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ARAM · Howling AbyssMatchup guidePatch 16.20.1

Nautilus vs Zyra

Build, runes, abilities and practical pre-game checks in one queue-aware reference.

NautilusVSZyra

Matchup guide

Choose the matchup

Search any two champions. ARAM uses one shared lane, so no Rift role selection is required.

VS
FormatOne shared lane

Choose two champions from the list.

ARAM context

One shared lane, one champion-specific plan

The page uses ARAM starting, shopping and teamfight rules. Its internal build source is not shown as a Rift assignment.

Howling Abyss
Review patch unknownRecommendation review pending

These patches track recommendation review, build validation and item lookup separately. Updating item data does not complete a build review.

Recommendation patch
— Data Dragon
Build validation patch
16.19.1 Data Dragon
Item lookup patch
16.20.1 Data Dragon

Howling Abyss rules

Prepare for one shared lane

ARAM removes the normal Rift role map. Build around the champion, the five-player team and the next fight instead.

01
Start together

Review rerolls and the shared bench, then leave with an opening that fits this champion and the team around it.

02
Shop while dead

You cannot Recall to buy. Plan components before leaving the shop and use each death timer deliberately.

03
Share health relics

A relic heals nearby allies after a short delay. Signal it and avoid taking the trigger when a lower-health teammate needs the area.

04
Fight with the wave

Minions create structure pressure and safer space. Clearing first can be more useful than forcing another low-health engage.

ARAM · Howling Abyss

ARAM engage support

Compare the opening with Riot's ARAM Recommended shop before leaving base. After that, purchases happen only while dead; the six usable inventory slots do not increase.

Death-only shopping
S
ARAM opening · separate from item 1

Guardian's Horn

950 gold

An ARAM health and regeneration starter to compare with the current Recommended shop.

1
Control defence

Mercury's Treads

1,250 gold

Adds magic resistance and tenacity against reducible crowd control.

2
Team shield

Locket of the Iron Solari

2,200 gold

Adds an immediate shield for nearby allies after a team commit.

3
Protect one ally

Knight's Vow

2,300 gold

Redirects protection toward one priority ally.

4
Against repeated attacks

Frozen Heart

2,500 gold

Adds armour and attack-speed reduction against repeated basic attacks.

5
Against magic damage

Kaenic Rookern

2,900 gold

Adds dedicated magic resistance against sustained spell damage.

6
Mixed resistance

Jak'Sho, The Protean

3,200 gold

Completes the permanent inventory with mixed resistance for extended front-line contact.

Buy this only after selling the Guardian starter when all six permanent slots are needed.

Complete build choices

Choose the route before play

Recommendation review pending

AlternativeToo much healingChempunk Chainsword adds anti-heal without abandoning attack damage and health.View full route

Best when: Chempunk Chainsword adds anti-heal without abandoning attack damage and health.

  1. Control defenceMercury's Treads
  2. Team shieldLocket of the Iron Solari
  3. Chempunk Chainsword
  4. Against repeated attacksFrozen Heart
  5. Against magic damageKaenic Rookern
  6. Mixed resistanceJak'Sho, The Protean

Buy this only after selling the Guardian starter when all six permanent slots are needed.

AlternativePhysical burstDeath's Dance delays physical damage so takedowns can stabilise the fight.View full route

Best when: Death's Dance delays physical damage so takedowns can stabilise the fight.

  1. Control defenceMercury's Treads
  2. Team shieldLocket of the Iron Solari
  3. Death's Dance
  4. Against repeated attacksFrozen Heart
  5. Against magic damageKaenic Rookern
  6. Mixed resistanceJak'Sho, The Protean

Buy this only after selling the Guardian starter when all six permanent slots are needed.

AlternativeThey stack armourBlack Cleaver shreds armour during extended fights.View full route

Best when: Black Cleaver shreds armour during extended fights.

  1. Control defenceMercury's Treads
  2. Team shieldLocket of the Iron Solari
  3. Black Cleaver
  4. Against repeated attacksFrozen Heart
  5. Against magic damageKaenic Rookern
  6. Mixed resistanceJak'Sho, The Protean

Buy this only after selling the Guardian starter when all six permanent slots are needed.

