How to beat Nasus

Common role: Top

The best counter to Nasus in Top is Sejuani: 53.7% win rate over 201 ranked games on patch 26.17.

A late-game juggernaut who stacks his Q infinitely and becomes unkillable.

What makes Nasus dangerous

Nasus permanently increases his Q damage every time he last-hits with it. Early he is weak, but if left to farm he outscales almost everyone, becoming a tanky bruiser who one-shots with an empowered Q and slows you to a crawl with his W.

How to play against Nasus

• 1Deny his stacks — this is the whole game. Freeze or push the wave, zone him off cannon minions, and have your jungler pressure him so he can't farm freely.
• 2Beat him early. Nasus is one of the weakest laners for the first 6 levels — trade aggressively and build a lead before he comes online.
• 3His W (Wither) cripples your movement and attack speed. Save your dash/flash or buy tenacity to escape it, and don't fight when it's up.
• 4In the late game, kite him — he has no gap-closer. Don't let him W your carry; peel and reposition instead of trading autos with his stacked Q.

Weaknesses to exploit

• ✓Very weak early game before he stacks.
• ✓No mobility or gap-closer — pure kiting target.
• ✓Wither is his only pick tool; bait or cleanse it.
• ✓If you deny stacks, he never comes online.

Abilities & how to counter them

What each of Nasus's abilities does — and how to play around it.

• P
  Soul Eater

  Nasus drains his foe's spiritual energy, giving him bonus Life Steal.

• Q
  Siphoning Strike

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

  Strong: permanently stacks damage on every last-hit — late-game one-shots. Weak: deny stacks by zoning him off minions and he never comes online.

• W
  Wither

  Nasus ages an enemy champion, decelerating their Move Speed and Attack Speed over time.

  Strong: Wither cripples your move and attack speed — his only pick tool. Weak: on cooldown he can't stick — save your dash/tenacity for it and don't fight while it's active.

• E
  Spirit Fire

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

• R
  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.

  Strong: bonus health and Q range make him a late-game monster. Weak: he has no gap-closer — kite him and never trade autos with his stacked Q.

Itemization

Nasus is AD with sustain. Grievous Wounds and armor (Randuin's, Frozen Heart to cut his attack speed and Q spam) are core. Tenacity boots and any slow-resist help you escape his Wither.

This guide covers Nasus's core kit and playstyle — advice that holds up across patches.