Nasus Build Guide by Zoar

Introduction

On some random Tuesday night I looked up to see who was free that week. I saw the cool-lookin' anubis-type thing named Nasus. I simply fell in love with him - the reasons why, I'll list later.

This is more or less a way to get constructive criticism on the very build I use in my games - and find success with. I hope to become a better LoL player and having just recently reached level 30, I plan to play ranked soon. Thank you for checking out my guide, and please, keep reading, comment and vote. :)

Skills

Soul Eater
This passive lifesteal will help in all of the stages of the game.

Siphoning Strike
This is the spell Nasus is (in?)famous for. Last hit with it as much as possible. Keep in mind it resets your auto-attack timer, so it's best to use it right AFTER an auto-attack. Also, the attack damage portion of it (1:1 ratio) can critically hit.

Wither
This, essentially, is a mini-exhaust. In team fights, use it on the AD carry. Otherwise, it's still a great slow. Take note the high mana expense and only use it when you're about to get a kill or if you're going to save somebody.

Spirit Fire
Use this only to push or zone your enemies, denying them farm, or for the armor reduction, which is fantastic especially in team fights.

Fury of the Sands
This provides an instant increase in maximum health - healing you for the same amount it increases, and saps the HP of nearby enemies converting it into team fights. The REAL scary part of this ultimate is that it lasts 15 seconds. Try and pop it after the team fight has already started. Hopefully you will be watching the other team melt.

Skill Sequence

Priority:

Fury of the Sands -> Siphoning Strike -> Spirit Fire -> Wither

Why?

Fury of the Sands Gives you an increase in how much health you receive when used and how much health is drained from nearby enemies, generally meaning an increase in how fast you get your bonus attack damage and how much you get.

Siphoning Strike leveling this lowers it's cool down and increases the base damage.

Spirit Fire The damage from spirit fire is moot. What you want is the bonus armor reduction.

Wither This is an exceptionally strong spell at level 1. This has the least priority.

*If you feel there will be an early gank coming to your lane, level up Wither at level 2 just to be careful.

Runes

I take relatively standard Nasus runes:

Greater Mark of Desolation - These allow you to hit harder with your auto-attacks and your Siphoning Strike. I feel these are the best choice as far as marks go on a DPS Nasus.

- These help with lane sustainability. Nasus's passive Soul Eater and the Doran's Shield help you with the health aspect of sustainability. Sustainability with Nasus not only means more Farm and XP, but also more burst damage with Siphoning Strike. When played right, these runes should eliminate the need for mana-regen items.

- These runes, I believe, are certainly interchangeable with Greater Glyph of Magic Resist. I take these because, especially in combination with my boots, it allows me to build Nasus's Siphoning Strike more.

- These are interchangeable with Greater Quintessence of Health or greater quintessence of desolation. I take Greater Quintessence of Movement Speed because it comes in handy early game; helping with farming (getting in and out quick, further avoiding harassment), avoiding skill shots and not getting kited. However, even without it, with his above-average base movement speed (325), Trinity Force, Phantom Dancer he still will be quick. So feel free to pick the other viable Quintessences.

Summoner Spells

Teleport - Teleport allows youto not miss XP/Gold/ Siphoning Strike farm during the laning phase, and helps you push, back door and counter back door later on. Overall, I feel it's a great spell with Nasus.

Flash - Flash is a great escape move if you're ever in trouble with Nasus. To me, Ghost is more of a catching up spell, while flash is more of an escape spell on Nasus (As opposed to an initiation with someone like Nunu). The movement speed with this build will likely make you the fastest champ in the game, so prefer flash so I can escape.

Other viable choices:

Ghost - Great for catching up with people, or escape if desperate. Personally, I think Wither is enough.

Exhaust - This and your Wither will make their AD carries rage and/or force them to buy situational items, which I feel is a small victory.

Cleanse - No tenacity items are found in this build, so this might come in handy, especially if you're getting focused.

Ignite - I'm not the biggest fan of taking ignite on Nasus because of his weak early game were you should be farming anyways. However, you can't deny it has it's uses late-game and sometimes you are forced into fights early game for lane dominance.

Stretchin' it..

Heal Falls off late game.

Clarity Falls of late game. Also, Greater Seal of Scaling Mana Regeneration should be enough to cover your laning mana costs.


The rest of the summoner spells don't really mesh well with this build.

Items

WARDS

Don't forget them. :) Stay for a few extra creep kills if it's safe so you can buy a ward.

Check out this guide for ward placement.

Beginning Item

Doran's Shield - In combination with your passive, Soul Eater, you have solid sustainability.

Core Items

Ionian Boots of Lucidity - Helps the farm with the Q. berserkers grieves, mercury treads and even ninja tabis are all solid choices with Nasus. I try and stick with Ionian Boots of Lucidity though. I try and have a Sapphire Crystal when I get these so I don't eat through my mana.

Trinity Force - Core item on Nasus. I often build Sheen first, Zeal then Phage. Once built, the difference is felt.

Phantom Dancer - Increases the critical chance, movement speed and attack speed. Once this item is built, you should be hitting plenty of criticals and getting some good burst damage with Siphoning Strike. Hopefully the kills should start to come.

Infinity Edge Now we're getting into the big leagues. The auto-attacks and criticals will hit harder, and so will your Siphoning Strike. As previously mentioned, the 1:1 attack damage portion of it can critical as well.

Late Game Items

Here is where we start building defensively.You're hitting like a truck by now, but a little squishy without your ult. While the early-game/mid-game are pretty much set in stone, this is where it's situational.

It really depends on the other team's composition. Generally speaking, these are good items to go with:

Banshee's Veil - Adds HP, mana, magic resist and the unique passive is amazing.

Or

Force of Nature - Gives more magic resist than Banshee's Veil and gives a boost to movement speed. Don't buy this item for the unique passive, though it is pretty cool.

Warden's Mail Adds armor, gives a little HP regeneration and the passive is great. This can also be built into Randuin's Omen

or

Atma's Impaler Adds almost as much armor and gives a small bonus to AD (which scales up a little when you activate Fury of the Sands, by the way!)