10 Best Champions To Counter Nocturne In League of Legends

Nocturne is a fearsome jungler in League of Legends, known for his ability to dive into fights, silence enemies with his Unspeakable Horror (Q), and initiate with his ultimate Paranoia (R), which grants him global presence and the ability to isolate and eliminate targets. While he’s a powerful threat, Nocturne has weaknesses that can be exploited, such as his reliance on his ultimate to initiate, his lack of mobility in certain situations, and his vulnerability to crowd control. Whether you’re looking for champions that can interrupt his engages, sustain through his damage, or shut him down in fights, there are plenty of ways to counter Nocturne. In this article, we’ll explore the 10 best champions to counter Nocturne and provide strategies to limit his impact on the game.

#10: Gragas

Gragas is a strong counter to Nocturne due to his crowd control, sustain, and tankiness. Nocturne thrives on diving into fights with his Paranoia (R) and applying pressure with his Unspeakable Horror (Q), but Gragas’s Body Slam (E) provides an instant knock-back that can interrupt Nocturne’s engage and disrupt his combos. Additionally, Gragas’s Drunken Rage (W) gives him a shield, allowing him to absorb a significant portion of Nocturne’s burst damage and sustain through fights. The biggest counter to Nocturne is Gragas’s Explosive Cask (R), which can knock Nocturne out of position and disorient him, preventing him from targeting key enemies. Since Nocturne struggles against champions who can control the pace of the fight and interrupt his all-ins, Gragas forces him into a position where he has limited opportunities to engage effectively.

#9: Vi

Vi is a strong counter to Nocturne due to her mobility, crowd control, and ability to interrupt his engages. Nocturne often tries to dive into fights with his Paranoia (R), but Vi’s Vault Breaker (Q) allows her to charge in and lock him down with her knock-up, disrupting his combo. Additionally, Vi’s Denting Blows (W) applies significant damage and reduces Nocturne’s resistances, making it easier for her to burst him down. The biggest counter to Nocturne is Assault and Battery (R), which targets and locks Nocturne down, allowing Vi to suppress him while her team can follow up. Since Nocturne struggles against champions who can quickly close the gap, apply crowd control, and out-damage him in a duel, Vi forces him into a passive role where he has little room to engage successfully.

#8: Olaf

Olaf is a strong counter to Nocturne due to his early-game dominance, sustain, and ability to ignore crowd control. Nocturne relies on his Unspeakable Horror (Q) to apply pressure and his Paranoia (R) to dive into fights, but Olaf’s Ragnarok (R) grants him immunity to all crowd control, allowing him to dive in without being stopped by Nocturne’s Unspeakable Horror or other crowd control effects. Additionally, Olaf’s Vicious Strikes (W) provides healing and attack speed, allowing him to sustain through Nocturne’s burst and outdamage him in extended trades. The biggest counter to Nocturne is Olaf’s Reckless Swing (E), which deals true damage and bypasses Nocturne’s defensive stats, quickly chipping away at his health. Since Nocturne struggles against champions who can out-sustain him and ignore his crowd control, Olaf forces him into a defensive playstyle where he has limited impact.

#7: Hecarim

Hecarim is a strong counter to Nocturne due to his mobility, sustain, and ability to outmaneuver him in fights. While Nocturne excels at diving into fights with his Paranoia (R), Hecarim’s Devastating Charge (E) lets him quickly reposition and engage on his own terms, allowing him to avoid Nocturne’s initiation and control the flow of the fight. Additionally, Hecarim’s Spirit of Dread (W) provides sustain, healing him through Nocturne’s damage, which can help mitigate his burst. The biggest counter to Nocturne is Hecarim’s Onslaught of Shadows (R), which causes an AoE fear, disrupting Nocturne’s focus and displacing him from key targets. Since Nocturne struggles against champions with strong mobility, sustain, and crowd control, Hecarim forces him into a passive role, making it difficult for Nocturne to get a clean engage or take control of the fight.

#6: Warwick

Warwick is a strong counter to Nocturne due to his sustain, crowd control, and dueling potential. Nocturne thrives on diving into fights with his Paranoia (R) and silencing his enemies with Unspeakable Horror (Q), but Warwick’s Jaws of the Beast (W) allows him to sustain through Nocturne’s damage by healing on basic attacks. Additionally, Warwick’s Eternal Hunger (Passive) grants him bonus sustain, making it difficult for Nocturne to burst him down in extended trades. The biggest counter to Nocturne is Warwick’s Infinite Duress (R), which suppresses Nocturne and locks him in place, rendering him unable to use his abilities or escape. Since Nocturne struggles against champions who can sustain through his damage, control him with crowd control, and outlast his burst, Warwick forces him into a passive role where he has limited impact.

