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[13.22] RANK 1 NIDALEE EUW - Majd's Challenger Nidalee Guide [In-Depth]

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Runes: DARK HARVEST

1 2

Domination

Dark Harvest

Sudden Impact

Eyeball Collection

Relentless Hunter

Sorcery

Transcendence

Waterwalking

Spells:

Flash

Smite

Items

STARTER ITEMS

FIRST BASE

IDEAL FIRST BASE

PERFECT FIRST BASE (1450 g)

CORE

CORE+

4TH ITEM OPTIONS

FULL BUILD

FULL BUILD VS SHIELDS

FULL BUILD VS HEAVY AP CHAMPIONS

Ability Order ABILITY ORDER

Nidalee Passive Ability

Threats & Synergies

Threats

Synergies

Extreme Major Even Minor Tiny

Show All

None Low Ok Strong Ideal

Extreme Threats

Ideal Synergies

Udyr

Extreme

This is the most challenging matchup for me playing Nidalee, which is why I always ban Udyr in my games. He presents a difficult challenge with his tankiness, high damage, fast clear speed, and mobility. To face him, I suggest leveraging Nidalee's own mobility to kite and avoid fighting him whenever possible.

Renekton

Ideal

Renekton is very good with Nidalee since he is a very strong laner and has very good setup for Nidalee's spear with his W stun. This allows you to execute dives with very high succes.

Synergies

Ideal Strong Ok Low None

Renekton

Ideal

Renekton is very good with Nidalee since he is a very strong laner and has very good setup for Nidalee's spear with his W stun. This allows you to execute dives with very high succes.

Champion Build Guide

Hello, my name is Majd1. I am a League of Legends player who specializes in playing , , and . I have been consistently

Challenger on the EUW server every season since season 8 and have millions of mastery points on Nidalee across all accounts.

I stream almost daily on Twitch and upload game guides and highlights on TikTok and YouTube. According to League of Graphs, I am considered one of the best player in the world and am well-known on the EUW server for my mastery of the champion.

My stream is focused on high-elo gameplay in the role, primarily with . As an experienced player, I have maintained the

Challenger rank for the past four years and stream nearly every day for several hours, providing my viewers with an entertaining and educational experience as I climb the ranks on the EUW server.

, the Bestial Huntress, is one of the most versatile and agile champions in the world of League of Legends. With her unique abilities to switch between human and cougar forms, she can adapt to various situations in a match, making her a formidable opponent on the battlefield. Whether you're a seasoned veteran or a newcomer to the game, a proper understanding of 's strengths and weaknesses can elevate your gameplay and lead to a successful hunting experience. In this guide, we will dive into the ins and outs of playing , including tips on item build recommendations, and effective strategies to dominate the Rift.

★ What kind of champion is ?

is an aggressive early game jungler with fast jungle clears and good ganks. She has good amount of burst in the early game, which makes it possible for her to duel the majority of junglers in the current meta. has a lot of mobility, thanks to her which allows her to pressure the entire map and rotate around the map rapidly.

★ Is a hard champion to play?

is a champion that is very difficult to operate and pilot for regular players. In addition to that she requires a lot of hard work and effort as well as mechanics. However, when you learn the combos and which terrain you can jump over as well as the jungle clear she becomes easier. Furthermore, one of the reason that may seem hard is that she is very unforgiving on mistakes meaning that once you get behind it is very hard for you to get back into the game.

★ Why would you pick over something like / / / ?

Once you become really experienced playing League of Legends your ability to predict what certain champions are gonna do becomes better. If you are a good and you are able to recognize and predict your opponent's next move then you can bend the game so she is a central part of it. She can cheat the map and on top of that she is very skill rewarding.

Prowl

Moving through brush increases 's Move Speed by 10% for 2 seconds, increased to 30% toward visible enemy champions within 1400 range.
Hitting champions or monsters with or triggers a Hunt, granting True Sight of them for 4 seconds. During this
time, gains 10% Move Speed (increased to 30% toward the Hunted target) and her and are enhanced against them.

