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Nasus Build Guide by

[26.18] Nasus Jungle Guide // In-Depth

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Guide Discussion (1) More Nasus Guides

Runes: Default

1 2

Precision

Fleet Footwork

Triumph

Legend: Haste

Last Stand

Inspiration

Approach Velocity

Magical Footwear

Bonus:

+8 Ability Haste
+10-180 Bonus Health
+15% Tenacity/Slow Resist

Spells:

1 2

Default

Ghost

Gustwalker Smite

Items

FIRST ITEMS

Starting item

FIRST BACK

BUILDS

CORE #1

CORE #2

3RD ITEM CHOICES

AFTER 3+

EXAMPLE BUILD #1

EXAMPLE BUILD #2

Ability Order Default

Nasus Passive Ability

Threats & Synergies

Threats

Synergies

Extreme Major Even Minor Tiny

Show All

None Low Ok Strong Ideal

Extreme Threats

Ideal Synergies

Kindred

Extreme

READ MATCHUP SECTION FOR ALL MATCHUPS!

Yuumi

Ideal

Synergies

Ideal Strong Ok Low None

Yuumi

Ideal

More Nasus Counters

Champion Build Guide

NASUS JUNGLE MASTERY 2026

High ELO Nasus | Jungle Only | Updated 21 May 2026 | Patch 26.10

Nasus Jungle In 26.10

You play on a timer. While they flip 3v3s at level 3, you count cycles, stacks, and item thresholds.

This guide teaches you how to hit your spikes, survive invades, and turn mid-game into a nightmare for anything that breathes.

Best for: Players who want a repeatable macro plan that scales into an unkillable raid boss.

PATCH 26.10 LIVE

Checked 21 May 2026

26.10 read: No direct Nasus changes in 26.5, 26.6, 26.7, 26.8, 26.9, or 26.10. You are still playing the same Nasus. The jungle meta around you continues to shift — Gluttonous Greaves and Voltaic Cyclosword both ate cost/stat nerfs, Deathfire Touch got its early burn reduced, and Stormraider's Surge got a duration buff. None of these touch your gameplan directly, but the sustain nerfs on popular enemy jungle items slightly reduce the early-game threat from sustain-heavy invaders.

System	Current State	Read
Q Stacking	+12 on large monsters/champs, +3 on small	Your scaling engine is untouched. Stack discipline wins games.
Wither	Still the best single-target cripple in the game	ADCs and auto-attackers still cannot play the game through this spell.
R	Still your mid-game raid boss button	Pop it for dives, 2v1s, and objective contests. Not for style.

Takeaway: Nasus jungle is stable. Your job has not changed: survive early, stack cleanly, and become the thing they cannot answer at 15+ minutes. The 26.10 system nerfs to Gluttonous and Voltaic slightly weaken sustain-heavy invaders, which is a small indirect benefit to your early game.

What Actually Matters

Stable	Watch For
Q stacking: Core loop unchanged. Wither: Still deletes auto-attackers from fights. R dives: Still your best mid-game conversion tool. Trinity spike: Still the point where you become the strongest thing on the map.	Early invade meta: Aggressive junglers are still popular. Respect them. Vision changes: Faelight lines punish lazy river walks. Objective timers: Grubs at 8:00, Herald at 15:00. Plan your spikes around these. Item nerfs: Gluttonous Greaves and Voltaic Cyclosword nerfed in 26.10 — slightly less sustain on enemy junglers who leaned on these. Peel supports: hard counter your access late.

Stable

Watch For

Q stacking: Core loop unchanged.
Wither: Still deletes auto-attackers from fights.
R dives: Still your best mid-game conversion tool.
Trinity spike: Still the point where you become the strongest thing on the map.

Early invade meta: Aggressive junglers are still popular. Respect them.
Vision changes: Faelight lines punish lazy river walks.
Objective timers: Grubs at 8:00, Herald at 15:00. Plan your spikes around these.
Item nerfs: Gluttonous Greaves and Voltaic Cyclosword nerfed in 26.10 — slightly less sustain on enemy junglers who leaned on these.
Peel supports: hard counter your access late.

NAVIGATION

BASICS	BUILD	JUNGLE	STRATEGY
Patch Notes	Runes	Pathing & Stacking	Game Phases
Quick Start	Items	Combos	Matchups
Introduction	Summoners	Abilities	Climbing Tips
Patch Snapshot			POVs To Watch
			Final Words

INTRODUCTION

If you want to play for kills at 3 minutes, play Lee Sin. Nasus is an investment.

Patch 26.10 TL;DR

Default plan: Full clear, stack , base on item timers.
Scuttle: Spawns at 2:55. Give it if contested. It is irrelevant.
Rule: Farm -> Spike -> Objective -> Run them down.

Who This Guide Is For

Jungle-first players who want a scaling monster.
Macro-focused players who enjoy winning through patience.
Players who want to 1v2 at 15 minutes consistently.

