Nami Build Guide by Hebus

Introduction

Hi, I made this guide for Nami as support, with different builds, but he was written with the "speed support" build in mind (first build).

This build is based on movement speed modifier for you, your team, and your opponents. As support you never should be in front, it's why my core build is based on Sightstone, Shurelya's Reverie and Boots of Mobility, to be always on the right place at the right time.

I have more than 2000 games as support and around 300 as other roles. I was gold in few ranked games in Season 2.

It's my first guide and I'm not native from an English country, so please don't be rude with me about grammatical fault, they will be fixed soon, with some help.

Good reading Summoner! Feel free to post constructive comments!!!

Pros / Cons

!

Pros + // Lot of crowd control. + // Can support safely behind an ally. + // Movement speed on all spells is nice. + // Long range ultimate. + // Fits to passive or aggressive play-style. + // Half women.

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Cons - // Squishy as hell. - // Require a good partner. - // Mana dependent. - // Low AP ratio on her spells. - // Long CD on -Q- Aqua Prison. - // Half fish.

Runes

You don't need offensive runes, some armor is always good to take since Greater Seal of Mana Regeneration take slots of armor seal.

Great for Ebb and Flow because it increase rapidly his mana cost. If you prefer you can switch to Greater Seal of Armor but you should be safe behind your partner.

Nice because Nami doesn't got any magic resist per level and you will probably face an AP support. You can switch to Greater Glyph of Scaling Magic Resist but they will be cost efficient only after your level 11, pick them if you feel you don't need additionnal MR in lane.

Good on every support, in addition of Greed , philosopher's stone and kage's lucky pick. You could switch to greater quitessence of Movement, if you don't like gold/10 quintessence.

Masteries

Intelligence and Sorcery give 10% free cooldown reduction!

Biscuiteer and Explorer provide you an early advantage for scouting and the Total Biscuit of Rejuvenation effect stack with Health Potion and Mana Potion.

Pickpocket , Greed and Wealth add a nice income and starting gold.

Wanderer and Nimble give you 5% movement speed, great with Surging Tides and Boots of Mobility.

Meditation and Expanded Mind provide you regen/mana, pretty nice to spam Ebb and Flow .

Mastermind and Artificer reduce your summoner's spells and items cooldown by 10% and 15%.

Summoner's Spells

Everyone knows this spell, just too versatile to skip it.

Exhaust can help your team in many ways, to shut down an opponent carry, to avoid enemies to flee or to chase you, and provide 10 flat armor/magic penetration if you choose to take Summoner's Wrath

If you are not a fan of exhaust you can take heal, since the last patch he will heal you and allies near you for the same average amount of heal. Useful to bait or/and save someone.

Another option if you want to keep track of the opponent jungler, buffs, to check bush or avoid opponents to hide into bush when they are fleeing/kitting you. You can also use it to cast your ultimate more efficiently from afar. Low 60 sec cooldown!

Skill Sequence

Tidecaller's Blessing first :

Ebb and Flow first :

• level 1, start with Aqua Prison for engaging/disengaging/harassing.
• level 2, 3, take Ebb and Flow and Tidecaller's Blessing, in the order that you prefer.
• level 4, 5, pick Ebb and Flow and Tidecaller's Blessing, in the order that you prefer.

After that you should use the way who fits better with your lane play-style :

• Way of Slow/Damage (Aggressive lane) :
  Tidal Wave> Tidecaller's Blessing> Ebb and Flow> Aqua Prison
  
• Way of Heal and Trade (Passive lane) :
  Tidal Wave> Ebb and Flow> Tidecaller's Blessing> Aqua Prison

Items

Your masteries already gives you Explorer , it's a free 1 min ward, you can use it if your team is invading, to counter invade or ward lane bush for the first minute. The Total Biscuit of Rejuvenation stack with both potions, use it to increase your regeneration when you are in trouble.

