Nashor’s Tooth

What is Nashor’s Tooth? 🦷

Nashor’s Tooth is a legendary hybrid item bridging the Marksman, Mage, Attack Speed, On-Hit Effects, Ability Power, and Ability Haste categories. It is the defining AP on-hit item in League of Legends — providing +80 AP, +15 AH, and +50% AS alongside an on-hit magic damage passive that scales directly with AP.

ICATHIAN BITE’s 15 + 15% AP magic damage on-hit means every basic attack is simultaneously an AP scaling damage event. At 400 AP, every auto deals 15 + 60 = 75 bonus magic damage on-hit — before considering resistances. Champions who weave auto attacks between AP ability casts (Cassiopeia, Azir, Kayle, Kog’Maw) receive compounding value from both the AP abilities and the AP on-hit simultaneously.

At 2,900 Gold, it’s priced between Rabadon’s Deathcap (3,500g) and Riftmaker (2,900g). Sell price: 2,030 Gold. ID: 3115. Available on SR 5v5, ARAM, Nexus Blitz, and Arena.

📊 Base Statistics

🔨 Recipe & Components

Nashor’s Tooth builds from Recurve Bow + Blasting Wand + Fiendish Codex with a very low 500g combine:

🦷 ICATHIAN BITE — Complete Mechanics Reference

What ICATHIAN BITE Is and Is Not

ICATHIAN BITE deals proc damage — specifically magic damage on-hit classified as proc damage rather than spell damage. This single classification determines all of its interaction behavior with other game mechanics.

ICATHIAN BITE + AP Scaling Champions — Why It Compounds

The power loop: AP items increase AP → AP amplifies ICATHIAN BITE on-hit damage → Rabadon’s Deathcap‘s MAGICAL OPUS multiplies the AP total → ICATHIAN BITE scales with the amplified AP total. Every AP item that increases total AP simultaneously increases ICATHIAN BITE’s per-auto damage. Items like Riftmaker, Shadowflame, and Rylai’s Crystal Scepter all provide AP that feeds both ability damage AND ICATHIAN BITE simultaneously.

ICATHIAN BITE’s damage also benefits from magic penetration. Void Staff‘s 40% magic penetration, Shadowflame‘s CINDERBLOOM execute penetration, and Sorcerer’s Shoes’ flat magic pen all reduce the target’s effective MR against ICATHIAN BITE’s magic damage — stacking penetration improves both ability and on-hit damage simultaneously.

ICATHIAN BITE + Guinsoo’s Rageblade Interaction

Guinsoo’s Rageblade applies on-hit effects twice every third attack (WRATH passive). ICATHIAN BITE is an on-hit effect — every third attack fires ICATHIAN BITE twice. This doubles the per-attack ICATHIAN BITE damage on every third auto. On champions like Kog’Maw who build Guinsoo’s Rageblade, the Nashor’s Tooth + Rageblade combination creates a compounding on-hit magic damage loop that scales with AP.

🏟️ Arena Mode — Map-Specific Differences

Arena adjusts all base stats down slightly but buffs ICATHIAN BITE’s AP ratio from 15% to 20% AP. At 300 AP in Arena: 15 + (20% × 300) = 15 + 60 = 75 damage per auto — identical to SR’s 400 AP output. At 400 AP in Arena: 15 + 80 = 95 damage per auto vs SR’s 75. The 20% ratio makes ICATHIAN BITE significantly stronger per AP in Arena than SR, partially offsetting the reduced base AP (70 vs 80). Champions who reach high AP totals in Arena extract disproportionate ICATHIAN BITE value from the improved ratio.

🎯 Best Champions for Nashor’s Tooth

Nashor’s Tooth is strongest on AP champions who weave basic attacks between ability casts — specifically those whose auto-attack patterns are baked into their kit design (Kayle, Azir, Teemo) or who build high AP totals that amplify ICATHIAN BITE’s on-hit damage to meaningful per-auto values (Kog’Maw, Cassiopeia).