Not for: Ego fighters, level 3 coinflippers, and players who surrender at first blood.

Who This Guide Is Not For

Players who want early game dominance and constant skirmishing.
Players who refuse to give up scuttles or camps to avoid dying.
Players who think jungle Nasus is troll and will not commit to the gameplan.

Challenger Mindset

LOW ELO TRAP
"I can contest this Scuttle against ."
"Let me stay 15 seconds to stack these mini Krugs."
"They invaded me, game is over, ff 15."

HIGH ELO RULE
Give scuttle. It is irrelevant.
Base on timers. Pathing tempo > +3 stacks.
Cross-map their early aggression. Take their camps.

Golden Rule: If you die before Trinity Force, you threw the game harder than any teammate could.

QUICK START

60-second champ select check. Lock in and farm the map.

JUGGERNAUT / FIGHTER
Role: Jungle only (this guide)
Difficulty: MEDIUM
Identity: Scaling juggernaut who wins through patience and stacking
Win con: Farm -> spike -> Objective -> Run them down
Lose con: Die early, get invaded repeatedly, never hit spike

Champ Select Cheat Sheet

If You Need Default	Take This
Summoner spells	Ghost + Smite. Flash is acceptable but Ghost is superior.
Core build	-> -> / -> /
Default route	-> -> -> -> ->
Empowered rule	the ADC. the nearest target. to survive dives.

PROS & CONS

color=#00FF7F PROS[/color]	color=#FF4D4D CONS[/color]
Infinite scaling. Q stacks have no cap. Best single-target cripple in the entire game. Unparalleled 1v2 potential at mid-game with R active. Trivializes objectives once spiked. Dragon, Herald, towers melt. Flexible builds. Can go damage, bruiser, or full tank depending on lobby.	Horrendous pre-6 skirmishing. You lose almost every 1v1 early. Extremely susceptible to early invades from . Hard countered by peel supports like . Slow first clear compared to meta junglers.

PATCH SNAPSHOT

Read the champion correctly before you lock in.

Current Read

Area	Current Read	What It Means
Jungle	Playable, not blind autopilot	You win when you survive early and convert your mid-game spike into objectives.
Power curve	Weak -> GOD -> Strong	Levels 1-5 are survival. 6-13 with is your peak. Late game you are still strong but can be peeled.
Win condition	Mid-game raid boss	+ 250-400 stacks + = you win any 1v1 and most 1v2s.

Base Stats (Level 1)

HP	AD	Armor	AS	MS	Range
631	67	34	0.638	350	125

Ability Ranges and Cooldowns

Spell	Range	Cooldown	Why It Matters
Q	Self / enhanced AA	7.5 / 6.5 / 5.5 / 4.5 / 3.5	Your entire identity. Max first. CDR = more stacks = more damage.
W	700	15 / 14 / 13 / 12 / 11	Cripples MS and AS. Max second for ganks. Your only CC.
E	650	12	AoE armor shred. Start this level 1 for healthy clears.
R	Self	120	Bonus HP, armor, MR, and AoE burn. Your dive/fight/objective button.

ABILITIES

Nasus looks simple. The difference between a good and bad Nasus is entirely in how cleanly you use these four buttons.

Soul Eater (Passive)

Lifesteal: 8/14/20% (at levels 1/7/13).
Why it matters: Free sustain that scales. Keeps your jungle clears healthy without needing pots.
High ELO use: This passive is why you can sustain through camps without a leash and stay healthy for river decisions.

Q
Stack / Kill / Objective

Job: Your entire identity. Last-hit everything with this.
Stack values: +12 on large monsters, champions, cannon/siege. +3 on small monsters.
Rule: If Q is off cooldown and a large monster is about to die, you better be last-hitting it.

W
Cripple / Gank / Peel

Job: Single-target slow that ramps to 99% and cripples attack speed by 50%.
Duration: 5 seconds. That is an eternity.
Rule: Always use on the ADC or auto-attack carry in teamfights. Always.

E
Clear / Shred / Zone

Job: AoE damage zone that shreds armor by 25/30/35/40/45%.
Clear use: Drop on Raptors and Wolves for healthy AoE clear.
Rule: In fights, drop under the enemy frontline before you Q them. The armor shred makes your Q hit 30-40% harder.

R
Raid Boss / Dive / Objective

Job: Grants bonus HP, resistances, increased size, and % max HP AoE burn.
Duration: 15 seconds. Also halves Q cooldown during R.
Rule: Pop it when you commit to a fight, dive, or objective. Never waste it for wave clear.

SKILL ORDER

Max Q -> W -> E

1	2	3	4	5	6

Level 1 Rule: ALWAYS start E. It does AoE damage and shreds armor on the camp. Starting Q level 1 makes your first camp agonizingly slow and you will be behind tempo for the entire first clear.

