Mobile Legends with its 7th anniversary, brings the 122nd hero Nolan, who is an Assassin role hero with high Blink and Burst Physical Damage potential. According to his hero lore, Nolan is actually Layla’s father, who disappeared a long time ago. We have previously made a detailed hero analysis of Nolan as he made his appearance on the MLBB advanced server. In this Mobile Legends guide, we will take a look at the best emblem setup, spells, and builds, including tips and tricks to dominate every game with Nolan.
We have previously discussed how to master playing with other Mobile Legends heroes like Miya, Ling, Wanwan, Pharsa, Carmilla, Silvanna, Hayabusa, Atlas, Luo Yi, Yu Zhong, Aurora, Khaleed, Freya, Khufra, X.Borg, Lesley, Tigreal, Hylos, Valir, Cecilion, Lylia, Uranus, Barats, Odette, Angela, Vale, Rafaela, Hanzo, Esmeralda, Brody, Lapu-Lapu, Nana, Benedetta, Hilda, Mathilda, Selena, Jawhead, Chou, Paquito, Thamuz, Lunox, Yi Sun-Shin, Yve, Gatotkaca, Karrie, Ruby, Beatrix, Gloo, Argus, Baxia, Granger, Phoveus, Hanabi, Alpha, Harley, Karina, Eudora, Natan, Dyrroth, Balmond, Aulus, Guinevere, Sun, Belerick, Floryn, Aamon, Valentina, Kagura, Saber, Leomord, Bruno Akai, Bane, Edith, Martis, Alucard, Gusion, Chang’e, Yin, Clint, Alice, Grock, Kadita, Popol and Kupa, Zilong, Minotaur, Helcurt, Cyclops, Lancelot, Kaja, Claude, Lolita, Melissa, Layla, Moskov, Irithel, Kimmy, Harith, Estes, Roger, Xavier, Gord, Franco, Minsitthar, Terizla, Masha, Johnson, Zhask, Fanny, Aldous, Diggie, Julian, Faramis, Vexana, Natalia, Fredrinn, Joy, Arlott, Novaria, and Ixia. So make sure to check these hero guides as well. For now, let’s focus on Nolan.
Skill Analysis
Nolan has three active skills and a passive skill including one special ultimate skill like most heroes in the game. In this Mobile Legends guide, we will also talk about the skills to use in certain scenarios as well as skill combos to be able to play Nolan to his maximum potential.
Passive – Dimensional Rift
Nolan’s skills will leave a Rift that lasts 5s and slows enemies by 30%. When a Rift comes into contact with another Rift, it will activate and pull enemies to their center and deal 220 (+140% Extra Physical Attack) Physical Damage after a short delay. When a rift activation hits an enemy hero or creep, Nolan will gain 15 Energy. If an enemy is hit with multiple Rift activations, the damage after the first hit will be reduced to 40%.
Cosmic Leap: If Nolan does not deal or take damage for 5s, he enhances his next basic attack to dash to the target, dealing (120% Total Physical Attack) Physical Damage and leaving a Rift. (Damage to and from Minions or Creeps will not prevent Nolan from getting this effect.
Skill 1 – Expansion
CD – 1.5s
Energy Cost – 25
Nolan cuts a rectangular area in front of him with his cosmic gauge, dealing 230/280/330/380/430/480 (+40% Total Physical Attack) physical damage and leaving a Rift at the first enemy hit.
Skill 2 – Gauge
CD – 1.5s
Energy Cost – 25
Nolan charges in the target direction and slashes with his cosmic gauge, dealing 70/100/130/160/190/220 (+ 13% Total Physical Attack) Physical Damage to enemies in his path, and leaving a Rift.
Skill 3 – Fracture
CD – 20s
Energy Cost – 0
Nolan removes all debuts on himself and slashes the target location 3 times, dealing 130/170/210 (+50% Extra Physical Attack) Physical Damage with each slash while leaving 3 Rifts. The rifts will activate automatically while Nolan dashes backward.
Skill-up method for Nolan
Players are expected to unlock Nolan’s Skill 1 first and upgrade it alongside Skill 2 accordingly, and Ultimate, whenever available. Skill 1 upgrade should be prioritized as it is Nolan’s main damage skill.
Best Emblem set and Spells for Nolan in Mobile Legends
Emblem Setup
As Nolan is not just an Assassin, but also a hero with skills depending on energy for its use, it is most advisable to use Nolan as a Jungler for the team, as the purple buff would be extremely useful for his gameplay. Nevertheless, we’ve brought up some of the best Emblem/Talent Setup that is advisable to be used for Nolan.
The Custom Assassin Emblem ever since its Revamp, provides players with access to three different talents. Hence, for the new Hero Nolan Emblem Setup, the following setup is expected of players:
- In the First Talent, we choose Rupture as it provides extra adaptive penetration, which translates to extra Physical damage penetration for Nolan. This would be essential when trying to dominate the early game.
- Players can pick Seasoned Hunter in the Second Tier Talent, as it provides extra damage against buffs, lords, and turtles. In general, Seasoned Hunter talent makes jungling way easier. In other cases, players could opt for Festival of Blood or Master Assassin, with the former granting extra spell vamp and regen on using skills, whilst the latter increases damage dealt against solo enemy targets.
- In the Third Tier Talent, players can pick Killing Spree as it grants %HP regen on killing an enemy hero. Players could also opt for Lethal Ignition as it scorches enemy heroes by dealing a certain percentage of damage to them.