Active: switches between her Human Form and Cougar Form, gaining access to new abilities.

Aspect of the Cougar

Javelin Toss

HUMAN FORM

Active: hurls a javelin in the target direction that deals magic damage to the first enemy hit, increased by 0% − 200% (based on distance traveled).

COUGAR FORM

Active: empowers her next basic attack within 10 seconds to have an uncancellable windup, gain 75 bonus range and deal modified magic damage that is increased by an amount for every 1% of the target's missing health.

Takedown

Bushwhack

HUMAN FORM

Active: lays a trap at the target location that becomes stealthed after arming over 1.5 seconds, lasting for up to 120 seconds and granting sight within its radius. The trap will spring upon contact with an enemy, dealing magic damage every second over 4 seconds.

COUGAR FORM

Active: leaps a fixed distance in the target direction. Upon arrival, she deals magic damage to nearby enemies.

Pounce

Primal Surge

HUMAN FORM

Active: revitalizes herself or the target allied champion, granting the target bonus attack speed for 7 seconds and healing them for an amount that is increased by 0% − 100% (based on target's missing health).

COUGAR FORM

Active: slashes in an arc in the target direction, dealing magic damage to enemies hit.

Swipe

KEYSTONE
Dark Harvest: For players new to Nidalee, taking Electrocute is the most user-friendly option. This is because it is easy to activate with Nidalee and deals more damage than Dark Harvest in the early game, making it a more reliable choice. For experienced players, however, Dark Harvest can be a strong keystone option. This is because Dark Harvest's full potential can only be realized if it is consistently stacked throughout the game. Additionally, Dark Harvest can be highly valuable for players at higher ranks where diving the enemy laners often happens. Dark Harvest does not require 3 hits to activate, but instead triggers on auto attacks, abilities or spears if the enemy's health is low enough.

SECOND TREE CHOICE
Sorcery: Moreover, I recommend taking the Sorcery tree second, primarily because of Transcendence. Transcendence grants free ability haste at levels 5 and 8, and upon reaching level 11, each enemy kill will reduce the remaining cooldown of your basic abilities by 20%. This is especially beneficial when combined with Hextech Rocketbelt and Sorcerer's Shoes, as it provides some much-needed Ability Haste. Additionally, Waterwalking is generally helpful due to its bonus movement speed and early game AP, enhancing your ability to duel and kite in the early stages of the game.

ALTERNATIVE SECOND TREE CHOICE
Inspiration: As an alternative, if you do not feel the need for bonus Ability Haste and Waterwalking, I recommend taking
the Inspiration tree second and choosing either Perfect Timing or Magical Footwear with Cosmic Insight (CDR). Personally, I prefer Perfect Timing, as it can save you from many difficult situations, and it has a value of 650 gold. Moreover, it can prevent you from having a major throw (assuming you have a shutdown), especially if you are already fed.

STARTER ITEMS

Gustwalker Hatchling

Health Potion

The 45% bonus movement speed when entering a brush is highly effective with
's passive and general playstyle, as it allows for quicker rotation around the map. This is why I consistently choose the option when playing . While other options are available, this one has proven to be the most effective and preferable for me.

FIRST BASE

As explained earlier, if you have less than 1100 gold, it's recommended to buy tier 1 and a . Getting early in the game is crucial because it increases your movement speed, which reduces the time it takes for you to move around the map. This allows you to apply more pressure on the map and be more proactive in the game. Additionally, if you have an extra 75 gold, make sure to purchase a
to gain vision on the map and possibly prevent your teammates from falling victim to enemy jungler ganks.