Complete build comparison

Complete build comparison

Recommendation review pending

Build review neededARAM engage supportRecommendation review pendingView full route

Recommendation review pending

  1. Control defenceMercury's Treads
  2. Team shieldLocket of the Iron Solari
  3. Protect one allyKnight's Vow
  4. Against repeated attacksFrozen Heart
  5. Against magic damageKaenic Rookern
  6. Mixed resistanceJak'Sho, The Protean

Buy this only after selling the Guardian starter when all six permanent slots are needed.

AlternativeToo much healingChempunk Chainsword adds anti-heal without abandoning attack damage and health.View full route

Best when: Chempunk Chainsword adds anti-heal without abandoning attack damage and health.

  1. Control defenceMercury's Treads
  2. Team shieldLocket of the Iron Solari
  3. Chempunk Chainsword
  4. Against repeated attacksFrozen Heart
  5. Against magic damageKaenic Rookern
  6. Mixed resistanceJak'Sho, The Protean

Buy this only after selling the Guardian starter when all six permanent slots are needed.

AlternativePhysical burstDeath's Dance delays physical damage so takedowns can stabilise the fight.View full route

Best when: Death's Dance delays physical damage so takedowns can stabilise the fight.

  1. Control defenceMercury's Treads
  2. Team shieldLocket of the Iron Solari
  3. Death's Dance
  4. Against repeated attacksFrozen Heart
  5. Against magic damageKaenic Rookern
  6. Mixed resistanceJak'Sho, The Protean

Buy this only after selling the Guardian starter when all six permanent slots are needed.

AlternativeThey stack armourBlack Cleaver shreds armour during extended fights.View full route

Best when: Black Cleaver shreds armour during extended fights.

  1. Control defenceMercury's Treads
  2. Team shieldLocket of the Iron Solari
  3. Black Cleaver
  4. Against repeated attacksFrozen Heart
  5. Against magic damageKaenic Rookern
  6. Mixed resistanceJak'Sho, The Protean

Buy this only after selling the Guardian starter when all six permanent slots are needed.

Runes and summoner spells

Runes and summoner spellsNautilusHowling Abyss

ARAM rewards reliable access to clustered fights. Mark helps a melee front liner enter; Flash preserves a separate escape or reposition.

ARAM
Primary tree

Resolve

Grasp of the UndyingFont of LifeConditioningOvergrowth
Secondary tree

Precision

TriumphLegend: Haste
Summoner spells
FlashMark
Howling Abyss only

Mark and Clarity are mode-specific choices. Do not copy this pair onto a Summoner's Rift page.

Protect the next fight

Choose the second spell around access, survival and team resources rather than treating every ARAM champion as a diver.

Matchup notes

What changes when Zyra is opposite you?

Pre-game kit comparison
Shared-lane interaction

Compare reliable reach and repeatable value

Track which champion can apply damage, control or protection without crossing the enemy team's safe space. ARAM does not turn this kit comparison into a lane-counter claim.

Team context first

Rerolls, allied range, engage and protection can matter more than either champion in isolation.

Your plan

Use the route you prepared

Use the champion-specific ARAM build as a starting reference, then check the current Recommended shop, your five-player composition and the next available death shop.

Ability reminders

Nautilus reminders

  • While ganking, consider aiming Dredge Line at nearby terrain and following it up with Riptide for a higher hit rate.
  • Riptide has a delayed blast timing on activation - you can use this while running away or when enemies are incoming to serve as a deterrent.
Ability reminders

Against Zyra

  • Zyra's seeds can be destroyed by stepping on them. If she tries to grow them as you do, dodge back at the last moment.
  • Moving closer to Zyra can be a smart move if she places plants too far away from herself.
  • Plants take fixed damage from attacks and effects, similar to wards. They also expire quickly on their own.

Static alternatives

Compare the problem before changing the plan

These choices are not selected from live scores. Use one only after you identify the stated match problem yourself.

Too much healing

Chempunk Chainsword

Chempunk Chainsword adds anti-heal without abandoning attack damage and health.

Physical burst

Death's Dance

Death's Dance delays physical damage so takedowns can stabilise the fight.

They stack armour

Black Cleaver

Black Cleaver shreds armour during extended fights.

