Hello and welcome to my guide for playing Nunu as he is meant to be played: a hard counter jungle.

Nunu is a strong and useful jungler that excels in: counter jungling, vision control, objective control, and being completely annoying.

Pros + Map control + Vision control + Counter jungle MONSTER + Objective Control + Protects/buffs carries + Very easy to play + Awesome Steroid / CC + Can and will make other players rage quit if played well. + Useful even when behind

Cons - Doesn't scale super well - Isn't particularly good in solo queue unless you can get cooperation. - Ult can be tricky to use. - Other players will often not understand that you must counter jungle

So why would someone play Nunu & Willump?

Well the answer is pretty simple. If your style of play is to limit the opportunities of the enemy jungle, secure vision and objectives for your team, snowball your lanes (hue hue) and also have a character that can win a game not only via mechanics but by getting into the head of the enemy - Nunu is a good pick.

Playing Nunu is generally pretty safe compared to other counter jungle champions like Shaco. Where Nunu wont be able to pick up and split push like the clown - he will be able to provide 2 amazing bonuses to team fights: A powerful slow and a powerful steroid. Ultimately, the off tank capabilities of Nunu - combined with a strong CC - Stong AS/MS steroid and potentially fight changing ultimate - make him a solid pick into most team compositions.

Finally, Nunu is exceptionally fun to play. Mo'Krug.

Nunu is an good pick into a ranked composition ONLY if you can get the most out of counter jungling AND your team can hold it together for a bit on their own.

Note: Nunu is a support jungle - your lanes benefit more from your assists than you do from sealing the kills. Don't be afraid to get a couple - but generally you should be feeding your lanes.

When to Pick Nunu: If your team has a good balance of damage dealers and the lanes are not fragile. Having champions on your team that scale well with attack speed like: Jax Yasuo Sivir Jinx Lucian Vayne Draven or Aatrox are a huge bonus as well.

When not to Pick Nunu: Did you have some twerp pick a Talon into Riven top? Don't Nunu. Is someone being a baby and going double ADC Kill Lane bot? Don't Nunu. Is someone trying to break meta with a Thresh top? Don't Nunu. Are you worried that if you don't baby-sit that one lane you will lose? Don't Nunu - in fact just don't jungle that game - it's gonna be blamed on you for the feed, feed, feed and you know it. A successful gank won't stop that 15.1 Fiora from continuing to eat the face off of the first time Gang Plank picked into her.

So You Picked Nunu: The game beings simple - head opposite what ever major buff the enemy is going to start at. They are starting red? Set up in your jungle Opposite their blue. ETC. Get a strong smiteless leash on what ever camp is going to give you Level 2. Level up Blood boil and head into their jungle. Ward the strip bush between mid lane and their large monster camp (if red) or the corner near wolves (If blue) - Chow down on that camp. Clear it all. The timer is your friend. Next - if they haven't shown up yet and you are on their red side - moving to Krug isn't a terrible idea. You should be able to clear it quickly, and get level 3. This will leave you in a nice position for a Back Door Gank if their lane is extended - or you are free to leave and head back to your own big monster camp.

THE BDG: The back door gank is a great way to get first blood. As you finish up your counter jungle clear on the enemy side - if you have been fortunate enough to steal their red and their krugs - it is now time to move into either their top or bottom lane (depending on your team side).


Typically speaking, bot lane has the highest chance of success - but certain top lanes can put out enough DMG for this move to work too. Step one is communicate with your lane. Tell them from the outset to play passive and let the other lane push into their zone. As the lane is pushed - pop ghost and head out through the enemy tri-bush.


Snowball the target - and then immediately pop blood boil on your ADC or top Laner. Position yourself to be where the enemy wants to naturally retreat to. Engage and aa / snowball as you can. At worst you have managed to shell out enough DMG to get a flash or force them to back. At best some one just got First Blood. Exit the lane and continue to farm as normal.

Myth 1: Nunu can't gank B.S. All over this - sure it's not Vi or Amumu But with some movement speed and good position a snowball gank with an ulti slow = a kill. The trick to getting good with Nunu is knowing where and when you should show up. He is not forgiving like other champions with a gap closer and requires teamwork to be the most effective. But a Nunu can gank.

Myth 2: Nunu can't carry Again - Nunu & Willump won't carry like a Fiora or a fed Jax or a 15.1 Katarina but he can put a sizable dent into a game. Counter jungling the enemy correctly basically makes the game into a 4v5. Also - you are actually an amazing late game support/tank with one of the best peels in the game. He can't do it solo - but with even a drooling, half fed ADC you can get it done.

Myth 3: Nunu is easy Mechanically Nunu & Willump is simple - no skill shots and a straight forward game but technically speaking to get the most out of this character takes a lot of knowledge about positioning and a enlightened level of map awareness. Nunu is about getting vision and denying the basic elements that allow the other jungle to be successful.

As Nunu the "pedal to the metal" that you get from Blood Boil is ideal and lets you out run many opponent in a pinch (or run them down). When ganking it's a wonderful steroid to toss down on your ADC and you will get the bonus as well. It helps pushing towers and everything else. You can alternate between Blood Boil and Consume as needed depending on the game - two early in Consume is really all you need to get you through. You can stack another on to Blood Boil around level 9 instead of Ice Blast if you are having good luck with another team mate pushing the lanes.

SPECIAL NOTE: Blood Boil Adds the effect to you as well as the target - don't be an idiot and use it just on yourself if there is another team mate near by. I have seen this... it makes me cry...

Primary Set Up That I Use:

This is the usual set up that I use if I plan on counter jungling the enemy into submission. Explained earlier in the guide.


Secondary Option If you plan on going more AP Burst:

This set up is nice if you plan on putting a little more punch into the yeti. His Absolute Zero and Ice Blast scale really nicely with Ap. This let's you get a bit more tank/resistance from the skill tree so you can pick up and extra AP item without sacrificing too much.

Primary Rune Set Up
I find this gives me the greatest mobility around the jungle - and let's face it - the faster a Nunu & Willump can move - the faster he can score some "take out" from the all you can eat buffet that is the enemy jungle.



Other Options

Greater Glyph of Scaling Ability Power - Decent choice, but you WILL need some MR
Greater Seal of Attack Speed - Helps First Clear - sacrifices tankiness - debatable
Greater Quintessence of Ability Power - Not really worth the loss in MS but... more dps

I hope you liked this guide - it's the first I have made. I would value any and all feed back. Thanks.