✅ Ideal Picks

• Kayle — Her core mechanic is auto-attacking with AP scaling on-hit magic damage (Starfire Spellblade). Nashor’s Tooth’s ICATHIAN BITE stacks on top of her own on-hit passive. The +50% AS dramatically increases her auto frequency, and the 80 AP increases both Starfire Spellblade’s damage and ICATHIAN BITE’s damage simultaneously. Standard build: Nashor’s Tooth first item into Rabadon’s Deathcap — her highest DPS item combination for the empowered form.
• Azir — His soldiers attack with basic attacks that apply on-hit effects — ICATHIAN BITE fires from each soldier auto independently. With 3+ soldiers attacking simultaneously, ICATHIAN BITE procs multiply per attack cycle. The +15 AH reduces Arise (W) and Conquering Sands (Q) CDs for more frequent soldier repositioning. Nashor’s Tooth is his standard first or second item after Rylai’s Crystal Scepter in most builds.
• Kog’Maw — Bio-Arcane Barrage (W) already applies on-hit AP damage — ICATHIAN BITE adds a second on-hit magic damage layer that also scales with AP. Combined with Guinsoo’s Rageblade‘s double on-hit every third attack, Kog’Maw fires 3 on-hit magic damage sources per every third auto (W passive + ICATHIAN BITE + Rageblade). The AS from Nashor’s maximizes his W window DPS.
• Teemo — His Toxic Shot (E) already applies on-hit poison on every auto. ICATHIAN BITE adds magic on-hit on top of Toxic Shot — both scale with AP. The +50% AS dramatically increases his poison stack application rate. Void Staff amplifies both ICATHIAN BITE and Toxic Shot’s AP ratio simultaneously via magic penetration.
• Cassiopeia — Twin Fang (E) attacks every 0.75 seconds — effectively a rapid auto-attack sequence. Each E application that hits a poisoned target contributes to the sustained magic DPS alongside her occasional auto-weave. The +15 AH reduces E’s 0-second CD on poisoned targets’ rotation and Miasma (W) CD. Nashor’s Tooth is her primary attack speed + AP source in hybrid builds.
• Neeko — Tangle-Barbs (E) and Blooming Burst (Q) are her primary damage, but her auto-attack pattern between abilities benefits from ICATHIAN BITE’s AP scaling. The AH reduces Tangle-Barbs CD for more frequent root applications. Her high AP ratios make ICATHIAN BITE’s per-auto damage meaningful at full build.
• Smolder — His passive stacks empower his autos — the AP scaling from ICATHIAN BITE adds onto his stack-empowered auto damage. The +50% AS accelerates stack accumulation. Nashor’s Tooth is a common second item after Riftmaker in AP Smolder builds.

❌ Suboptimal Picks

• Pure AP mages who never auto-attack: Lux, Syndra, Ziggs — these champions cast spells and reposition without weaving basic attacks. ICATHIAN BITE is zero-value if no autos are thrown. Rabadon’s Deathcap or Shadowflame provide more spell-damage-focused value without the AS tax.
• AD marksmen building no AP: without AP, ICATHIAN BITE provides only 15 flat magic damage per auto — negligible. The +50% AS and +15 AH are useful but items like Kraken Slayer or Runaan’s Hurricane provide more relevant unique passives for pure AD builds.
• Tanks and fighters who aren’t AP-auto hybrids: the AP and AS are wasted on champions with no AP ratios. Trinity Force or Sterak’s Gage serve AS-heavy fighters far better.

