposes, this skill, like all of noc's skills, can be used defensively to throw off a chasing Yi or Trynd. NOTE ON FB: if you have a team that deals signifigant early damage, but without any solid cc, taking this skill first is completely viable. in this case I would get Duskbringer secnond, and Shroud of Darkness as my 3rd choice. I max this after Duskbringer when I get a chance.

-- Noc's ultimate. This is what gives Nocturne such a terrifying map presence. At any point in time, that enemy nocturne could be in your face in half a second. This adds a level of fear to the enemy team, especially on the small TT map. The usage is simple enough: the first cast removes the enemy's vision, and the second cast allows you to dash to an enemy champion in order to remove their head from their body.

Like the rest of noc's abilities, there is a potential for a defensive usage of this skill. Remember, the enemy team is already afraid of you and your ultimate. When you use the ultimate the first time, they lose all map awareness, and assume that a full health noc is going to eat them alive. They don't always remember that you just ran away with no hp, because few people play noc. They often assume you can just teleport from spawn to wherever on the map. Take advantage of their fear whenever possible.

Sidenote on Noc v Noc: if the enemy nocturne uses their ultimate, use yours. They have now lost vision of whomever they were going to dash too, and you can safely resume being deadly and murderous.

Runes

Greater Mark of Desolation x9 - Pretty much essential for any physical dps champion.

Greater Seal of Armor x9 - Nocturne is a melee DPS. hes gonna get close, and hes going to be fighting those other melee AD champs so common on Twisted Treeline. These runes give him the definate edge early-game.

Greater Glyph of Attack Speed x9 - Again, for the early-game advantage. With the added damage from Doran's blade, and the AS quints, you actually deal a bit of damage starting out, helping you get that coveted FB. It also works well with the Duskbringer buff.

Greater Quintessence of Desolation x1 - More of the good stuff!

Greater Quintessence of Attack Speed x2 - Because AS synergizes with the +15 damage boost from Q at level 1. Too good a chance to pass up.

I use these runes not only for the reasons posted here, but also because they work perfectly for Jungling runes for Nocturne on Summoner's Rift. These are good for almost any AD champion, and investing in runes will help your game immensely.

Masteries

Short and to the point:
The Offense tree has so much to offer, it would be wasteful to not indulge. I tend to focus on the early-game, as noc scales oh-so-well into late-game. This setup will give you the highest damage output you can squeeze out of your masteries.

I throw the rest of the points into defense for, once again, the early-game advantage. The 6 armour and magic resist signifigantly helps noc survive untill you get your Frozen Mallet.

Make sure you spec up your summoner spells.

Items

Ah, the build. The reason your here. I choose doran's blade for the first item because it really gives you that bit of survivability very very early on.

Sometimes, Boots and 3 health pots are the best decision on any champion. If you have to lane against ranged, get this instead of Doran's Blade, but also be prepared for being slightly squishier and a little bit weaker. I only suggest this if there are 2 ranged and 1 low-damage melee, though it is almost always viable.

I quickly move on to attack speed items because, even though noc's W is an attack speed boost, his Q is a damage boost. A quite signifigant one, 55 extra damage at lvl 5. It also gives you movement speed, which helps you chase down the enemy, before you seperate their skin from their bones.

NOTE ON BOOTS:
Beserker's Greaves are not always the best choice for every single game.
If they have a painfull amount of cc, grab Mercury's Treads.
If they are all AD, or just have both a Master Yi and a Tryndamere, it may be a good idea to get Ninja Tabi.
If you are choosing boots other than AS boots, get a dagger before continuing on with the build, as the attack speed is very, very necessary for wriggles.

After boots, pick up a Vampiric Scepter. I build this into a Wriggle's Lantern almost every game, but if someone else on your team is going to get one, it may not always be the best item. I usually get it anyway, but of course any item build is dependant both on your team and the enemy's team composition and build choices.

The next item can be gotten before you finish your wriggles, if you so desire. This item is Zeal. It is an amazing gift from the heavens... You recieve attack speed, crit chance, and, incredibly, movement speed. This will build into a Phantom Dancer later.

