Nautilus is by far one of my favorite champions. He has great stuns, slows, grapples, and an ultimate that can alter the outcome of any team fight.

Like any strategic build, this is not perfect. Everyone has different playstyles, so make sure to appropriate your build accordingly. This is a work in progress build, so I will make sure to update it as much as possible

NOTE! A GRAPHICAL REWORK IS LITERALLY STARTING RIGHT NOW!

Nautilus, at his core, is a tank. By this, I mean to say that you should be building high armor, health, ability power, and regeneration. Nautilus is a key component to any team fight, Baron kill, or turret takedown. If played correctly, Nautilus can be the exterminator of any champion. If played incorrectly, he can be a chewed up piece of garbage. Now that we have that out of the way, let's begin.

Nautilus has a vast array of tools to take down any enemy. In this chapter, I will be talking about the effects of these abilities and why I chose to rank them up in their order.

Dredge Line:

Dredge Line can be a tricky move to use. If used correctly, it can act as an initiator, a "taunt", a killing-blow-combo, or even an escape tool. I mainly use it to initiate fights, pull enemies back to turrets, and wrap up a kill from a running Ashe or Ziggs.

Titan's Wrath:

Titan's Wrath is also a tricky move, but it shouldn't have to be. It acts as a great shield and damaging tool. I like to refer to it as Nautilus's "Bread" ability. Make sure to use it during a team fight, when jungling, or when you have to escape from any enemies. Due to its long cooldown, it's not recommended for often use, to be saved for the presence of enemies.

Riptide:

Oh how I love Riptide! Riptide is Nautilus's "Butter" skill. It applies a slow on your enemies, hits all enemies close to you, and can hit a fleeing target multiple times. Since its cooldown is so low, there's really no reason to save it when in a fight.

Depth Charge:

Ganks. Ganks everywhere. These are all possible due to Depth Charge. It has a relatively low cooldown for such an amazing ability. Make sure to use it during a team fight with large amounts of enemies, during a gank, or to CC an enemy who pushed a bit too far. Once landing a Depth Charge, you can easily Riptide, Titan's Wrath, and wrap up a kill.

Staggering Blow:

Although a passive ability, Staggering Blow may as well be a move in itself. It deals bonus damage and applies a small stun to an enemy, but can only be done to each champion every 12 seconds. You can't really control this as much as you can with your other abilities, but all your other CCs should suffice if the need arise.

Nautilus's Rotation shouldn't be a difficult thing to manage. However, under certain circumstances, it can change. Here are some examples.

Initiation:
Dredge Line Titan's Wrath Riptide Riptide Riptide Titan's Wrath Riptide Depth Charge

This rotation is simple. Start with a Dredge Line to open up the fight (wait for your team as well). Once you've grabbed the enemy, pop a quick shield and Riptide. This will prevent your enemy from running, and lower the success of a counter kill. Continue to riptide alongside your basic attacks, but always make sure to Depth Charge if the enemy starts to flee.


Gank:

Depth Charge Riptide Riptide Titan's Wrath Dredge Line

Pretty fast rotation, all things considered. Open up with your Depth Charge to knock the enemy aloft, follow with some Riptides for the damage and slow, and let your teammates do most of the work. Remember, if the enemy runs too far away, pop a shield, Dredge Line, and wrap up the kill. I recommend using the shield for the damage, and to prevent turret damage in the event that you accidentally dive too far.


The Escape:

Titan's Wrath Dredge Line Riptide Riptide Depth Charge*


Pretty simple. If the going gets tough, you better get going. Pop a Titan's Wrath to help protect yourself, Dredge Line a wall (or enemy minions if they're far enough away, and Riptide to slow them down. If they continue to harass, pop an ultimate to give you a sliver of time. And remember, don't try to run down the middle of the lane, because enemy minions may halt your escape.

Those are some basic skill sequences, you should always be able to escape from any situation, or kill any enemy. Just go with what feels right, and stay with your team most often.

Pretty quick section. I'm not going to go too far in depth (get it, "depth"?)