⚙️ Recommended Build Paths

AP Auto-Weave Core (Kayle / Teemo / Smolder)

1. Nashor’s Tooth — First item — ICATHIAN BITE online immediately; +50% AS accelerates auto frequency; +80 AP amplifies both abilities and on-hit
2. Rabadon’s Deathcap — Second item — MAGICAL OPUS 30% multiplies all AP including Nashor’s 80 AP; ICATHIAN BITE scales with amplified AP total
3. Riftmaker — Third item — VOID CORRUPTION sustain during extended fights; VOID INFUSION AP from HP scales ICATHIAN BITE further
4. Void Staff — Fourth item — 40% magic penetration applies to both ability damage AND ICATHIAN BITE’s magic on-hit simultaneously
5. Rylai’s Crystal Scepter — Fifth item — RIMEFROST slow on all AP damage including ICATHIAN BITE procs; +400 HP survivability

Azir / Kog’Maw On-Hit AP Build

6. Rylai’s Crystal Scepter — First item — RIMEFROST slow on soldiers (Azir) or W hits (Kog’Maw); HP survivability early
7. Nashor’s Tooth — Second item — ICATHIAN BITE adds on-hit magic layer on top of Azir soldier attacks / Kog’Maw W; +15 AH reduces W and Q CDs
8. Guinsoo’s Rageblade — Third item — WRATH doubles on-hit every 3rd attack; ICATHIAN BITE fires twice every 3rd auto (on Kog’Maw this creates triple on-hit: W + ICATHIAN BITE × 2 + Rageblade)
9. Rabadon’s Deathcap — Fourth item — amplifies all AP sources; ICATHIAN BITE scales with multiplied AP total
10. Void Staff — Fifth item — magic penetration applies across all on-hit magic damage sources simultaneously

Cassiopeia AP Hybrid Build

11. Rylai’s Crystal Scepter — First item — RIMEFROST slow on Twin Fang (E); poison hits slow, creating consistent CC pattern
12. Nashor’s Tooth — Second item — +15 AH reduces Miasma (W) and Noxious Blast (Q) CDs; +50% AS compounds with E’s rapid-fire attack pattern; ICATHIAN BITE on every E application
13. Shadowflame — Third item — CINDERBLOOM execute at low HP targets + magic penetration vs shields; AP amplifies both E damage and ICATHIAN BITE
14. Rabadon’s Deathcap — Fourth item — MAGICAL OPUS multiplies all AP from Rylai’s, Nashor’s, and Shadowflame simultaneously
15. Void Staff — Fifth item — 40% magic pen on all E applications and ICATHIAN BITE hits

🔄 Similar Items — AP On-Hit & Hybrid Category

❌ Common Mistakes & How to Avoid Them

• Expecting ICATHIAN BITE to trigger spell effects: proc damage does not trigger spell effects. ICATHIAN BITE will not proc Electrocute’s 3-hit threshold, will not trigger Lich Bane‘s Spellblade, and will not activate spell-effect-gated mechanics. Understanding that ICATHIAN BITE is on-hit proc damage — not spell damage — prevents incorrect synergy assumptions.
• Building it on pure ability champions with no auto-weave: Lux, Syndra, Veigar cast abilities and immediately reposition. If no autos are thrown, ICATHIAN BITE is permanently inactive. Rabadon’s Deathcap or Shadowflame provide better value per gold for ability-only patterns.
• Not buying magic penetration alongside: ICATHIAN BITE deals magic damage — magic penetration from Void Staff applies to it. Building a full AP on-hit build without Void Staff means targets with 100+ MR neutralize a significant portion of ICATHIAN BITE’s damage. Magic pen is multiplicative with ICATHIAN BITE’s impact.
• Attacking towers expecting ICATHIAN BITE to proc: ICATHIAN BITE’s on-hit damage does not apply to structures. Tower auto-attacks during sieges provide zero ICATHIAN BITE value. This is relevant for Kayle, Teemo, and Azir who sometimes auto-attack towers — their ICATHIAN BITE doesn’t contribute to structure damage.
• Missing the Guinsoo’s Rageblade interaction on on-hit AP champions: on Kog’Maw and other on-hit-heavy champions, Guinsoo’s Rageblade doubles ICATHIAN BITE every third attack. This interaction makes Rageblade one of the highest-value companion items for Nashor’s Tooth on these champions — not building it misses one of the strongest on-hit synergies available.

