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Nidalee Guide
Patch 26.19 Iron-Emerald·Difficulty:
Nidalee is an AP skirmisher who lives on landing Q. A human Q that lands marks the target, and everything after it hits harder: cougar Q and W, the Lich Bane proc, the Dark Harvest stacks. This guide runs Dark Harvest into Lich Bane and Hextech Rocketbelt, the build the best Nidalee players run. She is strongest before 20 minutes. Use that window to win skirmishes and invade with information, then play late fights front to back with your ADC, keeping E for them.
Runes
Quick Tips
All phases
- •Start human Q on most camps. Start E only when your first camp is raptors.
- •Red buff wins the 1v1 when you invade, but you do not need it to go.
- •You are not tanky, so land your damage from range and leave the middle of the fight to your frontline.
Skill Priority
Q
›E
›W
Q
1
·
·
4
5
W
·
·
3
·
·
E
·
2
·
·
·
Early Game
Before 1st item
- •Plan in the loading screen: which lane you path for, whether you invade, and which side scales.
- •Clear top to bot, and take the scuttle on the way.
- •Your first clear should have you level 4 by 3:13, and by 3:05 once you are Master.
- •Nidalee invades well, but full clear first and invade only when you know where their jungler is.
- •This is your strongest phase, so fight for the skirmishes your Q starts.
First Back
Regular full clear & crab
Core Build Examples
Default
Snowballing
vs heavy AP
Squishy enemies
Mid Game
1-3 items
- •Lich Bane and boots are your biggest spike: play for fights, not farm.
- •Reset a full minute before each objective and place W in the bushes and chokes they walk through.
- •Play from fog and throw Q from where they cannot see you.
- •Do not force a fight at level 10. At 11 your cougar spells jump a rank.
- •Base the moment your next item is affordable.
Situational
vs Assassin junglers
Good Vs
vs Hard engage supports
Good Vs
vs AP burst mids
Good Vs
vs Squishy backline
Good Vs
vs Tanks
Good Vs
vs Heavy healing
Good Vs
Late Game
4+ items
- •Your damage fades late, so play front to back with your ADC and keep E for them.
- •Place W where they walk to get vision on Baron.
- •Play fights slow. One good Q is not a reason to engage.
- •Engage only with Zhonya's up and a plan to bait, never on your own.
D
Nidalee Guide
Patch 26.19 Iron-Emerald·Difficulty:
Why Jungle Kingdom?
Most sites tell you what to build. We teach you how to win. Our guides are researched and written by Challenger junglers, breaking down the early, mid, and late game decisions that actually decide games.
Runes
Skill Priority
Q
›E
›W
Q
1
·
·
4
5
W
·
·
3
·
·
E
·
2
·
·
·
Core Build Examples
Default
Snowballing
vs heavy AP
Squishy enemies
First Back
Regular full clear & crab
Situational
vs Assassin junglers
Good Vs
vs Hard engage supports
Good Vs
vs AP burst mids
Good Vs
vs Squishy backline
Good Vs
vs Tanks
Good Vs
vs Heavy healing
Good Vs
Quick Tips
All phases
- •Start human Q on most camps. Start E only when your first camp is raptors.
- •Red buff wins the 1v1 when you invade, but you do not need it to go.
- •You are not tanky, so land your damage from range and leave the middle of the fight to your frontline.
Early Game
Before 1st item
- •Plan in the loading screen: which lane you path for, whether you invade, and which side scales.
- •Clear top to bot, and take the scuttle on the way.
- •Your first clear should have you level 4 by 3:13, and by 3:05 once you are Master.
- •Nidalee invades well, but full clear first and invade only when you know where their jungler is.
- •This is your strongest phase, so fight for the skirmishes your Q starts.
Mid Game
1-3 items
- •Lich Bane and boots are your biggest spike: play for fights, not farm.
- •Reset a full minute before each objective and place W in the bushes and chokes they walk through.
- •Play from fog and throw Q from where they cannot see you.
- •Do not force a fight at level 10. At 11 your cougar spells jump a rank.
- •Base the moment your next item is affordable.
Late Game
4+ items
- •Your damage fades late, so play front to back with your ADC and keep E for them.
- •Place W where they walk to get vision on Baron.
- •Play fights slow. One good Q is not a reason to engage.
- •Engage only with Zhonya's up and a plan to bait, never on your own.