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Nunu & Willump Build Guide by

Nunu Jungle - A Beast in the Bushes

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42 Comments League of Legends Build Guide Author PinSeventy

Nunu & Willump Build Guide By Updated on

Guide Discussion (42) More Nunu & Willump Guides

Choose Champion Build:

AP Off-Tank
Pure Tank

Spells:

Smite

Flash

Items

Starting Items

First Back

Early Game Items

Mid to Late-Game Core Items

Luxury AP Item

Example End Build

Ability Order

Nunu & Willump Passive Ability

More Nunu & Willump Counters

Introduction

Table of Contents

I. Introduction
II. Pros & Cons
III. Masteries
IV. Runes
V. Summoner Spells
VI. Ability Explanations
VII. Items
VIII. Ganking
IX. Jungling Routes
X. Jungling Tips
XI. Summary

Introduction

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With Patch 3.7, moved from a dominant AP top laner with "infinite sustain and infinite damage" to a stronger jungler than anything else. The major buff/rework to his made it one of the strongest jungling abilities in the game. His remains a strong ganking tool, especially in combination with his . This guide will cover everything from Jungle Patterns to Ganking Techniques, but please keep in mind this is a jungle guide only, so please judge it accordingly. I always love feedback, both positive and negative, however if it's the latter, please remember to keep it constructive. This is my first ever guide, and I am mainly relying on you guys for feedback on how to change my guide for the better. Thank you, and enjoy!

Credits to jhoijhoi for the template, which you can find here. Would have had a helluva lot harder time without her!

Pros & Cons

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Pros

+ is another (stronger) .
+ He has crazy sustain with and .
+ He has a powerful ranged slow with .
+ His ultimate, , can quite literally one-shot an ADC.
+ He gets buffs on buffs on buffs on buffs!

's ability to take down larger jungle targets such as Ancient Golem and Lizard Elder are extraordinary when combining with . The two together deal 990 damage at level one. It's also very fun to have up to six buffs working for you at the same time, all from the jungle.

Cons

- Only two of his moves, and deal damage to champions.
- The range on is very small and can be difficult to work with.
- He can be mana hungry if you are not careful.

Most of the cons you will run across for will be top lane these days, but the above difficulties do provide hindrance in the jungle, especially when ganking.

Masteries

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Explanation:

Nothing too exciting with the Masteries section of this build. A choice of 0-21-9 is pretty obvious with any Jungler, especially a tankier one such as Nunu. Before his damage nerf in 3.7, it could have been viable to take some AP Masteries in the Offensive tree, however now he will be much more effective as a tank. The Mana-regen Masteries in the Utility tree are important to take advantage of 's passive .

Runes

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Greater Quintessence of Magic Penetration: This is where the "AP" of "AP Off-Tank" shines through. It's a fantastic choice coupled with any of the Luxury AP items, and it key to getting off the extra damage from both his Ice Blast and the Lizard Buff from Consume (which is dealt in magic damage).
Greater Mark of Attack Speed: A fantastic choice on most all junglers, this Rune will help you clear the jungle faster, meaning you can gank sooner. The Attack Speed also lets you go nuts on an enemy laner when you gank and pop Blood Boil.
Greater Glyph of Scaling Magic Resist: Just like the Armor Quints these runes are used to make you tanky. Scaling is a better choice for MR in this case because the majority of the Magic Damage will be coming after it surpasses the bonus MR from the flat-rate Glyphs.
Greater Seal of Armor: It follows the pattern of tankiness. Extra armor over extra MR helps you keep your health up in the Jungle, which shouldn't be too hard in the first place thanks to Consume.

Summoner Spells

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: The Jungler's Summoner Spell. Not much more to say.

: A strong escape and engage, this Summoner Spell is fantastic for getting in range for s to finish off the enemy or start a hard engage, not to mention setting up some fantastic Baron or Dragon steals.

: With the amazing damage on , it could be argued that a less Jungle may be possible on . If you wish to try this out, I recommend grabbing as your second Summoner Spell (along with ). Make sure to coordinate warding with your team to get some cash Teleport-ganks.