Level 4 Rule: Take W at level 4 for gank threat. Even if you are not ganking, having it available changes how enemies play their lane.

Stack Priority Decision Box

Situation	Do This
Large monster about to die, Q is up	Last hit it. +12 stacks. This is mandatory.
Large monster about to die, Q has 2+ seconds left	Wait for Q if safe. If the camp will reset or you will lose tempo, kill it and move.
Small monsters alive, Q is up	+3 stacks. Take it if it does not slow your clear by more than 2 seconds.
Scuttle available, contested	Give it up unless you are 100% safe. Your life is worth 50 scuttles.
Champion kill available	+12 stacks and shutdown gold. Take it if the fight is free. Do not force.

COMBOS & EXECUTION

Nasus does not need flashy mechanics. He needs clean sequencing and patience.

COMBO #1: STANDARD GANK

Difficulty: Easy | Use against: Overextended laners without escape

Setup: Ghost ready, W available

Step	Input	Result
1	Ghost from fog	Close the gap without burning their escape early.
2	W the target	99% slow ramp. They cannot run.
3	E under them	Armor shred zone. Your Q will hurt significantly more.
4	Q on arrival	Enhanced auto. Massive damage spike.
5	AA -> Q when up	Repeat until dead.

COMBO #2: DIVE COMBO

Difficulty: Medium | Use against: Low HP targets under tower

Setup: 250+ stacks, R available

Step	Input	Result
1	R before entering tower range	Bonus HP and resistances tank tower shots.
2	W the target	They cannot escape the tower zone.
3	E under them	Armor shred + R burn starts stacking.
4	Q to execute	One Q should finish most targets at this stack count.
5	Walk out or take tower	R keeps you alive through 3-4 tower shots easily.

COMBO #3: FULL 1v2 SKIRMISH

Difficulty: Medium | Use against: Enemy jungle + laner collapse

Setup: completed, 300+ stacks, R available

Step	Input	Result
1	R immediately	You become the raid boss. Do not wait.
2	W the biggest threat	Whoever deals the most DPS gets crippled first.
3	E between both	Armor shred hits both. R burn ticks on both.
4	Q -> AA -> Q	Focus the squishier target first. Two Qs should kill.
5	W the survivor	Wither comes back up. They cannot escape.

COMBO #4: TEAMFIGHT FRONTLINE

Difficulty: Easy | Use against: Grouped fights

Setup: Stand in front of your carries, not theirs

Step	Input	Result
1	W the enemy ADC	Their carry cannot output DPS for 5 full seconds.
2	R	You are now the biggest threat on the map.
3	E under their frontline	Armor shred and zone control.
4	Q whatever is in range	Do not ego chase. Hit the legal target.
5	W again on CD	Second Wither on the next biggest threat.

Common Mistakes

Mistake	Fix
Using R before committing	R has a 15 second timer. Only pop it when the fight is real.
Withering the tank	Always target the ADC or auto-attack carry. Withering a Ornn is griefing.
Forgetting E in fights	The armor shred is 25-45%. Your Q deals massively more damage on shredded targets.
Chasing kills through 3 people	Hit what is in front of you. You are not an assassin.
Ulting for wave clear	R is a 120 second cooldown. Never waste it on minions.

Without sticking power, Nasus is a big sandbag that gets kited to death.

Keystone Selector

Pick when: Every single game. No exceptions.
Why: applies the slow Qs. Also grants 75% slow resistance, making their peel significantly weaker.
[OK] Mandatory [X] No damage keystone

CONQUEROR
Do Not Take

Pick when: Never in the jungle.

	SORCERY PRIMARY Nimbus Cloak: MS burst on Smite and Ghost. Crucial for gap closing. Celerity: Amplifies every MS boost. Synergizes with Ghost, and . Waterwalking: Free AD and MS in river for objectives and scuttle. Best option here.
	INSPIRATION SECONDARY Magical Footwear: Free 300g and +10 flat MS. Accelerates your Trinity timing. Approach Velocity: 15% MS toward CC'd targets. Synergizes flawlessly with Wither and Blue Smite.

Stat Shards: Ability Haste / Health Scaling / Tenacity and Slow Resist

CDR shard is mandatory. More haste = more Q casts = more stacks = more damage. It compounds exponentially.

ITEMIZATION

CDR is your damage. MS is your access. Tank stats keep you alive. Build in that order.

Core Build Paths

Both paths start the same: Sheen first for the Q proc, then Protoplasm for the stat bridge. After that, read the lobby.

BUILD PATH 1: CARRY LINE (Default)

-> -> ->

1. Sheen
Rush this first. The Q + Sheen proc is your first real damage spike. Buy on first base (700g).

2. Protoplasm
Stat bridge component. Keeps your build progressing smoothly toward the completed item.

3. Trinity Force
Your massive power spike. Sheen proc + Q stacks = one-shot territory on squishies. Once this is done, you win any 1v1 on the map.