#5: Jarvan IV

Jarvan IV is a strong counter to Nocturne due to his crowd control, tankiness, and ability to engage on his terms. Nocturne excels at diving into fights with Paranoia (R) and applying pressure with Unspeakable Horror (Q), but Jarvan’s Dragon Strike (Q) and Demacian Standard (E) allow him to quickly engage and create a shield, enabling him to mitigate Nocturne’s burst damage. Additionally, Jarvan’s Golden Aegis (W) provides extra durability, which helps absorb Nocturne’s damage during skirmishes. The biggest counter to Nocturne is Jarvan’s Cataclysm (R), which traps him in a confined area and prevents him from escaping or using Paranoia to reposition. Since Nocturne struggles against champions who can lock him down and outlast his engage, Jarvan forces him into a tough position where he has limited opportunities to engage effectively.

#4: Rek’Sai

Rek’Sai is a strong counter to Nocturne due to her mobility, sustain, and ability to track and outplay him. Nocturne relies on his Paranoia (R) to dive into fights and isolate targets, but Rek’Sai’s Tunnel (Q) allows her to quickly traverse the map and avoid Nocturne’s attempts to engage, providing her with superior map awareness and positioning. Additionally, Rek’Sai’s Fury of the Xer’Sai (Passive) grants her sustain through damage, allowing her to outlast Nocturne’s burst in skirmishes. The biggest counter to Nocturne is Rek’Sai’s Unburrow (W), which knocks up and interrupts his engage, preventing him from chaining his crowd control effectively. Since Nocturne struggles against champions who can avoid his engage, sustain through his damage, and outmaneuver him, Rek’Sai forces him into a passive role where he has limited impact.

#3: Xin Zhao

Xin Zhao is a strong counter to Nocturne due to his early-game strength, sustain, and crowd control. Nocturne often relies on his Paranoia (R) to engage and dive into fights, but Xin Zhao’s Audacious Charge (W) allows him to quickly close the gap and interrupt Nocturne’s attacks, especially with his knock-up from Three Talon Strike (E). Additionally, Xin Zhao’s Battle Cry (Passive) provides healing, allowing him to sustain through Nocturne’s damage during extended trades. The biggest counter to Nocturne is Xin Zhao’s Crescent Sweep (R), which knocks back enemies and deals significant damage, preventing Nocturne from positioning effectively or targeting key threats. Since Nocturne struggles against champions who can out-sustain his damage and control fights with crowd control, Xin Zhao forces him into a defensive role where he has limited opportunities to engage

#2: Elise

Elise is a strong counter to Nocturne due to her early-game dominance, crowd control, and ability to burst him down before he can initiate. Nocturne often tries to engage with Paranoia (R), but Elise’s Cocoon (E) provides a powerful stun that can lock him down before he can make his move. Additionally, Elise’s Venomous Bite (Q) provides strong burst damage, allowing her to quickly punish Nocturne before he has a chance to sustain or escape. Elise’s Spider Form (R) also provides enhanced mobility and allows her to reposition easily, dodging Nocturne’s skill shots. The biggest counter to Nocturne is Elise’s Rappel (W), which allows her to avoid Nocturne’s attacks and reposition safely, making it hard for him to execute his full combo. Since Nocturne struggles against champions who can burst him down quickly and control the pace of the fight, Elise forces him into a difficult position where he has little room to engage or execute his ultimate.

#1: Lee Sin

Lee Sin is the best counter to Nocturne due to his high mobility, crowd control, and ability to disrupt Nocturne’s engage. Nocturne relies on Paranoia (R) to initiate fights and isolate targets, but Lee Sin’s Sonic Wave (Q) allows him to quickly engage or disengage, preventing Nocturne from locking down key targets. Additionally, Lee Sin’s Safeguard (W) provides a shield and mobility, allowing him to mitigate Nocturne’s burst and reposition in fights. The biggest counter to Nocturne is Lee Sin’s Dragon’s Rage (R), which kicks Nocturne out of position and displaces him, preventing him from diving onto key enemies. Since Nocturne struggles against champions who can dodge his engage, outmaneuver him, and control the pace of the fight, Lee Sin forces him into a passive role where he has limited impact.

Conclusion

Nocturne is a powerful jungler with strong engage potential, but the right champions can neutralize his impact and limit his effectiveness. Champions like Lee Sin, Elise, and Rek’Sai can outplay him with superior mobility, crowd control, and the ability to avoid or interrupt his Paranoia (R) engage. Tanky champions like Gragas and Xin Zhao can absorb his burst damage, while sustain-heavy champions like Warwick and Olaf can outlast his burst in extended trades. Champions like Vi and Jarvan IV provide strong crowd control, locking Nocturne down and preventing him from isolating his targets. By picking champions with mobility, crowd control, and strong dueling potential, you can shut down Nocturne’s early-game power and reduce his influence in team fights, forcing him into a passive role where he struggles to make an impact.