Only when enemy healing is deciding fights

Oblivion Orb

Oblivion Orb supplies healing reduction without committing to a completed Morellonomicon. Skip both when healing is not the problem or an ally already covers your target reliably. Healing reduction does not reduce shields.

Conditional component, not a core item. Complete Morellonomicon only when its stats and slot efficiency justify delaying another purchase.

Ability reference

Compare both kits

Ability reference Data Dragon 16.20.1

Cooldown (s) / Cost / Listed range (units) Data Dragon 16.20.1

Nautilus

  1. P
    Staggering Blow

    Nautilus' first Attack against a target deals increased physical damage and roots them briefly.

  2. Q
    Dredge Line

    Nautilus hurls his anchor forward. Colliding with an enemy pulls them and Nautilus together, dealing magic damage. Colliding with terrain pulls Nautilus towards it.

    Cooldown (s) 14/13/12/11/10 · Cost 60 · Listed range (units) 1150
  3. W
    Titan's Wrath

    Nautilus gains a temporary Shield. While it persists, his Attacks deal damage over time to his target and surrounding enemies.

    Cooldown (s) 12 · Cost 60 · Listed range (units) 350
  4. E
    Riptide

    Nautilus creates three exploding waves around himself. Each explosion damages and slows enemies.

    Cooldown (s) 7/6.5/6/5.5/5 · Cost 50/60/70/80/90 · Listed range (units) 600
  5. R
    Depth Charge

    Nautilus fires a shockwave into the earth that chases an opponent. This shockwave rips up the earth above it, knocking enemies into the air. When it reaches the opponent, the shockwave erupts, knocking his target into the air and stunning them.

    Cooldown (s) 120/100/80 · Cost 100 · Listed range (units) 825

Zyra

  1. P
    Garden of Thorns

    Seeds spawn around Zyra periodically, becoming faster with level. Zyra can cast Deadly Spines or Grasping Roots near seeds to grow plants, who fight for Zyra.

  2. Q
    Deadly Spines

    Thick vines spread through the ground and explode into spines, dealing magic damage to enemies within the area. If cast near a seed, Deadly Spines grows a Thorn Spitter plant, which fires at enemies from afar.

    Cooldown (s) 7/6.5/6/5.5/5 · Cost 55 · Listed range (units) 800
  3. W
    Rampant Growth

    Zyra plants a seed, lasting up to 60 seconds. Deadly Spines and Grasping Roots cast near seeds will turn them into plants who fight for Zyra. Zyra can store multiple seeds at once, and killing enemies reduces Rampant Growth's recharge time.

    Listed range (units) 850
  4. E
    Grasping Roots

    Zyra sends forth vines through the ground to ensnare her target, dealing damage and rooting enemies they come across. If cast near a seed, Grasping Roots grows a Vine Lasher, whose short range attacks reduce enemy Move Speed.

    Cooldown (s) 11 · Cost 70/75/80/85/90 · Listed range (units) 1100
  5. R
    Stranglethorns

    Zyra summons a twisted thicket at her target location, dealing damage to enemies as it expands and knocking them airborne as it contracts. Plants within the thicket are enraged.

    Cooldown (s) 110/100/90 · Cost 100 · Listed range (units) 700

Adapt the plan

What to do when the game changes

Judge the whole lane or map state, not only personal kills. Choose the situation closest to the current game.

Even plan

Trade around health, range and the next wave

1
Wave

Let the team clear without spending every important cooldown at once.

2
Map play

Track the shared lane, brush control and available relics rather than looking for a Rift rotation.

3
Fights

Use the champion's reliable range, protection or control before forcing a low-percentage engage.

Shared-lane plan

Nautilus on Howling Abyss

Read health, range, wave position and respawn timing together. ARAM has no side-lane rotation, neutral-objective setup or normal ward-control loop.

ARAM only
1
Before the fight

Clear or escort the wave, check which allies are alive and preserve enough health to use the champion's reliable range, protection or engage.

2
During the fight

Use the nearest safe target and the team's reachable follow-up. Do not cross the whole enemy formation for a single low-health champion.

3
After the fight

Push with surviving minions, take the safe structure damage available and reset only through a real death rather than donating one alone.

Keep preparing

Stay with Howling Abyss information

Open the complete ARAM build or compare another champion. Rift role counters are intentionally kept out of this page.

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