This is my first build at Mobafire. Nidalee have been my main for a long time, and I love her. Her lovely javelin toss, that has great damage whole game around and her lovely Aspect of the Cougar, that gives her great survivability. (Pounce) I hope you like my build and guide for how to play Nidalee, it works great for me. :)

First item: Doran's Ring.
Reason: The reason to buy Dorans Ring is simple, it gives you some survivability at start of game and also gives you mana regen, so you can keep healing yourself and throw javelins at the enemy champions and ofcourse, gives you some extra AP.

Second item: Mercury's Treads.
Reason: It is important to get boots for Nidalee, then she can already get away from ganks and survive much easier. The extra tenacity makes the stuns last shorter, which also can make you survive a gank, therefore it is very important to get Mercury Threads just when you get money for it.
Third item: Guinsoo's Rageblade.
Reason: This item is a must. Nidalee uses her abilities alot, especially if shes in her cougar form, and that will grant her extra AP and more attack speed. This is a great item for Nidalee, as she can destroy turrets faster (if she uses primal surge it will go even faster, so remember to do that)

Fourth item: Rylai's Scepter.
Reason: Rylai's gives you extra survivability with the extra HP. She can also hunt down champions, because all of her abilities slow them. So in cougar form, its very effective, just keep pouncing, swiping and takedown, they wont get away. You are much faster then they are.

Fifth item: Rabadon's Deathcap. (Sell your Doran's ring)
Reason: The reason is simple, just alot of AP. Makes you hit alot harder with spears, so that you can nuke those squishy low healthed champions. Also, get Sheen before the Rabadon's Deathcap, so that you make double damage every third second. (After a ability, very effective in cougar form)

Sixth item: Lich Bane.
Lich Bane is another survivability item (movement speed) and a great damage item (upgraded Sheen, in some way)

Last item: Rod of Ages.
Reason: Now you just need more survivability, and Rod of Ages is the right item for that. It gives you mana, health and ability power.

Marks: Magic penetration is the best for marks, as they are better then seals and glyphs. And Nidalee needs the MRP.

Seals: AP per level is always good, you keep getting more damage with your abilities.

Glyph: Mana regeneration will make her stay longer at lanes, as she can heal herself and just go with some javelin tosses on them.

Quintessence: More MRP and AP per level, works great.

0-9-21 masteries are the best for Nidalee, with nimbleness, you can get lucky with a dodge and get faster, more survivability. The utility runes will give you alot of mregen, which is important for Nidalee. Also the 15% reduced summoner spells comes in very handy at some places.

Summoner spells:
Clairvoyance: Clairvoyance can be REALLY effective with Nidalee, with the 15% cdr on the summoner spells, she can get people recalling with low health at turrets KO'ed, just by throwing one javelin.

Flash: Everybody uses flash, why shouldnt Nidalee? Flash is great, just more survivability, and it can make you get a kill too.

At early game, you should stay defensive, last hitting minions and tossing just a few javelins at the enemy champions. But don't throw a lot, wait till you leveled it about 3 times, then try to throw more javelins. Remember to heal your allied champion, so that you can keep staying at the lane. Use the bushwhack at the bushes, if you are doing the bot or top lane. If you are doing mid, just do it at the left and right bush. It is important to keep putting up bushwhackes, so that you can see them in the bushes and might get a javelin toss on them.

After level 6, you are ready to go aggressive with your cougar form, damaging pretty much with your takedown and your swipe. Never underestimate yourself, you at 300 hp and a Ashe at 500. She used ultimate, you saw it, so she doesnt haves it. (Cougar form) Q + E + W (Nidalee form) Q + E. She might already be dead after the Q E W combination. But you never know. Her cougar form is very nukie, many people doesnt thinks so, and walks around in the human form alot instead. I wouldn't do that, her tiger form damages much more, and can hunt much better. Also, you can farm alot of minions with cougar form.

At late game, you have to take a bit more care of the enemy champions. You arent dominating the game anymore, as you were in about level 6-12. Stay a bit more behind and get some javelin tosses on them, if you see anyone on low hp, go cougar form and take him down. Maybe flash away if you got problems, should make you survive. One rule: Always be behind the other allied champions. If a teamfight appears, and you see your team running. heal them and go cougar, pounce like 2-3 times so you got a good distance, go human form, heal your teammates and throw a javelin in case there's someone to hit.

There is alot of smart tricks to do, when at cougar form.

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1. Here, you can easily get away from the enemy champions. A very smart trick is to pounce the way you just ran from, normally the enemy champion will run further into the bushes, going for the jungle or the 2 golems. But you can choose to run the way you came from, and you will get bigger chance to escape.
2. It's the same thing, turn around at the bushes. (remember to do it just as he enters the bushes)
3. Same thing again. Just turn around. It works almost everytime, and makes you get away easily.
4. Here you can do the same thing. Just run the other way around, and confuse them. Ofcourse, you can keep going the same way. But if they have any crowd control, stuns snares or anything else, you will have better chance to dodge them. As they definitely will get confused.
5. Same thing as all the others.
6. Same thing.
7. At this bush, you can jump over the tiny wall. It is a very good escape route, and you should do it everytime you are in troubles there. You can do the same at the other middle bush.
8. Here, you can trick the enemy. Making them hunt you, but if you are just, a bit fed. You can actually kill them. Make them follow you, go into that bush. Now TURN AROUND and go Q, E, W. At this part, they might try to escape. But ofcourse a Nidalee got her javelin, and ofcourse you hit, right? :) If not, you can just follow them in cougar form. They really shouldnt be able to escape.

Pros:
Powerful at early/midgame. Especially if you get fed.
Can do great damage at very high range.
Haves great survivability the whole game.
Lategame she heals alot! (I healed over 1k)

Cons:
Less powerful at lategame.
Might have mana problems early game.
The other team might rage. :D

Keep farming whole game. It's important to farm, for every champion. Also Nidalee. She haves great farming opportunities with her cougar form. Just use E and Q and W and E and Q and W.

Thanks for reading my build/guide about Nidalee. Hope you get some great games with her.
Also, please vote and comment for my first build. Hope you liked it.