Ability Explanation

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Visionary: This passive is half of the wombo-combo that allows Nunu & Willump to sustain practically infinitely in the jungle. This is also great to prep for ganks, especially if you are somewhat low on mana. Just make sure to get it stacked on the last camp you take before heading in.
Consume (Q): The king of jungle abilities. This move was designed for jungling and nothing but (argue with me in comments, not in ratings). Not only does it deal more damage than smite at all points in the game (other than level one as of Patch 3.9), it gives you a massive heal and a buff depending on what you partook in, each lasting for 240 seconds after you nom nom. These buffs are something to take advantage of before ganking. If either of the Ancient Golem camp or the Lizard Elder camp are up before you gank, take a passing bite out of one of the minions for the damage buff. You never know, it could be the difference between a getaway and a confirmed kill. Maxing this ability first is the obvious choice.
Blood Boil (W): This is part of the two-part ganking combo that you should use whenever you invade a lane. This is particularly effective on AD Carries in bottom lane, giving them the ability to not only catch up to the target (who is hopefully slowed from Ice Blast) and get off a few extra basics. It can also be a key escape tool in tricky situations. Take it at level two to help your jungle clear early game, but don't worry about upgrading it until level 14.
Ice Blast (E): The ganking ability! This is what allows Nunu & Willump jungle to work. The slow on it is what will secure kills in most situations, however the damage can sometimes be enough to finish the enemy off. Maxing this second is important for the improved slow on movement and attack speed. The one thing bummer about this ability is that the range is frustratingly small!
Absolute Zero (R): Nunu's signature ability, this ult deals massive amounts of damage combined with massive amounts of slow. However, this can also be one of the trickiest abilities to use when in non-team fight situations. The massive damage comes through after it has been fully channeled, but it can be cancelled early if the enemies are getting away and you want to hurt them a little bit. As per usual, take a point in this whenever possible.

Items

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One of the main reasons I suggest building this item is because I feel that it's under-loved. is on of the only champs this item is viable on, and very much so at that. The CDR combined with the nice but of AP is a great combinations on Nunu, not to mention the Spell Vamp makes is sustain even stronger. The other way to go is , which is a much tankier choice. If you wish to build that route, it's important to realize that you won't be dealing very much damage at all. Personally I prefer the Wraith because the AP scales on the heal on .

Obviously boots are the most situational of all the items in this build, but overall these are the best pair for most situations. The Tenacity is fantastic, and the MR is good for tanking. are another option, but unless they have an AD top and an insanely fed ADC, then you should probably stick to these bad boys. (Feel free to enlighten me in the comments section!)

This is a wondrous team fight item, and what can I say, I'm a team fight kind of guy. Now that it's built directly out of it's a no-brainer.

The king of Magic Resist items, this thing provides massive tankiness and a Passive that has fantastic synergy with , giving you and extra 20% heal per chomp. If there is a dominating AP Carry on the enemy team, buy this bad boy after your and you will basically shut them down.

While this item is fantastic in general because of it's incredible passive which will stop an enemy ADC in their tracks, the 400 mana it provides is a bit wasted on because of . However, if you are finding yourself OOM more often than not, and/or the enemy ADC is being a pain in your rear, this is a fantastic situational choice.

I love this item with a fiery passion (HAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAAH GET IT?!?!?!). It's an amazing defensive element to any build, not to mention the extra burn it adds to your damage output. This is a great choice if the enemy team is particularly AD Heavy or you're feeling just a bit too squishy.

If you just want to intimidate the **** out of the enemy team with your stacks on stacks of health, this is the item for you. This will let you walk in and out of practically any fight, and is a key element to any true tank build.

This is another way to build out of if you're not feeling the . The two Actives are comparable in strength (even though they have drastically different roles), and both are good choices on .

This is definitely the strongest of the AP Luxury items in most situations, making even tankier and allowing him to dish out some extra damage. The slow works fantastically alongside with , though it can be a bit redundant.

A more conscientiousness choice that in that it deals extra damage but has a passive that doesn't just do what 's moves already do. Since the only two of his moves that damage enemy champions already slow, this is a better added passive that will make freeze and burn them at the same time (ha!).

A particularly ballsy choice for , especially now that his damage has been nerfed so much. However, if you really want to make pack some serious damage, and give a litte more of a punch, this might be the item for you. Note: I don't recommend this item in most all situations, but I display it as an option because ultimately you are the one who decides what/how to build.

A stronger choice than in most situations, this item still gives the desired AP boost, but the extra health and mana make it very worth while. If you're thinking about getting this item, I'd recommend grabbing it earlier than later to take advantage of its passive. However, that's a bit of a problem if you are picking up your Luxury AP item as the last piece of your build.

The AoE slow that comes with the basic attack is a fantastic bonus to the stats on this item, and it is especially easy to use alongside with . I'd pick this up if your isn't doing the job for you when it comes to keeping your enemies slowed.

This is a much more sensible aggressive choice than in that it has a lower price and the dearly needed Magic Pen that will help your and actually get damage through to champions, especially later game.

Ganking

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The main thing to keep in mind when ganking as is that the range on his main ganking ability, , is frustratingly low. This means it is vitally important to take advantage of over-extension of the enemies as soon as possible, or just wait it out for a good opportunity. After leading in with help out your laner with , which will let them catch up with the target and in the case of ADCs or AD Tops, let them get off a few extra basics. It's important to note that you do not have to make the choice of whether use on the laner or yourself, because you receive the same buff when you use it on an ally. With the decision making mostly out the window for that part, you can better focus on getting the kill than having to worry about targeting your abilities.

