For those that are doubting about Maxing W first, and suggesting Frostfang as a possible path, if you don't trust me, here is an example of a very recent diamond game with chu8 playing as Nami [Diamond 1 in S3, 55.3% win ratio with Nami, but best known for his Lux plays]:




Why max W: In this picture above, is an outcome of reversing a losing trade with the enemy team, with a very close outcome. Vayne's health was initially lower, and if chu8 were to max E first, Vayne will have died without ever using the Tidecaller Stacks, and a followup of his own death due to the enemy ad's survival. The concept of healing (2 heals, in this situation) is completely underrated, and even though W costs more mana overall, it prevented 2 deaths and in turn, gain two kills.

TL; DR: E can't save lives like W can.

(W has also been buffed in the recent patches, so W is currently the best possible choice to max.)

Why Frostfang?: Frostfang has 5 ap less than Doran's Ring, but provides enough to keep the adc (or anyone) alive in close situations. There are always games where you have healed an ally and they still died. The reason for this, is the lack of AP. Even if cdr can give more in the longer time, if you need the most instant heal in the closest situations, AP will save you, and your teammates.

Jan/9/2014: Hey guys, winter break's over and I cannot look at the guide that often now, so if you like it please +Upvote so that I know it's actually worth updating :) Thanks all!

Jan/28/2014: Reached second place on the offical new page! (Unfortunately I will always be the second </3) #3rd in the ratings page and #5th in the old page :D
Thanks for the support, and the +Upvotes!

Jan/31/2014: I will revamp this guide with a custom table of contents when I no longer need to change the important facts. Currently working on it. :)

<3 Buttercup

• Surging Tides: Speedbuffs allies for every ability you touch them with (Includes Q and R as well.) This buff now scales with AP, which makes having AP rewarding.

• Aqua Prison (Q): Damages and stuns target enemy for 1.5 seconds. [Max last, stun duration doesn't increase.]

• Don't cast when enemies are dancing around in lane.
• Use it as a follow-up (E.g. Over Caitlyn's Yordle Snap Trap or when Vayne Condemns them to the wall.)
• If a melee champion gapcloses to adc/yourself, immediately cast it on top of the adc/yourself.
• Cast E on yourself or ad carry to slow before stunning.
• Cast it in front of fleeing/chasing enemies. Wait for about half a second to calculate the enemy's movements, for better accuracy.
• Cast it slightly behind standing afk brush supports(regardless of whether they attempt to move back or not, this should land).

• Ebb and Flow (W): Heals allies and Damages enemies. Bounces in the following order: Ally[Includes yourself] → Enemy → Ally, or Enemy → Ally → Enemy. [Max it first for survivability in lane.]

• Watch your own minion's hp bars. If enemy adc tries to last hit poke with W+AA to negate incoming aggro(minion damage)or returning trade, and move back.
• If you cannot reach your ally to heal them, bounce it off of your enemy and vice versa. (This is very long ranged)
• Mana heavy, don't spam until you get Chalice of Harmony.

• Tidecaller's Blessing (E): Deals Magic Damage AA's and slows them.

• Best to cast it at a long range adc ( like Caitlyn)
• Choose to use it just for the sake of speed buffs to save allies.
• Cast it Mid-AA (If you cast E and start moving forward, they will move back.)
• Cast it for free-assists. (Your ad is at base and your teammate is about to get that kill? E them to gain the assist.)

• Tidal Wave (R): A long range ultimate that travels in a straight line, and knocks up enemies in its path.

• Use it to disengage/ save your allies.
• Always use it second in Wombo-Combos.
• Use it to secure kills. (If nobody else can reach that 10 hp running adc, ult to secure the kill. Also think about how much value the enemy has to waste this ability or not.)
• Use ult after you land a successful Q.
• Use Q after you land a successful ult.

Talisman of Ascension

You can build Talisman of Ascension, if you were going Ancient Coin → Nomad's Medallion. The active provides great utility in chasing or fleeing.

Mikael's Blessing is another possible upgrade from Chalice of Harmony. If you're good with mana problems, it offers another peel for your carry by removing disables+ healing them.

CDR Items: Choose One

Apart from the AP and cdr, the grevious wounds passive is very valuable to have late game.

This increases your healing as well as it gives you even more Magic Resist.

Get this item when the enemy tanky DPS/carry is going out of control.

