UpMatched Irelia vs Nasus Matchup Guide
Irelia
Top Lane Skirmisher
The Blade Dancer — mobile duelist who stacks Ionian Fervor off spell hits and chains Bladesurge resets through marked targets
Nasus
Top Lane Juggernaut
The Curator of the Sands — scaling melee who stacks Q - Siphoning Strike infinitely and grinds opponents down with Wither and Fury of the Sands
Champ Select Cheat Sheet — Irelia vs Nasus
ConquerorConquerorGain stacks of adaptive force when attacking enemy champions. After reaching 12 stacks, heal for a portion of damage you deal to champions. punishes Nasus's weak early trading; he cannot interrupt the stacking during freeze-zone autos. 
TriumphTriumphTakedowns restore 5% of your missing health and grant an additional 20 gold. converts dive kills into HP, 
Legend: AlacrityLegend: AlacrityTakedowns on enemies grant permanent Attack Speed. provides attack speed 
WitherW – WitherNasus ages an enemy champion, decelerating their Move Speed and Attack Speed over time. cannot fully erase, 
Last StandLast StandDeal more damage to champions while you are low on health. rewards scrapping at low HP after 
Siphoning StrikeQ – Siphoning StrikeNasus strikes his foe, dealing damage and increasing the power of his future Siphoning Strikes if he slays his target. chunks land.
Bone PlatingBone PlatingAfter taking damage from an enemy champion, the next 3 spells or attacks you receive from them deal 30-60 (based on level) less damage.Duration: 1.5sCooldown: 55s blocks the Siphoning StrikeQ – Siphoning StrikeNasus strikes his foe, dealing damage and increasing the power of his future Siphoning Strikes if he slays his target. into auto into 
Spirit FireE – Spirit FireNasus unleashes a spirit flame at a location, dealing damage and reducing the Armor of enemies who stand on it. trade pattern, 
UnflinchingUnflinchingGain Armor and Magic Resist when receiving crowd control. tenacity shortens Wither's crippling attack speed and movement slow. Stat shards: attack speed to punish WitherW – WitherNasus ages an enemy champion, decelerating their Move Speed and Attack Speed over time. windows before the slow peaks, adaptive force for Q-reset burst, flat health to survive Siphoning StrikeQ – Siphoning StrikeNasus strikes his foe, dealing damage and increasing the power of his future Siphoning Strikes if he slays his target. chunks.
FlashFlashTeleports you a short distance toward your cursor. + 
IgniteIgniteDeals true damage over time to target enemy champion and reduces healing effects on them for the duration. (preferred for kill pressure) or FlashFlashTeleports you a short distance toward your cursor. + 
TeleportTeleportAfter a brief channel, become untargetable and travel to an allied unit. Upgrades into Unleashed Teleport, which significantly increases travel speed.
Doran's BladeDoran's BladeGood starting item for attackers (450g) + 
Health PotionHealth PotionConsume to restore Health over timeMatchup Dynamics
How This Matchup Works
Mezouze's sheet rates this a Skill matchup with easy-medium laning. The lane plan: freeze near tower to starve Q - Siphoning StrikeQ – Siphoning StrikeNasus strikes his foe, dealing damage and increasing the power of his future Siphoning Strikes if he slays his target. stacks; break the freeze only to crash and dive with jungle. Nasus cannot contest early trades when 
Ionian FervorP – Ionian FervorWhen Irelia strikes enemies with spells she gains stacking bonus Attack Speed. At maximum stacks she also gains bonus damage on hit. is fully stacked, but W - WitherW – WitherNasus ages an enemy champion, decelerating their Move Speed and Attack Speed over time. cripples both move speed and attack speed, so keep Q - 
BladesurgeQ – BladesurgeIrelia dashes forward to strike her target, healing herself. If the target is Marked or dies to Bladesurge, its cooldown refreshes. available as a disengage tool rather than opening with it. Under R - 
Fury of the SandsR – Fury of the SandsNasus unleashes a mighty sandstorm that batters nearby enemies., Nasus stat-checks through extended fights; disengage and wait the 15s duration. Past 200+ stacks (~15-18 min), the side lane becomes his territory. Transition pressure to teamfights where R - 
Vanguard's EdgeR – Vanguard's EdgeIrelia fires a massive number of blades that explode outward upon hitting an enemy champion. Enemies hit by the blades are damaged and Marked. wall and E - 
Flawless DuetE – Flawless DuetIrelia sends out two blades which converge on each other. Enemies caught in between are damaged, stunned and Marked. stun still control him.
Early Game (1-5)
Irelia Favored - Stack Ionian FervorP – Ionian FervorWhen Irelia strikes enemies with spells she gains stacking bonus Attack Speed. At maximum stacks she also gains bonus damage on hit. on the wave and force trades Nasus cannot answer. Freeze 5-6 minions from your tower to deny Q stacks; ping jungle for dive on the crash. Ward river 2:30; contest every last-hit he walks up for.