It's also important to realize that has a very hard time ganking the mid lane because of his limited range. However, there are a few tricks to overcome this disability. has two different speed buffs, one on and the other on , however the latter only triggers if you have recently taking a chomp out of some wolves or wraiths, and you kill another unit. This means that when you are ganking mid lane, in order to get in range for your , the best thing to do is to pop , and then take a quick on a minion in lane. Hopefully these two combined boosts will be enough to get you where you need in a timely fashion.

Jungle Routes

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I've found there are two basic ways to get through your first clear as , and below I've depicted them and given an explanation of each of the steps. Be warned that the Aggressive Route is difficult to pull-off at first, but is much more rewarding. One should not attempt this route if the enemy starts at Red buff. (In that case, however, you can "mirror" the pattern and start at your Red and steal their Blue.) Note: The Summoner Spells next to each of these are not what I recommend you use, they're just visual aids!

Easy Route (Noob Friendly)

This is the basic jungle route you can run with . This doesn't exhibit his talent's very well, but it does allow for you to begin ganking soon and hard, if that's what you wish to do.

Start out with (1) Blue Buff and head directly for your (2) Red Buff. Don't bother with the smaller camps at first, they only waste time. After taking your Red, head up to (3) Gank Top Lane. Since you didn't take any of your smaller camps, and you are already level three because of the two buffs, you will have at least one level advantage over the enemy laner. This early gank often catches them off-guard, and can lead to an easy kill, or at least a . After than clear out (4) Golems and (5) Wraiths on your way to (6) Gank Mid Lane. You can afford to wait in the bush for ~15 seconds before having to move on, if the opportunity isn't readily available. After that clear out (7) Wolves and then haul it down to (8) Bot Lane for another gank.

Make sure to keep and eye on the clock. At around 7 minutes into the game the enemy's Blue Buff should be spawning again. Go and take that if you're feeling ballsy.

Aggressive Route (Man Mode)

This much more aggressive route can ruin an enemy jungler's first clear, setting them way behind the rest of the game. Since the buff to , stealing enemy buffs has only become so much easier for . You should note that this route entirely ignores the smaller camps for the first clear, which may seem odd at first, but they would simply slow you down (as stated above).

Start out with (1) Blue Buff (as usual), but try and get a less leashe. This will allow you to more easily take the (2) Enemy's Red Buff. Make sure to utilize both and for all they're worth with this solo invade. If you can, try and drag Red Buff all the way around to the other side of the wall. It's totally possible, and often leads to the enemy jungler thinking it's already gone, even if you're still taking it. After that, head down south for an early (3) Bot Lane Gank. This gank is usually very effective, especially if the enemy bot lane has a hard pushing combo. After that you should high-tail it back to (4) Your Red Buff. Securing your Red is more important than any of the smaller camps or even a gank mid lane at the moment (unless mid is violently over-extended). After securing Red -- and be prepared to contest it if the enemy jungler is getting steamed -- choose to gank either (5a) Mid Lane or (5b) Top Lane. It's best to gank the lane that has the most CC on your team.

After this initial clear feel free to roam the jungle and take whatever camps you please. You have shown the enemy jungler that you own all of the jungle, and they should be very afraid.

And be sure to keep and eye on the in-game clock. At around 7 minutes be sure to be at the enemy's Blue Buff, it should be spawning soon. If you successfully take that, there is really no stopping you. If you recall before that time (which you usually will not), make sure to grab at least one ward to place over the wall to watch for the enemy as you take the buff.

Jungling Tips

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The best thing to realize when playing in the jungle is that is an insanely helpful tool in all situations, and that you should take advantage of all it provides whenever possible. Say, before you gank bot lane, take a bite out of a Lizard for the extra damage buff. Or before a teamfight begins, sneak into your jungle (or the enemies) to take a bit out of a Golem to become even tankier, and physically bigger.

is also one of the few junglers who don't need Blue Buff after the first clear because of his crazy amounts of sustain. If you want to give a quick leash of Blue to say mid lane, take a bite out of it with and then pop on it to get it down to less that 1/3 health. Then you can just hit S and tank the damage while your teammate finishes it off. Obviously, the same can be done with Red Buff for your ADC or AD Top.

Last but not least: DON'T FORGET TO GO B. It's very easy to forget to recall when you are never low on health or mana, but is pretty useless in teamfights if all he has is a .

Summary

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Well, thank you guys and gals very much for reading through my guide on Jungle Nunu. I worked hard to get it out as quickly as possible from the release of 3.7, but with as much in-depth information as possible as well. Like I said in the intro, this is the first guide I have ever published, so I hope you guys will give me plenty of constructive help in the comments. I hope you enjoyed my guide, and I hope that you enjoy in the jungle even more.

Thanks to:

jhoijhoi for the fantastic template and starting guide.
SixSonatas for the template for the ToC.
Veng Lmfao for being a very nice community member and helping point me in the right direction.
Vynertje and Laggermeister for pointing out mistakes in my build and my rune set ups.

Thanks a ton,
PinSeventy

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Nunu Jungle - A Beast in the Bushes

Nunu Jungle - A Beast in the Bushes

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