Matchup

Heavy AD damageSustained DPSHigh sustain

You are stronger early — look to snowball before your opponent scales.

Build vs Nilah

Build adapted to this matchup

Starting items

Doran's Shield
Health Potion

Core build

Black Cleaver
1vs Tank
Iceborn Gauntlet
2vs AD
Sterak's Gage
3Survival

Standard

Boots of Swiftness
4vs Slow
Spirit Visage
5vs AP

Anti AD

Plated Steelcaps
4vs AD
Death's Dance
5vs AD
Randuin's Omen
vs AD

Anti Heal

Thornmail
6vs Hybride

Anti AP

Mercury's Treads
4vs CC
Spirit Visage
5vs AP

Other options

Jak'Sho, The Protean
vs Hybride

Power Spikes

Strength by game phase

Early (0-15)
Mid (15-30)
Late (30+)
IllaoiIllaoi
NilahNilah
Passive
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

LevelQWER
34s26s0.5s
64s26s0.5s1m50
94s25s0.5s1m50
114s24s0.5s1m35
164s22s0.5s1m20
184s22s0.5s1m20

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