Mid Game (6-11)
Skill Matchup - BotRK completion at ten minutes extends the kill window, but 150+ Siphoning StrikeQ – Siphoning StrikeNasus strikes his foe, dealing damage and increasing the power of his future Siphoning Strikes if he slays his target. stacks let Nasus chunk 20-30% HP per empowered hit under WitherW – WitherNasus ages an enemy champion, decelerating their Move Speed and Attack Speed over time.. Only commit when Fury of the SandsR – Fury of the SandsNasus unleashes a mighty sandstorm that batters nearby enemies. is on its 120s cooldown; otherwise hover objectives and collapse with numbers since Nasus has no dash to escape.
Late Game (12+)
Nasus Favored - 300+ stacks and rank-2 Fury of the SandsR – Fury of the SandsNasus unleashes a mighty sandstorm that batters nearby enemies. make side-lane duels unwinnable. Group for 5v5; use R - Vanguard's EdgeR – Vanguard's EdgeIrelia fires a massive number of blades that explode outward upon hitting an enemy champion. Enemies hit by the blades are damaged and Marked. and E - Flawless DuetE – Flawless DuetIrelia sends out two blades which converge on each other. Enemies caught in between are damaged, stunned and Marked. to zone and lock him down while carries deal the damage.
Key Interactions
- WitherW – WitherNasus ages an enemy champion, decelerating their Move Speed and Attack Speed over time. vs BladesurgeQ – BladesurgeIrelia dashes forward to strike her target, healing herself. If the target is Marked or dies to Bladesurge, its cooldown refreshes. disengage: W - WitherW – WitherNasus ages an enemy champion, decelerating their Move Speed and Attack Speed over time. slows attack speed and movement; hold Q - BladesurgeQ – BladesurgeIrelia dashes forward to strike her target, healing herself. If the target is Marked or dies to Bladesurge, its cooldown refreshes. to dash to a minion behind you when Withered rather than walking out at crawl speed. [m4, mod2]
- Fury of the SandsR – Fury of the SandsNasus unleashes a mighty sandstorm that batters nearby enemies. wait-out: R - Fury of the SandsR – Fury of the SandsNasus unleashes a mighty sandstorm that batters nearby enemies. lasts 15s, grants bonus HP and AoE damage. Disengage immediately; re-engage only after it expires. BotRK passive deals more during his ult because of the bonus health. [m5, mod7]
- Freeze and dive cycle: Freeze 5-6 minions near tower to deny Q stacks. When jungle paths top, break the freeze, crash the wave, and dive; Nasus has no dash to escape tower dives. [m7, mod5]
Defiant DanceW – Defiant DanceIrelia charges a strike that deals more damage as she charges. She takes reduced physical damage during the charge. vs Siphoning StrikeQ – Siphoning StrikeNasus strikes his foe, dealing damage and increasing the power of his future Siphoning Strikes if he slays his target.: Channel W - Defiant DanceW – Defiant DanceIrelia charges a strike that deals more damage as she charges. She takes reduced physical damage during the charge. as Nasus winds up Q - Siphoning StrikeQ – Siphoning StrikeNasus strikes his foe, dealing damage and increasing the power of his future Siphoning Strikes if he slays his target.; the damage reduction absorbs a large part of the empowered hit, then release W damage into him. [mod4]
Irelia
Strengths
- Q - BladesurgeQ – BladesurgeIrelia dashes forward to strike her target, healing herself. If the target is Marked or dies to Bladesurge, its cooldown refreshes. resets provide high mobility for trades and escapes through minion waves
- Full Ionian FervorP – Ionian FervorWhen Irelia strikes enemies with spells she gains stacking bonus Attack Speed. At maximum stacks she also gains bonus damage on hit. stacks give enough attack speed to outtrade Nasus pre-6
- E - Flawless DuetE – Flawless DuetIrelia sends out two blades which converge on each other. Enemies caught in between are damaged, stunned and Marked. stun + R - Vanguard's EdgeR – Vanguard's EdgeIrelia fires a massive number of blades that explode outward upon hitting an enemy champion. Enemies hit by the blades are damaged and Marked. wall control Nasus in teamfights even when outscaled
Weaknesses
- W - WitherW – WitherNasus ages an enemy champion, decelerating their Move Speed and Attack Speed over time. cripples both attack speed and movement; extended trades under WitherW – WitherNasus ages an enemy champion, decelerating their Move Speed and Attack Speed over time. are unwinnable
- No tools to stop Q stacking if lane position is lost or wave bounces
- Falls off in side-lane duels once Nasus passes 200+ stacks
Nasus
Strengths
- Infinite Q - Siphoning StrikeQ – Siphoning StrikeNasus strikes his foe, dealing damage and increasing the power of his future Siphoning Strikes if he slays his target. scaling; each stack compounds the threat in later fights
- W - WitherW – WitherNasus ages an enemy champion, decelerating their Move Speed and Attack Speed over time. neuters auto-attack-reliant champions for its full duration
- R - Fury of the SandsR – Fury of the SandsNasus unleashes a mighty sandstorm that batters nearby enemies. grants enough bulk and AoE to stat-check most melee matchups
Weaknesses
- No dash; vulnerable to freezes, dives, and jungle ganks in early lane
- Pre-6 trades are weak against champions who can stack their own combat passive
- E - Spirit FireE – Spirit FireNasus unleashes a spirit flame at a location, dealing damage and reducing the Armor of enemies who stand on it. armor shred zone is avoidable; lacks reliable CC outside WitherW – WitherNasus ages an enemy champion, decelerating their Move Speed and Attack Speed over time.
