Nasus FOTM Champion
Who let the dogs out? If you have been playing League of Legends or following the LCS recently, you must have seen Nasus in the jungle! The LCS has had a direct impact on the champion’s popularity, to the point of making it the new FOTM:
What happened ?
NASUS CHANGES
Siphoning Strike
Fixed a bug where Siphoning Strike critical strikes were dealing more damage than intended.
Mana cost reduced to 20 at all ranks from 20/25/30/35/40.
Fury of the Sands
Now increases attack range by 50 and cast range by 100 while active.
Mana cost reduced to 100 from 150.
Siphoning Strike
Permanent damage bonus is now doubled to 6 when killing a champion, large minion or large monster
These changes have made Nasus an all-around stronger champion, and especially more powerful in the jungle. The added bonus damage on Siphoning Strike (Q) on monsters allows you to stack your Q way better than before ! The mana cost reductions also give him a buff regardless if they player does not plan on maxing Siphoning Strike (Q) right away.
ITEM CHANGES
The Spirit of the Elder Lizard, and its previous form the Spirit Stone, are strong items that make mana/spell-oriented champions really strong in the jungle. They even allow them to compete, and perhaps even outmatch, basic attack oriented champions like Xin Zhao, Lee Sin and Jarvan IV.
The Solari increased the viability of “utility” junglers thanks to the aura that will give your allies more survivability. With Warmog’s and Sunfire nerfed, the new items that you want to make as a jungler are now aura based, and go really well on champions like Nasus.
Just like the Locket, the Runic Bulwark is a powerful item that gives useful stats to your champion and nearby allies. As stated before, this is one of the aura items that make the Solari/Bulwark combo popular amongst junglers.
META CHANGES
Gap-closing champions – nerf
Not so long ago, the meta was ruled by gap-closer champions with HP items because they could kill any squishy champion by just rushing in with their base-damage (see Akali FOTM Champion post for more information). These champions (Vi, Xin, Jarvan IV, etc.) were the kings of the jungle on the very last patch! However, all of these champions are getting nerfed one by one (Vi and Xin last patch, Jarvan IV next patch, and so on), which is making the jungle meta evolve with more viable picks like Nasus, Volibear, and Hecarim.
HP items – nerf
In addition to the “gap-closing” champion nerfs, Riot has also nerfed the HP items, and in the process hurt the bruisers. Warmog’s and Sunfire got hit by several substantial nerfs. Damage can still be tanked with these, but the bruisers are less strong now which allows utility junglers like Volibear and Nasus to rise as strong picks with aura items like the Solari Locket or the Bulwark.
OP debuffs
While most attack-speed debuffs have been nerfed (LeeSin, Malphite), Wither (W) remains untouched. Plus, Spirit Fire (E) also DRASTICALLY reduces armor (-40 at rank 5) while most of the armor reducing sources, like runes and the Black Cleaver, have been nerfed. It’s fair to say that Nasus’s debuffs are looking really strong right now and they are definitely contributing to his rise in popularity.
How should you play him ?
Videos
Game 1 – GMB vs FNC
Game 2 – GMB vs aAa
These videos are the games that Gambit.Diamond played during the fourth week of the LCS.
Nasus Guide by PunishingCat Or An In-depth look at Diamond’s Nasus
Don’t get fooled by this author’s LKS. The skill order, masteries, summoners, and runes are all good. Now, go play doggy dog!
You also have to consider pick rates going up because he was the free champ a couple of those weeks.
These graphs are from platinum ranked games. While Nasus being free does impact the pick rate, it cannot have THAT being of an impact in ranked platinum games :p
You have to own a champ to pick it in ranked, so it being free has nothing to do with the pick rate in ranked platinum games.
It *might* have flow on effects (ie: people seeing it the champion in normals and then having it on their mind when they go into ranked). Though looking at the graphs of the last free week champions, it seems not to be affecting things at all.
You are welcome :3
I can’t wait to see the LoL forums QQ about Nasus, and then the subsequent Riot kneejerk reaction overnerfs that absolutely crush Nasus.
Nasus was the very first champ I bought, I can never get enough of him.
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I Love this post!