4. Frozen Heart
CDR + armor + AS cripple aura. Pairs with W to completely shut down auto-attackers. Best defensive item when you already have Trinity damage.

Use this when: You are the main carry on your team (most games). You need the Trinity damage spike to convert your mid-game into kills and objectives.

BUILD PATH 2: TANK LINE (Into Heavy AD)

-> -> ->

1. Sheen
Same first item. The Q proc is non-negotiable regardless of which path you take.

2. Protoplasm
Same stat bridge. You decide which Sheen item to finish based on the enemy comp AFTER this point.

3. Iceborn Gauntlet
AoE slow field on Q, armor, CDR. Less damage than Trinity but significantly tankier. Better when your team already has damage.

4. Spirit Visage
Amplifies your passive lifesteal by 25%. MR + HP + CDR. Combined with Iceborn, you become nearly unkillable.

Use this when: Enemy is 4-5 AD, your team already has a fed carry, or you need to frontline and survive rather than one-shot. The Iceborn slow field + Spirit Visage healing makes you a permanent drain-tank threat.

Build Decision Rule

You See	You Build
You are the main carry + enemy has squishies	-> -> ->
Enemy is 4-5 AD + your team has damage	-> -> ->
Enemy is heavy AP	-> -> ->
You are behind and need to survive	-> -> -> /

Boot Options

26.10: Boots of Swiftness currently hold the highest win rate on Nasus Jungle in high ELO. The flat MS and slow reduction synergize perfectly with, Ghost, and Wither chase patterns.

Boots	Take When
	#1 DEFAULT - HIGHEST WR. Best boot on Nasus right now. The flat MS makes you faster across the mapYou stick to targets better, gank better, and rotate faster than any other boot option. Rush these.
	Acceptable alternative if you desperately want more CDR for Q stacking early. Slightly lower WR than Swifties but still playable into comps with no slows at all.
	Into heavy CC + AP burst. When getting locked down once means dying before you touch anyone. heavy CC comps.
	Almost never. You need MS more than you need auto-attack reduction. Only consider vs full AD + 3 auto-attackers.

Situational Items

AHEAD

Dead Man's Plate: MS + HP + burst. Lets you run at people even harder.
Force of Nature: Best MR item. MS passive makes you unkiteable.
Take when you are already winning and want to snowball harder.

EVEN

Sterak's Gage: Anti-burst. Huge shield when you get focused.
Randuin's Omen: Best into crit carries.
Take when fights are close and one extra survival check wins.

BEHIND

Thornmail: If they are auto-attack heavy and you need anti-heal.
Gargoyle Stoneplate: Last resort teamfight frontline tool.
Take when you need to survive, not carry.

SUMMONER SPELLS

Ghost is the difference between running someone down and watching them walk away at 50 HP.

Spell	When	Why
Ghost	DEFAULT EVERY GAME	Multi-kill potential and Nimbus Cloak. Gives you the MS to run down entire teams after R pop. Lets you stick through Wither duration completely.
Flash	Acceptable but worse	Better for instant surprise Q executes or flash over walls for escapes. Lacks the sustained chase power that makes Nasus actually scary.
Smite	MANDATORY	You are a jungler. Blue Smite for the slow proc synergy with Approach Velocity. Never take Red Smite on Nasus.

Why Ghost over Flash: Ghost has a shorter cooldown (210s vs 300s), gives sustained MS for the entire 15s of R duration, and enables multi-kill chases. Flash gives you one repositioning tool. Nasus does not need one burst of movement. He needs sustained chase power to turn one kill into three.

JUNGLE PATHING & STACKING

You do not flip. You clear, stack, base, and react. Every decision is about reaching your spike alive.

The Stacking Math

STACK VALUES

+12 Stacks: Red, Blue, Gromp, Large Raptor, Large Wolf, Large Krug, Scuttle, Champions, Cannon Minions.
+3 Stacks: Small Raptors, Small Wolves, Small/Medium Krugs, Regular Minions.

Stack Benchmarks

Time	Stack Target	What It Means
5:00	80-120	First clear done cleanly. You are on pace.
10:00	180-250	Second-third clear cycles. You should be close to Trinity components.
15:00	300-400	Raid boss online. Trinity should be complete or nearly complete.
20:00	400-550	You are the strongest thing on the map if you did not die for nothing.
25:00	550-700+	Two-shotting squishies. Taking towers in 4-5 Qs.

CRITICAL TRAP: Do NOT sabotage your pathing tempo to wait for Q to come off cooldown on a small monster. Dropping +3 stacks to maintain your clear speed is correct. Time is levels, levels are your spike.

First Clear Protocol

Red Side Standard

Best default. Covers the most camps efficiently.

