Nidalee is a high-skill-cap assassin jungler known for her strong early and mid-game presence. As a shapeshifter, she alternates between human and cougar forms, each with unique abilities that require mastery of both mechanics and timing.

Core Strengths:

• Exceptional burst damage
• High mobility across the map
• Strong early game dueling
• Snowball potential
• Meta-resistant effectiveness

Key Weaknesses:

• No crowd control
• Squishy build
• Heavily reliant on landing skillshots
• Weak late game scaling
• Difficult mechanical execution

Abilities Overview:

Passive - Prowl:

• Gains 10% movement speed in brush
• 30% speed boost when moving toward visible enemies
• Marks targets hit by human Q or W, granting vision and enhanced cougar abilities

Q Ability (Max First): Human: Javelin Toss - Long-range spear that deals more damage at distance Cougar: Takedown - Enhanced auto attack with execute damage

W Ability (Max Last): Human: Bushwhack - Places vision-granting trap Cougar: Pounce - Directional leap with damage

E Ability (Max Second): Human: Primal Surge - Heal and attack speed buff Cougar: Swipe - Area damage slash

R Ability - Aspect of the Cougar:

• Transforms between human and cougar forms
• 3-second cooldown between transformations

Standard Burst Combo: Human Q > R > Cougar W > E > Auto Attack > Q

Optimal Matchups:

• Strong against carry junglers (Lee Sin, Nocturne, Viego)
• Excels at invading and controlling enemy jungle

Challenging Matchups:

• Struggles against heavy CC (Rammus, Sejuani)
• Weak to duelists with lockdown (Rek'Sai)

Build Path:

• Focus on AP items
• Prioritize ability haste
• Include magic penetration in mid-game
• Maintain squishy but high-damage build

Tips for Success:

• Maintain aggressive early game presence
• Focus on objective control
• Practice mechanical execution
• Track enemy jungler for counter-ganks
• Capitalize on early advantages

Nidalee requires significant practice and game knowledge but rewards mastery with strong carry potential and consistent performance across various metas.

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