Nasus Counters
The best Nasus counters in League of Legends patch 26.1 are Illaoi, Gangplank, Tryndamere, Yorick, Yone. The best Nasus counter is Illaoi, with Nasus having only a 34.57% win rate in this matchup. Secondary patch 26.1 Nasus counter choices are Mordekaiser, Urgot, Teemo, Volibear, Sion. Below are the top Nasus counters and matchups alongside their win rates.
Soul Eater
Nasus drains his foe's spiritual energy, giving him bonus Life Steal.
Siphoning Strike
Nasus strikes his foe, dealing damage and increasing the power of his future Siphoning Strikes if he slays his target.
Cost:- 20
Cooldown:- 8/
- 7/
- 6/
- 5/
- 4
Range:- 255
Wither
Nasus ages an enemy champion, decelerating their Move Speed and Attack Speed over time.
Cost:- 80
Cooldown:- 15/
- 14/
- 13/
- 12/
- 11
Range:- 700
Spirit Fire
Nasus unleashes a spirit flame at a location, dealing damage and reducing the Armor of enemies who stand on it.
Cost:- 60/
- 70/
- 80/
- 90/
- 100
Cooldown:- 12
Range:- 650
Fury of the Sands
Nasus unleashes a mighty sandstorm that batters nearby enemies. While the storm rages, he gains increased Health, Attack Range, damages nearby enemies, has a reduced cooldown on Siphoning Strike, and gains bonus Armor and Magic Resistance.
Cost:- 100
Cooldown:- 120/
- 100/
- 80
Range:- 400
- Fighter,
- Tank
These champions are Nasus's hardest counters in League of Legends patch 26.1. Illaoi is Nasus's biggest counter with only a 34.57% win rate for Nasus. When facing these Nasus counter picks, focus on safe farming and waiting for jungle assistance. Avoid extended trades and play around your power spikes to survive difficult Nasus matchups.
Illaoi
Gangplank
Tryndamere
Yorick
Yone
Mordekaiser
Urgot
Teemo
Volibear
Sion
When facing Nasus in League of Legends, understanding Nasus's primary damage profile is essential for building effective counter strategies. Nasus deals primarily physical damage, which means prioritizing armor in your defensive itemization will significantly reduce Nasus's threat in fights. Top defensive items against Nasus include Plated Steelcaps, Frozen Heart, Randuin's Omen, and Thornmail. These items provide substantial armor stats that directly mitigate Nasus's damage output throughout all stages of the game.
From a champion selection perspective, the strongest Nasus counters are Illaoi, Gangplank, Tryndamere, and Yorick. These champions either out-trade Nasus in lane, have abilities that negate Nasus's core mechanics, or scale better into team fights. Illaoi in particular exploits Nasus's weaknesses by providing consistent pressure while being difficult to punish.
Beyond item builds and counter picks, successful counter play against Nasus involves understanding Nasus's power spikes and cooldown windows. Engage on Nasus when key abilities are on cooldown, and coordinate with your team to focus Nasus in team fights before Nasus can output maximum damage. Vision control is also crucial when playing against Nasus to avoid getting caught out of position. By combining proper defensive itemization with smart champion selection and strategic gameplay, you can effectively neutralize Nasus's impact and secure victory.
Understanding Nasus's power curve is essential for effective counter play. Here's when Nasus is most vulnerable throughout the game.
EARLYEarly Game (Levels 1-6)
Nasus may look for extended trades. Avoid long fights and kite with slows. Short trades favor you against sustained damage.
MIDMid Game (Levels 7-13)
Nasus becomes increasingly tanky mid game. Focus on kiting and percent health damage. Avoid fighting in choke points.
LATELate Game (Levels 14-18)
Nasus is very durable late game. Use armor penetration or anti-tank items. Focus squishier targets first if Nasus is too tanky.
Use these actionable tips to gain an advantage when facing Nasus in lane or team fights.
- Pick Illaoi or similar champions with kits that exploit Nasus's weaknesses
- Build Plated Steelcaps or Seeker's Armguard early to reduce Nasus's damage in lane
- Track Nasus's cooldowns and engage when key abilities are unavailable
- Ward Nasus's common roam paths and ping missing immediately
- Coordinate with your jungler to gank Nasus during vulnerable windows
- Avoid extended trades where Nasus can stack sustained damage
- Kite Nasus with slows and crowd control
Nasus performs exceptionally well against these champions in patch 26.1. Ornn is Nasus's best matchup with a 67.39% win rate. When playing Nasus into these favorable matchups, look for early aggression and lane dominance. Nasus can capitalize on these champions' weaknesses to snowball leads and carry games.
Ornn
Irelia
Darius
Sett
Zaahen
Jax
Aatrox
Garen
Renekton
Gwen
Nasus Counters - Frequently Asked Questions
Who counters Nasus?
The best Nasus counters are Illaoi, Gangplank, and Tryndamere. These champions have favorable matchups against Nasus and can exploit Nasus's weaknesses effectively in League of Legends patch 26.1.
What is Nasus's hardest counter?
Illaoi is Nasus's hardest counter with Nasus having only a 34.57% win rate in this matchup. Gangplank (41.67% WR) and Tryndamere (43.68% WR) are also strong Nasus counters.
Who does Nasus counter?
Nasus performs well against Ornn, Irelia, and Darius. These are Nasus's best matchups where Nasus has favorable win rates and can dominate lane in patch 26.1.
How do I beat Nasus in lane?
To beat Nasus in lane, pick a counter champion like Illaoi or Gangplank. Focus on trading when Nasus's key abilities are on cooldown, and build armor items to reduce Nasus's damage output. Ward defensively and call for jungle assistance if Nasus gains an advantage.
What items counter Nasus?
The best items to counter Nasus are Plated Steelcaps, Frozen Heart, Randuin's Omen, and Thornmail. These items provide armor which directly reduces Nasus's damage. Consider building these items early if you're struggling against Nasus in lane.
When is Nasus weakest?
Nasus is typically weakest during specific power troughs between item spikes. Exploit windows when Nasus's ultimate or key abilities are on cooldown. Coordinate with your team to engage on Nasus before Nasus can set up fights on Nasus's own terms.
How do I play Nasus into counter matchups?
When playing Nasus into counters like Illaoi, focus on safe farming, waiting for jungle assistance, and playing around power spikes. Avoid extended trades in unfavorable matchups and look for opportunities to scale into mid and late game.
What champions are similar to Nasus's counters?
If Illaoi, Gangplank, or Tryndamere are banned or picked, look for champions with similar kits that can exploit Nasus's weaknesses. Champions with crowd control, burst damage, or sustained damage (depending on Nasus's vulnerabilities) can serve as alternative counters.