Power Curve Comparison EXPERIMENTAL
Power Curve Visualization
Win Conditions
Irelia's Win Condition
- Freeze 5-6 minions near tower from 3:00; deny Q stacks and force Nasus to overextend or lose farm; ping jungle for dive on crash [m6, m7, mod5]
- Complete BotRK by 10:00; force fights when Fury of the SandsR – Fury of the SandsNasus unleashes a mighty sandstorm that batters nearby enemies. is down (~120s CD); end lane phase with 2+ kills or 30+ CS lead [m9, mod7]
- Group for 5v5 once side lane is no longer winnable; use R - Vanguard's EdgeR – Vanguard's EdgeIrelia fires a massive number of blades that explode outward upon hitting an enemy champion. Enemies hit by the blades are damaged and Marked. wall and E - Flawless DuetE – Flawless DuetIrelia sends out two blades which converge on each other. Enemies caught in between are damaged, stunned and Marked. stun to lock Nasus down for carries [m8, mod6]
Nasus's Win Condition
- Survive to level 6 and
SheenSheenGrants a bonus to next attack after spell cast with ~100 Q stacks; you outdamage Irelia when her passive is down from this point [pt3] - Track Irelia's passive before every trade; zero-stack Irelia is a free W - WitherW – WitherNasus ages an enemy champion, decelerating their Move Speed and Attack Speed over time. into Q punish, 5-stack Irelia is a no-fight zone [pt1]
- All-in only when Irelia fully commits or steps past her minion wave; she kites through minion dashes so cut off escape routes first [pt4]
- W - WitherW – WitherNasus ages an enemy champion, decelerating their Move Speed and Attack Speed over time. Irelia in teamfights to keep her off carries; she is a teamfight menace but WitherW – WitherNasus ages an enemy champion, decelerating their Move Speed and Attack Speed over time. neuters her entire kit [pt6]
Laning Phase Guide
| Level/Phase | Irelia | Nasus |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Start Q - BladesurgeQ – BladesurgeIrelia dashes forward to strike her target, healing herself. If the target is Marked or dies to Bladesurge, its cooldown refreshes.; last-hit and look to stack Ionian FervorP – Ionian FervorWhen Irelia strikes enemies with spells she gains stacking bonus Attack Speed. At maximum stacks she also gains bonus damage on hit. on the first three melee minions. If Nasus starts E, let the wave push and set up the freeze early. Trade autos at 4 passive stacks if he walks up for CS. |
Start Q - Siphoning StrikeQ – Siphoning StrikeNasus strikes his foe, dealing damage and increasing the power of his future Siphoning Strikes if he slays his target. and stack every minion. Irelia's passive isn't fully online at level 1, so last-hitting is safer here than any other early level. Don't trade; focus on stacks. |
| Level 2 | Take E - Flawless DuetE – Flawless DuetIrelia sends out two blades which converge on each other. Enemies caught in between are damaged, stunned and Marked.; use it to stun Nasus when he walks up for a cannon. Q through marked minions to build passive then auto him down. Ward river 2:30. |
Respect this level. Irelia gains E - Flawless DuetE – Flawless DuetIrelia sends out two blades which converge on each other. Enemies caught in between are damaged, stunned and Marked., and if she lands the stun, double Q dash with full passive can 100-0 you. Keep your distance and let her shove in. Take W - WitherW – WitherNasus ages an enemy champion, decelerating their Move Speed and Attack Speed over time. at 2 for emergency disengage only. [pt2] |
| Level 3 | Take W - Defiant DanceW – Defiant DanceIrelia charges a strike that deals more damage as she charges. She takes reduced physical damage during the charge.. Full kit online; channel W through his Q hits, then release. Begin freeze if wave is near tower; contest every stack attempt with auto-attacks at full passive. |
Take E - Spirit FireE – Spirit FireNasus unleashes a spirit flame at a location, dealing damage and reducing the Armor of enemies who stand on it.. Use it to thin waves under tower if frozen out. Do not take extended trades — Irelia with stacked passive wins every all-in. Concede CS over eating an E stun combo. |
| Level 4-5 | Maintain freeze; Nasus cannot break it without E - Spirit FireE – Spirit FireNasus unleashes a spirit flame at a location, dealing damage and reducing the Armor of enemies who stand on it. which costs heavy mana. Ping jungle for dive timing; crash wave on gank and follow with tower dive. Build toward BotRK components. |