Buy Faerie Charm and Rejuvenation Bead to have more sustain in lane then 2 sight ward to protect your lane.

sight ward If you don't feel confident with only 2 sight ward, start with a Faerie Charm, 3 sight ward, 2 Health Potion and 1 Mana Potion

philosopher's stone At your first back, buy a philosopher's stone for sustain and the great 5 gold/10. Then if you can afford it, buy Boots of Speed and don't forget to keep some gold to buy 2 sight ward.

kage's lucky pickFor your second/third back, buy a Sightstone to keep your lane safe from ganks, until the end of the laning phase this item will save you a lot of gold during the entire game. If you don't buy Boots of Speed earlier, grab them. If you can afford it now, buy a kage's lucky pick too, to increase your income and you will need it later.

Note: You can buy the Sightstone first then the philosopher's stone later, if you are facing an aggressive lane or jungler. You can skip the kage's lucky pick if you are behind, just pick Boots of Mobility or Kindlegem before.

You should now focus on upgrading your boots into Boots of Mobility, these boots will help you to engage, flee, chase and roam if your partner don't need you and farm safely. These boots synergies pretty well with your passive Surging Tides. Buffing your allies with Tidecaller's Blessing or healing with Ebb and Flow without bounce will not break the speed boost.

shurelya's reverieNow buy Kindlegem and finish your shurelya's reverie, this item will provide you cooldown reduction to spam your spell and a huge speed boost, so useful for engaging/disengaging. shurelya's reverie synergies with your Boots of Mobility and your passive Tidecaller's Blessing for even more movement speed.

If you are losing your lane and are behind, grab the Ruby Sightstone before shurelya's reverie to more sustain and map control.

Enchant your boots with Enchantment: Captain. with all these speed boost from your core build, you will be able to lead your team at high speed!!! You now got your essential items, it's time to buy some situational items.

If you are facing very mobile enemies or stealth champions like Akali, Twitch or Evelynn, upgrade your kage's lucky pick into a Twin Shadows this item is wonderful, it provide you 5% movement speed, 30 magic resist, 50 AP, and a very versatile active, who can summon 2 ghost who seek for the 2 nearest champion, slowing them for 40% and revealing them for 2,5 sec. You can use it if you suspect a stealth champion near you, someone trying to trap you in a bush and to catch fleeing opponents.

If you are facing an heavy AD team and you want add some slow and damage to your mix, the Iceborn Gauntlet is a really great item, it give to Nami all the stats she want, 15% cooldown reduction, bringing you a total of 35% with Intelligence and Sorcery from masteries and shurelya's reverie, a big 60 armor, 500 mana and 40 AP. This item passive is powerful, with a Sheen effect on a small area of effect, creating a field who slow by 30% every enemies into it. The counterpart of all theses is a very high cost, 3400 gold. So always start buying Glacial Shroud before Sheen, in case the game will end before.

This item will help you against AP, CC team and if you got some mana problem, it will give an average magic resist bonus and got the most powerful active for a support, it can Cleanse an ally or yourself and heal for 150 + 15% of the target missing health! If you use it on an ally with 3000 max HP and 300 hp left, you will heal him for 150+405 HP.

If your team is mostly squishy, grab a Runic Bulwark this item provides a huge boost of every defensive stats, in particular 60 magic resist (best magic resist for 1 slot) and a very nice aura, doubling the magic resist of your squishiest allies.

Shard of true ice

Cheap Item, with 4 Gold/10, a good mana regeneration aura and a nice active useful to engage: placed on an ally, he will slow surrounding enemy by 30% for 4 sec! A good alternative to Twin Shadows.

Another cheap item, giving a good mix of armor, a decent amount of health, a nice 10% cooldown reduction and a small active area of effect shield, very useful against area of effect enemy spell. A bit overpowered for his cost actually!

Against AD

Reduce by 10% all the incoming auto attack on you, and add 25 armor. Just the best choice against heavy AD carry team.

