Top 8 Best Supports to Play with Nilah in League of Legends

Nilah, who debuted in the summer of 2022, was initially expected to dominate the ADC role in League of Legends. Despite this anticipation, she has not become a widely popular choice among players. Her complex requirement for close coordination with teammates to unlock her full potential has limited her appeal.

One of Nilah's standout features is her passive ability, which grants her bonus experience when sharing minion kills. This unique trait allows her to potentially outpace even solo laners in terms of experience gain, giving her a distinctive edge in matches.

However, Nilah's effectiveness is heavily dependent on the support she pairs with. Her short attack range and a kit designed for close-quarters combat necessitate a support that can complement her strengths and mitigate her vulnerabilities. To help you maximize Nilah’s potential, we've curated a list of the top supports that synergize best with her, highlighting the strengths each support brings to the bot lane duo.

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#1: Senna

Senna emerges as an exceptional partner for Nilah, offering a perfect blend of offensive capability and supportive utility. She is uniquely positioned to alleviate Nilah's primary weakness: vulnerability during wave management. Opponents often exploit Nilah in the early game when she must approach the minion wave, risking significant health loss.

With Senna by her side, Nilah not only navigates these early challenges more smoothly but also benefits from enhanced late-game potential. Thanks to Nilah’s passive, which accelerates experience gain, both champions can level up their abilities more swiftly, amplifying their overall impact. Moreover, Senna's healing and shielding are further boosted by Nilah’s presence, fortifying their synergy and transforming them into a formidable duo in the bot lane.

#2: Yuumi

Pairing Nilah with Yuumi creates a synergy that significantly enhances Nilah's survivability and overall effectiveness in lane. Yuumi, as Nilah's support, leverages her abilities to continuously provide shields and heals, which are perfectly aligned with Nilah’s unique passive that enhances these effects after a delay. This combination makes them a resilient duo, particularly adept at sustaining through prolonged engagements.

The magic-infused cat not only bolsters Nilah with a steady stream of health and protection but also amplifies these benefits with her own array of supportive spells. This interplay between their abilities ensures that Nilah remains a formidable presence on the battlefield, shielded and healed sufficiently to withstand enemy assaults.

While their early game 2v2 potential may appear modest, Yuumi and Nilah’s ability to recover from early setbacks through sustained experience gains, courtesy of Nilah’s passive, allows them to maintain or even surpass their lane opponents in terms of level progression.

For players aiming to climb in solo queue, Yuumi stands out as an optimal choice for supporting Nilah. Although mastering this duo demands adept coordination, the payoff in terms of lane sustain and late-game impact is substantial.

#3: Rakan

For Nilah, whose combat style requires closing distances quickly, Rakan is an ideal support partner thanks to his exceptional engagement capabilities. Rakan shines with his ability to initiate fights from a distance, creating opportunities for Nilah to capitalize on her aggressive skillset.

While they may face challenges during the initial laning phase, Rakan's swift and unexpected engages can dramatically turn the tide of battle, enabling Nilah to effectively use her abilities to follow up on his setups.

This duo is particularly effective against less aggressive bot lane pairings. If the opposing team lacks dominant lane bullies like Caitlyn or Draven, Rakan and Nilah can become a formidable force. However, due to the high level of synergy and coordination required, it’s wise to practice this pairing in non-ranked settings before taking it into competitive play to ensure both players are comfortable with the dynamic.

#4: Sona

Sona has risen as a prime support for Nilah, turning into a potent ally due to their complementary abilities. Sona's kit enhances Nilah's effectiveness on several fronts—most notably, her W ability, which provides frequent healing and shielding, aligns perfectly with Nilah's passive, ensuring both remain robust throughout the lane phase.

Moreover, Sona excels in harassment, particularly against melee opponents in the bot lane. Her Q, an auto-targeted poke, supports Nilah in maintaining lane pressure without requiring precise aiming. This constant pressure is beneficial for controlling the lane and setting up skirmishes.

Their ultimates also create a formidable combo; Nilah can initiate with her ultimate to cluster enemies, setting the stage for Sona to follow up with her crescendo for a stunning group engage. Alternatively, Sona can initiate, allowing Nilah to capitalize on the disarray with her crowd-control capabilities.

Additionally, Sona’s speed boost from her E provides Nilah with essential mobility, aiding her in engaging or retreating as needed. This versatility is crucial for adapting to different in-game scenarios.

Sona’s choice of items like Moonstone Renewer and Staff of Flowing Water not only bolsters her healing and support capabilities but also enhances Nilah’s performance by boosting her attributes. Chemtech Putrifier can also be a strategic pick against healing-heavy opponents, making Sona an invaluable partner for Nilah in the bot lane.

#5: Taric

Taric stands out as an exemplary support for Nilah, blending the robustness of a tank with the nurturing qualities of an enchanter. This combination unlocks tremendous synergy, particularly valuable during the laning phase.

Taric's abilities, such as his Q for healing and his W for shielding, pair perfectly with Nilah's passive. This interaction not only boosts their survivability by enhancing the effects of heals and shields but also ensures that their defense is constantly bolstered. Additionally, Taric passively increases Nilah’s armor simply by being nearby, providing her with much-needed durability against physical attacks from ranged ADCs and melee bruisers alike.