Dark Seal

Boots

PERFECT FIRST BASE

Sorcerer's Shoes

Dark Seal

As mentioned earlier, after your first base, the best option is to aim for 1450 gold and purchase a and . However, if you only have 1100 gold, then alone are still a good choice. Additionally, if you have an extra 75 gold, it's recommended to invest in a to gain vision on the map and potentially prevent your teammates from being caught out by enemy jungler ganks.

CORE

and are your core items every game meaning that these items enable you to become a menace in the game being unkillable whilst playing aggressively making picks for your team so you can get objectives on the map.

Hextech Rocketbelt

Zhonya's Hourglass

CORE+

Hextech Rocketbelt

Zhonya's Hourglass

Void Staff

, and will be your strongest spike during the entire game. These items will enable you to duel anyone regardless of them having bought magic resist.

4TH ITEM OPTIONS

On your 4th item you can choose a variety of options, you can choose to go for:

Rabadon's Deathcap

(in case there are no threats to you on enemy team and no excessive shielding)

(in case enemy team has got a lot of shielding, usually enchanters, shieldbows etc., and you wish to reduce that shielding). Moreover, you can also choose to get earlier if you need it, instead of or maybe even as 2nd item instead of .

Shadowflame

Lich bane

(In case you want more damage)

(in case you haven't upgraded your yet and you are sitting on 10 stacks, you can upgrade it, this gives you 10% bonus movement speed as well as more AP and since counts as a legendary item you will get another 5 magic penetration really cheap.

Mejai's Soulstealer

Banshee's Veil

(in case enemy team has a lot of AP champions or if they have got a lot of skillshots with extreme threat, such as 's E)

FULL BUILD

Sorcerer's Shoes

Hextech Rocketbelt

Zhonya's Hourglass

Void Staff

Rabadon's Deathcap

Banshee's Veil

Can swap out with / / after preference.

FULL BUILD VS SHIELDS

Sorcerer's Shoes

Hextech Rocketbelt

Zhonya's Hourglass

Void Staff

Shadowflame

Rabadon's Deathcap

Can swap out with / / after preference.

FULL BUILD VS HEAVY AP CHAMPIONS

Sorcerer's Shoes

Hextech Rocketbelt

Zhonya's Hourglass

Void Staff

Rabadon's Deathcap

Banshee's Veil

It is possible to swap out with or .

MYTHIC ITEM

Hextech Rocketbelt

There has been a lot of confusion on which Mythic item that you want to build on , personally I like to go for because I believe it is the better item looking at the stats it provides only. The active on has always felt "clunky" especially with because you can't queue any abilities while in the animation.
Moreover, if we look at the mythic bonuses (haste vs. flat magic penetration) then magic penetration is definitely the better option. This is because it simply offers more damage, especially with because your first 3 items will
probably be , , which all 3 give you magic penetration enabling you to oneshot everyone and anyone in the earlier stages of the game.
is the mythic item which you want to go for, this is because of the flat magic penetration it
provides and the bonus magic penetration from every legendary item.
In addition to this you don't really need on because it only takes one spear and one rotation to
oneshot most targets in the game.

👍

Pros

→ A lot of range
→ Extremely mobile
→ Fast clear
→ A lot of damage
→ Ability to pick kills
→ Very strong ganks

👎

Cons

→ Underwhelming if behind
→ Doesn't have any CC
→ Has to rely on team
→ Scales really bad, early game champ
→ High skill floor
→ Little room for mistakes

's jungle clear has been explained in the videos below. One video is for blue start and the other one is for red start.

BLUE START

RED START

JUNGLE PATHING

As mentioned earlier has really good jungle clears which are healthy and fast which is why I choose almost every game to full clear. However, this really depends on enemy composition as well as my jungle matchup. Let’s say that you have a team composition that does not have a lot of crowd control therefore you would look to play for counter ganks plus punish people on enemy team who are really overextending under the turrets of your laners. In games like these I choose to full clear unless my laners are at the threat of getting dove.