Camp	Rule
Raptors	Start with E on the camp. AoE shreds armor and does damage to all of them. Last hit big raptor with Q at level 2.
Red	Drop E, auto attack, Q last hit for +12.
Krugs	E the camp, focus the big Krug with Q last hit. Skip small Krugs if Q is not up.
Wolves	E center, Q the big wolf.
Blue	Standard. Last hit with Q.
Gromp	Last hit with Q for +12. You should be level 4 and healthy.

Use this when: Default every game. This gives you the most camps, the most stacks, and the cleanest first base timing.

Blue Side Standard

Mirror route. Use when starting blue side is safer against early invaders.

Camp	Rule
Blue -> Gromp -> Wolves	Standard blue side opener. E start, Q last hits on large monsters.
Raptors -> Red -> Krugs	Finish on red side. You should be level 4 with ~80-100 stacks.

Use this when: Enemy started on your red side ( who want to invade red). Start opposite to avoid them entirely.

Ward Swap Start

Step	Action
0:40	Drop ward on one river entrance (your invade-vulnerable side).
0:50	Recall. Buy Sweeper.
0:55	Walk to your starting camp. You now have vision and sweeper from level 1.

Why this works: You see the invade coming. If they come, walk to the other side. If they do not, you cleared safely and have sweeper for later ganks.

If You Get Invaded

They Do	You Do
Invades your red at level 2	Walk away. Go to your blue side. Ping lanes to play safe. You lose nothing permanent.
Steals one camp	Take their opposite camp if safe, or just continue your route. One camp behind is fine.
Kills you	The game just got 10x harder. This is why you never fight pre-6. Ever.
Deep wards your jungle	Buy Control Wards on every base. Deny their information.

Tempo & Benchmarks

Fixed Timer Line

Time	What Opens	Rule
0:55	/ / /	Start clearing. Do not waste time posturing.
1:07	/	Full clear is the only correct play 95% of games.
2:55	Scuttle	Take if free. Give if contested. +12 stacks is not worth dying.
3:15-3:30	First base window	Target: Boots of Swiftness (1000g) or Sheen (900g). Boots first if you can afford.
5:00	First Dragon window	Only if bot has prio AND you have R. Otherwise skip and farm.
6:00+	Level 6 online	Your first real conversion window opens. Look for overextended lanes.
8:00	void grub Void Grubs	Take if top/mid has prio. Grubs are massive value for Nasus - they help you take towers faster.
15:00	Herald replaces Grubs	Herald + 400 stack Q = delete a tower instantly.

Recovery Windows

If You Miss	Do This
First clear camps stolen	Take their camps if safe. Otherwise just do the next cycle and catch up. One cycle behind is fine.
Died early	Farm. Do not panic gank. You are behind on stacks and levels. The only fix is more camps.
Missed first dragon	Take the next one. Nasus does not need soul to win. He needs Trinity Force.
Teammates flaming	Mute all. Farm. You will carry at 20 minutes if you do not tilt.

Map Reads

You See	You Do
Enemy jungle shows top	Take Dragon or their bot camps. Cross-map is your bread and butter.
Enemy jungle shows bot	Take void grub Grubs or their top camps.
No enemy info	Keep farming. Buy Control Wards. Do not face-check.
Lane frozen near enemy tower	Skip it. That is not gankable for Nasus.
Lane pushed to your tower	Path there. W + Ghost from behind = free kill.

GAME PHASES

Know when you are weak, when you are god, and when you need to play smart.

EARLY GAME (0:00-10:00)

Power Read:

WEAK - Survival mode

You are the weakest jungler on the map. Accept it. Play around it. Do not fight it.

YOUR JOB

Full clear every camp on cooldown.
Last hit every large monster with Q.
Reach level 6 alive with 150+ stacks.
Base for Swifties or Sheen timing.

DON'T DO THIS

Contest scuttle against .
Gank a lane that is not obviously free.
Fight anyone 1v1 before Trinity.
Die. Period.

MID GAME (10:00-22:00) - THE SPIKE

Power Read:

GOD MODE - Your peak window

Trinity Force completed. 250-400 stacks. The enemy ADC has not finished LDR. You are the raid boss.

YOUR JOB

Walk into Dragon / Herald pit and take it. Pop R if contested.
Gank with Ghost + W. Run them down into tower and dive with R.
Take towers. A 300 stack Q chunks plates and breaks the map open.
Force 1v1s. You win every single one at this point.

DON'T DO THIS

Sit in your jungle farming when objectives are up.
Group mid when side towers are free.
Ignore your spike window. It does not last forever.
Waste R on camps.

Mid-Game Conversion Rules

Situation	Rule
You get a kill	Immediately take the nearest tower, Dragon, void grub Grub, or Herald. Kills without conversion are wasted.
Objective spawning in 30s	Path there. Drop ward. You win the smite fight because your Q + Smite outbursts everything.
Side lane is pushed to their tower	Walk there with Ghost up. W whoever tries to defend. Take the tower.
Enemy groups mid	Split a side lane. They have to send 2 people minimum to stop you. Your team gets a 4v3.