Other Power-Ups

Gives a huge chunk of AP and Armor [The active is best for baiting, especially when they happen to focus you].

Some AP and a nice amount of health. This item is gold efficient by itself, as well as the slow can be over 1000 range if used correctly with Ebb and Flow.

I pick this up when assassins do the focus-the-support strategy. But if they happen to be Katarina or Akali, get Abyssal Mask just to ruin their life more after the MR you already have.

This increases your MS, gives a fair amount of MR, helping you kite easily if you're being chased. Also the active can help you find out what the enemy is up to: Baron, etc. NOTE: This DOES NOT REVEAL stealthed champions.

Another Magic Resist item, but this is mostly valued for it's ability to block crowd control spells that apply to you. Also, if you block the first spell, mages cannot pull off the rest of the combo on you: e.g. LeBlanc cannot activate the second part of Sigil of Silence, or Lux cannot snare you down to fire her Final Spark.

Lulu can punish Nami with Glitterlance if you try to poke the enemy carry or Lulu herself, so your tribute passive won't proc often until you get Frostfang. Her shield can tank one hit of your W, so bait it out before you try to poke. Her polymorph will let you get free damage on you. Try to stay at the back and frequently heal up your adc. Play passive and save your ultimate and Q to counter initiate/ disengage. But it's best you don't pick Nami after you see the enemy team pick Lulu.

Annie is currently an OP support. (I hate you Tabe D:) She has a lv 1 mini- Crescendo and her base damage is really high and her burst after 6 gets way worse when she gets AP. But Annie lacks range and MS, which should allow you to poke the ADC and let you back off easily with your passive. Poking is optimal, because Annie's one weakness is that she provides no sustain. Punish her right after she uses up her stun. Past 6, stay safe and wait for jungler to gank.

Thresh is and has always been a god tier support. His lantern makes the adc get out of sticky situations, and once either of you get stunned, it's basically a death sentence (see what i did there? xD). Run around the minions as he tries to reach an angle. E the person he tries to Q, so you or your adc and dodge with the speed buff. also, dodge sideways instead of backwards. Poke the adc if he uses lantern to collect souls instead of shielding. Poke him if he walks up to collect souls himself.

TL;DR : DO NOT GET STUNNED :)

Morgana's shield is very strong against Nami, but note that she can only shield one at a time. Immediately switch focus to her when morg shields the adc or poke with AAs. Always sit behind minions so you don't get bursted down my her Snare and W. Prison her when she tries to ult. (She doesn't have Zhonya's at level 6 yet.) If both of you got stunned and ADC is low, don't be afraid to use up your ultimate for disengage.

Taric can stun your ad, you stun their ad and nothing happens. But a good Taric will always stun you instead, and kill you multiple times until you're completely useless through the rest of the game. Stay far away until he wastes his stun on your ad, and proceed to disengage with your Q and W. Taric is also one of the champions who can rotate playstyles just like Nami, so it's best you wait for ganks and go all in with the jungler.

This is the ideal place you want yourself and your marksman to be. The risk of getting ganked is low, and it's either high for the enemy team or they're not getting good CS. You have to stay somewhere toward the border to the neutral zone in order to poke or harass, so you can create a safe area for your marksman to farm.

This is most likely where you'll be throughout the entire laning phase, as the enemy marksman and support are aiming to either zone you out, kill you or create a farming zone. Try to control the brush by the river to spot jungler ganks and also to have ganks of your own.

The only time you should be here is if you're pushing. And the only time you should be pushing is if the enemy lane has just recalled or are dead, and the jungler is either dead or far away. If you don't have vision, don't even think about it.

• Watch the map every 10 seconds.
• Always have Aqua Prison up just in case you get ganked.
• Watch lanes to learn the enemy jungler's position. Especially when they're top, you know you're relatively safe.
• Patience. Wait for the enemy to make a mistake. If you initiate randomly, that's your mistake. It always backfires, trust me.
• Don't extend without Wards.
• If the support leaves adc alone for warding's sake, punish the adc. Their support will burn accordingly :3
• Tell your adc you're warding so and so, so that they are in close range!

• Do not get caught.
• Use abilities to disrupt channeling spells, such as Katarina's Death Lotus.
• Watch your own HP, if you're low you might die first.
• Watch your back as you will face enemy champions coming in from behind.
• If you fight stealth assassins, immediately drop a pink ward at a decent range. If you do not have pinks, do not throw skillshots randomly.