Matchup

Heavy AP damageHeavy pokeHigh burstDive threat

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

Build vs Nidalee

Build adapted to this matchup

Starting items

Doran's Shield
Health Potion

Core build

Trinity Force
1DPS
Serylda's Grudge
2vs Tank
Spear of Shojin
3Bruiser

Standard

Boots of Swiftness
4vs Slow
Voltaic Cyclosword
5vs Tank

Summoner spells

41256%
41438%

Anti AD

Plated Steelcaps
4vs AD
Thornmail
5vs Hybride
Dead Man's Plate
vs AD
Guardian Angel
vs AD

Anti AP

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

Anti Tank

Voltaic Cyclosword
5vs Tank
Black Cleaver
vs Tank
Youmuu's Ghostblade
vs Tank
Bastionbreaker
vs Tank

DPS

Eclipse
DPS
Liandry's Torment
Mage tank
Hullbreaker
Bruiser

Other options

Executioner's Calling
Sterak's Gage
Survival
100.0% WR2 games
ResolveResolve
Grasp of the UndyingGrasp of the Undying
DemolishDemolish
Bone PlatingBone Plating
OvergrowthOvergrowth
PrecisionPrecision
Presence of MindPresence of Mind
Legend: BloodlineLegend: Bloodline
Attack SpeedAdaptive ForceHealth Scaling

Power Spikes

Strength by game phase

Early (0-15)
Mid (15-30)
Late (30+)
YorickYorick
NidaleeNidalee
Passive
Favorable
Favorable

Nidalee's abilities

Passive, spells and ultimate

Prowl (P)

Moving through brush increases Nidalee's Move Speed by 10% for 2 seconds, increased to 30% toward visible enemy champions within 1400 range.Hitting champions or monsters with Javelin Toss or Bushwhack triggers a Hunt, granting True Sight of them for 4 seconds. During this time, Nidalee gains 10% Move Speed (increased to 30% toward the Hunted target) and her Takedown and Pounce are enhanced against them.

Cooldowns

Cooldowns by spell rank

LevelQWER
36s13s12s
66s13s12s3s
96s12s12s3s
116s11s12s3s
166s9s12s3s
186s9s12s3s

Playing against Nidalee

How to counter and exploit weaknesses

1

Dodge her Q (javelin): without the mark, her cougar burst is significantly reduced.

2

Nidalee scales poorly into late game — if you survive her early pressure, you'll have the advantage later.

3

Deep ward: Nidalee excels at jungle invading and fast ganks thanks to her cougar speed.

4

Tanks and champions with high HP counter her: her burst becomes less and less effective on tanky targets.

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