LATE GAME (22:00+)

Power Read:

STRONG but requires smart play

You still hit like a truck, but they have LDR, peel, and they respect you now. Play smarter, not harder.

The Front-to-Back

If you HAVE to 5v5: Stand in front of your ADC. Drop E under the enemy divers. Q whoever is hitting your carries. Use W strictly on the enemy ADC or Yasuo / Irelia to completely remove them from the fight.

The Split / Flank

Your best angle is catching people in rotations. Pop Ghost, activate R, the carry and two-shot them. Once the carry dies, clean up. If they send 2+ to stop your split, your team takes Baron.

Nasus Power Curve

Phase	Read	Play Style
Levels 1-5	Weak	Farm. Do not fight. Do not die. Stack.
Level 6	Online	R gives real fight threat. First conversion window.
1 item	GOD	You win every 1v1. Force it.
2-3 items	Peak	1v2 capable. Objective control. Tower demolition.
Full build	Strong	Still lethal, but peel and LDR matter. Play smart.

JUNGLE MATCHUPS

Survive these early, outscale all of them. Your win condition never changes: farm, spike, run them down.

Matchup Reading Rules

Wither rule: Never use W in a gank until the target has used their dash or Flash. Waste their escape first, then cripple them.
Invade rule: If you see them on your side of the map early, walk to the other side. Never ego fight.
Scaling truth: You outscale every jungler in the game at 2+ items. Every single one. The only question is whether you reach that spike alive.

BAN TIER - Remove From Game

Jungler	Threat	Why
Kindred	EXTREME (BAN)	Kites you endlessly, invades mercilessly, dashes make less effective. R saves whoever you try to execute. Marks force you off your camps. Your worst nightmare at every stage of the game.
Nidalee	EXTREME	Will live in your jungle levels 2-6. You cannot fight her. You cannot outrun her. Spears chunk you from range. If your laners do not collapse, the game is unplayable.
Bel'Veth	EXTREME	Invades early AND outscales in 1v1 late with infinite stacking AS. slows her AS but she dashes through it. One of the few champs that actually matches your scaling. Ban-worthy.

HIGH THREAT - Respect and Cross-Map

Jungler	Threat	Rule
Lee Sin	MAJOR	Will invade early and ward your camps. Start opposite side. Give scuttle. He falls off hard after 15 minutes. Outscale him by existing.
Graves	MAJOR	Ranged, fast clear, will bully you in your own jungle. Smokescreen blinds you. Avoid him early. He falls off relative to you after 2 items.
Elise	MAJOR	Strong early ganker who wants to snowball before you spike. Rappel dodges your Q. Ward her entry paths and farm. She becomes irrelevant after 20 min.
Rek'Sai	MAJOR	Tremor sense finds you. Strong early duelist. Play opposite quadrant early. She falls off a cliff mid-game where you spike.
Lillia	MAJOR	Her MS gets so absurd that even struggles mid-late. True damage burns through your HP. Need Swifties and FoN. Very annoying all game.
Shaco	MAJOR	Will cheese your buffs level 1-2. His boxes shut down your pathing. Buy Control Wards every base. He is useless late but can destroy your early game if you are not careful.
Kha'Zix	MAJOR	Isolation damage destroys you in your own jungle. Never be alone in river without vision. After Frozen Heart he struggles to kill you.
Rengar	MAJOR	Will one-shot you if he finds you low HP in jungle. Avoid brush fights. After + he cannot burst you anymore.
Viego	MAJOR	Strong early duelist. Passive resets make him dangerous in skirmishes. Do not fight him pre-6. You outstat him mid-game with .