Good bonuses, a huge 20% cooldown reduction, a lot of mana, a really good 90 armor boost and a passive very useful against any AD carry. Pretty expensive.

This item is really a powerful dfensive item, but don't really fit to Nami, because you have to be near your opponents to use his active and require an heavy armor/magic resist to boost his active slow. Fits better on tank/bruiser. Pretty expensive.

A bad item for Nami, pretty expensive, give a nice amount of AP but Nami ratio are below average, a decent armor and an active who can save your life for 2.5 sec but you will probably die after that. You are not an AP mid.

Against AP

These boots are very popular against heavy CC team, and will bring you some magic resist. Feel free to take them if necessary.

the S3 revamp of Banshee's Veil make this item more accessible to support, his price dropped to 2500 gold and the spell shield will now refresh after 25 sec only, if you are not hit by champions, with your safe positioning, this spell shield can save you from the few long range spells they are throwing at you and you will not have too much difficulty to refresh the shield again. Nice item against AP.

The S3 revamp of Spirit Visage isn't bad, 50 magic resist make this item the 2nd most powerful magic resist item after the Runic Bulwark, the 15% cooldown reduction is really nice too. All of that for an affordable price of 2200 gold. Passive: he will boost by 20% your heal on yourself, but since they removed Force of Nature and nerfed Warmog's Armor health regen this passive is so-so.

This item is not bad, giving a huge mana regen and AP, but Mikael's Crucible is cheaper and more useful on a support.

Boosting your Team

Zeke's Herald

If your team is mostly AD, your team will thanks you for taking this item, giving them 10% life steal and 20 AD and you will gain 15% cooldown reduction and a little chunk of 250 HP.

Not really the best item for Nami, his passive apply Grevious Wound and will help you a lot against champions like Vladimir, Dr. Mundo or Volibear. In addition you will gain a huge 20% cooldown reduction. And a big 75 AP, not really good on Nami unless your team are facing Regen/steal health based champions or lack of AP.

If your team is mostly AP, take that, an aura with 20% spell vamp and 30 AP is just huge.

Boosting Yourself

These boots are good if you are planning to got a decent amount of cooldown reduction early game, with your masteries and these boots only, you got already 25% cooldown reduction. But the season 3 bring a lot of new support items with cooldown reduction, in my opinion you can max your cooldown reduction with other items, Boots of Mobility will give you more map presence.

A good item if you want a big mana pool and some mana regen. His free upgrade Seraph's Embrace will bring you some AP and a good active shield, based on your current available mana.

Bring some tankyness and AP. But you shouldn't need to be really tanky.

This item will bring you some tankyness and an useful slow on Ebb and Flow, but your other spell already slow or stun. Not really good if you don't plan to be tanky.

You should not build Rabadon's Deathcap because your ratio are low and u will not take a great benefits of his passive. Don't pick it unless your team is heavily lacking of AP.

Skill Description

PASSIVE

Surging Tides When Nami's abilities hit allied champions they gain +30 movement speed for 1,5sec.

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Q

Aqua Prison Range: 875 Cooldown: 16/14.5/13/11.5/10 Cost: 60 mana Nami sends a bubble into the air towards a targeted area. When it lands, it deals 75/130/185/240/ 295 (+65% AP) Magic Damage to all enemies in the area of impact and stuns them for 1.25 seconds.

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W

Ebb and Flow Range: 725 Cooldown: 9 Cost: 70/85/100/115/130 mana Nami unleashes a stream of water that bounces between allied and enemy champions. This ability can only bounce to each target once and hits up to 3 targets. On ally hit : Heals 65/95/125/155/185 (+30% AP) health and bounce to a nearby enemy champion On enemy hit : Deal 70/110/150/190/230 (+50% AP) magic damage and bounces to a nearby allied champion.

