Iv been toying around with the idea of getting Nidalee and I was curious which build (AP or AD) is perfered at mid to mid-high elo. Which build has more damage, and/or survivibility? I dont often see Nidalee, but when I do she tends to do fair rather well.. Is she even a viable hero choice at the mid to mid-high elo range?

If there is anyone who mains Nidalee and could fill me in, I would love you for it.

Thanks.

i play her as a hybrid:

doran's ring
sheen
phage
mobility or mercury
zeal
trinity
banshee's veil

and then some random stuff depending on their team

need to push, casters = bloodthrister

tanks= last whisper

noobs=soulstealer
hope this helps

I tried both. Maybe I was just bad with AD, but I tend to spam spells more often so I switched to AP with positive results. Javelin early game is pretty insane with damage when you have it at level 3+ against opposing laners.

AP with HP for survivability. Rod of Ages/Rylai's/Treads based on opposing team/Lichbane for extra Takedown damage. I haven't had a game go longer than those items yet, but I suppose what's after would be situational. Warmogs/Spirit Visage for survival, or Zhonya ring for more AP.

This.
Just remember there's a 3 second cooldown on Sheen buff. Of course, once you upgrade to Trinity, that worry is gone.

thats the one. with AP you can also be a great healer... and if you are good at form switching, you can get amazing spear throws and heals off just in time to rock an opponent's world. i wouldn't worry about being bad with an attack nidalee... she just isn't nearly as powerful and useful as a lichbane/mejai nidalee.

Nidalee is definately a hybrid champ. I always go:
Doran's Ring (for survivablity)
Sheen (if you dont on her you just suck)
boots Mercury or Sorcerers (all your burst hits majorly harder with magic pen, also i do MP runes)
vamp septer (you needs some life steal, usually turn it into Executioners)
Phage (your slow)
Zeal
Trinity Force
Also the [COLOR=#ffcc00]Guinsoo's Rageblade[/COLOR] if effing Sweet on Nidalee now due to "on spell cast". You can just be hopping around and stay at full 8 stacks. Then you will burst like a mo foe and have great AP.

I haven't seen a successful AP Nidalee at the higher ELOs at all. Hell, I barely see Nidalee at all anymore. It's all about stuns and crazy uninterruptible aoe at the top tier. The good Nidalees I used to see were all AD Nids though. Simply because AP Nidalee is less useful in team fights than AD Nidalee.

I'd like to disagree with "cougar being useless" in AP-mode. Cougar is never useless. Cougar is the definition of Nidalee's jump-in-and-wtfrageclawgg and it require no definite mode of play as long as you do it right.
Pounce and Swipe scale (even if it's only by a bit) with AP. Takedown is useful even without AD, since if they're at like 30% HP left they're pretty much dead if you're in range. If not, you pounce in closer and chuck a Javelin. 9 out of 10 times, they don't react fast enough to dodge it since they're walking the straightest path to safety.
Not to mention Lichbane works pretty good with Takedown.

Attack speed from Surge is good, I'll admit. Though most of the time in team fights I'm either buffing the carry or healing someone else. It's amazing how well an ally at low HP can lure opposing players into attacking, then you pop up with a heal and pounce in with your rage of clawing.

The reason why I play Nidalee is because she can do everything. Soraka can't. Sivir, more than Soraka, but not my style.

And I'm not arguing that AP is better than AD, I'm arguing that AP isn't useless for killing stuff and pushing. I've seen a fair share of AD Nidalees that do exceptionally well in their games.