Matchup
Heavy AD damageSustained DPSHigh sustain
Build vs Nilah
Build adapted to this matchup
Starting items
Core build
Standard
Anti AD
Anti CC
Other options
Power Spikes
Strength by game phase
Early (0-15)
Mid (15-30)
Late (30+)
Alistar
NilahPassive
Favorable
Favorable
Nilah's abilities
Passive, spells and ultimate
Joy Unending (P)
Nilah gains increased experience from last-hitting minions along with the ability to enhance and share nearby healing and shielding from her allies.
Cooldowns
Cooldowns by spell rank
| Level | Q | W | E | R |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 4s | 26s | 0.5s | – |
| 6 | 4s | 26s | 0.5s | 1m50 |
| 9 | 4s | 25s | 0.5s | 1m50 |
| 11 | 4s | 24s | 0.5s | 1m35 |
| 16 | 4s | 22s | 0.5s | 1m20 |
| 18 | 4s | 22s | 0.5s | 1m20 |
Playing against Nilah
How to counter and exploit weaknesses
1
Nilah's W blocks autos — switch to abilities or wait for the zone to expire.
2
Poke her at range: as a melee ADC, she's weak against ranged harassment.
3
Watch out for her XP advantage: she can hit level 6 before you and all-in with R.
4
Mage supports (Brand, Zyra) counter her because they don't rely on the autos that her W blocks.
Source: op.gg + LTL Engine · Patch 16.9.1 · May 9, 2026