How to Play N.O.V.A. Nunu & Willump
A stage-by-stage plan for N.O.V.A. Nunu & Willump: opener, when to level and roll for Nunu & Willump, and where to position the board.
- Tier
- F
- Top 4 rate
- 25.3%
- Avg place
- 6.27
- 1st place
- 3.5%
- Playstyle
- Fast 8
- Games
- 33
How to level and roll with N.O.V.A. Nunu & Willump
Fast 8N.O.V.A. Nunu & Willump is a Fast 8 comp: level on the standard curve and roll down at level 8 on stage 4-1 to find Nunu & Willump. At level 8, each shop slot has a 30% chance to be a 4-cost.
| Stage | Level | Action | What to do |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-1 | 4 | Level | Level to 4 and play your strongest pairs; slam an early item if it saves HP. |
| 2-5 | 5 | Level | Level to 5 and keep building interest toward 50 gold. |
| 3-2 | 6 | Level | Level to 6 and save to 50 gold. |
| 3-5 | 7 | Level | Level to 7 while staying on interest. |
| 4-1 | 8 | Roll down | Level to 8 and roll down to find Nunu & Willump and the 4-cost core. |
| 4-5 | 8 | Save gold | Stop rolling once the board is stable and rebuild your economy. |
| 5-1 | 9 | Push level | Push to 9 when you have the gold to add a 5-cost or extra trait. |
N.O.V.A. Nunu & Willump early game and opener
Boards that lead into N.O.V.A. Nunu & Willump at levels 4 to 7, taken from MetaBot Desktop round data — play the one closest to your shops.
2 games · 86% rounds won · 75% of units carry into the final comp
2 games · 100% rounds won · 60% of units carry into the final compRolling odds for N.O.V.A. Nunu & Willump
Nunu & Willump is easiest to find around level 8. Use the calculator to see your odds of a 2-star for the gold you have.
Rolldown calculator: Nunu & Willump
Pre-set to this comp's roll level. Change copies owned, copies other players hold and your gold.
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N.O.V.A. Nunu & Willump positioning
A starting board for N.O.V.A. Nunu & Willump. Drag units to adjust it, switch to the anti-assassin layout when the lobby has divers, and copy the Team Planner code into the TFT client.
- Corner Xayah on the back line and put Tahm Kench in front of it.
- Split Xayah and Samira across the back line so a single area spell can't hit both.
- Tahm Kench, Nunu & Willump, and Rhaast hold the front line — put the tankiest one opposite the enemy carry.
- Against assassins, step your carries up one row and leave Aatrox and Jax in the back corners as bait.
Positioning board
Drag a unit onto another hex to move it — dropping on a unit swaps them.
When to play N.O.V.A. Nunu & Willump
Strengths
- Two damage threats (Nunu & Willump and Xayah) make itemizing flexible
- Rarely played, so its units are usually free
Weaknesses
- Average place is worse than 95% of comps of the same board size
- Needs Nunu & Willump and Xayah at high cost, which can be hard to hit
Strategic Tips
Economy
Stay on interest and save your big roll for level 8 at stage 4-1.
Itemization
Build Protector's Vow, Protector's Vow, and Protector's Vow on Nunu & Willump.
When to pivot
Scout at 2-1 and 3-2: if two or more players hold your core units, or you haven't found any by 3-2, move into one of the comps on the Similar Comps tab instead of forcing N.O.V.A. Nunu & Willump.
Get the Winning Edge
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- In-game overlays
- Automatic match tracking
- Desktop-exclusive tools
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How to play N.O.V.A. Nunu & Willump – FAQ (TFT Set 17)
How do you play N.O.V.A. Nunu & Willump?
N.O.V.A. Nunu & Willump is a Fast 8 comp: level on the standard curve and roll down at level 8 on stage 4-1 to find Nunu & Willump. Corner Xayah on the back line and put Tahm Kench in front of it. Build Protector's Vow, Protector's Vow, and Protector's Vow on Nunu & Willump.
When should I roll down for N.O.V.A. Nunu & Willump?
Roll down at level 8 on stage 4-1. That is when N.O.V.A. Nunu & Willump finds Nunu & Willump and its core most reliably; save gold before it.
What level do you roll for Nunu & Willump?
Roll for Nunu & Willump at level 8. At level 8, each shop slot has a 30% chance to be a 4-cost.
Is N.O.V.A. Nunu & Willump a reroll comp?
No. N.O.V.A. Nunu & Willump is a Fast 8 comp: level up and roll down at level 8 to find your 4- and 5-cost units at 2 stars.
How do you position N.O.V.A. Nunu & Willump?
Corner Xayah on the back line and put Tahm Kench in front of it. Split Xayah and Samira across the back line so a single area spell can't hit both. Tahm Kench, Nunu & Willump, and Rhaast hold the front line — put the tankiest one opposite the enemy carry. Against assassins, step your carries up one row and leave Aatrox and Jax in the back corners as bait.
What is the best opener for N.O.V.A. Nunu & Willump?
The most common level 4 board that turns into N.O.V.A. Nunu & Willump is Aatrox, Maokai, Rhaast, and Urgot (2 games tracked).