Nunu & Willump is a tanky, objective-focused jungler in League of Legends, known for his powerful ganks, sustain, and ability to secure objectives with Consume (Q). His Biggest Snowball Ever! (W) allows him to initiate fights with massive crowd control, while his Absolute Zero (R) can zone enemies and deal devastating AoE damage if fully charged. However, Nunu has clear weaknesses that the right champions can exploit, such as his reliance on predictable engages, vulnerability to crowd control, and dependence on sustain to survive fights. Whether you’re looking for champions that can invade him early, disrupt his engages, or burst him down before he can sustain, there are several ways to counter Nunu. In this article, we’ll cover the 10 best champions to counter Nunu & Willump and how to limit his impact on the game.
Gragas is a strong counter to Nunu & Willump due to his crowd control, sustain, and ability to disrupt Nunu’s engages. Nunu relies on Biggest Snowball Ever! (W) to initiate fights, but Gragas’s Body Slam (E) can knock him out of his charge, interrupting his engage and forcing him into an awkward position. Additionally, Gragas’s Drunken Rage (W) provides sustain and damage reduction, making it harder for Nunu to outlast him in extended trades. The biggest counter to Nunu is Explosive Cask (R), which can knock him away mid-Absolute Zero (R), canceling the ability and preventing him from dealing maximum damage. Since Nunu struggles against champions who can disrupt his engages and sustain through his damage, Gragas forces him into a difficult matchup where he has limited impact.
Kindred is a strong counter to Nunu & Willump due to her ranged damage, mobility, and ability to counter his objective control. Nunu excels at securing objectives with Consume (Q), but Kindred’s Mounting Dread (E) and Dance of Arrows (Q) allow her to poke him from a distance and kite him effectively, preventing him from safely contesting jungle camps and objectives. Additionally, Kindred’s passive, Mark of the Kindred, enables her to invade and contest Nunu’s camps early, slowing down his scaling. The biggest counter to Nunu is Lamb’s Respite (R), which prevents champions from dying in a designated area, making it impossible for Nunu to secure kills with Absolute Zero (R) or smite fights with Consume (Q). Since Nunu struggles against champions who can kite him, outdamage him, and disrupt his jungle control, Kindred forces him into a difficult position where he can’t safely engage or dominate objectives.
Hecarim is a strong counter to Nunu & Willump due to his superior mobility, sustain, and ability to match Nunu’s engages. Nunu relies on Biggest Snowball Ever! (W) to initiate fights, but Hecarim’s Devastating Charge (E) allows him to reposition quickly, either dodging the snowball or counter-engaging before Nunu can set up a fight. Additionally, Spirit of Dread (W) provides healing based on damage dealt, allowing Hecarim to sustain through extended trades, mitigating Nunu’s Consume (Q) healing advantage. The biggest counter to Nunu is Onslaught of Shadows (R), which fears enemies in an AoE, disrupting Nunu’s Absolute Zero (R) and preventing him from fully charging it. Since Nunu struggles against champions who can outmaneuver him, sustain through his damage, and counter his engages, Hecarim forces him into a matchup where he has difficulty finding clean initiations.
Viego is a strong counter to Nunu & Willump due to his sustain, mobility, and ability to capitalize on chaotic fights. Nunu relies on Biggest Snowball Ever! (W) to engage and Consume (Q) to sustain, but Viego’s Blade of the Ruined King (Q) provides consistent healing and damage, allowing him to trade effectively in skirmishes. Additionally, Viego’s Harrowed Path (E) gives him mobility and attack speed, helping him dodge Nunu’s snowball engage and reposition in fights. The biggest counter to Nunu is Heartbreaker (R), which allows Viego to execute low-health enemies, preventing Nunu from sustaining or escaping after a failed engage. Since Nunu struggles against champions who can out-sustain his healing and punish his positioning, Viego forces him into a matchup where he has difficulty controlling fights and surviving extended duels.
Kha’Zix is a strong counter to Nunu & Willump due to his burst damage, mobility, and ability to punish Nunu’s lack of dueling power. Nunu thrives in extended fights with his sustain from Consume (Q), but Kha’Zix excels at quickly bursting down isolated targets, making it difficult for Nunu to survive without his team. Additionally, Kha’Zix’s Taste Their Fear (Q) deals increased damage to isolated targets, allowing him to shred Nunu in one-on-one fights. The biggest counter to Nunu is Void Assault (R), which grants Kha’Zix invisibility, making it easy for him to reposition and dodge Nunu’s Absolute Zero (R) or escape bad fights. Since Nunu struggles against champions who can burst him down before he can sustain or disengage, Kha’Zix forces him into a tough position where he can’t reliably contest fights or objectives.
