How to beat Nautilus

Common role: Support

The best counter to Nautilus in Support is Xin Zhao: 63.3% win rate over 35 ranked games on patch 26.17.

A tanky hook support who chains CC and roots your carry into a knock-up ult.

What makes Nautilus dangerous

Nautilus hooks himself to a target (Q), roots with his passive on every ability, knocks up with his E, and his ultimate homes onto a champion, knocking them up from anywhere. He chains so much hard CC that a caught target is locked down for the whole fight, and he's durable enough to dive the backline.

How to play against Nautilus

• 1Dodge his hook (Q) — it's his main engage. Stand behind minions; a Nautilus who misses hooks has far less pick pressure.
• 2His ult (R) is a homing knock-up on a single champion — it can't be dodged, but tenacity/QSS shortens it and you can position to eat it on a tank.
• 3Buy tenacity/QSS on your carry — his whole threat is chained CC. Cut the chain and your carry survives the dive.
• 4He's low damage on his own — kite him and focus his carries once his hook and ult are used.

Weaknesses to exploit

• ✓Relies on landing his hook to engage.
• ✓Low personal damage — a peel/engage tank.
• ✓Tenacity/QSS shortens his cc chain.
• ✓Kiteable once his hook and ult are down.

Abilities & how to counter them

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

• P
  Staggering Blow

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

• 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.

  Strong: hooks himself to a target — his main engage. Weak: dodge it behind minions; a Nautilus who misses hooks has little pick pressure.

• W
  Titan's Wrath

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

• E
  Riptide

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

• 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.

  Strong: a homing knock-up on a champion from anywhere — can't be dodged. Weak: tenacity/QSS shortens it, and you can position to eat it on a tank.

Itemization

Nautilus is a tanky engage support. Dodge his hook, bring tenacity/QSS for his cc chain, and % health/magic damage beat his armor. Kite him and kill his carries.

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