Stack under tower if frozen out. Buy SheenSheenGrants a bonus to next attack after spell cast on first back for the Q damage spike. Against good Irelias the wave stays frozen permanently — call for jungle help. [pt5, pt9] |
| Level 6 | R - Vanguard's EdgeR – Vanguard's EdgeIrelia fires a massive number of blades that explode outward upon hitting an enemy champion. Enemies hit by the blades are damaged and Marked. unlocked; Nasus gets Fury of the SandsR – Fury of the SandsNasus unleashes a mighty sandstorm that batters nearby enemies.. Do not all-in while his ult is active. Bait it with E, disengage for 15s, then re-engage. BotRK passive deals bonus damage against his ult's HP. |
R - Fury of the SandsR – Fury of the SandsNasus unleashes a mighty sandstorm that batters nearby enemies. and SheenSheenGrants a bonus to next attack after spell cast online. With ~100 stacks, you outdamage Irelia when her passive is down. Wait for Ionian FervorP – Ionian FervorWhen Irelia strikes enemies with spells she gains stacking bonus Attack Speed. At maximum stacks she also gains bonus damage on hit. to expire, W - WitherW – WitherNasus ages an enemy champion, decelerating their Move Speed and Attack Speed over time. her, and run her down. Do not engage into 5-stack passive even with ult. [pt1, pt3] |
| Level 7-8 | Push for BotRK completion; shove waves and take plates when Nasus bases. Track Fury of the SandsR – Fury of the SandsNasus unleashes a mighty sandstorm that batters nearby enemies. CD (~120s). Hover Herald at 8:00; collapse with team when his ult is down. |
Push toward 150 stacks. SheenSheenGrants a bonus to next attack after spell cast + CDR enables favorable short trades through W into empowered Q. Don't fight near Irelia's minion wave — she dashes to minions to kite. Only all-in when she overextends with passive down. [pt4] |
| Level 9+ | Max Q; shove on vision and rotate mid on crash. Side lane only with BotRK completed and ult advantage. Track Q stack count; past 200 stacks, bring a teammate to match him. | 200+ stacks. Take aggressive trades when W is up and her passive is down. Push side lane and threaten towers with empowered Q. She still kites through minion dashes, so commit only when she steps too far forward. [pt3, pt4] |
| Mid Game (11-16) | Group for objectives; use R wall to cut Nasus off from teamfights. Match side lane only when Fury of the SandsR – Fury of the SandsNasus unleashes a mighty sandstorm that batters nearby enemies. is on CD and you have BotRK + second item. Ping his stack count to team. |
250+ stacks. Split-push and draw pressure. W - WitherW – WitherNasus ages an enemy champion, decelerating their Move Speed and Attack Speed over time. the first person who contests; pop R if they commit. In teamfights, WitherW – WitherNasus ages an enemy champion, decelerating their Move Speed and Attack Speed over time. Irelia immediately to keep her off carries. Build  ThornmailThornmail150 Health75 ArmorThornsWhen struck by an Attack, deal magic damage to the attacker and apply 40% Wounds for 3 seconds if they are a champion. 2nd to punish her auto-reliant trades. [pt6, pt7] |
| Late Game (16+) | Do not match Nasus side lane. Group with team; flank with R - Vanguard's EdgeR – Vanguard's EdgeIrelia fires a massive number of blades that explode outward upon hitting an enemy champion. Enemies hit by the blades are damaged and Marked. into backline, then use E to peel Nasus if he follows. Execute low targets with Q resets. |
300+ stacks. Take towers in 3-4 Q hits and threaten inhibitor. In teamfights, WitherW – WitherNasus ages an enemy champion, decelerating their Move Speed and Attack Speed over time. Irelia the instant she dashes in — she cannot function without attack speed. Force her to group by split-pushing; she can't match you side lane. [pt6, pt8] |
Power Spikes
Level Spikes
| Irelia | Nasus | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Level | Description | Level | Description |
| 2 | Minor E - Flawless DuetE – Flawless DuetIrelia sends out two blades which converge on each other. Enemies caught in between are damaged, stunned and Marked. unlocked; stun sets up passive-stacked trades Nasus cannot answer |
