Nautilus, also known as the Titan of the Depths, is a colossal armored behemoth that roams the dark and treacherous depths of the ocean. Originally a sailor, Nautilus was part of an expedition that ventured into uncharted waters. Betrayed and abandoned by his crew after a horrifying encounter in the depths, he was dragged into the dark abyss by an unknown force. Transformed by this ancient power, he emerged as a guardian of the deep, forever connected to the ocean and driven by a singular purpose: to punish those who would trespass against the sea. When you embark on your journey, mmowow can lend a helping hand when you need help.
Champion Role and Position
Nautilus is primarily played as a tank support in the bottom lane, although he can also be utilized as a jungle or a top layer. His primary role is to initiate fights and provide crowd control for his team, protecting allies while disrupting enemies.
Abilities and Detailed Gameplay
Passive: Staggering Blow
Nautilus' basic attacks deal bonus physical damage and immobilize his target for 0.75/1/1.25/1.5 seconds (based on level). This effect cannot occur on the same target more than once every few seconds.
Gameplay Tip: Use this passive to lock down enemies during skirmishes and team fights. It’s particularly effective for setting up kills in the early game.
Q: Dredge Line
Nautilus hurls his anchor forward. If it hits an enemy, he drags himself and the target together, dealing magic damage and stunning them briefly. If it hits terrain, Nautilus pulls himself to the terrain and the cooldown is reduced by half.
Gameplay Tip: This ability is essential for engaging or escaping. Aim to land it on enemy champions to start fights or to secure kills. When retreating, use it on terrain for a quick escape.
W: Titan’s Wrath
Nautilus surrounds himself with dark energies, gaining a shield that absorbs damage. While the shield holds, his attacks deal bonus magic damage over time.
Gameplay Tip: Activate this before engaging to maximize your durability and damage output. It can also be used to soak up damage during a fight.
E: Riptide
Nautilus slams the ground, creating three waves of explosions around him. Each explosion deals magic damage and slows enemies. The slow stacks if multiple waves hit the same target.
Gameplay Tip: Use Riptide in team fights to disrupt and slow multiple enemies, making it easier for your team to follow up with damage and crowd control.
R: Depth Charge
Nautilus launches a depth charge that chases an enemy champion, dealing magic damage and knocking up all enemies it passes through. When it reaches its target, it explodes, dealing magic damage, knocking up, and stunning the target.
Gameplay Tip: Target a priority enemy (such as the enemy ADC or mid-laner) to disrupt their positioning and potentially initiate a team fight. The knock-up effect can be devastating in team fights.
Skill Order
Q - Dredge Line: Max first for the reduced cooldown and increased damage.
E - Riptide: Max second for consistent AoE damage and slow.
W - Titan’s Wrath: Max last, as it provides a shield and bonus damage but is less impactful than your other abilities in terms of crowd control and damage.
R - Depth Charge: Upgrade whenever available (levels 6, 11, and 16).
Rune Choices
Primary: Resolve
Aftershock: Provides bonus resistances after immobilizing an enemy, followed by an AoE damage burst.
Font of Life: Marks enemies you impair, allowing allies to heal when attacking them.
Bone Plating: Reduces damage from subsequent attacks after taking damage.
Unflinching: Increases tenacity and slow resistance after using summoner spells.
Secondary: Inspiration
Hextech Flashtraption: Allows you to use Flash while it’s on cooldown.
Biscuit Delivery: Grants sustain in the lane with health and mana restoration.
Stat Shards:
Attack Speed
Armor
Health
Item Build
Starting Items:
Relic Shield: Provides health and the ability to execute minions to share the gold with your ADC.
Health Potions: Sustain during the early laning phase.
Core Items:
Locket of the Iron Solari: Grants a shield to nearby allies, ideal for team fights.
Zeke’s Convergence: Synergizes well with your crowd control and provides additional damage for your ADC.
Knight’s Vow: Increases survivability for both you and your ADC.
Situational Items:
Thornmail: Against heavy AD and healing.
Abyssal Mask: For additional magic resist and synergy with AoE abilities.
Redemption: Provides healing in team fights and enhances survivability.
Early Game Strategy
Laning Phase: Focus on protecting your ADC and setting up kills with Dredge Line (Q). Use Relic Shield to secure minions and provide gold to your ADC.
Engagement: Look for opportunities to engage when the enemy overextends or when your jungler is nearby. Use your crowd control abilities to lock down targets and secure kills.
Vision Control: Prioritize warding the river and enemy jungle entrances to prevent ganks and set-up plays.
Mid Game Strategy
Roaming: Start roaming to mid-lane and deep-warding the enemy jungle to create vision control and pressure. Use your engagement potential to catch out isolated targets.
Objective Control: Use your tackiness and crowd control to secure objectives like dragons and Rift Herald. Position yourself to zone out enemies and protect your team.
Late Game Strategy
Team Fights: Be the front line for your team. Initiate fights with Depth Charge (R) and follow up with Dredge Line (Q) and Riptide (E) to disrupt the enemy team.
Peeling: Protect your carries by using your crowd control abilities to prevent assassins or divers from reaching them.
Objective Security: Use your abilities to zone and secure Baron Nashor and Elder Dragon. Your presence should make it difficult for enemies to contest these objectives.
Combo Execution
Engage Combo: R (Depth Charge) -> Q (Dredge Line) -> Auto Attack (Staggering Blow) -> E (Riptide) -> W (Titan’s Wrath).
Peeling Combo: Q (Dredge Line) -> E (Riptide) -> W (Titan’s Wrath) -> Auto Attack (Staggering Blow).
Team Composition and Synergies
Engage Composition
Synergies: Champions like Malphite, Amumu, and Orianna provide additional AoE crowd control.