MEDIUM THREAT - Skill & Macro Dependent

Jungler	Threat	Rule
Vi	MEDIUM	Strong ganker but you outscale. She cannot 1v1 you after Trinity. her when she ults your carry in teamfights.
Xin Zhao	MEDIUM	Wins early 1v1. Do not contest him pre-6. After 2 items you run him over. completely guts his DPS.
Jarvan IV	MEDIUM	His R traps you but also traps him WITH you. That is a mistake for him. You win inside the ring every time after .
Master Yi	MEDIUM	R ignores slow (but NOT the AS cripple, which still guts his DPS by 50%). If equal gold, you win. If he is fed off lanes, he can shred you.
Warwick	MEDIUM	Stat-checks you early with lifesteal. Do not fight. After + you destroy him. removes his AS-based healing.
Nocturne	MEDIUM	His R ganks are brutal but he is a stat-check champion. You outstat him after 1 item. removes his auto DPS completely.
Volibear	MEDIUM	Strong early with tower dive R. Do not fight him pre-6. After Trinity you win the 1v1. His R does not help when you him.
Hecarim	MEDIUM	Fast clear and strong ganks. He runs you over early. + completely cripples him mid-late. You win after 2 items.
Wukong	MEDIUM	Early duelist with clone bait. Do not chase the clone. After you outstat him. his R engage to slow his spin damage.
Kayn	MEDIUM	Pre-form Kayn is weak. You outscale both forms. Shadow Assassin gets one-shot after he commits. Rhaast is a sustained fight you win with + stacks.
Ekko	MEDIUM	Slippery with R rewind but squishy. If he cannot trade and escape, you kill him. prevents his kite pattern. Build .
Taliyah	MEDIUM	Kites with W-E combo and walls off your access. Annoying but squishy. Once you reach her with + , she dies in two Qs.
Sylas	MEDIUM	Steals your R which is his best-case scenario. Still loses the stat check because he cannot match your stacks. guts his combo rhythm.
Udyr	MEDIUM	Fast clear and strong early dueling. Do not fight him levels 3-5. After + you win the stat check every time.
Pantheon	MEDIUM	Early burst is scary. His shield blocks your Q. Wait for it to drop, then kill him. Falls off a cliff mid-game.
Trundle	MEDIUM	His R steals your tank stats which hurts. Avoid 1v1 when his R is up early. After you have enough stacks (400+), even post-ult you still win.
Jax	MEDIUM	E dodges your Q autos. Wait for it to end, then hit him. cripples his AS. You win after 2 items if you time correctly.
Ivern	MEDIUM	Creates brushes which do nothing for you. Daisy is annoying but her and ignore. The problem is his shields and -style peel for his carries. Focus the carries, not Ivern.

LOW THREAT - You Outscale Hard

Jungler	Threat	Rule
Amumu	LOW	Tank jungler. Farm freely. He wants to teamfight which is fine because you are the biggest thing in the teamfight. E shreds his armor.
Sejuani	LOW	Tank vs Nasus. She has CC but you have 600 stacks and armor shred. You win every time after 1 item.
Karthus	LOW	Both want to farm. You outscale him in fights massively. Free lane. His R is annoying but mitigates it.
Diana	LOW	She dives your team and you W her. She cannot auto-attack. She dies. Rush Spirit Visage and laugh.
Rammus	LOW	His armor stacking means nothing when E shreds 45% of it. Free matchup at all stages. cripples his powerball engage.
Zac	LOW	Tank who wants to engage teamfights. Will never invade you. Farm freely and become a monster. E + Q shreds through his HP.
Maokai	LOW	Slow tank jungler who will never threaten you 1v1. Free farm game. You outscale him in every way imaginable.
Nunu	LOW	Will try to gank lanes and objective-rush. Let him. You scale harder. his snowball approach and he is useless. Outsmite him with Q + .
Skarner	LOW	Another tank you outscale. His R is annoying CC team follow-up handles it. You win every 1v1 after .
Fiddlesticks	LOW	His R is scary in teamfights but 1v1 he is a free kill. guts his drain. Buy and you sustain through everything.
Poppy	LOW	Tank that cannot stop you from scaling. Her W does not block your abilities since you have no dashes. Free matchup. Walk at her and Q.
Shyvana	LOW	Both want to powerfarm. You outscale her. She needs dragon form to fight; you are always online after . guts her auto-attack DPS loop.
Dr. Mundo	LOW	HP stacker who cannot threaten you. E shreds his armor, Q does not care about his HP pool. You always win the 1v1.
Gragas	LOW	His R displacement is annoying but he is squishy early and falls off as a jungler. You outscale massively. into AP Gragas.
Evelynn	LOW	Both want to farm to 6. You outscale her in fights. Buy Control Wards and she cannot surprise you. Her charm is useless into your tank stats.
Brand	LOW	Squishy mage jungler. If you reach him, he dies instantly. + and his damage is irrelevant. prevents his kite.

Matchup Golden Rules

Any auto-attacker: Wither them. 50% AS cripple + 99% slow = they are not a champion for 5 seconds.
Any tank: E under them and Q. Your armor shred makes tanks irrelevant.
Any kiter: Ghost + Wither. If all three are online, nothing escapes.
Any diver: Pop R, stand your ground, and stat-check them. You win inside your R every time after .

CLIMBING TIPS

Most Nasus losses are not about mechanics. They are about dying before your spike or not converting it.

Rank-Specific Focus

Rank	Main Fix
Iron-Bronze	Stop dying before 10 minutes. Literally just farm and you will climb.
Silver	Learn to Q last hit every large monster. Missing +12 stacks adds up fast.
Gold	Start converting kills into objectives. Kill -> Dragon / Tower / Herald. Every time.
Platinum	Track enemy jungle to avoid invades. Use the ward swap start consistently.
Diamond+	Perfect your Wither target selection in teamfights. It is the difference between winning and losing.

