Playing Nautilus support in League of Legends can be a little challenging at times when you're about to engage with an enemy champion, this is because Nautilus doesn't do that much damage, but instead, he resists it. You'll need to be in sync with your ADC to attack the enemy champions successfully, and if you already have that, don't miss the best Nautilus build on this.
Best Nautilus Build
The best build for Nautilus aims to pump up the numbers in his HP bar as much as possible and of course, add a lot of points of Attack Damage and Ability Power resistance to the Titan of the Depths.
Best Nautilus Runes
Nautilus best runes are meant to increase his AD resistance since his magic damage resistance is already quite good. For him, choose "Resolve" tree and "Inspiration" tree. In the first part choose "Aftershock" as the keystone, "Shieldbash", "Bone Plating", and "Unflinching".
Best Rune Path | Resolve | Inspiration |
Best Keystone | Aftershock | |
Best Slot 1 (Rune) | Shieldbash | |
Best Slot 2 (Rune) | Bone Plating | Biscuit Delivery |
Best Slot 3 (Rune) | Unflinching | Cosmic Insight |
For the second rune set in patch 12.16 choose "Biscuit Delivery" and "Inspiration" to sustain yourself and have more ability haste.
Best Rune Shards
Choose +1 - 10% CDR reduction in the "Offense" socket, and to make sure you resist damage in the early game +6 Armor in the "Flex" socket.
Best Rune Shards | Effect |
| +1 - 10% CDR (based on level) |
| +6 Armor |
| +15 - 90 Health (based on level) |
Lastly, you want +15 - 90 Health in the "Defense" socket to increase your maximum health, this way you can survive an engage when using "Staggering Blow".
Best Nautilus Spells
The best summoner spells choices for him are "Flash" to get in and out of tricky situations, or to maybe use it in a "Dredge Line" and "Staggering Blow" combo.
Best Spells | Icon |
Flash |
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Ignite |
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"Ignite" should be in your summoner spells choices because it adds extra damage that Nautilus needs.
Best Nautilus Abilities Order
For his skill order prioritize "Dredge Line" which hurls his anchor forward, with this Nautilus pulls enemies to him. Thanks to "Staggering Blow", which stuns enemies hit with auto attacks, "Dredge Line" sets up some nice crowd control chains useful for teamfights while you deal magic damage. Continue with "Titan's Wrath" since it makes Nautilus attacks deal damage to surrounding enemies, plus, Nautilus gains a temporary shield that reduces damage.
Finally, level up "Riptide" which damages and reduces the movement speed of nearby enemy champions. As always level up "Depth Charge" since it's useful in team fights to get a specific target hit, along with your auto attacks in League of Legends.
Best Items
His best items won't increase his magic damage, but still makes the Nautilus support skill order worth it, with "Staggering Blow", "Dredge Line", or "Depth Charge" to stun enemies or the same target.
Best Starter Nautilus Items
These starter items in this Nautilus build will help him survive close encounters when Nautilus fires his anchor forward to an enemy champion in League of Legends.
First Item | Second Item | Third Item | Fourth Item |
Relic Shield | Health Potion | Health Potion | Stealth Ward |
Best Mid Game Nautilus Items
Once you reach the mid game, the first item will give you a bit more magic damage to hurt an enemy champion in League of Legends thanks to this Nautilus support build in patch 12.16.
First Item | Second Item | Third Item |
Bulwark of the Mountain | Plated Steelcaps | Locket of the Iron Solari |
"Locket of the Iron Solari" will be the choice among mythic items to resist physical damage from other enemies during team fights, which is further improved thanks to Nautilus runes.
Best Final Late Game Nautilus Items
Thanks to his summoner spells choice and magic damage, at this point, Nautilus will be more than just a tank, and in the right skill order, Nautilus support can stun any enemy champion long enough so it does become a threat thanks to "Staggering Blow" or Dredge Line.
First Item | Second Item | Third Item | Fourth Item | Fifth Item | Sixth Item |
Bulwark of the Mountain | Plated Steelcaps | Locket of the Iron Solari | Zeke’s Convergence | Thornmail | Knight’s Vow |
Except for the mythic item, any of these items can be replaced with "Dead Man's Plate" to increase movement speed in this patch 12.16 for the Armored Goliath of Blue Flame Isles waters.
Best Champions to pair Nautilus with
Nautilus support is a great pair in League of Legends with the following champions. Seraphine can stay in the back while Nautilus engages, she offers protection to him while dealing magic damage.
Champion | Win Rate % | Icon |
54.4% | ||
52.4% | ||
51.7% |
|
Sivir and Samira benefit from this Nautilus build and his skill order and crowd control in this patch 12.16 of League of Legends.
Strongest Champions against Nautilus
Taric, Swain, and Amumu are champions whose win rate is rather high against Nautilus, and not even choosing something else among Mythic Items might help him. At best he still has his crowd control to try to take less damage.
Champion | Win Rate % | Icon |
38.4% |
| |
43.0% |
| |
44.5% |
|
Weakest Champions against Nautilus
The annoying Yuumi stands no chance against Nautilus and his "Staggering Blow" despite her dealing magic damage. Miss Fortune and Ashe are also no match to him, even if he's not wearing the "Plated Steelcaps" or if he has a slightly different rune set.
Champion | Win Rate % | Icon |
56.6% |
| |
54.9% |
| |
51.6% |
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Overall Nautilus is an excellent tank champion for the support role, who offers tons of CC, and damage as he is near enemies with the subsequent waves from his "Riptide". What are you waiting to try him out? Good luck summoners, and don't forget to check out our champion guides!