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E

Tidecaller's Blessing Range: 800 Cooldown: 11 Cost: 55/60/65/70/75 mana Empowers an allied champion for 5 seconds or until they have attacked 3 times. During this time, their basic attacks deal 25/40/55/70/85 (+20% of ability power) bonus magic damage and slow the target hit by 15/20/25/30/35% for 1 second.

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R

Tidal Wave Range: 2550 Cooldown: 140/120/100 Cost:100/150/200 mana The Tidal Wave briefly knocks up enemies that it comes in contact with, slowing them by 50/60/70% and dealing 150/250/350 (+70% of ability power) magic damage. The slow duration increases based on how far the Tidal Wave has traveled, with a minimum duration of 2 seconds and a maximum of 4 seconds.

Using Skills, How to play Nami

Free Poke on Melee Opponent:

Hit him with Tidecaller's Blessing, kite, repeat, repeat, back and laugh.

Poke Combo 1:

Tidecaller's Blessing to slow them, Aqua Prison to stun and Ebb and Flow when they try to trade then back.

Poke Combo 2:

Aqua Prison on enemy, Tidecaller's Blessing for 1 or 2 AA then Ebb and Flow before backing.

Safe Poke (for you):
Just stay behind and use Tidecaller's Blessing on your AD carry, he will poke them, then use Ebb and Flow on him, to harass from like 1600 range max, and you are healing your carry at the same time. Use Aqua Prison if they try to hit your carry.

Saving a slow ally/chasing :
Ideally if your ally is in trouble, just hit your Aqua Prison on the enemy, caller's blessing and Ebb and Flow on your ally with 1,5 between them, then back.
If you are chasing and your opponent is too far for being hit by your Aqua Prison, space your spell and hit Aqua Prison first on your ally, the animation will activate Surging Tides, then Tidecaller's Blessing, then Ebb and Flow in last, the wave should bounce on the opponent if he is not too far. If you have a raylai's crystal scepter your bounce will slow the enemy.

Initiating combo in lane 1 (Safe engage, chance of fail):
Hit your [Tidal Wave, Aqua Prison on people slowed, Tidecaller's Blessing on your carry then Ebb and Flow then they retaliate. spam Tidecaller's Blessing and Ebb and Flow until they die.


Initiating combo in lane 2 (risky engage, longer cc):
Hit Tidecaller's Blessing to slow 3 time, then stun with Aqua Prison, immediately launch Tidal Wave once they try to back. Use Ebb and Flow on you if they try to retaliate (should not happen) or on them to add more damage.

Ultimate Engage at lightning speed in 5v5:
Stay just behind your grouped team and launch your ultimate who must travel your own team, when they are in your Tidal Wave, use shurelya's reverie to let your team travel at the same speed than your Tidal Wave, Surging Tides will give even more movement speed to everyone, your team should quickly rush on the enemy team, always stay behind your team, launch Tidecaller's Blessing on your AD carry with your Ebb and Flow and stun the enemy AD carry with Aqua Prison, if necessary use Twin shadow to add some slow in the fight or revealing invisible champion. At this point your team should have kill people isolated by the wave, if not the entire opponent team. Don't forget to do that with Enchantment: Captain on your Boots of Mobility.

Countering an engage on you/your teammates:
Immediately launch Aqua Prison on the targeted ally/yourself when you know he/you will be caught. you will stun your enemies and you will buff your ally/own speed thanks to Surging Tides, back a bit, heal with Ebb and Flow then if necessary hit your [tidal wave] to slow them even more, if they are always chasing you, kite them with Tidecaller's Blessing then re-launch Aqua Prison when his cooldown is up. You should have shurelya's reverie and Twin Shadows to help you too if this combo is not enough to keep you/your team alive.

Laning Partners and Synergies

More coming soon, more feedback and test are needed before listing all partner synergies with Nami.

Miss Fortune benefits greatly from Surging Tides in addition of her own passive Strut. Double Up can proc Tidecaller's Blessing slow and bonus damage.

Ezreal Mystic Shot benefits from Tidecaller's Blessing, nice poke lane.