Sometimes I grab the Phantom Dancer before Phage, but this is a rare event. The slow is just so amazing on noc, as the only cc you really have is a delayed fear. Also, while you have your Duskbringer and Paranoia as gap closers, no matter how well you chase and damage, you will eventually run out of room on the small TT map to do so.

Phage solves that problem.

After that, the order in which you build your final items is dependant on the game and your personal preference. I usually build to a Frozen Mallet, and then get either Wit's End or Phantom Dancer, depending on how squishy they are. PD for crazy squishies, wit's end for almost anyone else.

At this point, you should know who is and who isn't fed enough to be able to effectively choose final items. Some of my personal favorites are Wit's End, Youmuu's Ghostblade, Infinity Edge (if you're crazy fed)), and Banshee's Veil, though Wit's End usually solves your MR issues.

Situational Items

Oh, the list goes on and on.

Defense

For vs. a heavy AP team: Grab a Negatron Cloak after Phage. If their damage is only moderate, simply grab a Null-Magic Mantle to build into a Wit's End, either immediately instead of a Phantom Dancer, though I would suggest grabbing Zeal for the movement speed, or after your Frozen Mallet. If you chose the cloak, your main options are Banshee's Veil and Force of Nature. Unless you're getting creamed and plan on going tankier than this build, I would generally suggest the Banshees. It solves your mana problems, as well =]
Another item of definate note that I've been using lately is Quicksilver Sash. It's cheap, gives a decent amount of magic resist, and has Cleanse as an active. If you dont have the money to spare, get this item instead.

If you're getting mauled by a rougue Tryndamere, grab a Chain Vest. You can build it into an Atma's Impaler later, or, if you must, a Thornmail. Please note that I have chosen thornmail because of it's relatively low price tag, as compared to Randuin's Omen or Frozen Heart. It would be a good idea to suggest one of those to your tank though.

For a mixed damage team, and if you find you still need a lil defense, a Guardian Angel can add that little bit of tankiness, pushing you more towards off tanking.

Offense

Scenario: You push 'tab' and the enemy team each has a Thornmail AND a Frozen Heart, because the simple sight of you strikes fear into their puny hearts. What do you do? Panic? No. You have a few choices here, but there are two main paths to take.

Path 1: Deal magic damage with an AD carry

Ahh, the laughs abound, and then they die.
The intent here it to get both a Wit's End and a Madred's Bloodrazor so that the damage you're dealing will bypass their armour. This can be effective.. But can also be a waste of your time. If they do not already have alot of health, then this will most likely a poor way to spend your money.

Path 2: Slice through their armour

This involves getting either a Last Whisper or a The Black Cleaver. If they literally have as much armour as stated in the scenario above, choose the Last Whisper. If they only have one, you can sometimes get away with a The Black Cleaver. The black cleaver is also the better choice if you have another heavy AD on your team. I would also suggest getting a The Brutalizer at least as well, and building to a Youmuu's Ghostblade.

Gameplay

Early game.

I suggest going top lane, every single time. They usually send their squishiest champ up top, and that is just beautiful for noc. Dorans blade is incredibly important here. In the top lane, that extra damage, your rune set, and the lifesteal from the blade and your passive can keep you going long enough to usually force them to recall. If they refuse, you can punish them with a kill.
TIP - Do your best to use your passive every time you get a chance, on as many minions as possible. There is nothing more demoralizing to an enemy than trading blows, then watching nocturne heal and farm at the same time.
When they recall, this is the time to push the minion wave all the way to the tower, because while the tower kills your minions, and the enemy champ is at their base, They miss out on both xp and gold. If you can keep their level the same as bottom lane's, you will be the highest level on the map. Highest level=most kills=fed nocturne= profit.
Whenever you get a chance, recall. Try not to let them push their creep wave to your tower though, as you need xp. Also, do your best to leave them at half health so you can pick up a kill when you come back.

"Mid-game"

I put this in quotations because on Twisted treeline, mid game starts at level 6, when you can get almost anywhere on the map instantly. Map awareness is key. You can easily turn a 2v2 fight into a 2v3. ( <- = profit!) You can even occasionally use it to scare the **** out of them, as they have absolutely no map awareness for 4 seconds. You should spend this time ganking with your teammates, and even do your best to lure the enemy team into one lane. You warn your team, and you can go steal a turret with the the buff from your Q and the phantom dancer's AS. While practicing this strategy, map awareness is key! They wont want to face you alone, and therefore, your incredibly prone to getting ganked.

