Matchup

Heavy CCStrong engageCountered by spell shieldVery tanky

Build vs Nautilus

Build adapted to this matchup

Starting items

Doran's Blade
Health Potion

Core build

Black Cleaver
1vs Tank
Eclipse
2DPS
Serpent's Fang
3vs Tank

Standard

Boots of Swiftness
4vs Slow
Voltaic Cyclosword
5vs Tank

Summoner spells

41488%
41213%

Anti AD

Plated Steelcaps
4vs AD
Death's Dance
5vs AD
Guardian Angel
vs AD

Anti Tank

Voltaic Cyclosword
5vs Tank
Youmuu's Ghostblade
vs Tank

DPS

Sundered Sky
Bruiser
Spear of Shojin
Bruiser

Other options

Sterak's Gage
Survival
100.0% WR1 games
PrecisionPrecision
ConquerorConqueror
Presence of MindPresence of Mind
Legend: HasteLegend: Haste
Last StandLast Stand
SorcerySorcery
TranscendenceTranscendence
ScorchScorch
Adaptive ForceAdaptive ForceHealth Scaling

Power Spikes

Strength by game phase

Early (0-15)
Mid (15-30)
Late (30+)
PantheonPantheon
NautilusNautilus
Aggressive
Careful
Careful

Nautilus's abilities

Passive, spells and ultimate

Staggering Blow (P)

Nautilus' first Attack against a target deals increased physical damage and roots them briefly.

Cooldowns

Cooldowns by spell rank

LevelQWER
314s12s7s
612s12s7s2m
910s12s7s2m
1110s12s7s1m40
1610s12s6s1m20
1810s12s5s1m20

Playing against Nautilus

How to counter and exploit weaknesses

1

His Q hook can hit terrain (he pulls himself to the wall): minions do NOT block it, unlike Blitz/Thresh.

2

Respect his level 2: Q + passive root is one of the best support engages at level 2.

3

His R is point-and-click: you can't dodge it, but you can Zhonya's or position so it doesn't knock up your allies along the way.

4

Nautilus is slow without his Q — kite him after he uses his hook.

Source: op.gg + LTL Engine · Patch 16.9.1 · May 9, 2026