Game patch 26.20Data Dragon 16.20.1

Reference patch 16.20.1

Nasus

the Curator of the Sands

Nasus is a durable champion who creates space through control, protection or a committed front line. This overview keeps the explanation practical and leaves patch-sensitive numbers to Riot's structured data and the current in-game tooltip.

TopMostly physical damageMelee attacks

Open matchup guide Find counters Status effects

Usual roleTop

ClassFighter · Tank

DifficultyMedium · 6/10

Basic attacksMeleeMelee basic attacks · 125 range.

Damage profileMostly physical damageMost normal kit pressure is physical. Armour may help, but check whether attacks or abilities are the main source.

Reference patch16.20.1

Strengths and limits

What Nasus does well, and what can go wrong

These are kit-level patterns, not a promise that every lane or matchup plays the same way.

Good patterns

Combines damage and durability in committed skirmishes or extended exchanges.
Creates space through durability, control or a reliable front-line threat.

Limits to respect

Can be worn down or controlled before reaching the range where the kit is strongest.
Durability does not make an unsupported engage safe or guarantee enough damage to finish a target.
Basic attacks require close access, so enemy range, slows and displacement can deny a clean trade.

Riot ally tips

Use these while learning the champion

Paying attention to last hitting with Siphoning Strike will have a large impact at the end of a game.

If you're solo, Spirit Fire is a great way to farm a lane. It can be bad if you're in a lane with 2 and you push too far. Find the right balance between Siphoning Strike last hits and AoE farming.

If you have low defenses, people will focus you down even during your ultimate. Try buying some survivability items even in your DPS builds.

Riot opponent tips

What an opponent is told to watch for

While transformed by his ultimate, Nasus is stronger than most champions in the League. Engage him only if you have a clear advantage.

Max rank Wither is a very effective counter to Attack Damage characters, so try to avoid getting caught alone by it.

Nasus is prone to being kited. Try not to engage him at full Health.

Practical champion reading

How to read Nasus in a real fight

Use these patterns to ask better questions before choosing an item, target or commitment. They describe the kit, not a guaranteed result.

Damage delivery

Primarily physical pressure

Armour can reduce the broad physical profile. Separate basic attacks from physical abilities before relying on an item passive that only affects attacks.

Fight rhythm

Repeated access matters

The threat grows while this champion can keep attacking a useful target. Break target access, create distance or use control before the repeated pattern settles in.

Range and access

Needs close access for basic attacks

Range, slows, displacement and terrain can deny the clean contact this champion wants. Plan the route in as carefully as the damage after arrival.

Typical team job

Create space and absorb attention

The kit is usually most valuable when it controls an entrance, protects a carry or begins a fight allies can actually reach. Durability does not make an isolated engage safe.

Control check

Identify the exact movement restriction

Tenacity can shorten only eligible control. Displacements, airborne effects and repeated slows need their own positioning, blocking or movement answer.

Protection and sustain

Check whether recovery changes the fight

Anti-heal or anti-shielding is situational. Buy it only when the effect is materially protecting targets and your champion can apply the answer reliably.

Resource pattern

Mana and cooldowns both matter

A spell being available does not mean the complete sequence is sustainable. Watch the resource bar as well as the setup and escape cooldowns.

Defensive item reference

What can help against Nasus?

Start with the threat that is actually affecting the match. These are conditional comparisons, not an automatic counter build.

Pre-game choices

DEFENSIVE BOOTS

Plated Steelcaps usually fit better

Armour and attack reduction address repeated physical basic attacks. The passive does not reduce every physical ability.

Choose Mercury's Treads instead when magic damage or reducible crowd control across the full team matters more.

Repeated attacksSlowsHealing or sustain

PHYSICAL DEFENCE

Physical defence

Armour · health · role-appropriate defence

Armour can reduce physical damage, but Plated Steelcaps' passive is specific to attacks.

Match the item to attacks, critical strikes or ability burst rather than buying armour from the label alone.

REPEATED ATTACKS

Repeated attacks

Plated Steelcaps · Frozen Heart

These can reduce attack-focused pressure when their stats fit your champion.

Do not use this as an answer to physical spells that are not attacks.

REPEATED SLOWS

Repeated slows

Boots of Swiftness

Slow resistance can be more useful than Tenacity when repeated slowing strength is the main problem.

It gives no armour or magic resistance, so compare the rest of the opposing team.

MEANINGFUL HEALING

Meaningful healing

Bramble Vest or Thornmail · Morellonomicon · Mortal Reminder

A role-appropriate Grievous Wounds item can reduce healing.

Buy it only when healing is materially changing fights and your champion can apply it reliably.

Normal Draft and Ranked role map

Where Nasus fits on Summoner's Rift

Each lane is assessed separately. Open a role to reach its queue-specific build and matchup preparation.

TopPrimary role

Historical reference. Recommendation review pending. Nasus has an established solo-lane plan with the income and space needed to trade, manage waves and influence a side lane.