6 | Critical Fury of the SandsR – Fury of the SandsNasus unleashes a mighty sandstorm that batters nearby enemies. transforms duels; bonus HP, AoE, and CDR let Nasus stat-check |
| 3 | Minor Full kit; W - Defiant DanceW – Defiant DanceIrelia charges a strike that deals more damage as she charges. She takes reduced physical damage during the charge. absorbs Q hits; all-in with jungle support becomes reliable |
9 | Major Q max; stacking accelerates and empowered hits threaten 25-30% HP chunks |
| 6 | Major R - Vanguard's EdgeR – Vanguard's EdgeIrelia fires a massive number of blades that explode outward upon hitting an enemy champion. Enemies hit by the blades are damaged and Marked. marks and zones; strong all-in if Fury of the SandsR – Fury of the SandsNasus unleashes a mighty sandstorm that batters nearby enemies. is down |
11 | Major Rank-2 Fury of the SandsR – Fury of the SandsNasus unleashes a mighty sandstorm that batters nearby enemies.; longer duration and higher stats extend fight windows |
| 9 | Major Q max; reset damage peaks for wave manipulation and mid-fight mobility | ||
Item Spikes
| Irelia | Nasus | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Item | Description | Item | Description |
 Blade of the Ruined KingBlade of The Ruined KingDeals damage based on target's Health, can steal Move Speed (3200g) |
Percent-HP passive punishes Nasus every time he pops Fury of the SandsR – Fury of the SandsNasus unleashes a mighty sandstorm that batters nearby enemies. for bonus health; the lifesteal outheals  Soul EaterP – Soul EaterNasus drains his foe's spiritual energy, giving him bonus Life Steal. during the freeze-zone trade pattern |
SheenSheenGrants a bonus to next attack after spell cast (700g) |
Spellblade amplifies every Q; stacking damage jumps immediately |
 Plated SteelcapsPlated SteelcapsEnhances Move Speed and reduces incoming basic attack damage (1100g) |
Reduces Q - Siphoning StrikeQ – Siphoning StrikeNasus strikes his foe, dealing damage and increasing the power of his future Siphoning Strikes if he slays his target. and auto-attack damage in lane trades |
 Divine SundererDivine Sunderer55 Attack Damage350 Health20 Ability HasteSpellbladeAfter using an Ability, your next Attack is enhanced with additional damage. If the target is a champion, also heal. /  Trinity ForceTrinity ForceTons of Damage (3300g) |
First completed item spikes Nasus's dueling; percent-health or Spellblade scales with Q stacks |
 Wit's EndWit's EndResist magic damage and claw your way back to life. (3100g) |
On-hit and MR; useful if Nasus team has AP threats alongside his physical damage |  Frozen HeartFrozen HeartMassively increases Armor and slows enemy basic attacks (2500g) |
CDR accelerates Q stacking; attack speed reduction weakens Irelia's Ionian FervorP – Ionian FervorWhen Irelia strikes enemies with spells she gains stacking bonus Attack Speed. At maximum stacks she also gains bonus damage on hit. trades |
| Trinity ForceTrinity ForceTons of Damage (3333g) |
Spellblade procs on every BladesurgeQ – BladesurgeIrelia dashes forward to strike her target, healing herself. If the target is Marked or dies to Bladesurge, its cooldown refreshes. reset; the burst threatens Nasus's tower plates during the early-game window before his stacks compound |
||
Best Build for Irelia
Starting Items
Doran's BladeDoran's BladeGood starting item for attackers (450g) + Health PotionHealth PotionConsume to restore Health over time
Core Items
BotRK first; the percent-HP passive scales against Fury of the SandsR – Fury of the SandsNasus unleashes a mighty sandstorm that batters nearby enemies. bonus HP, dealing more damage the exact moment Nasus pops ult to stat-check. Steelcaps reduce Siphoning StrikeQ – Siphoning StrikeNasus strikes his foe, dealing damage and increasing the power of his future Siphoning Strikes if he slays his target. auto damage; swap to 
Mercury's TreadsMercury's TreadsIncreases Move Speed and reduces duration of disabling effects if WitherW – WitherNasus ages an enemy champion, decelerating their Move Speed and Attack Speed over time. slow is the bigger problem. Wit's EndWit's EndResist magic damage and claw your way back to life. or Trinity ForceTrinity ForceTons of Damage second depending on team damage profile.
