When I first started playing League, I always liked champions with unusual weapons. Everyone had swords, spears, or bows, but when Nilah came out, I was hooked right away.
A champion who fights with a whip? That felt fresh and exciting.
It reminded me of when I was learning champs like Thresh or Cassiopeia and thought their kits felt a little like whips, too. But Nilah took it to a whole new level.
In this guide, I’ll share what makes Nilah stand out as the only real whip champion in League. We’ll go over her lore, her whip design, and how her skills actually play out in-game.
By the end, you’ll know exactly which whip skills exist in League and how they work.
Which Champions Use Whip Abilities in League of Legends?
If you want to know which champions use whip abilities, the main one is Nilah. She wields an urumi, a whip-like flexible blade, which is central to her fighting style.
Nilah’s abilities let her strike enemies in a line, pull them closer, and even heal herself and nearby allies based on the damage she deals.
Her whip attacks increase her attack speed and range temporarily, making her more deadly. Nilah can also dash through enemies with her slipstream ability, causing damage and gaining mobility.
Other champions don’t use whips as weapons like Nilah does, though some have moves that look whip-like.
So, if you want to see real whip skill in action, Nilah is the only true whip user in League right now. Her flowing, whip-based attacks and healing make her unique and fun to play.
Nilah: The Joy Unbound and Her Whip Skills
Nilah isn’t just another champion with a cool weapon. Her story, design, and abilities are all built around her whip, making her one of the most original picks in the game.
Nilah’s story is tied to a demon called Ashlesh, the demon of joy.
She bound this creature and now carries its power, which is why her personality and kit both revolve around joy and teamwork. She comes from Kathkan, far away from the lands we see most often in Runeterra.
Her weapon isn’t just a rope with spikes. It’s a whip made of prismatic water energy.
Riot’s designers talked about how they animated it by hand, frame by frame, so the whip would look fluid and natural. That extra care shows in her in-game movements.
Her whip feels like it belongs to her and not just a reskinned sword.
Abilities Featuring the Whip
Nilah is the only champion in League with a whip-based kit, using it for range, mobility, and crowd control. This is how each ability works:
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Passive – Joy Unending: When Nilah last hits minions, she gives extra experience to her partner. She also boosts healing and shielding effects from allies, making her one of the most team-friendly ADCs.
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Q – Formless Blade: She swings her whip in a line, dealing damage and hitting enemies in a cone. On hit, her attacks gain extra range and speed for a short time. It also has a passive that heals her, making trades easier.
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E – Slipstream: Nilah dashes through enemies. She can hold two charges, and when she pairs it with Q, her whip pulls a wave along her path. It feels flashy and gives her room to outplay people.
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R – Apotheosis: This is her big moment, as she lashes her whip in a circle, damaging and pulling enemies. She also heals herself and allies, turning overheal into a shield for clutch team fights.
Gameplay and Role
Nilah is a bot lane skirmisher who shines in close fights. Unlike most ADCs, she doesn’t rely on poking from a distance.
Instead, she jumps in to trade damage and heals through her attacks, which lets her stay longer in fights.
She’s really strong in extended battles thanks to her sustain and the way she supports her lane partner with healing and shielding.
However, Nilah is not easy to play, she’s classified as a high-difficulty champion. You need good timing and positioning to use her dashes and ultimate effectively.
If you get caught out without a plan, she lacks the safety many marksmen enjoy. Playing her well requires practice, but the payoff in fights is worth the effort.
Nilah demands skill, but she rewards aggressive and smart gameplay.
What Happened to the Ironspike Whip in League of Legends?
Before Nilah showed up, the closest thing to a whip in League was the Ironspike Whip. This was an epic item crafted from Tiamat, granting champions an active attack.
When you used it, the whip sent out a crescent slash, dealing area damage around the user. It worked best for bruisers who needed a quick wave clear or wanted extra pressure in fights.
The item was removed in patch 14.1. Riot said it didn’t fit the new item system, and it had a poor win rate. Only a handful of champs like Irelia and Tryndamere bought it often.
Even though it’s gone, Ironspike Whip still stands out as one of the rare whip-style tools in the game’s history.
Other “whip-like” Mechanics in League
Some champions don’t carry whips, but parts of their kits feel close. Their attacks or animations create the same kind of motion and control.
- Cassiopeia: Her tail lashes in animations, and some players see that as whip-like.
- Thresh: His chain and hook swing almost like a whip, especially in his auto attack.
- Fiddlesticks: His scythe has long, swinging animations that resemble whip movements.
- Zac: His arms stretch and slap like elastic whips in some of his skills.
Conclusion
When I first started playing League, I loved champions with unusual weapons, so Nilah’s whip immediately caught my attention.
She brought a fresh feel to the game, showing that weapons don’t have to be swords or bows to be amazing. Nilah stands out not just because of her whip but because of how her skills and lore connect perfectly.
She demands skill, but mastering her is rewarding, especially if you like aggressive, close-up fights.
If you’re looking for a champion that combines unique style with strong gameplay and team support, Nilah is definitely worth checking out.
I hope this guide helps you understand what makes her unique and how her whip abilities work in the game.
Give her a try, you might just find your new favorite pick.