Review this role Open matchup

JungleSecondary

Historical reference. Recommendation review pending. Nasus Jungle is a reviewed secondary role. Jungle camps provide repeatable Siphoning Strike stacks and safer scaling, but early objectives and lanes can be exposed before his first completed items.

Review this role Open matchup

MidPlayer-chosen flex

Historical reference. Recommendation review pending. Nasus can be selected here as a deliberate player-chosen strategy, but it is not a primary role. The pick still needs a matchup and team plan.

Review this role Open matchup

BotUnestablished route

Historical reference. Recommendation review pending. Nasus is normally played Top and does not currently have a reviewed Bot route. Bot usually needs dependable duo-lane scaling and sustained damage with shared early pressure. Treat this as a deliberate experiment, not a standard recommendation.

Review this role

SupportUnestablished route

Historical reference. Recommendation review pending. Nasus is normally played Top and does not currently have a reviewed Support route. Support usually needs useful engage, peel or utility while operating on low gold income. Treat this as a deliberate experiment, not a standard recommendation.

Review this role

Kit reference

Nasus abilities

Ability names, descriptions and numeric fields come from Riot Data Dragon. Practical reads are independently written; the current in-game tooltip remains authoritative.

Abilities Data Dragon 16.20.1Cooldown / Cost / Range Data Dragon 16.20.1

Passive

Soul Eater

What it doesNasus drains his foe's spiritual energy, giving him bonus Life Steal.

Practical readSoul Eater is the always-on rule shaping Nasus's normal trading and fight pattern. Watch its in-game state before committing.

Q ability

Siphoning Strike

What it doesNasus strikes his foe, dealing damage and increasing the power of his future Siphoning Strikes if he slays his target.

Practical readSiphoning Strike contributes damage. Its value changes with cooldown, range and target access; recognise the setup before moving into its effective area.

Cooldown7.5/6.5/5.5/4.5/3.5 secCost20Listed range255 units

W ability

Wither

What it doesNasus ages an enemy champion, decelerating their Move Speed and Attack Speed over time.

Practical readWither contributes basic-attack interaction. Its value changes with cooldown, range and target access; recognise the setup before moving into its effective area.

Cooldown15/14/13/12/11 secCost80Listed range700 units

E ability

Spirit Fire

What it doesNasus unleashes a spirit flame at a location, dealing damage and reducing the Armor of enemies who stand on it.

Practical readSpirit Fire contributes damage. Its value changes with cooldown, range and target access; recognise the setup before moving into its effective area.

Cooldown12 secCost60/70/80/90/100Listed range650 units

Ultimate

Fury of the Sands

What it doesNasus 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.

Practical readFury of the Sands contributes damage. Its value changes with cooldown, range and target access; recognise the setup before moving into its effective area.

Cooldown120/100/80 secCost100Listed range400 units

Levels 1–18

Nasus · Health / Mana · Abilities

Base values exclude items, runes, temporary buffs and mode-specific modifiers. Cooldowns are the listed base cooldown before ability haste.

Level 1650 Health326 Mana

Level 3803 Health417 Mana

Level 61,061 Health571 Mana

Level 111,563 Health870 Mana

Level 162,155 Health1,223 Mana

Level 182,418 Health1,380 Mana

Cooldown Data Dragon 16.20.1

Basic abilitySiphoning Strike

Can receive its first point from level 1. Later ranks normally become available at levels 3, 5, 7 and 9.

Rank 17.5 secRank 26.5 secRank 35.5 secRank 44.5 secRank 53.5 sec

Basic abilityWither

Can receive its first point from level 1. Later ranks normally become available at levels 3, 5, 7 and 9.

Rank 115 secRank 214 secRank 313 secRank 412 secRank 511 sec

Basic abilitySpirit Fire

Can receive its first point from level 1. Later ranks normally become available at levels 3, 5, 7 and 9.

All ranks12 sec

UltimateFury of the Sands

First rank becomes available at level 6; later ranks normally become available at levels 11 and 16.

Rank 1120 secRank 2100 secRank 380 sec

Open every levelHealth and mana from level 1 to 18

Level	Health	Mana	Ability milestone
1	650	326 Mana	Choose the first basic ability
2	725	371 Mana	Add another basic ability or rank
3	803	417 Mana	Add another basic ability or rank
4	886	466 Mana	Spend one ability point
5	971	518 Mana	Spend one ability point
6	1,061	571 Mana	First ultimate rank normally available
7	1,154	626 Mana	Spend one ability point
8	1,251	684 Mana	Spend one ability point
9	1,351	744 Mana	Spend one ability point
10	1,455	806 Mana	Spend one ability point
11	1,563	870 Mana	Second ultimate rank normally available
12	1,674	936 Mana	Spend one ability point
13	1,789	1,005 Mana	Spend one ability point
14	1,907	1,076 Mana	Spend one ability point
15	2,030	1,148 Mana	Spend one ability point
16	2,155	1,223 Mana	Final ultimate rank normally available
17	2,285	1,301 Mana	Spend one ability point
18	2,418	1,380 Mana	Spend one ability point

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