Runes
Primary: ConquerorConquerorGain stacks of adaptive force when attacking enemy champions. After reaching 12 stacks, heal for a portion of damage you deal to champions. punishes Nasus's weak early trading; he cannot interrupt the stacking during freeze-zone autos. TriumphTriumphTakedowns restore 5% of your missing health and grant an additional 20 gold. converts dive kills into HP, Legend: AlacrityLegend: AlacrityTakedowns on enemies grant permanent Attack Speed. provides attack speed WitherW – WitherNasus ages an enemy champion, decelerating their Move Speed and Attack Speed over time. cannot fully erase, Last StandLast StandDeal more damage to champions while you are low on health. rewards scrapping at low HP after Siphoning StrikeQ – Siphoning StrikeNasus strikes his foe, dealing damage and increasing the power of his future Siphoning Strikes if he slays his target. chunks land.
Secondary: Resolve secondary: Bone PlatingBone PlatingAfter taking damage from an enemy champion, the next 3 spells or attacks you receive from them deal 30-60 (based on level) less damage.Duration: 1.5sCooldown: 55s blocks the Siphoning StrikeQ – Siphoning StrikeNasus strikes his foe, dealing damage and increasing the power of his future Siphoning Strikes if he slays his target. into auto into Spirit FireE – Spirit FireNasus unleashes a spirit flame at a location, dealing damage and reducing the Armor of enemies who stand on it. trade pattern, UnflinchingUnflinchingGain Armor and Magic Resist when receiving crowd control. tenacity shortens Wither's crippling attack speed and movement slow. Stat shards: attack speed to punish WitherW – WitherNasus ages an enemy champion, decelerating their Move Speed and Attack Speed over time. windows before the slow peaks, adaptive force for Q-reset burst, flat health to survive Siphoning StrikeQ – Siphoning StrikeNasus strikes his foe, dealing damage and increasing the power of his future Siphoning Strikes if he slays his target. chunks.
Summoner Spells
FlashFlashTeleports you a short distance toward your cursor. + IgniteIgniteDeals true damage over time to target enemy champion and reduces healing effects on them for the duration. (preferred for kill pressure) or FlashFlashTeleports you a short distance toward your cursor. + TeleportTeleportAfter a brief channel, become untargetable and travel to an allied unit. Upgrades into Unleashed Teleport, which significantly increases travel speed.
Priority Build Path
Blade of the Ruined King
Percent-HP on-hit deals more damage the moment Nasus pops Fury of the SandsR – Fury of the SandsNasus unleashes a mighty sandstorm that batters nearby enemies. for bonus health; BotRK lifesteal also outheals Soul EaterP – Soul EaterNasus drains his foe's spiritual energy, giving him bonus Life Steal. passive early
Plated Steelcaps / Mercury's Treads
Steelcaps blunt Siphoning StrikeQ – Siphoning StrikeNasus strikes his foe, dealing damage and increasing the power of his future Siphoning Strikes if he slays his target. auto damage during lane trades; Mercury's TreadsMercury's TreadsIncreases Move Speed and reduces duration of disabling effects if Wither's attack speed and movement slow cripple is the bigger threat
Wit's End / Trinity Force
Wit's EndWit's EndResist magic damage and claw your way back to life. adds on-hit stacking and MR if Nasus's team has AP; Trinity ForceTrinity ForceTons of Damage Spellblade burst on Q resets threatens towers during the stack-denial window
Death's Dance
Bleed passive converts Nasus's Siphoning StrikeQ – Siphoning StrikeNasus strikes his foe, dealing damage and increasing the power of his future Siphoning Strikes if he slays his target. burst into a DoT that Irelia can lifesteal through; takedown 
cleanseCleanseRemoves all disables (excluding suppression and airborne) and summoner spell debuffs affecting your champion and gives Tenacity. lets her chain BladesurgeQ – BladesurgeIrelia dashes forward to strike her target, healing herself. If the target is Marked or dies to Bladesurge, its cooldown refreshes. resets after peeling him in teamfights
Situational Adjustments
- Mercury's TreadsMercury's TreadsIncreases Move Speed and reduces duration of disabling effects: WitherW – WitherNasus ages an enemy champion, decelerating their Move Speed and Attack Speed over time. slow is primary threat and enemy team has additional CC
Guardian AngelGuardian AngelPeriodically revives champion upon death: Diving backline in teamfights; second life lets you clean up with Q resets
Maw of MalmortiusMaw of MalmortiusGrants bonus Attack Damage when Health is low: Heavy AP burst from mid or jungle alongside Nasus
Key Patterns
Lethal Combos
E > Q > AA > Q > W > Q > R > Q
Fury of the SandsR – Fury of the SandsNasus unleashes a mighty sandstorm that batters nearby enemies. is down. E stun pins Nasus, Q dash chains through marks, W channels through Siphoning StrikeQ – Siphoning StrikeNasus strikes his foe, dealing damage and increasing the power of his future Siphoning Strikes if he slays his target. impact to absorb the empowered hit, R walls his retreat since he has no dash. Requires 4+ Ionian FervorP – Ionian FervorWhen Irelia strikes enemies with spells she gains stacking bonus Attack Speed. At maximum stacks she also gains bonus damage on hit. stacks and WitherW – WitherNasus ages an enemy champion, decelerating their Move Speed and Attack Speed over time. must be baited first. [mod3]
W > E > Q > AA > R > Q > Q
WitherW – WitherNasus ages an enemy champion, decelerating their Move Speed and Attack Speed over time. to cripple Irelia's AS and MS; E zone for armor reduction; empowered Q hit; pop Fury of the SandsR – Fury of the SandsNasus unleashes a mighty sandstorm that batters nearby enemies. if she commits; repeat Q on CD.
