Hi, my summoner name is: Elmo is GG

My main champ is Nidalee, preferably top lane. I used to play her like everyone else did, buying tear of the goddess and what-not, but i just didn't see it working.. ever. I've never seen someone using a Mobafire build on Nidalee and doing very well. I'm here to change that!

My ranked que record with Nidalee:

Some guides say to use scaling AP, which could be useful, but not when top laning. You need early game sustain, and for that you need hella AP. This is the same reason you should start with a Dorans ring.

As for the MP marks, this is very important, as having flat AP runes would render useless against most smart top players, as they would just stack MR. Having at least SOME MP will resist this type of counter, or at least force them to use up more gold/item slots on MR.

This build, is one that is supposed to pretty much make you be the carry. Therefore, offensive methods are definitely a requirement. In my masteries i put 21 points into offensive AP, and a little bit of damage, but only because either damage, or damage to minions is required to get more AP masteries, so might as well pick the damage.

For the 9 points that i invest in defensive masteries, i get health, armour, and MR. This is to all around defend from any type of champ top. These, of course, should be changed in ranked games if you see that you are playing against a darius for instance, invest more points into armor, or if you are playing against Rumble, invest more in MR.

Here is my offensive AP top Nidalee mastery page:

****under construction****

DORANS RING - This item is extremely important in this build, due to the need of sustain on top lane. Unlike mid, top lane is trying to see who can survive the longest, without dying, while mid, is seeing who can get the first kill upon one another. THE SKILL PICK ORDER IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PARTS OF THIS GUIDE!!!!!!!!! While top lane, you need to be leveling up your 'E' first! This is so important i can't stress it enough. Most Nidalee players feel the need to level their 'Q' first. This is a good idea when mid, but NOT when top. Top, like i said, is about seeing who can survive longer, not about seeing who can kill the other first. If you end up trying to do this, you will be pushing, get ganked, and one spear every 5 seconds is NOT gonna help you much in that scenario. LEVEL YOUR E!!!! Try not to waste mana on your 'Q' either, just wait for ganks, or wait for your ultimate.

MERCURY's TREADS - These are another vital part of this build. Something huge that has come out of the end of Season 2 and now Season 3 of League of Legends, is CC. This is such a gamechanging thing now. Merc treads help so much with this, BUT if you feel as your team is absolultely destroying the other, then you might want to choose more offensive boots, like cooldown or magic pen boots. But 99% of the time, Merc's are the best option.


RABADON'S DEATHCAP - "RUSH THE DEATHCAP!" This, is an amazingly OP item, I don't understand how it hasnt been nerfed, but hey, I'm not complaining about it, just exploiting its OPness ;). Rushing this item after your boots, will have you dominate top lane, if you haven't already.


LICH BANE - Omg, so important also on Nidalee. (In cougar form anyways). When attacking an enemy you are going to want to do as much damage as you can ASAP. Lich bane helps with that. As nidalee, when you are getting into a fight without teammates help, you are more than likely going to be in cougar form; A.K.A., spamming abilities like no freaking tomorrow. Lich Bane wants to do the same thing, as it will deal an extra buttload of damage to the enemy. probably 2 or 3 passives will activate while in a fight with someone.


ROD OF AGES - You are going to want to get this item mid game, as opponents are beginning to become more tanky, and deal more damage all around. I've found that health is the most important item late game that anyone could possibly have. With Nidalee there are few items that will help her AP and Health at the same time, without being a pathetic item. (the mask thing LOL)...


RYLAI'S CRYSTAL SCEPTER - The passive is cool too, but the main point of this item is the health/AP. Health is definitely going to be needed this late in the game, that's the main reason for this item. If you notice, in the item purchase order of this build, i say that you should buy the giants belt first. This is almost ALWAYS going to be true, as health is soooooooooooooooooo important. I almost guarantee that you are going to be getting focused if you played Nidalee correctly, and corresponding with this build. So you are going to need some type of defense, for sure. Health is good for both AD opponents and AP. All this to say: BUY HEALTH OMG.


GUARDIAN ANGEL - Well, if the game is STILL going on at this point of the build, it has probably gotten pretty intense, and the other team has probably figured out that they need to focus Nidalee, as she is killing them all before the team-fights even start with her 'Q'. LOL, anyways, this is more than likely going to be true if you have purchased all the other items in this build that i have stated to. this item has both MR, and armor, but the main reason for it of course is the passive. If the other team isnt focusing you, its still a good idea to buy just incase you get caught or something. ONCE THE PASSIVE REVIVES YOU, 'E' YOURSELF!!!!!!! Your 'E' at this point in the game should heal you for like half of your health.

*sigh* If you don't realize by now, THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THIS WHOLLLEEEE GUIDE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Leveling up your 'E' (Primal Surge / Swipe) is an extremely important part of this build. Especially while solo lane top. Top is all about sustain. If you start with a doran's ring, have AP runes/masteries, and level up your 'E'... Your heal will do massive effects early game. Your 'Q' (Javelin Toss / Takedown), isn't very important as a top laner, as you need sustain, not early damage. Once you have maxed your 'E', you probably have lived for an extremely long time top, and maybe gotten a kill or two from ganks/cougar kills. This is when you begin to max your 'Q' so that it will do hella damage in teamfights.

This is your Q Ability. Use this as harassment late game while both teams are gathering for a teamfight, so that they will probably have half health before the fight even starts! Early game this is useful to pick off the enemy's that you have brought to low health in cougar form, but they retreated to their tower/ another enemy/ etc. Just chuck a spear and they are done. LOL.


This is your W. You can use this to check bushes, as it lights the bush up like a .01 second ward LOL. Don't spam them too much though, as you need the mana for your 'E'.


And here is the E. I just can NOT stress enough how insanely important it is to level this ability while playing Nidalee Top!!!!


This is your Ultimate! Useful for farming, mobility, and 1v1 fighting. This is the combo you should use while playing in Nidalee's cougar form: W, E, Q. As the Q does the most damage when they have less health, so bringing them down in health and THEN Q'ing works best.

Pros!
+ Extremely good sustain, if you manage to play passively and level your 'E' top.
+ Her Q is OP as f.
+ Crazy Mobility in cougar form/ with her passive.
+ Built in Ward (her W)

Cons!
- Kind of mana hungry early game, but then theirs her cougar form (no mana) sooo...
- Similarily Squishy in early early game.
- Gets focused quite a bit (GA solves this)

****Under Construction****