Battle Spells
- Whilst using Nolan, it is highly advisable that players choose Retribution spell and jungle with him as his incredibly low CD skills would make him excel at dealing damage to enemy targets.
- Another spell players can consider if they intend to go to the exp or side lane is Execute, as it provides extra damage required to finish up low-hp enemy targets
Best Builds to use for Nolan
Nolan is an Assassin hero in Mobile Legends, who relies on combining both skills and enhanced basic attacks for damage output. Nevertheless, due to his low cooldown of skills, he is a skill-dependent hero who can easily spam skills and out-damage enemy targets. In this guide, we will best build to use for Nolan in Mobile Legends.
Nolan’s equipment build is centered on dealing as much damage as possible. Players on buying boots, can then proceed by building Blade of the Hepetases, as it provides extra enhanced Basic attack damage which would sync well with Nolan’s Basic Attack passive, which enhances his Basic attack whenever he doesn’t receive damage within the next 5 seconds.
Following up with the Hunter Strike item provides extra movement speed and physical penetration when attacking enemy targets. Blade of Despair and Malefic Roar are good picks as the former provides a very high physical attack which would immensely buff his physical damage output, following up with Malefic Roar increases his Physical penetration against enemy targets, thus making even the tankiest of fighters shriek in fear on the battlefield.
Blade of Despair even further enhances his Basic attacks each and every time, he uses a skill. Other equipment that could be exchanged includes Rose Gold Meteor or Immortality, with the former providing defense and shield against burst damage dealers, whilst the latter provides a second chance at cheating death.
Mobile Legends Nolan Guide: Gameplay Tips
Nolan is a unique marksman role hero with high Blink and damage abilities. The extremely low cooldown of his skills makes it even easier to excel on the battlefield as he can quickly move and out-damage most enemy targets. Nevertheless, a player must have a good understanding of the map to bring the best out of any hero. According to his gameplay, we can break it down into three phases. Our Mobile Legends Nolan guide includes the perfect game plan for the early, mid, and late gameplay of Nolan.
Early Game
Since it is highly advisable to pick Retribution spell and Jungle for one’s team whilst using Nolan. Thus, in the Early game players should unlock their first skill. Thanks to Nolan’s passive, one would benefit from Nolan’s basic attack passive and get a Rift upon attacking the buff. It is mostly advisable to start off with attacking the purple buff creep as the energy reduction passive is essential on the battlefield.
Upon taking the purple buff creep, you can proceed to contest and take Lithowander before proceeding to take your team’s red buff. Also, taking a few other side creeps like the Lava Golem and the Fire Beetle would further make it easier to unlock the perks of one’s retribution spell, in anticipation of the first turtle spawning at 4mins. However, it is advisable to gank the most loosely protected lane, mostly the gold lane before the turtle spawns so as to give your team an early game head-start.
Enhanced Basic Attack + Skill 1 + SKILL 2 + Enhanced Basic Attack
Mid Game
On farming well and getting the first equipment, Blade of the Hepetases. Nolan would be able to deal considerably high damage on each enhanced Basic attack. Nolan’s Ultimate ability to be unlocked should be used as an extra damage source against fleeing or not-too-close enemies. Nolan’s ultimate also grants a purify-like skill that removes all debuffs, whether stun or any other CC.
This perk thus makes Nolan’s ultimate even more useful during teamfights especially when the turtles are being contested or in other scenarios when your team intends to gank lanes. Players must also pay close attention to the Rift created by using Nolan’s skills or his Basic Attack and Passive. Players must always ensure that the Rifts that are ensnared on the floor of the battlefield must be drawn close to each other or basically, they must be connected so as to trigger the passive pull and damage to enemy targets that are close to it.
Skill 1 + Skill 2 + Skill 3 + Skill 2 + Skill 1
Late Game
This is the point of the game where players need to be very careful of their positioning and timing. After getting his hands on most of his core equipment, Nolan can deal insane amounts of damage to enemy targets on the battlefield thanks to his insanely low cooldown and the user’s craftiness in the Rift creation.
With a good tank engage for Nolan, he can easily assassinate enemy backliners as in this phase his ultimate ability would come in handy, especially against CC mages. Nolan would easily outshine squishy targets, though it must be noted that soloing or avoiding teamfights wouldn’t really help your team. So one must wait for proper initiation by your team’s fronliners then Nolan can dash into the battlefield and take care of the rest.
| Heroes that counter Nolan | Heroes Nolan can counter |
| Phoveus | Layla |
| Saber | Ixia |
| Khufra | Kimmy |
| Minisitthar | Irithel |
Final Thoughts
Nolan is an assassin hero equipped with low-cooldown, high-impact abilities that can obliterate squishy damage dealers and disrupt tanky front liners. While being styled similarly to energy-dependent assassins like Fanny and Ling, Nolan’s skills make him more well-rounded. He packs not only damage and mobility in his arsenal but also an ability that can remove all kinds of debuffs, allowing him to slip away when caught in the thick of fights.
An excellent pick for rank games, Nolan is definitely a good pick for the current meta. These tips will surely help you to guide easy wins with Nolan in Mobile Legends. You can also refer to our latest tier list to know more about the revamped meta heroes in this current season.
That’s all for today’s Mobile Legends Nolan Guide. Do you prefer to use Nolan in any other way? Let us know in the comment section below!