How to win lane as Nautilus against Mordekaiser · 50.03% win rate (25 Emerald+ games, lolalytics, sampled July 2026) · Matchup data reviewed on patch 26.15
Build MR — Q-hook into CC, survive his realm.
Track: Mordekaiser's R — Realm of Death (140–100s cooldown). His 1v1 realm. W-shield through it.
Read from Nautilus's seat: which stage windows this plan plays for against Mordekaiser.
| Stage | Favoured | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Even / skill | Both of you are weak level 1 with no all-in, but your passive root on the first auto makes early auto-trades favorable as long as you deny him an isolated Q. |
| Level 2 | Mordekaiser | With Q and W online his isolated-target Q out-damages you and his W shield-heals through your trades, so he owns the lane the moment he hits 2. |
| Level 3 | Mordekaiser | His Q-Q burn rotation plus W sustain beats your W splash in any straight trade — never duel him without a minion breaking his isolation bonus. |
| Levels 4-5 | Even / skill | It's a knife's edge: your Q-pull-root-E-slow chain can lock him, but his E-pull-into-isolated-Q answers your engage, so trade only when you have a clean exit. |
| Level 6 | Even / skill | Genuinely even — his R isn't up to punish your engage yet, but his sustained-trade kit still matches your CC, so it comes down to who commits first. |
| First item | Mordekaiser | The instant he hits 6 he R's you the moment you Q in, stealing your tank stats and winning the 1v1 you started — his hardest favor window. |
| Two+ items | Nautilus | Your durability and chain CC outlast his plateauing AP — with 2+ tank items you survive his R and your Q-R lockdown wins the teamfights he can't 1v1. |
Level 1 is roughly even — neither of you has a real all-in yet, but your passive root on the first auto makes short auto-trades favorable, so don't let him get a free isolated Q on you. Once he has Q-W online he out-trades you: his isolated Q does big bonus damage and his W shield-heals through your pokes, so never duel him alone in the open. Keep a minion beside you to deny his Q crit, and only commit your Q-pull into root when you have the slow to follow up, not as a naked engage he can E-Q punish.
Pooled Emerald+ win rates from Nautilus's side, sampled July 2026.
The full Nautilus vs Mordekaiser report continues with the mid-game plan, the late-game and teamfight plan, every power spike to play around, and the win conditions for both sides — plus cooldown tracking and the live enemy-jungle tracker inside the app.
Read the full guide — plans from $1.99/month →🔒 Secure checkout · 💰 7-day money-back guarantee on your first payment · ✋ Cancel anytime
Lane Pass $1.99/mo · All Lanes $3.99/mo · Annual $24.99/yr. Renews automatically — cancel anytime.
Nobody on paper — a 50.03% win rate over 25 games makes this a coin flip decided by play, not champion select.
Yes — Nautilus vs Mordekaiser is a genuine skill matchup: 50.03% win rate, and the favour swings window to window rather than being set at champion select.
No hard counter either way — the Nautilus vs Mordekaiser win rate is 50.03%, an even lane decided by execution.
Nautilus takes Grasp of the Undying on the Resolve tree with Demolish, Second Wind and Overgrowth, and Precision secondary (Triumph and Legend: Haste) vs Mordekaiser.
Start Doran's Shield + Health Potion and back for Executioner's Calling (≈800g) — cuts his healing. Build Iceborn Gauntlet (perma-slow chains) first, then Sunfire Aegis, with Mercury's Treads.
Playing the other side? Mordekaiser vs Nautilus guide →
All Nautilus top lane matchups →
More Nautilus top lane matchups: vs Maokai · vs Master Yi · vs Mel · vs Nasus · vs Neeko · vs Olaf