Powered by oil-fired steam turbines producing a total of around 15,500 horsepower (11,600 kW), she replaced a River-class destroyer in the flotilla.

She could sail at 33 kn (38 mph; 61 km/h) and had a pair of BL 4-inch (102 mm) guns, one mounted at the fore and one aft, as well as two torpedo tubes.

[9] The flotilla was present at a gathering of the Royal Navy fleet near to Penzance in July 1910[8] and in September that year Nubian had her annual refit at Chatham Dockyard.

[13] Nubian had a refit and basin trials of her machinery at Chatham in May 1912 before joining the Fourth Destroyer Flotilla at Portland for exercises in the English Channel.

[20] Nubian had come top of its class in the 1912 battle practice (long range firing under war conditions),[21] scoring 102 points.

[25] In November, she acted as a tow for kites being used as targets in anti-aircraft gun tests at Needles Battery on the Isle of Wight, where her speed was remarked on.

[28] Nubian was among the ships that successfully hunted the German submarine SM U-8 in March 1915, although the fatal blows were delivered by Ghurka and HMS Maori.

[31] During the Battle of Dover Strait, on the night of 26–27 October 1916 off Folkestone Nubian's bow was almost severed by a German torpedo that exploded almost under her bridge.