Greater Quintessence of Gold:

Although a few extra gold pieces may seem worthless in a game where you farm extremely well, it can be a viable backup plan when laning with another AP or AD carry, or even a kill stealer. Remember, a tank is built mainly on items, so getting those items can make a huge difference.

Greater Glyph of Scaling Magic Resist

Yes, it is a bit pointless to have a few minor points of magic resist, however early game casters like Annie and AP Twisted Fate can be a bit pushy, especially with Nautilus's extreme squishiness early on.

Greater Seal of Armor:

Although it seems a bit minor, remember, "Adde Parvum Parvo Magnus Avercus Erit", or "Add a little to a little and the heap will be large!"

Greater Mark of Desolation:

By now, if you still question my choice of armor penetration, then *puts on Darth Vader voice* "I find your lack of faith... disturbing". But seriously, armor pen can go a long way when your passive is an effective stun.

I'm well aware that these spells may not perfectly suit you, but they are highly effective in game.

Ignite

Let's be honest, there's always the one that gets away. Apply a simple Ignite, and they'll slowly die as they run back to safety. Also useful against annoying supports like Soraka that have infinite heals.

Teleport:

League of Legends can often have very passive games. Leaving your turret for even a minute can be hazardous. I choose Teleport for the surprise, the ganks, and the defense. Always make sure to use it liberally when you go to purchase items.

Remember. If these don't necessarily fit your playstyle, make sure to adjust them accordingly. I will swiftly update this part when the time rolls around.

I'll easily flesh this section out when I get time.



My starting item choice is Doran's Ring. It adds the extra push of armor and mana to get you started, as Nautilus's Titan's Wrath ability can soak up mana.



I pick up a Heart of Gold for the base health (setting me aside as a tank) and granting me some extra gold when idly lumbering about ( Nautilus = Super slow :C)



Picking up the boots of speed and Mercury's Treads, I'm easily able to hold my spot in a lane. Unfortunately, the mana regen and health regen are rather slow, so I may have to Recall for a bit of health.



Kindlegem is definitely something to pick up early on. It may not appear to be so, but it's health and CDR go a long way especially when building up for......


Shurelya's Battlesong. As soon as you pick up this item, you'll notice a massive speed up in gameplay. It's regenerative abilities easily allow you to hold a lane for a long period of time. Mixed with its speedy active ability, you'll certainly be a force to reckon with.



Abyssal Mask. Do I have to explain it? Ability Power and Magic Resist are pure bliss for a versatile tank like Nautilus, who not only can cripple enemies with his CCs, but can also punish them for over-extending.

LATE GAME

"But wait!" You shout over massive amounts of LoL players, furiously typing "constructive" comments this build, "A tank doesn't need passive Auras!"
Well, you're absolutely correct. However, Nautilus is a champion that tends to bring team fights together. It's your job to protect your team, so passive auras like Soul Shroud's are always beneficial. However, Soul Shroud is very much a prototype in my build. Make sure to substitute it for anything that you'd prefer.



Warmog's Armor should replace your Doran's Ring as soon as you get the opportunity. When your team fights come around, the enemies will quiver in fear when they see you toting that amazing hunk of armor around.



Guardian Angel should replace your Heart of Gold at the last point of the game. Once the enemies finally whittle down your impressive health bar, they'll feel slightly sick when they realize that you're back for seconds. Try to keep this on the downlow so the enemies don't camp your dead body.

Remember to keep in mind that no guide is perfect. I appreciate any advice and would gladly accomodate for it. Remember to try out any guide or build before you take it into a Ranked Match, as all different games can be unpredictable.

Expect to see a lot more graphic design changes, additions, and new ideas added to this guide. This is only possible due to the community's support, and I appreciate you taking the time to read this.

If you feel like this guide is so awful that even the skill sequence is wrong, make sure to leave a negative vote.

If you feel like this guide helped you become a better Nautilus player, please leave a positive vote.

If you feel like this guide needs some massive changes, leave a comment with your vote, informing me of things that I need to change.