Trading Combos
E > Q > AA > AA > Q
WitherW – WitherNasus ages an enemy champion, decelerating their Move Speed and Attack Speed over time. is up. [m4, mod1]
W > Q > AA
WitherW – WitherNasus ages an enemy champion, decelerating their Move Speed and Attack Speed over time. to slow, walk up for empowered Q, one auto then back off; short and mana-efficient.
Lethal Thresholds
- Irelia Kill Range: All-in kill range at ~35-40% HP with BotRK and IgniteIgniteDeals true damage over time to target enemy champion and reduces healing effects on them for the duration.; higher with full passive and E stun landed
- Nasus Kill Range: At ~100 stacks with SheenSheenGrants a bonus to next attack after spell cast, Nasus outdamages Irelia when her passive is down. Kill threat at ~45% HP with W and repeated Q hits under R. [pt3]
- Critical Levels: 2 (E unlocked), 6 (ultimates), 9 (Q max), 11 (R2 rank for both), 15-18 min (200+ stack threshold)
Level by Level Game Plan
| Level | Primary Goal | Lane Position | Trading Opportunities | Kill Windows | Setup Opportunities |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Establish wave control | Let wave push slightly toward you | Auto Nasus at 4 passive stacks when he walks for CS | Low; only with IgniteIgniteDeals true damage over time to target enemy champion and reduces healing effects on them for the duration. and massive HP lead |
Prep freeze by thinning wave; ward river 2:30 |
| 2 | Land E for stun trade | Begin freeze 5-6 minions from tower | E stun into Q dash, 2 autos, Q out | Possible if Nasus eats E and is at 40% from level 1 chip | Track jungle for potential dive window |
| 3 | Full kit trades; absorb Q with W | Maintain freeze | Channel W through his Q, release, auto with passive stacks | Dive with jungle; Nasus has no escape | Ping jungle; control ward tri 3:30 |
| 4-5 | Deny stacks; build BotRK components | Hold freeze or slow-push for dive | Punish every stack attempt with autos; disengage with Q to minion if Withered | Dive on wave crash with jungle support |  Deep wardDeep WardYour wards in the enemy jungle are Deep, gaining Health and Duration.Level 9: Wards in the river are also Deep. 4:30; track TP (360s) |
| 6 | Respect Fury of the SandsR – Fury of the SandsNasus unleashes a mighty sandstorm that batters nearby enemies.; bait then re-engage |
Fight near your minion wave for Q resets | Bait R with E engage; disengage 15s; re-engage post-ult | After Fury of the SandsR – Fury of the SandsNasus unleashes a mighty sandstorm that batters nearby enemies. expires with him at 50% or less |
Track R CD (~120s); IgniteIgniteDeals true damage over time to target enemy champion and reduces healing effects on them for the duration. to reduce Soul EaterP – Soul EaterNasus drains his foe's spiritual energy, giving him bonus Life Steal. healing |
| 7-8 | Complete BotRK; take plates | Push on vision; rotate for Herald 8:00 | All-in when R down and BotRK complete; short trades otherwise | BotRK spike vs no-ult Nasus; 35-40% HP threshold | Hover Herald; collapse with team |
| 9+ | Transition; side lane only with advantage | Shove and rotate mid | Fight only with ult and item advantage | Diminishing; 200+ stacks shift risk | Track stack count; group for objectives |
| Mid Game (11-16) | Teamfight control; avoid side-lane coin flips | Group for objectives | R wall to zone Nasus; E to lock him down | On isolated Nasus without R; pick fights near team | Vision around Dragon/Baron; ping Nasus split |
| Late Game (16+) | Full teamfight commitment | Never alone in side lane | Flank with R into backline; peel Nasus off carries with E | Q resets through teamfight cleanup | Baron/Elder vision; TP if running TeleportTeleportAfter a brief channel, become untargetable and travel to an allied unit. Upgrades into Unleashed Teleport, which significantly increases travel speed. |
First Back Goals
Ideal Back (1300-1500g)
- Recurve Bow (1000g)
BootsBootsSlightly increases Move Speed (300g)
Crash cannon wave after successful freeze + trade; ~4:00-5:30
Standard Back (700-1000g)
- Vampiric Scepter (900g) or Long Sword x2 (700g)
- Control Ward (75g)
Reset on slow-push bounce; ~3:30-4:30
Teamfight Tips
