When looking at Nilah, it can be hard to know which support synergizes with her the best. On the one hand, it may seem “mathematically correct” to pair Zilean with Nilah due to their passive granting each other extra XP, which can be crucial in the botlane. However, what is most often thought of as viable turns out to be mediocre or lackluster.
Consequently, for this list, we will be looking at the top 7 supports you should learn to play with a duo or a random Nilah picker in solo queue. Our rankings will be objective as we will be focusing on winrate-based strength, not opinion based. Although winrate is not the perfect indication of the real strength of a champion or a champion duo, it can take us more than half of the way there.
Here is what you should pick when playing with a Nilah in the bottom lane:
Also read: Best Supports for Vayne
7. Taric
Taric is one of the unique champions in League that constantly want to engage and have fights last long due to his ability to spam the healing on his Q spell if he is allowed to hit an enemy champion repeatedly.
This aspect of Taric is further enhanced by Nilah’s ability to use her w on him, which makes him immune to enemy auto attacks, allowing him to go for plays he would not go for otherwise.
While Taric may not be the best support to play when playing with Nilah, he certainly proves himself to be worthy of the top 7. His W and Q synergize well with Nilah’s unique kit and playstyle and that makes him a reliable pick to play with a Nilah.
6. Rakan
Rakan is an invaluable asset to Nilah’s aggressive endeavors. With his flamboyant flair and captivating dances, Rakan ensures that the spotlight stays on him, allowing Nilah to strike when least expected.
His quick dash and shield, provided by his Battle Dance, means that even when Nilah dives deep, Rakan is right there beside her, offering protection and turning the tides of skirmishes. His Grand Entrance serves a dual purpose – not only does it disrupt the enemy backline, but it also sets up the perfect stage for Nilah to unleash her fury.
The charm from Rakan’s ultimate, The Quickness, is a game-changer. Just when enemies think they can retaliate, Rakan sweeps them off their feet, leaving them vulnerable to Nilah’s subsequent assault.
Furthermore, Rakan’s innate ability to heal and bolster Nilah’s resilience ensures that they can continue their dance in the lane for longer durations, out-sustaining their adversaries.
5. Alistar
Alistar is one of the highest “skill” supports in the game as the difference between a good Alistar and a bad Alistar is astronomical, to say the least.
Consequently, when a good Alistar is paired with a Nilah, his standard combo can be easily followed by her “e into r into q and a couple of autos into boom you are dead” combo.
Alistar CC’s the enemies for long enough so that Nilah has time to do enough uninterrupted damage that the enemy botlane is often left dead as early as level 3.
This means that the Nilah Alistar combo proves to be very deadly to the lane into, and picking into them becomes a chore in itself. The enemy is not left with many options from counterplay apart from praying their jungler camps them.
Also read: Best Supports for Jhin
4. Soraka
Soraka is a big “f u” to the faces of anyone trying to kill Nilah. In this botlane combo, Nilah has to do everything by herself, and Soraka is there to silence her enemies and keep Nilah alive forever. Soraka excels in this by having a short cooldown on the largest enchanter, non-ultimate healing spell in the game, her W.
Furthermore, when Soraka’s W is paired with her Q, it heals for even more, and at the end of the day, Soraka takes summon aery and has base AD so she can help by continuously auto-attacking in addition to her already obnoxious healing. This makes Nilah very difficult to kill and avoid because Soraka also out scales most support champions in the game.
3. Zilean
Zilean, the Timekeeper, brings a different tempo to the bot lane when paired with Nilah. Unlike supports that focus on raw damage, Zilean is about controlling the pace of the fight. One perfectly timed bomb can zone enemies or set up for Nilah to pounce, while two can lead to a devastating stun, giving Nilah the perfect window to strike.
Zilean’s ultimate, Chronoshift, serves as a safeguard for Nilah, allowing her to dive into fights without the fear of immediate consequences. Should she fall, Zilean can rewind time and bring her back, ready to re-engage or retreat.
His ability to speed up allies or slow down enemies complements Nilah’s unique style. If enemies think they can catch Nilah off-guard, Zilean’s Time Warp ensures she can get in or out of harm’s way in the blink of an eye.
While Zilean might not have the immediate burst of some supports, his utility and control over the flow of combat make him a perfect complement to champions like Nilah. Their synergy is about strategy, patience, and picking the right moment to strike.
2. Milio
Milio, the Gentle Flame, serves as a beacon of support, illuminating the path for Nilah in the treacherous lanes. Their synergy is undeniable, as Milio’s toolkit complements Nilah’s playstyle beautifully. When Nilah ventures forth, Milio ensures she is bolstered, ready to face any challenge.
His heal over time ensures that Nilah can sustain through prolonged trades, and any unexpected poke is quickly mitigated by Milio’s shielding capabilities. This creates a lane where Nilah can be more daring, knowing that Milio’s got her back.
The movement speed boost Milio offers is a game-changer for Nilah. Often, the difference between a kill and an escape is a split second, and with Milio’s assistance, Nilah can close the gap or make a swift exit when things get dicey.
What truly sets this pair apart is Milio’s unique ability to amplify Nilah’s range. This allows Nilah to engage from unexpected distances, catching opponents off guard. And with every strike imbued with Milio’s added chip damage, enemies find themselves whittled down faster than they’d expect.
Also read: Best Supports for Jinx
1. Amumu
Amumu is the prime example of a simple champion being better than a complicated one. Ever since his mini rework in season 11, people have been picking him left, right, and center in the support role because he has high base damage and is tankier than most other supports while having 2 skill shot long ranged stuns, which can make or break the game at level 2. (almomento.net)
Since Nilah is the only ADC in the game who can level up to 2 one minion earlier than the rest if she farms perfectly, players abuse that to their benefit, and Amumu can yeet himself in when the enemy does not expect it since all they know their whole life is 6 minions plus 2 from the next wave = level 2.
Even though this is not more skill and is more reliant on the fact that mentally not many botlaners are prepared for the double stun into ignite into death combo from the Amumu Nilah botlane, and since botlane is often decided less than 5 minutes into the game, this results in a much favorable outcome for the Nilah team.
Final Thoughts
As evident by this list, skill does not always result in better outcomes in the botlane. However, sometimes skill can be rewarded. That being said, This list is meant to help any support player choose their picks if they want to win with Nilah, and serves as an introduction to what you should do when playing those supports.
As always, if you have any thoughts or suggestions, kindly leave them down in the comments section below!