In jungle matchups against champions that like to do cheese ganks (level 3 ganks). I like to match their path and invade them on their 2nd buff. Champions where such would apply are and many more. In a situation like this I would start off by identifying which buff they started at by looking at the lane matchups and try to figure out which lane is the most likely one to get camped and based on that I determine where I wanna start, so I can invade enemy jungler on second buff or countergank for my team. However, I may not always be right and therefore it is a good idea to look at which laners from enemy team arrived late to their lane so you can find out at which buff enemy jungler started.

General tips that can help you improve at League of Legends:

★ 1. Master the basics:

Start by learning the fundamental mechanics of the game such as last hitting, trading, warding, and positioning. These skills will form the foundation of your gameplay, and you'll be able to build on them as you progress.

★ 2. Find a role and champion you enjoy:

Playing a role and champion that you enjoy is crucial for staying motivated and having fun. Experiment with different roles and champions until you find the one that suits your playstyle.

★ 3. Watch and learn from pro players:

Watching professional players on Twitch or YouTube can be a great way to learn new strategies, build paths, and techniques. You can also learn a lot from how they communicate with their team and make decisions in-game.

★ 4. Focus on one or two champions:

Instead of trying to play every champion, focus on mastering one or two. This will allow you to get better at the mechanics and nuances of those champions, which can translate to better overall gameplay.

★ 5. Practice, practice, practice:

Improving at League of Legends requires a lot of practice. Try to play regularly, but also take breaks to avoid burnout.

★ 6. Review your gameplay:

After each game, take a few minutes to review what you did well and what you could improve on. This will help you identify patterns and mistakes in your gameplay, and you can work on fixing them.

★ 7. Communicate effectively with your team:

Communication is key in League of Legends. Make sure you're using pings and chat to communicate effectively with your team.

★ 8. Don't get tilted:

It's easy to get frustrated and tilted when things don't go your way. But getting tilted will only make things worse. Try to stay positive and focused on improving, even when things are tough.

Nidalee's teamfight basics:

★ When to engage?

If you manage to hit a spear on one of the squishier targets on enemy team you can start off the fight by flash pouncing oneshotting the target into hourglass mid air. Be aware of hard cc-s on enemy team as they are 's weakness.

★ Be aware of the crowd control

is heavily countered by crowd control. This is why it is very important that you analyze enemy composition and think ahead when you are jumping in. All it takes is one crowd control for enemy team to render your champ completely useless.

★ Look for spears

In higher elos it is very unlikely that your opponents will get hit by your spears if they see you throwing them, this is because 's spear is pretty easy to dodge. This is why you should try to throw your spears from fog of war or simply hold your spear until your team uses their crowd control abilities.

Gameplan

Before every game as a jungler you must have a game plan, this one is automatically decided for me usually during champion selection. To identify a game plan, one must identify the team composition and lane matchups. One must look at which lanes have CC, because these lanes are more prone to help you execute a gank and be successful. Moreover, one must understand how lane matchup goes, e.g., if you have a weak toplane champion and the enemy has a lane bully, it is very likely that your toplaner will be under his tower in the early stages of the game because enemy toplaner is simply a stronger laner in the early game and will bully your laner, this will cause laner to most likely be low HP or chunked to around 50%. In this matchup your laner is unable to contest the wave without getting taken to really low HP, therefore enemy laner will most likely have a really big minion wave to crash under her turret which is really good for him because this will give a golden opportunity for the enemy jungler to dive your laner, but if one is smart one can figure this out and do a preventative gank for your laner or hover around the topside of the map to prevent a dive from happening.

S TIER

A TIER

B TIER

C TIER

D TIER

CONCLUSION

Thanks for reading my guide. I hope that you can take some of this information and incorporate it in your gameplay. If this guide is succesful, I will look to write a guide for and . If there is any questions then do not hesitate to pass by my stream and ask me, I will be happy to answer them. Make sure to check out my Twitch, TikTok and YouTube for jungle gameplay and highlights!