| Aspect | Irelia | Nasus |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Role | Teamfight controller who walls off Nasus's Fury of the SandsR – Fury of the SandsNasus unleashes a mighty sandstorm that batters nearby enemies. approach with Vanguard's EdgeR – Vanguard's EdgeIrelia fires a massive number of blades that explode outward upon hitting an enemy champion. Enemies hit by the blades are damaged and Marked., stuns him with Flawless DuetE – Flawless DuetIrelia sends out two blades which converge on each other. Enemies caught in between are damaged, stunned and Marked. when he pushes through, then pivots to BladesurgeQ – BladesurgeIrelia dashes forward to strike her target, healing herself. If the target is Marked or dies to Bladesurge, its cooldown refreshes. cleanup on exposed carries |
Front-to-back juggernaut; WitherW – WitherNasus ages an enemy champion, decelerating their Move Speed and Attack Speed over time. the highest-DPS target, walk through the fight with Fury of the SandsR – Fury of the SandsNasus unleashes a mighty sandstorm that batters nearby enemies., Q everything |
| Target Priority | Nasus when Fury of the SandsR – Fury of the SandsNasus unleashes a mighty sandstorm that batters nearby enemies. is down and he over-extends without his stat-check ult Backline carries trapped by Vanguard's EdgeR – Vanguard's EdgeIrelia fires a massive number of blades that explode outward upon hitting an enemy champion. Enemies hit by the blades are damaged and Marked. wall while Nasus slow-walks through Spirit FireE – Spirit FireNasus unleashes a spirit flame at a location, dealing damage and reducing the Armor of enemies who stand on it. zoneLow-HP targets created by Siphoning StrikeQ – Siphoning StrikeNasus strikes his foe, dealing damage and increasing the power of his future Siphoning Strikes if he slays his target. trades for BladesurgeQ – BladesurgeIrelia dashes forward to strike her target, healing herself. If the target is Marked or dies to Bladesurge, its cooldown refreshes. reset cleanup |
Irelia if she dashes in without E ADC within WitherW – WitherNasus ages an enemy champion, decelerating their Move Speed and Attack Speed over time. rangeWhoever is closest during Fury of the SandsR – Fury of the SandsNasus unleashes a mighty sandstorm that batters nearby enemies. |
| Objective Control | Drop R wall at the Dragon or Baron chokepoint so Nasus must path around; his zero-dash kit forces a long detour that burns Fury of the SandsR – Fury of the SandsNasus unleashes a mighty sandstorm that batters nearby enemies. seconds before he reaches the fight Stun Nasus with Flawless DuetE – Flawless DuetIrelia sends out two blades which converge on each other. Enemies caught in between are damaged, stunned and Marked. the moment he pops Fury of the SandsR – Fury of the SandsNasus unleashes a mighty sandstorm that batters nearby enemies. at the choke; the 15s ult ticks down while he is locked in place for team burst |
Split opposite side of objective to draw numbers away TP flank into pit with Fury of the SandsR – Fury of the SandsNasus unleashes a mighty sandstorm that batters nearby enemies. |
| Positioning | Flank from jungle entrance; drop Vanguard's EdgeR – Vanguard's EdgeIrelia fires a massive number of blades that explode outward upon hitting an enemy champion. Enemies hit by the blades are damaged and Marked. wall to split Nasus from his team, then BladesurgeQ – BladesurgeIrelia dashes forward to strike her target, healing herself. If the target is Marked or dies to Bladesurge, its cooldown refreshes. through marks onto grouped carries Pivot to peel if Nasus Withers your ADC; Flawless DuetE – Flawless DuetIrelia sends out two blades which converge on each other. Enemies caught in between are damaged, stunned and Marked. stun locks him during Fury of the SandsR – Fury of the SandsNasus unleashes a mighty sandstorm that batters nearby enemies. while your backline kites the slow zone |
Walk through front line with R active; WitherW – WitherNasus ages an enemy champion, decelerating their Move Speed and Attack Speed over time. the carry Stand on E zone for armor shred; force the fight into your terms |
| Other Tips | Drop R wall between Nasus and his team to isolate him; E stun inside the wall for guaranteed lockdown [mod6] Save Q resets for cleanup; do not burn them to engage when E can start the fight |
WitherW – WitherNasus ages an enemy champion, decelerating their Move Speed and Attack Speed over time. Irelia the moment she dashes in; her trade pattern collapses without attack speed Save R for teamfight commitment; do not pop it for a poke trade she can walk away from |