Olaf is a strong counter to Nunu & Willump due to his sustain, crowd control immunity, and ability to shred tanks in extended fights. Nunu relies on Biggest Snowball Ever! (W) to engage and Absolute Zero (R) to slow and burst enemies, but Olaf’s Ragnarok (R) grants him immunity to crowd control, allowing him to run straight through Nunu’s slow effects and engage on his own terms. Additionally, Vicious Strikes (W) provides Olaf with healing and attack speed, helping him out-sustain Nunu’s Consume (Q) healing in extended fights. The biggest counter to Nunu is Reckless Swing (E), which deals true damage, ignoring Nunu’s tanky stats and preventing him from stalling fights effectively. Since Nunu struggles against champions who can sustain through his engages and ignore his crowd control, Olaf forces him into a difficult matchup where he cannot effectively disrupt or control fights.
Xin Zhao is a strong counter to Nunu & Willump due to his strong early-game dueling, sustain, and ability to disrupt Nunu’s engages. Nunu relies on Biggest Snowball Ever! (W) to start fights and Consume (Q) for sustain, but Xin Zhao’s Three Talon Strike (Q) allows him to knock Nunu up, preventing him from completing his engage or fully charging Absolute Zero (R). Additionally, Xin Zhao’s Wind Becomes Lightning (W) provides a slow that makes it harder for Nunu to kite or reposition. The biggest counter to Nunu is Crescent Guard (R), which knocks back enemies and blocks damage from opponents outside its radius, making it difficult for Nunu to burst key targets with Absolute Zero. Since Nunu struggles against champions who can outduel him early and disrupt his engages, Xin Zhao forces him into a tough matchup where he has limited control over fights.
Rek’Sai is a strong counter to Nunu & Willump due to her early-game aggression, mobility, and ability to disrupt his engages. Nunu relies on Biggest Snowball Ever! (W) to initiate fights, but Rek’Sai’s Unburrow (W) provides a knock-up that can stop him mid-charge, preventing him from completing his engage. Additionally, Rek’Sai’s Queen’s Wrath (Q) allows her to deal consistent damage in close combat, which makes it difficult for Nunu to sustain through fights with Consume (Q). The biggest counter to Nunu is Rek’Sai’s Void Rush (R), which deals significant damage based on missing health, preventing Nunu from healing up or stalling out fights. Since Nunu struggles against champions who can invade him early, disrupt his engages, and outdamage him in duels, Rek’Sai forces him into a difficult matchup where he has little control over the jungle and objectives.
Elise is a strong counter to Nunu & Willump due to her early-game aggression, burst damage, and ability to interrupt his engages. Nunu relies on Biggest Snowball Ever! (W) to gank and engage fights, but Elise’s Cocoon (E) provides a long-range stun that can stop him mid-charge, preventing him from completing his engage. Additionally, Elise’s Venomous Bite (Q) deals bonus damage to low-health enemies, making it difficult for Nunu to survive once he’s weakened, despite his Consume (Q) healing. The biggest counter to Nunu is Rappel (Spider Form E), which allows Elise to become untargetable, avoiding Absolute Zero (R) and preventing Nunu from executing his full combo. Since Nunu struggles against champions who can invade early, burst him down before he can sustain, and interrupt his engages, Elise forces him into a passive playstyle where he struggles to make an impact.
Lee Sin is the best counter to Nunu & Willump due to his early-game pressure, mobility, and ability to completely disrupt Nunu’s engages. Nunu relies on Biggest Snowball Ever! (W) to gank and initiate fights, but Lee Sin’s Sonic Wave (Q) allows him to engage on Nunu before he can complete his charge, forcing unfavorable trades. Additionally, Tempest (E) provides a slow that makes it harder for Nunu to kite or disengage after a failed engage. The biggest counter to Nunu is Dragon’s Rage (R), which can knock him out of position, canceling Absolute Zero (R) mid-channel and preventing him from dealing his full damage. Since Nunu struggles against champions who can invade him early, disrupt his crowd control, and outmaneuver him in fights, Lee Sin forces him into a difficult matchup where he has little control over objectives and engages.
Nunu & Willump may be a tanky jungler with strong sustain and objective control, but the right champions can shut him down and limit his impact. Champions like Lee Sin, Elise, and Rek’Sai can invade early and disrupt his jungle pathing, preventing him from scaling effectively. Burst-heavy champions such as Kha’Zix and Viego can punish his lack of mobility, while dueling powerhouses like Olaf and Xin Zhao can outdamage and outheal him in extended fights. Crowd control champions like Gragas and Hecarim can interrupt his engages and prevent him from fully charging Absolute Zero (R). By picking the right champion and playing aggressively, you can neutralize Nunu’s strengths, deny his early-game presence, and keep him from becoming a late-game tanky menace.
Posted On: February 27th, 2025
💬 Need help?
Our 1v9 support team is available 24/7 to help you with any questions or issues you may have.
support@1v9.gg
League of Legends
Teamfight Tactics
Call of Duty
Rainbow Six Siege
Counter-Strike 2
Overwatch 2
Apex Legends
Honkai: Star Rail
Zenless Zone Zero
🚀 More Games
EUR (€)
1v9.gg is not endorsed or affiliated by any game developers or publishers.
2024 1v9, All Rights Reserved, Created By NIGHTDEV 👑