✅ Best Practices

• Build Void Staff in every Nashor’s Tooth build: magic penetration applies to ICATHIAN BITE and all AP abilities simultaneously — it’s the most efficient damage amplifier for the entire build
• Pair with Rabadon’s Deathcap: MAGICAL OPUS amplifies the AP that ICATHIAN BITE scales with — at full build, Deathcap’s 30% multiplier increases every ICATHIAN BITE hit by 15% of 30% = 4.5 bonus damage per 100 AP in the build above what it would be without Deathcap
• On Kog’Maw: build Guinsoo’s Rageblade alongside: WRATH doubles ICATHIAN BITE every third attack — the triple on-hit (W + ICATHIAN BITE + Rageblade proc) is the highest AP on-hit DPS combination available for on-hit AP champions
• Track auto-weave discipline: always weave one auto between ability casts — ability → auto → ability → auto; each auto fires ICATHIAN BITE and the attack speed makes the weave extremely fast at +50% AS
• In Arena: the 20% AP ratio increases ICATHIAN BITE value at equivalent AP totals; build AP aggressively — the on-hit damage output is stronger per AP in Arena than SR

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: Does ICATHIAN BITE trigger Lich Bane’s Spellblade?

A: No — ICATHIAN BITE is proc damage and does not trigger Lich Bane‘s Spellblade. Spellblade requires casting an ability to empower the next basic attack. ICATHIAN BITE fires on the basic attack itself as an on-hit effect, not as a result of a prior ability cast. The two items are compatible in builds (e.g., Azir), but they function independently — Lich Bane procs from ability casts, Nashor’s procs from auto-attacks.

Q: Does ICATHIAN BITE apply Rylai’s Crystal Scepter slow?

A: Yes — Rylai’s Crystal Scepter‘s RIMEFROST slow applies to on-hit magic damage sources, and ICATHIAN BITE qualifies. Every basic attack fires both ICATHIAN BITE’s magic on-hit damage and Rylai’s slow effect simultaneously on the target. This makes the Nashor’s Tooth + Rylai’s combination a consistent perma-slow on auto-weaving AP champions.

Q: Why doesn’t ICATHIAN BITE work on towers?

A: A: ICATHIAN BITE’s on-hit damage explicitly does not apply to structures. On-hit effects are generally excluded from structure interactions in League of Legends — this is a consistent rule across all on-hit damage items. The only damage that applies to structures is basic attack physical damage and some ability damage. ICATHIAN BITE’s magic on-hit proc is not included.

Q: Does ICATHIAN BITE scale with magic penetration?

A: Yes — ICATHIAN BITE deals magic damage, and magic penetration from Void Staff, Shadowflame, or flat magic pen (Sorcerer’s Shoes) reduces the target’s effective MR against ICATHIAN BITE’s damage. At 40% magic penetration from Void Staff: a target with 100 MR effectively has 60 MR against ICATHIAN BITE’s damage, increasing per-hit damage by approximately 25%.

Q: Does life steal apply to ICATHIAN BITE’s damage?

A: A: Yes — life steal applies to ICATHIAN BITE’s bonus magic damage. This is explicitly noted in the item’s documentation. On champions with life steal items (Ravenous Hydra, Immortal Shieldbow) or Vampirism rune, ICATHIAN BITE’s on-hit damage contributes to life steal recovery per auto.

Q: Is Nashor’s Tooth good on Azir if his soldiers auto-attack?

A: Yes — and specifically impactful because Azir‘s sand soldiers deal basic attack damage and apply on-hit effects with each soldier attack. ICATHIAN BITE fires from each soldier auto independently. With 3 soldiers simultaneously attacking a target, each soldier attack triggers ICATHIAN BITE — at 400 AP, that’s 75 bonus magic damage per soldier attack, multiplied by soldier count. This makes Nashor’s Tooth one of his most DPS-efficient items during extended soldier fights.