Draven Spinning Axe benefit's from Tidecaller's Blessing and Surging Tides will be enhanced by Blood Rush, to an extra mobility.

Graves True Grit will enhance his efficient heal, and by this way, the efficiency of Ebb and Flow heal. And Nami add a lot of crowd control on lane with Tidecaller's Blessing and Aqua Prison this will help a lot graves to burst enemies.

Tidecaller's Blessing will compliment Tristana kite once Draw a Bead give her a decent range (649) around level 11.In lane just a good AD carry with a huge burst and dash, she will love you for your crowd controls.

Caitlyn exceptional range and poke capacity will benefits from Tidecaller's Blessing and Surging Tides. If someone if trapped in a Yordle Snap Trap for 1,5sec, you can easily cast Aqua Prison to add a 1,2sec stun.

Sivir Fleet of Foot and Surging Tides give +80 movement speed to her. Ricochet first hit will apply Tidecaller's Blessing in addition of her auto attack. Good harass lane.

Night Hunter and Final Hour in addition of Tidecaller's Blessing will boost Vayne movement speed to 60 and 120 respectively, just scary. If you Aqua Prison someone near a wall, Vayne just have to Tumble and Condemn for a stun of a total duration of 2.75 sec.

Blighted Quiver and Tidecaller's Blessing add a lot of damage to Varus for 3 deadly shoot. You can slow/stun enemies to help Varus to land Piercing Arrow. Hail of Arrows, Chain of Corruption and Tidal Wave add a huge crowd control to this duo.

Surging Tides on Teemo will boost Move Quick. Toxic Shot will apply Tidecaller's Blessing. If someone if hitted by a Noxious Trap, u can easily land your Aqua Prison or Tidal Wave

Frost Shot and Tidecaller's Blessing have a similar slow, she can slow the opponent carry while you are slowing the opponent support. Aqua Prison and Tidal Wave will assure Ashe to land her Enchanted Crystal Arrow without trouble

Parrrley slow and damage are complimented by Tidecaller's Blessing. Remove Scurvy heal is complimented by Ebb and Flow heal. Raise Morale is complimented by Surging Tides. Finally Cannon Barrage and Tidal Wave got both huge range and slow. Nami is a Gangplank Enhancer!

About Wards

You are a support, a part of your job is to ward around your lane and later, hot points and objectives.The season 3 bring us a very useful item: the Sightstone and his upgrade the Ruby Sightstone. These items will save a lot of gold for you, be sure to buy them in every game as support.

Sight Ward I will not describe here where to place wards, because a lot of very well made guides are already available about wards, so if you want to learn more about the art of warding, feel free to visit this guide: Warding helper - More than your eyes can see, made by Panglot.

Patch History

V1.0.0.152: Added December 7th

• Surging Tides (Passive): Allied champions hit by Nami's abilities have their movement speeds increased for a short duration.
• Aqua Prison: Nami sends a bubble of water into the air to a targeted location that deals magic damage and stuns enemies hit by the bubble.
• Ebb and Flow: Unleashes a surge of water that can target an enemy or allied champion. The water can bounce from champion to champion and deals magic damage to enemy champions and heals allied champions.
• Tidecaller's Blessing: Nami buffs an allied champion, adding extra magic damage and a slow to their attacks.
• Tidal Wave: Nami summons a massive Tidal Wave from her position. The wave knocks enemies hit into the air, deals magic damage and slows all enemy units it passes through. Enemies closest to the initial spawn point are slowed for a shorter duration than those farther away, but all are slowed for a significant length of time and Tidal Wave has a large range.

Credits

Thanks to jhoijhoi for theses awesome guides about guides and BBcode.

Thanks to Ice Creamy for his guide about columns.

Thanks to wikia, helping a lot about data mining.

Thanks to Samilldanach on EUW, for helping me with English. (Soon)

Thanks to You for reading this guide and credits ^^ .