Turrets

This is how you win. NEVER FORGET THIS. If the enemy team is tanky, and your team is getting creamed, focus on turrets. You win through the nexus, not by getting 20 kills yourself. When you forget this, and the enemy team remembers this, you lose.
After you enter the ganking phase, there are some champions that can hurt you alot. Coordinate with teammates constantly. You can 1v1 most champs at this point, but 2v1 you will most likely die, if you insist on fighting. Remember, Duskbringer can be used to get away too! And your fear can be placed on that pesky Master Yi chasing you so you can live through Highlander.
Kill people, gank, steal turrets, be the nightmare that you are. Wreak havoc!

The Jungle !

Nocturne excells at jungling, expecially with a Wriggle's Lantern. As soon as you have this item, you should attempt to push both lanes and try to take dragon. If you think they have dragon warded, have someone throw down a Vision Ward, and throw down the ward from your Wriggle's Lantern either by red buff, where it wil usually be, or in the bushes between their turret and dragon.

Do not try to take dragon if the enemy is aware of it, and they have a long range high-damaging spell, such as Finales Funkeln. There are few things more demoralizing on Twisted Treeline than having dragon stolen and then taking 2 deaths.

If you are planning on taking dragon while the enemy is aware, be prepared for whomever is tanking the dragon to take alot of extra damage. If it looks like you're not going to make it, then leave and try to regroup. Make sure you have vision, for when they try to take the dragon. If all else fails, go and take the red buff while they're not looking.

Farming

GET FED. Noc's passive, along with his Q, makes for easy creep farming. Remember to use the Q, then his passive, as it benefits greatly from the bonus attack damage. Don't miss the opportunity to get a wave of minion kills when you can.
I generally have the highest minion kills on the map, which lets me get items, which lets me kill champs, which lets me get more fed. Vicious circle, that starts with farming!

Summoner Spells

"HAHAHAHAHAA NOOOB YOU TOOK HEAL!! HEAL SUCKS!"
Nowadays, Post-Buff, Heal is incredibly strong. If noone on your team is taking it, grab it yourself. Sometimes I grab it anyway, if I'm not confident in my teammates, or if we're all playing squishies.

Flash/ Ghost - TBH, you really need to take at least one. Which one you take is a matter of personal preferance. I vary between the two every few months or so. Recently, I have learned to use Flash more effectively, and take it on almost every one of my champions. The choice is yours, though, and Ghost is a powerfull chasing tool pre-mallet, and a decent escape tool later.

Exhaust is a valuable skill, you can use it to effectively shutdown most TT champs. If noone else is taking it (rare) then grabbing it for FB at the teamfight down bot is a good idea.

Ignite is a valuable skill, you can use it to effectively shutdown most TT champs. If noone else is taking it (rare) then grabbing it for FB at the teamfight down bot can be a good idea. Yes, this was the same explination as Exhaust, however, I don't see ignite being used quite as much. I would go with Exhaust if you had to choose, easily.

Other spells:

Teleport I love this spell. In summoners rift. It has no place on a small map.

Revive This spell... Its useless here. It has only mild use on summoners rift, in ultra-late game.

Promote I have seen this used quite effectively on twisted treeline as of late. However, not on noc. Don't get it, its a waste of a summoner slot.

Constructive Criticism

Tell me things I don't know! I want to improve my game just as much as anyone else!

Things not to tell me:

- You put secondary runes as glyphs!
Yes, I did. I felt that the early-game advantages of the 5.6% AS, combines with quints, was more effective than other runes. Feel free to take CDR or MR/lvl glyphs.

- You're a noob.
YAY, trolltastic. You can speak in sentences =]

Work in Progress

This is, quite obviously, a work in progress. Tell me how to improve both my guide and my game, and I'll throw you a +rep for your help. Thanks =]

Conclusion

Thank you for reading this guide, Ive put a fair amount of effort into it. Please vote! If you downvote, please leave a reason why, and, if its something small I can correct, please leave a comment and allow me time to fix it. Constructive criticism is always appreciated =]