My Rant Video Addressing Cookie Cutter Itemization:

Play Video

History:

Hello, my name is Solus, though I go by many aliases. I’ve been playing Nami since Season 8, and I absolutely love this champion. Over the years, I’ve gone to great lengths to push her limits.

I peaked at Diamond 1 during Split 2 of 2024 and was ranked among the top 10 Nami players in NA. However, I didn’t push for Master due to a loss of interest in the game. I’ve smurfed to Diamond multiple times and have tested nearly every possible build on Nami. The builds provided in this guide are the ones I’ve had the most success with.

There are only two viable keystone options for Nami: Aery and Guardian. I understand that some people may try to discredit the information in this guide because I haven’t reached Master or higher, but that’s a logical fallacy—specifically, an ad hominem. This occurs when someone attacks the person rather than addressing the argument. You should evaluate the information on its own merits and form your own judgment.

I created this guide because most existing Nami guides are outdated or contain suboptimal build choices. My goal is to provide players with an up-to-date and effective resource for mastering Nami.

Tips for Maximizing Your Value with Tidal Wave and Aqua Prison

NEVER—I repeat, NEVER—coin flip your Aqua Prison unless it's absolutely necessary! This tip alone can significantly boost your rank if you're disciplined and only use Aqua Prison to chain crowd control (CC). What do I mean by this?

For example, try using Tidal Wave on the enemy before casting Aqua Prison to almost guarantee it lands. Alternatively, wait for your allies to use their CC abilities, then follow up with Aqua Prison. Doing this will help you secure more kills and make your gameplay far more consistent. It's a good habit—stick with it!

As for Tidal Wave, I recommend using quick cast with an indicator to get a better feel for its range and to improve your ability to line it up effectively. When possible, position yourself in optimal spots to block off choke points or force enemies into them—this makes it much easier to land your Tidal Wave. Try to hit as many enemies as possible; it’s easily one of the strongest ultimates in the game when used correctly.

Tidal Wave applies a heavy slow, making it much easier to land Aqua Prison afterward. It also doubles the movement speed granted by your passive, which can help you escape ganks, disengage from teamfights, or chase down enemies to secure kills.

How to ultilize Nami's Ebb and Flow Effectively

Ebb and Flow is strongest at levels 1–3, as Nami will win most trades thanks to the sustain it provides. It deals more damage when cast directly on the enemy first and heals slightly more when used on yourself or an ally first. If you're at full HP, cast Ebb and Flow on the enemy for increased damage; otherwise, use it on yourself or an ally for better healing.

An additional tip: Ebb and Flow can bounce between allies and enemies. When used on yourself or an ally, it will bounce to the nearest enemy; when used on an enemy, it will bounce to the nearest ally. The ability can bounce up to three times, so proper positioning is key to maximizing its value in trades.

Whenever possible, start trades with an auto-attack, then cast Ebb and Flow, and follow up with another auto for optimal damage. However, if the enemy support moves forward to assist their ADC, it's usually safer to disengage. Against engage supports, this pattern is riskier—they can punish over-aggression. In those matchups, it's better to conserve mana and cooldowns for when they engage on your ADC.

Standard trade patterns for Nami at levels 1–3 include:

Basic trade: Auto-attack → Ebb and Flow → Auto-attack

With Tidecaller's Blessing: Auto-attack → Tidecaller's Blessing (cast while the auto is midair) → Ebb and Flow → Auto-attack

Engage combo: Auto-attack → Tidecaller's Blessing (mid-auto) → Aqua Prison → Auto-attack → Ebb and Flow → Final auto-attack

Take isolated trades when possible, and always prioritize the enemy ADC over the support.

Finally, abuse bushes to drop minion aggro! This forces the enemy to ward the bush—if they don’t, they’ll have to deal with your constant harass and lane pressure.

League is NOT a static game!

You must be able to adapt to every situation. This involves adjusting your runes, items, and decision-making/game plan throughout the entire game. While you can still find success by using the same runes and items every game, you're limiting your available options and making the game much harder for yourself—especially if you're a one-trick. If your goal is to only play Nami, that means you'll have to play into bad matchups and sometimes with team compositions that don’t synergize well with her. That’s all the more reason to always adapt and avoid becoming a static player.

I strongly encourage experimenting—not with main keystones like Guardian or Aery—but with sub-runes within those trees. For example, if you’re not a fan of Bone Plating because it gets procced too easily, and you’d prefer Second Wind or Conditioning, that is perfectly fine! Do it—I want you to!

This guide is meant to serve as a foundation of reliable resources to get you started. Feel free to make it your own and change anything you like.

VIDEOS ARE MORE EFFECTIVE FOR LEARNING

I believe watching videos is a more effective way to learn than reading a jumbled pile of text. Videos can demonstrate fundamental concepts more clearly than I could ever convey through text alone. This is why I choose to provide videos instead of a mix of images, GIFs, and text.

That said, I’ve linked the official League of Legends wiki page for Nami, which is updated every patch, in case any of the videos become outdated. If you're looking to learn specific mechanics or fine details about Nami, it's best to refer to the wiki and experiment with her in the Practice Tool.

RESOURCES:

League of Legends Official Wiki
Nami

Fundamentals & Content Creators
Coach Cupcake
League Fundamentals Playlist

Best Resource for Learning Matchups
YouTube Nami Challenger Replays Playlist

Useful Settings
WARNING: I don't recommend watching any content from SkillCapped, ProGuides, or GameLeap, as they often provide a lot of misinformation. However, the video they made on settings is accurate.