Moreover, the mechanics of Taric’s stun, which can be extended through Nilah, allow for creative and effective combo plays. Nilah can initiate with a dash to position Taric’s stun effectively, setting up enemies perfectly for her ultimate, creating a seamless and devastating engagement opportunity.

However, the pinnacle of their partnership lies in Taric’s ultimate ability, which grants Nilah a brief period of invulnerability. This powerful tool can turn the tide of team fights, allowing Nilah to unleash her full offensive capabilities without fear of retaliation. Deploying Taric's ultimate strategically can render Nilah virtually unstoppable, providing a window where she can deal significant damage while being impervious to enemy attacks.

Exploring the dynamic between Nilah and Taric not only enhances their lane dominance but also extends their impact into late-game skirmishes, making them a formidable duo on the battlefield.

#6: Pyke

If your gameplay strategy leans towards aggressive play, Pyke is an excellent support choice for Nilah. Pyke brings to the table not just engagement potential but also significantly heightened offensive capabilities, enhancing Nilah's ability to finish off opponents swiftly.

Pyke's kit, which includes a harpoon and a ghostly dive, allows him to engage enemies effectively and from unexpected angles. His mobility is a key asset, offering him the flexibility to maneuver around the battlefield and secure advantageous positions for initiating attacks. This agility complements Nilah’s need for a support that can engage and capitalize on quick, decisive skirmishes.

However, Pyke’s aggressive nature comes with its limitations. He predominantly focuses on offensive plays, with little room for disengagement. This can pose a risk if the situation calls for a tactical retreat or when facing opponents that counter hard engage strategies.

Therefore, while Pyke can significantly amplify Nilah's pressure in lane, his suitability largely depends on both the enemy lineup and your overall team composition. If the match-up or team synergy requires a more versatile approach that includes potential disengagement, Thresh might be a more balanced alternative. Evaluate your team's needs and the enemy's strengths before locking in Pyke as your support choice for Nilah.

#7: Janna

When paired with Nilah, Janna excels as a protective enchanter, greatly enhancing Nilah's survivability in the game.

Janna's primary contribution is her consistent ability to shield Nilah, activating Nilah’s passive for mutual shielding benefits with every application. This not only bolsters their defense but also aids in sustain throughout the laning phase and beyond.

Janna’s kit includes a knock-up and a slow, tools that can either deter opponents from approaching Nilah or help initiate an offensive move. These abilities allow Janna to adapt to both aggressive and defensive playstyles, depending on the needs of the match.

Upon reaching level 6, Janna’s ultimate, Monsoon, significantly increases Nilah’s safety. It serves multiple purposes: it disrupts enemy formations, repels incoming ganks, and enhances healing through Nilah’s passive, ensuring both champions remain formidable in extended fights.

While Janna does not provide substantial damage, she can opt for a full AP build to maximize her supportive impacts. Generally, her role is to facilitate Nilah’s damage output by ensuring her continuous presence in skirmishes.

For optimal synergy, items such as Shurelya’s Battlesong, Moonstone Renewer, Staff of Flowing Water, and Ardent Censer are recommended. Each of these items complements Nilah’s abilities, making Janna an invaluable ally for any Nilah player looking to dominate the bot lane.

#8: Soraka

Lastly, we spotlight Soraka, who stands out as the optimal support choice for Nilah due to her unparalleled healing capabilities.

Soraka, known as the premier healer in League of Legends, can consistently replenish Nilah's health thanks to her W – Astral Infusion. This ability is highly effective, particularly when paired with Nilah, as each healing spell is boosted by Nilah's passive, benefiting both champions significantly.

Upon reaching level 6, Soraka gains her ultimate, Wish, which is a game-changer. This global ability heals all allies across the map, including Nilah, and synergizes perfectly with Nilah's passive to enhance the healing received.

With Soraka by her side, Nilah enjoys a high level of survivability, further augmented by Soraka’s E – Equinox, which provides a strategic silence that can disrupt enemy ganks, allowing both to retreat safely.

While Soraka does not contribute significantly to damage output, focusing instead on utility and support through items like Moonstone Renewer and Redemption, she enhances Nilah's combat effectiveness. Items such as Ardent Censer and Staff of Flowing Water are crucial for maximizing Nilah’s performance, making them staples in Soraka’s build.

Mastering Soraka can lead to tremendous success in solo queue, especially when paired with Nilah as your ADC, providing a robust foundation for your team's victory.

Conclusion

Nilah's distinctive bot lane presence in League of Legends sets her apart as she can synergize with a wide array of champions, extending even to unconventional supports like Orianna and Lee Sin.

In this guide, we've honed in on the top seven supports that mesh exceptionally well with Nilah, chosen for their innate compatibility beyond current metas or patches. These selections are based on how their unique abilities complement Nilah, ensuring they remain viable choices regardless of the game's evolving dynamics. This makes them perennially effective partners for enhancing Nilah's gameplay and maximizing her potential on the battlefield.