Strategy: Utilize chain crowd control to initiate fights and lock down multiple enemies.
Protect the Carry Composition
Synergies: Champions like Janna, Lulu, and Kai’Sa can benefit from additional protection.
Strategy: Focus on peeling for your primary carry, using your crowd control to keep them safe.
Pick Composition
Synergies: Champions like Blitzcrank, Thresh, and Pyke excel at catching out single targets.
Strategy: Use your hook (Q) to catch out-of-position enemies and secure kills with your team.
nautilus Against Shaco: Strategies and Tips
Early Game Strategy
Laning Phase
When leaning against Shaco, be mindful of his deceptive playstyle and high burst potential. Here's how to handle the early game:
Ward Placement: Shaco excels at ganking with his stealth and mobility. Place deep wards in river bushes and jungle entrances to track his movements. Consider buying a Control Ward early to spot his movements.
Positioning: Stay close to your ADC and avoid overextending, as Shaco can quickly capitalize on poor positioning with his Q (Deceive) and E (Two-Shiv Poison).
Engagements: Use your Q (Dredge Line) to catch Shaco if he attempts to engage. Follow up with E (Riptide) to slow him and W (Titan's Wrath) to mitigate damage. Your passive, Staggering Blow, will help immobilize him, making it easier for your ADC to follow up.
Mid Game Strategy
Roaming and Objectives
In the mid-game, Shaco will often look to create chaos with his split-pushing and ganking. Adapt your strategy to counter his playstyle:
Vision Control: Keep control of key objectives like Dragon and Rift Herald with wards. Shaco will try to exploit unwarded areas, so maintaining vision is crucial.
Roaming: Roam with your jungle and mid-laner to create pressure elsewhere on the map. Use your crowd control to set up kills and secure objectives.
Engagement: Look for opportunities to engage on Shaco when he appears in team fights. Use your R (Depth Charge) to disrupt his stealth and follow up with your Q (Dredge Line). Your team can then collapse on him while he’s vulnerable.
Late Game Strategy
Team Fights and Objective Control
Shaco’s effectiveness diminishes in late-game team fights, but he can still be a nuisance. Focus on your role as a tank and engage/disrupt:
Team Fighting: Initiate fights with R (Depth Charge) on a priority target, ideally hitting Shaco or an enemy carry. Follow up with Q (Dredge Line) to lock down targets and E (Riptide) to disrupt and slow multiple enemies.
Peeling: Protect your carries by using your abilities to peel off Shaco if he attempts to assassinate them. W (Titan's Wrath) will help you absorb damage, and your passive can immobilize him.
Objective Securing: Use your tackiness to zone enemies during objectives like Baron Nashor and Elder Dragon. Your crowd control makes it difficult for Shaco to steal these objectives.
Specific Matchup Handling
Different Opponents and Engage Techniques
Against Mobile Champions: When engaging mobile champions like Zed or Ahri, anticipate their dashes and use Q (Dredge Line) to catch them out of position. Follow up with R (Depth Charge) to ensure they remain disrupted.
Against Tanky Champions: Versus tanky champions like Malphite or Leona, focus on peeling for your carries rather than hard engaging. Use your abilities to keep them off your backline.
Against Poke Compositions: When facing poke-heavy teams, use your Q (Dredge Line) and R (Depth Charge) to engage quickly and close the gap, minimizing their ability to kite and poke.
Why Nautilus is a Popular and Beginner-Friendly Champion
Attributes and Feel
Crowd Control: Nautilus offers abundant crowd control, making him valuable in both the learning phase and team fights. His Q (Dredge Line), E (Riptide), and R (Depth Charge) provide reliable initiation and disruption.
Tankiness: With his W (Titan's Wrath) providing a shield and bonus damage, Nautilus is highly durable, and forgiving for beginners still learning positioning and timing. However, when some players choose to explore further and become familiar with a certain hero, some players will choose lol accounts.
Engage Potential: His kit is designed for strong initiation, making it easy for players to understand when and how to start fights.
Utility: Nautilus brings significant utility with his passive, immobilizing targets on basic attacks, enhancing his ability to peel for carries and lock down key targets.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Strengths
Initiation: Nautilus excels at starting fights with his long-range Q (Dredge Line) and guaranteed R (Depth Charge) knock-up.
Peel: His crowd control abilities make him excellent at protecting carries from divers and assassins.
Durability: His natural tackiness allows him to soak damage and remain in the thick of fights.
Weaknesses
Mobility: Nautilus lacks mobility outside of his Q (Dredge Line), making him susceptible to kiting and disengaging.
Skillshot Reliance: Missing his Q (Dredge Line) can significantly reduce his effectiveness in a fight.
Mana Dependency: Nautilus can be mana-hungry, especially in prolonged engagements.
Practical Gameplay Tips
Vision Control: Always maintain good vision around objectives and key areas to maximize your engagement potential and avoid ambushes.
Cooldown Management: Be mindful of your ability cooldowns, especially Q (Dredge Line) and R (Depth Charge), to ensure you have them available for crucial moments.
Peeling: Always be ready to switch from engaging to peeling if your carries are under threat. Your crowd control can be the difference between them surviving or getting picked off.
Conclusion
Nautilus is an excellent choice for players looking to impact games through strong initiation and crowd control. His lankiness and utility make him a reliable pick in various compositions. By mastering his abilities, understanding the nuances of positioning, and maintaining vision control, players can leverage Nautilus’s strengths to dominate the Rift. Whether engaging enemies or protecting allies, Nautilus provides the tools needed to succeed, making him a favorite among support players. I hope these insights help you enhance your gameplay and enjoy playing Nautilus to his fullest potential.