Top 10 Mistakes

1. Fighting before Trinity Force. You are not a champion yet.
2. Contesting scuttle against early game junglers. Give it. It is +12 stacks, not your life.
3. Withering the wrong target. the carry, not the tank.
4. Forgetting E in fights. 45% armor shred is not optional.
5. Wasting R on camps or waves. 120 second cooldown. Respect it.
6. Not buying Control Wards. You are the most invade-vulnerable jungler. Vision is survival.
7. Greeding for +3 stacks and losing tempo. Large monster stacks > small monster stacks.
8. Not converting kills. Kill without tower/dragon/herald = wasted lead.
9. Tilting when invaded. One camp down does not lose the game. Dying does.
10. Building damage when behind. If you are behind, build tank and contribute with W.

Good Habits

Q every large monster. No exceptions. This is 80% of playing Nasus correctly.
Base on item timers. Swifties at 1000g, Sheen at 900g, Trinity / Iceborn completion.
Track enemy jungle. If you see them bot, take top camps or void grub Grubs.
Pop R immediately in fights. Do not wait until you are low HP.
Always the ADC in teamfights. This single action wins more fights than your stacks do.
Buy Control Wards on every single base. Vision is survival when you are weak.

Objective Securing

Trick	Why
Q + Smite combo	Your Q + Smite outbursts almost every other jungler in the game for objective secures. At 300+ stacks, your Q does 400+ damage PLUS Smite. That is 1300+ burst on Dragon/Baron.
Solo Dragon	After Trinity, you can solo any Dragon. Drop E for armor shred, Q on cooldown. Your passive lifesteal keeps you healthy.
Tower Demolition	350+ stack Q does more damage to towers than any champion in the game. Use this advantage to break the map open.

VOD REVIEW CHECKLIST

Focus	Question	Fix
First clear	Did I Q last hit every large monster?	Count your stacks at 5:00. Below 80 means you are missing last hits.
Deaths pre-6	Did I fight when I should not have?	If the answer is yes, you already know the fix. Do not fight.
spike	What minute did I complete Trinity?	Target: 12-14 minutes. If later, review farming efficiency.
Conversion	Did every kill lead to an objective?	If not, you wasted your spike window.
targets	Did I Wither the right person in teamfights?	If you Withered a tank, you griefed the fight.

HIGH-ELO NASUS PLAYERS

Watch for decision-making and pathing, not for highlight clips.

POVs Worth Watching

Player	Platform	What To Watch For
Psychopathic Top	YouTube / Twitch	High ELO Nasus gameplay with excellent macro decisions and stack management.
Desperate Nasus	YouTube / Twitch	High ELO Master/Grandmaster Nasus main. Extremely educational gameplay and deep limit testing.
Carnarius	YouTube	Nasus OTP content creator. Deep guides and matchup breakdowns.
Trick2G	Twitch / YouTube	Legendary Nasus player. Gates, D CANE, split push philosophy. Entertainment + real macro.

Macro Education

Creator	Platform	Best Use
Virkayu	YouTube	Jungle pathing, objective setup, and general jungle education.
Agurin	Twitch	EUW Challenger jungler. Watch for pathing discipline and tempo decisions.

Best Team Synergies

Champion	Tier	Why
Yuumi	S+	Yuumi + Nasus is the most disgusting combo in the game. She makes you unkillable and unkiteable. You become a literal raid boss on steroids.
Lulu	S	Polymorph peels for you, Whimsy speeds you up, R gives you even more HP. Broken synergy.
Orianna	A	Ball delivery on you = R into their team + Ori ult is a teamfight win button.
Nautilus	A	His CC chains guarantee your Q lands on the right target.
Leona	A	Hard engage + lockdown means you run at the locked target and delete them.

FINAL WORDS

Nasus Jungle rewards patience more than any other champion in the game.
If you fix only three things, fix these:
stack discipline, spike conversion, and Wither target selection.
You do not need perfect games.
You need clean farming, smart pathing, and the discipline to not fight before your time.
The cycle is simple:
Farm -> Spike -> Fight -> Objective -> Repeat.
D CANE. PUT IT DOWN.

Guide focus: Nasus Jungle (only)

More Nasus Counters

Oikaton Nasus Guide

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[26.18] Nasus Jungle Guide // In-Depth

[26.18] Nasus Jungle Guide // In-Depth

Recommended Items

Runes: Default

Spells:

Ghost

Gustwalker Smite

Flash

Gustwalker Smite

Items

Ability Order Default

Soul Eater (PASSIVE)

Siphoning Strike (Q)

Wither (W)

Spirit Fire (E)

Fury of the Sands (R)

Threats & Synergies

Kindred

Yuumi

Yuumi

Champion Build Guide

[26.18] Nasus Jungle Guide // In-Depth

League of Legends Champions: