Item Build
Example Full Build
Standard Start
you start with 475g
Doran's Blade is a great standard start in most matchups and allows you to do more damage when harassing with auto attacks in combination with 
Primal Surge / Swipe (E)'s attack speed buff pre-6.
Always try to utilize your 
Prowl (P) to weave in and out of bushes with increased MS during trade patterns.
SIDE NOTE:
A recent change on PBE let's you stack Doran's Blade. Feel free to do so if you want early laning power to shut out the enemy laner at the cost of slowing down your core build.
Alternative Starting Items
you start with 475g
If you know your matchup is going to be difficult, Doran's Ring is a good option to improve your heals from Primal Surge / Swipe (E) and offers mana restore in lane.
If you're really struggling in lane, Crystalline Flask works great too.
First Recall
Sheen is your best first recall, no questions asked, assuming you can manage to save up 1200g before you need to base.
You are a natural lane bully in human form when abusing bushes (Prowl (P)) and it's easy to proc sheen during trades with Primal Surge / Swipe (E) , 
Javelin Toss / Takedown (Q) , or even 
Bushwhack / Pounce (W) .
If you recall with extra money, feel free to purchase Vision Ward / Sight Ward to place into the river or enemy jungle. At level 6, you became highly mobile with 
Aspect Of The Cougar (R) and so if you crash a large enough wave, deep vision or covering mid is extremely easy to do.
Otherwise if you're against an AD matchup, 
Cloth Armor to get Ninja Tabi or 
Glacial Shroud is great too.
If you're struggling in lane with resources and having trouble farming, you could also of course pick up Crystalline Flask if you started a doran's item previously.
First Item Options
Classic 
Nidalee loves any item that uses Sheen. When the enemy team has a lot of physical damage, I highly suggest buying Iceborn Gauntlet. It's great for letting you stick to targets and chase or kite with Bushwhack / Pounce (W).
Otherwise, if your team lacks damage or the opponent team is high in magic damage, you could use your Sheen to build into Trinity Force which lets you split push easily mid and late game.
Example Core - Iceborn Tank
Feel free to swap the order on Atma's Impaler and Spirit Visage based on enemy team composition or matchups.
Example Core - Trinity Splitpush
Similar to above example, but here the Trinity Force gives extra movement speed and tower damage, which helps in sidelanes.
Boot Options
Flex/Alt Items
Summoner Spells
You could also run 
Ghost in place of Ignite / Teleport if you know your matchup is a winning one and expect the only way of losing involves the enemy jungler camping your lane.
Runes
AD Bruiser/Tank 1 Runes
9× Mark of Attack Speedmark
9× Seal of Armorseal
9× Glyph of Magic Resistglyph
3× Quintessence of Attack Damagequint
AP 1 Runes
9× Mark of Magic Penetrationmark- 9× Seal of Armorseal
- 9× Glyph of Magic Resistglyph
3× Quintessence of Ability Powerquint
I'm not going to claim these are the best rune pages for Nidalee top. But they should be a good option in most games and a great use of your IP while leveling.
Masteries
1/1
4/4
2/4
4/4
3/3
1/1
2/2
3/3
1/1
4/4
2/3
2/3
1/1
Feel free to swap around Hardiness and Resistance as needed if going the defense tree.
Why Play Tank Nidalee Over AP/AD?
Aspect Of The Cougar (R) abilities have great base damage on them, so even as a tank as long as you don't fall too behind, you will easily be able to kill enemy champion in sidelanes or teamfights.
Since Nidalee has lower cooldowns on her abilities and form switching, Iceborn Gauntlet and Trinity Force are easy to proc.
Iceborn Gauntlet is especially useful since it gives Nidalee a form of utility in fights and skirmishes.
Trinity Force lets you duel enemies or have enough damage to splitpush when your team is struggling to teamfight properly.
There are going to be some games where your team is low on damage and you might benefit instead going for an AP heavy build to help poke at objectives with Javelin Toss / Takedown (Q) or one-shot enemy backline with Aspect Of The Cougar (R).
Shushei's Mana Jug, 
Lich Bane, 
Rabadon's Deathcap, 
Void Staff for example are still great items if the drafts don't favor you building tank.
More Chapters
This guide is a work in-progress but I wanted to publish it anyway since the build is really fun and strong right now.
Also shoutout to Lourlo on Twitch and Youtube, he is really good at Nidalee and often builds her and other champions in unique ways.
Comments (1)
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Hope to see you finish the rest of the guide soon
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